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Recovering from IBS and Bulimia
Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC, Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope
Many individuals who struggle with bulimia are dealing with adverse medical complications that can severely hinder overall quality of life. Common physical symptoms of bulimia include cardiovascular complications, tooth decay, fatigue and weakness, and gastrointestinal distress. The repeated act of binging and purging, whether by self-induced vomiting or excessive laxative/diuretic use can wreck havoc on the digestive system.
Recurrent purging can influence metabolic abnormalities and ultimately interfere with the normal processes of the digestive system. People who are dealing with bulimia may experience severe and chronic stomach pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, and acid reflux among other issues.
These symptoms can make it challenging to nourish the body appropriately and even interfere with basic daily tasks. Some individuals with bulimia may have more severe forms of digestive issues. Irritable bowel syndrome is one such digestive issue that might also be experienced by bulimia sufferers.
What is IBS?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a term to describe an overly sensitive colon, or large intestine. Many individuals with irritable bowel syndrome experience painful and uncomfortable digestive symptoms, such as abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and more.
There are many factors that can contribute to the development of IBS as well as trigger symptoms associated with this disorder. Some individuals with bulimia may further exasperate preexisting symptoms of IBS with binging and purging behaviors.
Seek Professional Guidance for IBS Associated with Bulimia
If you have been struggling with uncomfortable digestive symptoms that are a result of IBS while recovering from bulimia, it is crucial to seek out the appropriate help you need to allow your body to recover.
Minimizing eating disorder behaviors is a necessary step to avoiding further complications that may result from IBS. It is also important to work with your professional treatment team to understand how to best manage IBS while in recovery.
Your doctor may prescribe you certain medications and your registered dietitian may assist you with a meal plan to support your recovery efforts. Because of the complexity of having bulimia and IBS, professional guidance and treatment is a necessary component of healing and recovering from both of these disorders and their symptoms.
Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!
Have you struggled with IBS while in recovery from bulimia? If so, what helped you manage IBS while effectively staying in recovery?
Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating. Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing, Crystal serves as the Special Projects Coordinator for Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope, where her passion to help others find recovery and healing is integrated into each part of her work.
As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work with EDH/AH and nutrition private practice.
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on January 24, 2016
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com
The EatingDisorderHope.com editorial team comprises experienced writers, editors, and medical reviewers specializing in eating disorders, treatment, and mental and behavioral health.
