Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below mike1234555
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I have a friend who is a recovering anorexic and has tried many things but cant seem to get rid of bloat we think is caused by all the eating problems over the years.Any suggestions on how to aleviate some of the bloat.thanks
bloat
- Thread starter mike1234555
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Could be a number of things. Depends on the type of bloat too. Could be water bloat. Anorexics and former anorexics typically don't drink enough water because they hate that full feeling. But the more water you drink, the less you retain. Takes some time for things to regulate though.
Could be constipation bloat. For well-functioning bowels, one must have bulk (fiber) + water. Probably not getting enough of either one. It takes a while for this to sort itself out too.
Your friend may have abused laxatives in the past which can cause the bowels to become lazy and are dangerous when over-used.
If not the first two, it could be hormonal, either due to anorexia or just age. See a doctor if you suspect it's not the first two, or if things don't improve by adding more water and fiber to diet.
Could be constipation bloat. For well-functioning bowels, one must have bulk (fiber) + water. Probably not getting enough of either one. It takes a while for this to sort itself out too.
Your friend may have abused laxatives in the past which can cause the bowels to become lazy and are dangerous when over-used.
If not the first two, it could be hormonal, either due to anorexia or just age. See a doctor if you suspect it's not the first two, or if things don't improve by adding more water and fiber to diet.
hardbdygrl
New member
Mike, the bloat could be her body adjusting to eating "MORE" food then she has been used to. ALso her body may not be abel to digest the food as well, causing it to just sit there in the stomache, Try to get her to eat some fiber and drink alot of water.
HOw long has she been recovering?
HOw long has she been recovering?
Ceebs
New member
What exactly is your friend eating? Is she eating clean, or is she just eating more? Keeping sodium, sugar, and starch to a minimum, and getting enough potassium and water will alleviate bloating.
Anyway, assuming she really is retaining water, and not just uncomfortable adjusting to her new weight, eating clean and excercising moderately will right water balance wrongs in time.
Anyway, assuming she really is retaining water, and not just uncomfortable adjusting to her new weight, eating clean and excercising moderately will right water balance wrongs in time.
mike1234555
New member
She eats 4 mostly protien,protien bars per day.She does drink plenty of water each day ,but has and still does use laxatives.She said she has to otherwise she cant go to the bathroom.
Ceebs
New member
There's your answer, then - continuing to use laxatives is just exacerbating the problem, because they interfere with your body's fluid regulation. Laxatives flush out the large intestine, where water - among other nutrients - is absorbed.
At any rate, unless she wants to take those things for life, your friend should probably taper down her laxative use as soon as possible, while eating lots of fiber to keep things "moving" in there. And although I don't advocate getting all of one's nutrition from meal replacement bars, most people find that eating several protein bars a day has a laxative effect, so she may find it easier to go to the bathroom if she keeps eating them. In time, however, incorporating real food into her diet should be part of the recovery process. Best of luck to her.
At any rate, unless she wants to take those things for life, your friend should probably taper down her laxative use as soon as possible, while eating lots of fiber to keep things "moving" in there. And although I don't advocate getting all of one's nutrition from meal replacement bars, most people find that eating several protein bars a day has a laxative effect, so she may find it easier to go to the bathroom if she keeps eating them. In time, however, incorporating real food into her diet should be part of the recovery process. Best of luck to her.
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mike1234555
New member
Thanks
Thanks
Thanks
"still does use laxatives.She said she has to otherwise she cant go to the bathroom."
Two issues.
She can solve her problem with the "can't go to the bathroom" by eating whole foods that contain fiber (i.e., lots of vegs). Protein bars won't cut it for anything. She needs to learn to eat food.
I say bullshit in part, to the can't go to the bathroom excuse for the laxatives. She wants to use the laxatives to avoid gaining weight, I see it more of an excuse to continue using laxatives than it is a going to the bathroom issue.
Lastly, and this is one primary reason eating disorders are a mistake in the first place. Assuming you don't end up dead, one of the problems with weight regain following anorexia is that for some reason that is not clear, weight regain tends to be more central (gut area), even with estrogen therapy.
None-the-less, protein bars and laxatives are likely to continue to f**k up and already f**ked up gut and cause gas and bloating.
Gotta go with real food or there will be no recovery from a physiological perspective.
W6
Two issues.
She can solve her problem with the "can't go to the bathroom" by eating whole foods that contain fiber (i.e., lots of vegs). Protein bars won't cut it for anything. She needs to learn to eat food.
I say bullshit in part, to the can't go to the bathroom excuse for the laxatives. She wants to use the laxatives to avoid gaining weight, I see it more of an excuse to continue using laxatives than it is a going to the bathroom issue.
Lastly, and this is one primary reason eating disorders are a mistake in the first place. Assuming you don't end up dead, one of the problems with weight regain following anorexia is that for some reason that is not clear, weight regain tends to be more central (gut area), even with estrogen therapy.
None-the-less, protein bars and laxatives are likely to continue to f**k up and already f**ked up gut and cause gas and bloating.
Gotta go with real food or there will be no recovery from a physiological perspective.
W6
NY Muscle
Well-known member
get her some FLAX MEAIL www.proteinfactory.com
its healthy and she will be shitting her living brains out guranteed!!
i knew this dude who got that stomach stapling procedure...he lose like 120lbs, and then could never goto the bathroom cause he turned anorexic...he didnt eat...if u dont eat, you dont shit lol its simple. i gave him the flax meal...he somes to the gym a few days later and thanks me and says hes shitting 2-3 times a day lol
its healthy and she will be shitting her living brains out guranteed!!
i knew this dude who got that stomach stapling procedure...he lose like 120lbs, and then could never goto the bathroom cause he turned anorexic...he didnt eat...if u dont eat, you dont shit lol its simple. i gave him the flax meal...he somes to the gym a few days later and thanks me and says hes shitting 2-3 times a day lol
hardbdygrl
New member
once you start to use laxatives, your body depends on them, causing u to take more and more. I used to have to take 40 at a time in order for them to work. Mike, she may be "recovering" by eating, but see if she will eat something besides a protein bar, b/c they are very very hard to diegest. Which could be causing the bloat as well.
NY - would flax oil work the same or does it have to be the flax meal? I tried the flax oil thing and it did not work.
HBG - 40 at a time! OH MY!!! I'm am soo glad you don't do that anymore!
I think I have screwed up my body from my ED days. I CANNOT GO. The more fiber I take the more bloated I get. I have tried everything....except flax MEAL.
HBG - 40 at a time! OH MY!!! I'm am soo glad you don't do that anymore!
I think I have screwed up my body from my ED days. I CANNOT GO. The more fiber I take the more bloated I get. I have tried everything....except flax MEAL.
Interesting post. I wish I'd had more advise when I was early into recovery. It was awful. I ate very small meals every couple of hours-- cold or room temperture food. It made me feel less full and didn't overwhelm my system as much. I'm thankful that I didn't abuse laxatives. I completely screwed up my digestive system though....even without them. It took over a year of fairly normal eating behavior to properly absorb again. I also had a lot of bleeding in my stomach and intestinal track. It was all very glamorous. 
I leaned harder into anorexia once the bulimia brought me to the point of requiring throat surgery. I couldn't purge so I quit eating again. 2 years into being focused on recovery and I'm still not back to normal in many respects. It kind of sucks to say, but at least in my case, it took time-- and not just time-- time where I worked my ass off to eat and watch what I was eating. Ultimately, being consistant is what's going to do the most good.
I leaned harder into anorexia once the bulimia brought me to the point of requiring throat surgery. I couldn't purge so I quit eating again. 2 years into being focused on recovery and I'm still not back to normal in many respects. It kind of sucks to say, but at least in my case, it took time-- and not just time-- time where I worked my ass off to eat and watch what I was eating. Ultimately, being consistant is what's going to do the most good.
hardbdygrl
New member
Debu said:
Debu, Im the same way,the more fiber the more bloated, And i still cant go!!! it suucks!! NYM i know drinking alot of water is supposed to help the problem,, but even still that does not help
lol i cant belive im having this conversation buuuuuuuut owell hehhe
hardbdygrl said:
Debu, Im the same way,the more fiber the more bloated, And i still cant go!!! it suucks!! NYM i know drinking alot of water is supposed to help the problem,, but even still that does not help
lol i cant belive im having this conversation buuuuuuuut owell hehhe
I"m soooo glad I've finally found another person who gets more constipated with an increase in fiber!!! FINALLY I"M NOT ALONE! I've tried EVERYTHING except the flax meal...right now I have to drink those oriental diet teas to make me go, it's so unpredictable. It makes it so hard to go low carb days when I mainly eat vegetables because of the pain. The things we go thru to drop BF! I already drink 1 to 1.5 gallons of water a day, plus one diet pepsi and coffee so I don't think I can drink anymore.
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