Laxative Abuse

[Splammalot]

I am a 20 yr old female with a history of eating disorders, first anorexia which developed into bulemia using laxatives. It's gotten to the point of dependency. I get really bloated and constipated if I go without it. I know I can cause permanent damage if I dont stop using them, but I hate this disgusting bloated feeling. How do I wean myself off without having to feel fat and disgusting?

[Laila1991]

Hi Keisha! My name is Laila and I am 20 years old and I was also an anorexic, and then I became a Bulimic. I abused numerous laxatives, and enemas, and I also "cleaned" my body out by using cleansers. They did work for a short amount of time, but now I have noticed that when I tried to quit using them all my digestive system was terribly slow. So I decided to speak to my doctor about it. They simply told me to eat more fiber, such as whole wheat ceral ( Kellog's All Bran) is a great cereal. But you should increase your fiber intake gradually. Don't eat too much because too much of anything is bad! Another good tip is to eat smaller meals a day, try eating six times a day. You should also exercise at least an hour a day. I can honestly tell you that by simply stopping the  use of laxatives, eating more fiber, and exercising does work! Give it a shot (: yes, you will fell bloated, and you will gain weight but this is only temporary. Besides you are still beautiful and what truly matters is the inner you.

[Keisha_86]

Hi there, have you or anyone else actually had success in getting off laxatives.
If so, can you please advice whats the procedure you took and how long did it take you to have regular natural bowel movements and whether you put on any weight?
Thankyou...

[Keisha_86]

Hi there, has anyone actually had success in getting off laxatives.
If so, can you please advice whats the procedure you took and how long did it take you to have regular natural bowel movements and whether you put on any weight?
Thankyou...

[DeathAngel27]

Depending on how many you take step down one by one. Take one or two less per week save yourself before you are stuck and have a messed up digestive tract. Eat lots of salad, lettuce is actually not digestable so it and soup are a fine idea.

[GhostOf1901]

Eat more fiber. Long term laxative use will weaken your intestinal muscle. The only way to get yourself off of it it to strengthen it. You may have to deal with that "disgusting bloated" feeling for a while. It took you a while to get to this stage, it'll take a while to get out of it. Digestive enzymes and probiotics will also help.

Good luck.