Eating disorder? need advice

[worrrried18]

I think i have a binge-eating disorder.I eat at a rapid speed,i eat large quantities and carry on until it is gone, regardless of if im full.m always thinking about my next meal,i find it extremely difficult to stop myself from eating, and everytime i eat like this i feel terrible, i think thats it im starving myself from tomorrow but it never ever works.i just cant resist food.and its not hat im just greedy i just cant stop myself and i feel so bad about it.my mum has started telling me off for eating as she says i eat too much too fast so im starting to feel like i shouldnt eat infront of her at all.she doesnt have to say it,its the way she looks at me half of the time. im a big girl, im 5 ft 8, i weigh around 14stone and i have a bigger build.im not what you would class as obese, i dont think people look at me and notice im so overweight because my height does me a lot of favors. but i know that im at least 2 stone over weight.i really dont want to go to my doctor as i feel he will do nothing to help me, and i dont want to be seen as just plain greedy. i cant control myself and i need help.diets DO NOT work for me i cant cope with them.i know everybody has heard this all before but i just need some feedback. please, any thoughts are helpful.thankyou x

[Zoelula]

I'm sorry, make that "right hand side". Just click on "forums"on the top of the page and then on the right you will see "Ask the Doctor" forums.

[Zoelula]

The expert forums are listed on the left hand side of the forum lists. I believe the eating disorder one is under anorexia and bulimia. But you might also just want to do a search for eating disorder programs in your area or just check the phonebook.

[Jena_C]

Hi Zoe,
Thank you so much.   I copied and pasted it but most probably again on a wrong
expert forum (may not be an expert forum).    Let's wait and see.

[Zoelula]

Hi Jena

This is a peer forum. The Psychologist seems to check in here on a very occasional basis, so I suggest you post on the Expert board for eating disorders if you want her response. Best of luck to you and your daughter.
Zoe

[Jena_C]

Dear Dr.PIitts,
I would be grateful if you could let me know of any treatment centre or Therapist in the
UK for the treatment of COMPULSIVE OVEREATING DISORDER for our daughter.
She is now 27 and a post graduate student in the university.   She was dx with Asperger's couple of years ago.  She has overeating/obesity problem from her childhood.
We the parents are both in med profession and so is our son ( older than our daughter).
She(daughter) had the same private school upbringing as our son but from her childhood
remained undiagnosed for As unfortunately which caused her/and family enormous stress.   After her dx(needed Aripiprazole) she is back to study but unfortunately can
NOT control her huge appetite including loads of carb.   To add insult to injury, she
developed Diabetes 2yrs.ago which could as well be from Seroquel which she was tried
prior to Abilify.    Very recently with her own request her GP agreed to prescribe her
ORLISTAT but all in vain.  She is now more in carb rich food.   Any attempt to stop her
eating wrong food, only ends up with her being extremely irritable.  She's also on
Metformin for her Diabetes and on Simvastatin for raised Cholesterol.
Apart from her compulsive overeating she's very pleasant except her Asperger's social isolation problem to some extent.
I am sorry to bother you but although she's with a Psychiatrist follow up for her As,  I
feel they're not taking her this "Disorder"seriously.   I wonder would you be able to
guide me regarding the treatment.   She's not bulimic, she just absorbs the food and
really obese now.   She's  5' 6'' in Ht and her  Wt. is 92kg.
As parents, my husband and I  are desperate to help her but not getting a clue re how to?
PLEASE HELP.   She has other med condition which also contribute in her weight gain
ie  Hypothyroid and PCOS.
With anticipation,
Jena

[Patricia Pitts, PhD]

It would be helpful to get an assessment from an eating disorder therapist to best diagnose and determine how to best treatment you.  To take an eating disorder survey, learn more about eating disorders and level of cares visit the bella vita website.  Best, Dr Patricia Pitts  The Bella Vita Los Angeles and Woodland Hills, CA

[Zoelula]

Once I got into recovery from my eating disorder THEN I was able to enjoy food. I love to cook and go out to ethnic restaurants. When my eating disorder was at its worst I didn't enjoy food at all, but I was obsessed with it. Your mom may mean well but she doesn't understand about your problem. Most people who haven't been there don't. Also she may be too close to the problem. Your doctor is more able to be objective and probably knows more about eating disorders. But if you don't think he or she would help then try some of the other suggestions.

[worrrried18]

thanks for the replies guys.
im 19, 20 later this year so iv known since i was a lot younger i have a big appetite and definately enjoy my food.This wasnt a problem when i was younger until i hit my teens, then i blobbed out for a few years and was very chubby. i then lost 2 stone by god knows how,and slowly over the last 3 years iv gradually put it all back on again.people dont take me seriously when i say im fat, and i dont want to be one of those people who say it just for poeple to disagree with me,its not that at all.people just think i enjoy my food which i do but im starting to not be able to control it, and instead of enjoying eating im feeling disgusted and guilty after everything that i eat and trying to restrict myself whih makes it worse when i give in.i tried to confide in my mum and tell her i think i have a problem and she laughed, and said you havent got an eating disorder your eating is just out of control, you will look like a house if your not careful and she thinks the best way to stop me from eating like this is to tell me off.this is the reason why i dont think my doctor would do anything to help me, i just cant imagine being taken seriously.

[shlee1016]

I agree that seeing a therapist who specializes in eating disorders is a great idea, and OA would be another great option. Both of them together would be even better. There is a reason beneath why you are doing this. You are right that it is NOT because you are greedy. It's not that at all. There's an emotional or some other link to it below the surface. Diets don't work for anyone, so don't even try diets. They are baaaaaaad. Hang in there hun. Let me know if I can help in any way or if you want to talk more.

[Zoelula]

Hi worried

Only a doctor or therapist can accurately diagnose an eating disorder, but the fact that this is bothering you so much is definitely an indication that you are at least starting to have issues with weight and food. I'm guessing you are young and haven't been doing this too long. That means that you could get it back under control before it gets worse if you get some help. You say you don't think your doctor will do anything to help you. Would you be more comfortable going to a different doctor? Another option is to go see a therapist, especially one who has experience in eating disorders. A third option is to go to a meeting of Overeater's Anonymous. OA is a great organization that has free meetings in most good sized towns. Look in the phonebook and call to find out when and where the next meeting is. If it is a large city they probably have meetings that are specially geared to young people. You are smart to say that you can't cope with diets, because if you are developing an eating disorder diets tend to make things worse, not better.