do i have an eating disorder?

[xsx87x]

hiya!

ok,so i think i may have an eating disorder... i have trouble keeping weight off because i have PCO syndrome... i also suffer from DDH in my hip so im not allowed to exercise on it...so diets and slimming pills didnt work and i kept getting bigger till one day  it was a bad day i got so depressed i noticed that i suddenly looked much bigger than i thought... and its been that way since. im obsessed with my weight. last christmas was the when i really got bad.. i ate a lot of chocolate and started freaking out about my weight, so i threw it up. since then i have a cycle of barely eating to binge eating to either throwing up or using lax to using lax and not eating properly it got to a stage where i was taking 8+ a day... im so scared im just gonna keep getting fatter! thing is im not getting any thinner but ive noticed i feel more ill and tired, my eyes have rings around them and ive noticed everytime i eat something i freak outabout it afterwards. i have a hundred and one things wrong with me...even extra unwanted hair and everything just seems to be getting worse and ive noticed its all really having an affect on me and making my eating habbits worse ....

please help...

[Patricia Pitts, PhD]

Hi xsx87x,

In your short note, you describe numerous symptoms and thoughts that reveal a probable eating disorder.  At The Bella Vita, we have seen many eating disorder individuals who also have been diagnosed with PCOS.  Your DDH makes exercising a challenge, yet not impossible.  You could work other major muscle groups and possibly swim.  Your obsessive thinking about weight loss and drastic measures to lose weight through diets, slimming pills, laxatives and purging are all classic signs of an eating disorder.  Being in your own head is getting you locked more into your obsessive thinking and unhealthy behaviors.  Seeking a psychotherapist specializing in eating disorders in your area would be a valuable step for you to get support and direction.  Eating disorders are not about food, weight and appearance.  They are about underlying feelings, needs and difficulty coping effectively with one’s life.  For further information about eating disorders, visit our website.

Best,

Dr. Pitts

Patricia Pitts, PhD
The Bella Vita
Los Angeles, California

[Totie]

Have you had your thyroid checked? I would get it checked out, but you must be honest with the doctor and let them know about your eating habits. It could be that your thyroid is hypo, which would cause losing weight virturally impossible. You may also consider see a nurtionist and thearapist.

Just a suggestion.