Bulimia Help

I have been eating normally for the past few months and today, even though I am having a terrible day (I just binged and would purge if my bf wasnt here), just for shits and laughs I just checked my weight and its at an all time high.

FUCK! why even try! I'll either go back to bulimia or just overeat.
There is nothing I can do that works. FML!

Anyway, the answer to your question is that purging doesnt get rid of all the overeaten calories, only about 10% or so I think. So that maybe why you are gaining weight. It also maybe water weight after having b/p. I would always notice a bloated look after my b/p sessions.

If you stop purging, you are going to feel disgusted with yourself after having binged. Keep yourself in control even after a binge session and dont purge and eventually your binges will get smaller and smaller and will eventually stop.
It will take time and a few successes/ failures and lots of lessons learnt, but you will normalize once you make the effort.

Good luck!

Right first off, I can totally relate to these feelings. I always wondered how the hell I would even start to recover because while I was fully bulimic (for ten and a half years) if I ever ate anything and didn't purge I would gain weight.

I was terrified starting recovery because i knew I might gain a lot of weight, in fact I expected to. In reality I actually lost a little and have now totally maintained at a lower healthy weight since july. Done by eating around 2000calories a day and using structured eating which you can learn a lot about on this site if youre not familiar with it.

Purging messes up your weight and metabolism a hell of a lot as im sure you've noticed, and a lot does have to do with water weight (as much as we all seem to hate that) its scientifically true.

If you are at a healthy weight for your height and really take on recovery full force, both working on stopping any bingeing and purging you will not get fat. Your weight may change a little while your body is getting used to food again, which is why its also a great idea to start working on your beliefs and taking on methods to imporve selve esteem and self worth at the start too. But know that it will only gain weight that is needed.

I was in the healthy weight range when I started recovery so I can imagine it would be a lot harder if you were underweight, ebcause then the reality would be a bit more weight gain during recovery. Everyone is different, but why not have a read around the site, especially the information sections, they are really helpful, and really do tell the truth based in scientific fact.

We're always here if you need to talk, but seriously my lovely, you are so lucky to be here right now, still quite early on in the disorder you have a real chance. Don't let this distroy everything in your life, because it will. It will take everything you have, please try and fight :) x x

[also just a small note, we are not allowed to mention numbers here because they can be really triggering to other memebers of the site, so when you get a chance if you could just edit them out, But dont worry its a really easy mistake to make when you're new here!]

I am an overweight bulimic. No matter it seems I binge and purge that I gain. I am here for you.

The only time my weight goes down is when i am engaged in a healthy, structured eating plan and exercise regularly. When i fall into a b/p cycle- my weight begins to skyrocket. I gain lbs at an alarming rate! Mostly b/c I get depressed and dont want to exercise and keep having bad day after bad day. It's weird b/c most people b/p because it makes them skinnier. Why can't I stop when i know I will be thinner if I just eat normally and keep up with my exercise!?

I have gained 20 more pounds since I've gone back to bulimia. After I get on structured eating plan I start to lose weight. When my metabolism gets screwed up then I put on some more weight after re-eating but then it my weight goes down after a while. The only thing that ever made me look like a skeleton was my anorexia nervosa. The good thing is the metabolism can kick back in after a while.
What may be going with you is water retention that is causing bloating and extra pounds.

The other thing is your bulimia may be causing you to gain weight like it did with me. This is why I don't know why I binge and purge when I end up gaining weight from it. Most bulimics don't want to gain weight but a lot end up doing so; it's ironic. Your body may be into starvation mode and storing everything including water. Before my body went into starvation mode I actuall maintained my weight. I found if I didn't purge in time I would gain weight. For the most part, I just maintained but after I had my anorexia my metabolism was screwed up which caused weight gain and major refeeding.

These are some of the things I know but it may be different for you.
Just hang in there hun. Hugs.

I have the same problem. I know that I weigh less when I eat normally and exercise. The reasons (according to my therapist) we resort back to our old ways (b/p) are because we never developed a healthy coping method to deal with our emotions. It is very hard to change our coping method. Especially since it means we have to find new ways and reteach ourselves how to handle them and actually allow ourselves to really feel our emotions.

Optimus-I have to say this describes me perfectly. I always resort to b/p after feeling stressed,upset, sad, or nervous. The problem is that b/p leads me to gain weight- which causes even more stress and unhappiness- triggering me to b/p again. It's almost like once I take that first bite and know I am going to b/p- I feel almost relieved- b/c the stress of trying NOT to b/p is over. Does that make sense? Have you found a productive way to deal with negative emotions instead?

Holy SHIT! -- the idea that purging only gets rid of that small of a percentage of calories really scares me!! It's a really stupid thought, but I'd really rather just stay with b/ping and not gain any weight. Gaining weight really kills me emotionally.
What an irrational, powerful fear.

i purge until i purge bile. it's awful

Most statements about "only 30% of the calories are purged" or such other figures is based on ONE study, with SEVENTEEN bulimics from a certain area. I've analyzed the study and did further research. Theres no solid scientific evidence of how many calories are actually absorbed and purged.
I'd get into specifics but it might break a few rules, or become triggering for those recovering.

Please please please! It's not about the weight... I know the idea of putting on wieght is paralysing but it is better to do that than kill yourself. I know it's hard to accept. That's why i have this disease in the first place... So, yes, maybe bulimia DOES help you to loose weight. Maybe you ARE able to purge everything up. But you are killing yourself...

Some people gain weight when they are bulimic. Some people loose weight when they are bulimic. Some people's weight stays about the same. BUT BULIMIA IS STILL NOT A GOOD OPTION.

Some people loose weight when they recover. Some poeple gain weight when they recover. Some people's weight says about the same. BUT RECOVRY IS STILL A GOOD OPTION.

I'm trying not to sound harsh & preachy becuase god knows i've had the same thoughts millions of times... But some of these posts are starting to sound a little pro...

I know you don't mean it to sound that way but i'm finding it very triggering today!

Please keep fighting. I know it's really hard and i'm not underestimating that AT ALL.

I believe that recovery is the only option. I believe and trust that my body is smart enough to figure out the wieght issue if i just give it what it needs and if i give it time and patience. I have to believe that, becuase it's the only way i can see myself getting back to some sort of semblance of normality.

I totally agree with you. Everyone is different, and even at different times things can be different. When i first started purging, I lost loads of weight but now it just keeps creeping up.

So I KNOW that i have to eat normally to try and stop the binges. And regardless of how thin or fat I am, I feel so much better about myself if I am eating well and not bingeing. When I have a bad eating day, I just spiral into this depression where I get obsessed with my weight. But really the weight is not the problem, since otherwise, even on good eating days I would feel enormous.

But for some other people, maybe the fear of gaining weight is more of a problem. I do hate the idea of gaining weight but I think people need to think why are they so scared of gaining weight? Is it really that bad?

This may sound odd, but I hate being bigger than I was because I feel less vulnerable now. People used to be more careful with me. They would treat me as if i was a china doll. But now everyone treats me like everyone else. Strange, huh?

hey! may i add sth?
my sister and i went through a series of tought starvation diets,(although she didnt end up bulimic, lucky her) anyways, we noticed that always when we starved ourselves our tried these chemical diets or fad diets we end up gaining so much weight in just two days, honestly!
we were overweight, and to be healthy we had to go on diets it was the only solution, but if u want ahealthier one, just dont eat anything after 6 pm and exercise alot, just LOWER the amount of fats u eat lower them, not stop them, alot of overweight people i know, lost weight in that healthy way without ever becoming bulimic, try it, but learn to accept ur body if it doesnt want to lose the weight, maybe u r just built that way!
stay strong!

after everything i do to my body, it probably takes awhile to get back in sync with "normal" eating. I bet my body goes haywire trying to figure out if it should digest or get ready to purge. I'm sure this affects weight for awhile and makes you fluctuate quite a bit. I am thinking of hiding my scale in my bf's closet and only weighing in once a week. I think weighing myself everyday is a trigger....

same here! i am heavier in the b/p cycle too. im much healthier/thinner/happier/energetic/organized/clear thinking/less broke when im engaged in nutritious eating behavior and regular excersize. so why do i do it? i have no idea! i guess i just really like food. ive been on a really long good streak though. im sure your metabolism is just thrown off. it will restabilize itself again to where it should be.

If you have been trying to stick in lessening your calorie intake, you've done lots of workouts to lose weight but still can't see any changes, well I suggest that you take it to the next step. There's this new diet drug, it's called Lorcaserin. A two-year study of this drug has been completed, and it actually tells that it is safe to use and effective, So why not try this?