- Bulimia (buh-LEE -me-ah) nervosa, typically
called bulimia, is a type of eating disorder. Someone with bulimia eats
a lot of food in a short amount of time (called bingeing) and then tries
to prevent weight gain by purging. Purging might be done in these ways:
-making oneself throw up
-taking laxatives, pills, or liquids that increase how fast food moves
through your body and leads to a bowel movement (BM)
A person with bulimia may also use these ways to prevent weight gain:
-exercising a lot
-eating very little or not at all
-taking pills to pass urine
What causes it?
Bulimia is more than just a problem with food. Purging and other
behaviors to prevent weight gain are ways for people with bulimia to
feel more in control of their lives and ease stress and anxiety. While
there is no single known cause of bulimia, many things may have a role
in its development:
-Biology. There are studies being done to look at many genes,
hormones, and chemicals in the brain that may have an effect on the
development of, and recovery from, bulimia.
-Culture. Some cultures in the U.S. have an ideal of extreme
thinness. Women may define themselves on how beautiful they are.
-Personal feelings. Someone with bulimia may feel badly about
herself, feel helpless, and hate the way she looks.
-Stressful events or life changes. Things like starting a new
school or job, being teased, or traumatic events like rape can lead to
the onset of bulimia.
-Families. The attitude of parents about appearance and diet
affects their kids. Also, a person is more likely to develop bulimia if
a mother or sister has it.
What are signs of bulimia?
People with bulimia may be underweight, overweight, or have a normal
weight. This makes it harder to know if someone has this disorder.
However, someone with bulimia may have these signs:
Uses extreme measures to lose weight
-uses diet pills, or takes pills to urinate or
have a bowel movement (BM)
-goes to the bathroom all the time after she eats (to throw up)
-exercises a lot, even during bad weather, tiredness, sickness, or
injury
Shows signs of throwing up
-swelling of the cheeks or jaw area
-cuts and calluses on the back of the hands and knuckles
-teeth that look clear
Acts differently
-is depressed
doesn't see friends or participate in activities as much
What happens to someone who has bulimia?
Bulimia can be very harmful to the body. Look at the picture to find out
how bulimia affects your health.
Can someone with bulimia get better?
Yes, a person with bulimia can get better. Different types of therapy
have worked to help people with bulimia. This may include individual,
group, and family therapy. A class of medicines, also used for
depression, like Zoloft, has been effective when used with therapy.
These medicines change the way certain chemicals work in the brain.
Can women who had bulimia in the past still get
pregnant?
Bulimia can cause problems with a woman’s period. She may not get it
every 4 weeks or it may stop. But researchers don't think this affects a
woman's chances of getting pregnant after she recovers.
Does bulimia hurt a baby when the mother is
pregnant?
If a woman with active bulimia gets pregnant, these problems may result:
-miscarriage
-high blood pressure in the mother
-baby isn’t born alive
-low birth weight
-low Apgar score, which are tests done after birth to make sure the baby
is healthy
-during the delivery, they baby tries to come out with feet or buttocks
first
-birth by C-section
-baby is born early
-depression after the baby is born
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