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progressnotperfectn
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Lightbulb Aug 02, 2019 at 05:12 PM
  #1
Ever since I developed an eating disorder 16 years ago I have had digestive problems that got worse over the years to the point where they currently affect me every day and make it difficult to enjoy many things because they are constantly there. Namely I have extreme bloating, belching (even if I haven't eaten in several hours or when I awake in the morning) and chronic constipation and GERD. I literally have to stop in between every couple of bites or sips because of the need to burp and regurgitation. I had anorexia for the first 4 years and bulimia for the next 9 years and for the last couple years I've really been making progress with eating regularly spaced and balanced meals and following my hunger cues although I still need improvement. My weight has been steadily in the healthy range for the last 12 years. I tested negative for food allergies, gastroparesis and no findings on an endoscopy. GERD medication had no effect. I don't have a history of vomiting as I purged through exercise, fasting and occasional laxatives. I tried probiotics and the low FODMAP diet for a month, which was recommended by my gastroenterologist, but given how restrictive it is I was unable to continue without using eating disorder behaviors. I didn't notice a difference but have heard it might take longer than a month. About 5 years ago I went back to a dietician who specialized in ED and she didn't know why I had these digestive problems which was really frustrating because I was completely honest with her about all symptom use. At this point my eating disorder behaviors include binge/restrict 0-4 times a week and 1-4 single doses of laxatives per month to relieve constipation (I truly don't use them to purge). I don't vomit or overexercise. My digestive problems make it more difficult for me to follow my meal plan because I feel more bloated/pain after eating and am frustrated beyond words. I question if my digestive problems would go away if I ate regularly for a few months but I have never made it past one month😭 I also wonder if I'm consuming more fiber or sugar than my stomach can handle. Another problem is when I try to limit anything in my diet I fall back into using more ED behaviors. I've had a lot of anxiety for my whole life even before the ED and I have made a lot of progress with decreasing my anxiety with DBT and CBT over the last 5 years, so I'm not convinced that's causing my digestive problems but I guess I can't know for sure. Has anyone had a similar situation and know of anything that alleviated digestive problems for them? Or has anyone had digestive problems resolve after not using ED behaviors for a length of time? I would love to hear from anyone who can relate as I am extremely frustrated and running out of ideas.
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Smile Aug 04, 2019 at 12:03 PM
  #2
Hello progressnotperfectn: Thank you for bringing your concern here to PC. I see this is your first post. So... welcome to Psych Central. One additional forum, here on PC, that may be of interest would be the anxiety forum. Here's a link:

https://psychcentralforums.com/anxie...c-and-phobias/

I cannot be of any help myself with regard to your situation. Hopefully there may be other PC members who will have suggestions they can offer. In the meantime, here are links to 2 articles, from Psych Central's archives, on the subject of eating disorders. The first article, by our host Dr. John Grohol, Psy.D., provides links to a number of additional articles on the subject. And the second article lists a variety eating-disorders-related resources:

Eating Disorders: Symptoms, Types & Treatments | Psych Central

Eating Disorders Resources

| Psych Central


I hope you find PC to be of benefit.

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Default Aug 07, 2019 at 11:45 AM
  #3
I’ve had digestive issues almost my whole life. One flare up I had to lower my dairy intake and eventually drop it out of my diet entirely. Another time I had to go very low carb for a while to get things back to normal. This last time was the worst. I had some of the symptoms you are describing like it being hard to eat, stomach hurting, bloating, all that fun stuff. Did some research on my own since doctors have never been of much help for me in this area. What I found was Atrantil, a new nutraceutical that relieves bloating and abdominal discomfort and is also great for treating issues like SIBO (which you might want to test to see if you have that as well). It really helped me a lot so I would highly recommend looking into it. Of course it’s not the cure all for everything, but you can read comments on amazon about it and see how it worked for others and what their symptoms were etc.

I think my last flare up was so bad because I had been under eating for the last 2 years. One of the best things you can do to help your digestive system and overall health is to eat the recommended amount of calories you need every day (a food plan and diary really helps). If you don’t, it just messes with your healthy vs. bad gut bacteria and things can get really bad. I got so sick I seriously felt like I was going to die, so definitely take care of yourself! I would recommend regular meals and regular amounts of food on a regular basis (they can be more meals more often if you need to eat less at one time, just as long as it’s the same from day to day) especially if you’re prone to falling into unhealthy eating habits. FOD map didn’t work for me either. Maybe just try focusing on foods that seem easier to digest (I had a lot of soup, shakes and blended up a bunch of meals when I was at my worst) At the end of the day proper amount of calories is more important than maintaining the perfect diet

Also digestive issues and low iron can contribute to anxiety. So if you ever have a problem where you feel extra anxious and you don’t know why, it could be from those issues.

Anyways just putting some things out there that worked for me. Hope you find something that works!
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Default Aug 12, 2019 at 09:47 PM
  #4
Have you ever been tested for pancreatic issues? My issues manifested more as (excuse tmi) chronic diarrhea, but i don't know if they ever present with other symptoms. No one believed me and kept wanting to send me back to ed inpatient when i was fully engaged in recovery.
Within 72 hours of starting pancreatic enzymes i started to have relief. After over half a year of debilitating symptoms and countless useless doctor visits, it seemed like a miracle.
If you haven't tried it yet, maybe give it a go?
All the best.
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Default Sep 06, 2019 at 09:43 AM
  #5
Another avenue, after you've tried all the other suggestions, might be the prescription drug Reglan, (IDK the generic name). B/c I come from a family of regurgitators (it's on my resume ) I use it when I know I'm going to be eating anything with a high fat content.

Hope you find a happy balance with food quickly
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Default Sep 06, 2019 at 10:15 AM
  #6
Oh man @progressnotperfectn I feel like I will burst if I do not share my journey. I was minorly bulemic in HS. ( I say minor because I was not consistent and did not have the binge part/ just trying to avoid gaining weight) It only lasted a year because the Bipolar took over. I also was always a little overweight-it crept up but when I had my first kid I gained 60 lbs and never stopped until I was 300lbs. I had all sorts of reflux and heartburn. I had gastric bypass in 2019 and lost 147lbs(kept all but 15 off I am proud to share!). The sketchy GI doc I went told me to come off the acid reflux meds because after losing the weight I had no more symptoms. He said that happens with weight loss.

So I went about my business until about 5 years later I had issues again. Found a new GI doc who was floored that I was told to go off that med. GERD doesn't just go away. He got me in for an endoscopy with a biopsy and delivered news I did not expect: In addition to the GERD I have Barretts esophagus. Here is some info:
Quote:

In Barrett's esophagus, tissue in the tube connecting your mouth and stomach (esophagus) is replaced by tissue similar to the intestinal lining.

Barrett's esophagus is often diagnosed in people who have long-term gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) — a chronic regurgitation of acid from the stomach into the lower esophagus. Only a small percentage of people with GERD will develop Barrett's esophagus.

Barrett's esophagus is associated with an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer. Although the risk is small, it's important to have regular checkups for precancerous cells (dysplasia). If precancerous cells are discovered, they can be treated to prevent esophageal cancer.
Had I been symptom free still I would never know. I went through a period of alcoholism as well which can ruin your esophagus.[/quote]
And this:
Quote:
Symptoms
The tissue changes that characterize Barrett's esophagus cause no symptoms. The signs and symptoms that you experience are generally due to GERD and may include:

Frequent heartburn
Difficulty swallowing food
Less commonly, chest pain
Many people with Barrett's esophagus have no signs or symptoms.
Quote:
Causes
The exact cause of Barrett's esophagus isn't known. Most people with Barrett's esophagus have long-standing GERD.

In GERD, stomach contents wash back into the esophagus, damaging esophagus tissue. As the esophagus tries to heal itself, the cells can change to the type of cells found in Barrett's esophagus.

However, some people diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus have never experienced heartburn or acid reflux. It's not clear what causes Barrett's esophagus in these people.
Quote:
Risk factors
Factors that increase your risk of Barrett's esophagus include:

Chronic heartburn and acid reflux. Having GERD that doesn't get better when taking medications known as proton pump inhibitors or having GERD that requires regular medication can increase the risk of Barrett's esophagus.
Age. Barrett's esophagus can occur at any age but is more common in older adults.
Being a man. Men are far more likely to develop Barrett's esophagus.
Being white. White people have a greater risk of the disease than do people of other races.
Being overweight. Body fat around your abdomen further increases your risk.
Current or past smoking.
It is important to get a specialist to do the endoscopy. They are trained to look for these sneaky cells. Life long monitoring and heartburn medicine is a must.
Quote:
Diagnosis
Endoscopy is generally used to determine if you have Barrett's esophagus.

A lighted tube with a camera at the end (endoscope) is passed down your throat to check for signs of changing esophagus tissue. Normal esophagus tissue appears pale and glossy. In Barrett's esophagus, the tissue appears red and velvety.

Your doctor will remove tissue (biopsy) from your esophagus. The biopsied tissue can be examined to determine the degree of change.

Determining the degree of tissue change
A doctor who specializes in examining tissue in a laboratory (pathologist) determines the degree of dysplasia in your esophagus cells. Because it can be difficult to diagnose dysplasia in the esophagus, it's best to have two pathologists — with at least one who specializes in gastroenterology pathology — agree on your diagnosis. Your tissue may be classified as:

No dysplasia, if Barrett's esophagus is present but no precancerous changes are found in the cells.
Low-grade dysplasia, if cells show small signs of precancerous changes.
High-grade dysplasia, if cells show many changes. High-grade dysplasia is thought to be the final step before cells change into esophageal cancer.
Please follow up soon if you can. It could be nothing but it could be something unexpected.

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