Bulimia Nervosa

• What are the symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa?
• Where would one go to find help?

Bulimics are caught in the devastating and addictive binge-purge cycle. The Bulimic eats compulsively and then purges through self-induced vomiting, use of laxatives, diuretics, diet pills, ipecac, strict diets, fasts, chew-spitting, vigorous exercise, or other compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain. Binges usually consist of the consumption of large amounts of food in a short period of time. Binge eating usually occurs in secret. Bulimics, like Anorexics, are also obsessively involved with their body shape and weight. The medical complications of the binge-purge cycle can be severe and like Anorexia can be fatal.

Bulimia Nervosa literally means "hungry as an ox". It is a pattern of often secret powerful binge eating. A person quickly eats high-fiber watery vegetables (salads) or large amounts of high-calorie, sugary, fatty foods. After binge eating, a person usually begins purging, i.e. get the food out of their body, by using diuretics, laxatives, self-induced vomiting, compulsive exercise, or starvation. Many times purging is done to deaden unwelcome feelings or emotions like fear, anger, or loneliness.

What are the symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa?

• Stomach tears.
• Heartburn.
• Raw, bleeding sore throat.
• Lung problems (if vomit is breathed into the lungs, pneumonia or suffocation may occur).
• Dental problems. Stomach acid present in vomit may cause tooth decay or damage surface of teeth.
• Upset body chemistry, i.e. low potassium.

Eating disorders can be fatal, therefore it is imperative to seek help.

Where would one go to find help?

• See your primary care physician or gynecologist immediately
• See a board certified psychiatrist.
• Seek counseling from a licensed psychotherapist.
• Seek a support group for persons suffering from eating disorders.

Please contact us for more information or for an appointment by calling us at 281-357-4111 or e-mailing us at info@cccctomball.com.

Office Hours

Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday appointments available from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.