Recovery is not an easy journey. It is full of relapses, fear, anxiety and depressive moments. Whilst trying to recover from bulimia, I encountered anorexia but the former made my condition worse and bulimia appeared once again. Now, I cannot say that I am fully recovered yet. There are days when I am haunted by my ED yes, but I have more good, clean days than bad ones. At the start of my bulimia recovery, I learnt a lot about the damage done by the condition and I had to seek ways how to prevent further damage, so I am going to list down some of my preventive actions.
· Electrolyte Imbalance: Electrolytes are important chemicals required for the healthy function of the heart and organs. Due to purging behaviours, bulimics tend to be very dehydrated thus their electrolytes get out of whack. This can cause a heart attack or organ failure. I always make sure to drink at least 3-4L of water daily. Bananas and dates are great sources of potassium which might help to balance electrolytes. Make sure to add some sea salt to your food! These two electrolytes are very important in the contraction of muscles. That is why many bulimics experience muscle ache.
· Dental Problems: Stomach acid damages the tooth enamel and might lead teeth to get chipped or decayed. Thus make sure to pay a visit to the dentist and to brush your teeth using a good toothpaste and brush.
· Acid Reflux: This condition leads the stomach acid to rise up, especially when the sufferer rises down. One experiences a “burning” effect around the chest area and many bulimics tend to experience regurgitation of stomach acid. Such symptoms will disappear once purging is stopped.
· Lazy Bowel Syndrome”: In my opinion this is the most horrible aspect of recovery. A condition which I am still experiencing and having trouble with. Years of erratic eating may slow down the metabolism a bit and lead to gas and bloating whenever something is ingested. This is the “side-effect” which often leads me to experience a re-lapse and which I hope that I will overcome soon. A few months into recovery and I still experience bulimia bloat and water retention. Due to this many sufferers feel uncomfortable wearing tight clothing. I try to opt to wear more comfortable clothing such as skater dresses, hoodies and wide-fit shirts. The bloat will pass once the sufferer does not experience anymore relapses. It may take a few months, a year or even two, depends on one’s recovery improvement. I also try to drink some green tea with slices of lemon and I also make sure to stay well-hydrated.
· Dental Problems: Stomach acid damages the tooth enamel and might lead teeth to get chipped or decayed. Thus make sure to pay a visit to the dentist and to brush your teeth using a good toothpaste and brush.
· Acid Reflux: This condition leads the stomach acid to rise up, especially when the sufferer rises down. One experiences a “burning” effect around the chest area and many bulimics tend to experience regurgitation of stomach acid. Such symptoms will disappear once purging is stopped.
· Lazy Bowel Syndrome”: In my opinion this is the most horrible aspect of recovery. A condition which I am still experiencing and having trouble with. Years of erratic eating may slow down the metabolism a bit and lead to gas and bloating whenever something is ingested. This is the “side-effect” which often leads me to experience a re-lapse and which I hope that I will overcome soon. A few months into recovery and I still experience bulimia bloat and water retention. Due to this many sufferers feel uncomfortable wearing tight clothing. I try to opt to wear more comfortable clothing such as skater dresses, hoodies and wide-fit shirts. The bloat will pass once the sufferer does not experience anymore relapses. It may take a few months, a year or even two, depends on one’s recovery improvement. I also try to drink some green tea with slices of lemon and I also make sure to stay well-hydrated.
· Depression: Fighting two psychological disorders at once is horrifying. Bulimia can lead to depression due to the hormonal fluctuations and psychological traumas which the sufferer experiences throughout the illness. Make sure to attend psychotherapy sessions and if the depression is severe opt for psychiatric help. Other than that, exercise and a good nutrition plan make wonders. Try to go out more often, avoid spending time alone, write and draw, cook, listen to music, do anything which takes the mind off from negative thoughts!
· Menstrual Issues: Some female bulimics, experience loss of menstruation. Females will start to menstruate again, once the body feels “safe” to do so. There are sufferers who lost their fertility to bulimia, but if one works hard enough, menstruation will be back. A gyneacologist and an endocrinologist can help to monitor hormonal fluctuations.
· Dealing with Relapses: During recovery, the sufferer must be prepared to face relapses. It takes some time to get the body used to not purging or binging on food. The sufferer will experience weight gain and bloat, all of which will disappear after some time. Relapses are part of recovery. They are there to teach and strengthen the sufferer’s character. They will pass if the sufferer keeps on fighting the ED.
· Menstrual Issues: Some female bulimics, experience loss of menstruation. Females will start to menstruate again, once the body feels “safe” to do so. There are sufferers who lost their fertility to bulimia, but if one works hard enough, menstruation will be back. A gyneacologist and an endocrinologist can help to monitor hormonal fluctuations.
· Dealing with Relapses: During recovery, the sufferer must be prepared to face relapses. It takes some time to get the body used to not purging or binging on food. The sufferer will experience weight gain and bloat, all of which will disappear after some time. Relapses are part of recovery. They are there to teach and strengthen the sufferer’s character. They will pass if the sufferer keeps on fighting the ED.
If bulimia is left untreated, these “side-effects” can be fatal. Chronic bulimia may lead to other addictions and consequences, such as; drug and alcohol abuse, suicidal attempts and self-harm. Try to take recovery seriously and make an effort to put yourself as top priority during your recovery!
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