Binge and Purge : The Cycle Continues
Bulimia Nervosa Awareness
Buli-hi-mia ay ating labanan: Tayo ay magtutulungan at wag na magpaligsahan ,
An interview from our medical expert, Ms. Alyssa Coma Portillo, RN. A registered nurse from Makati Medical Center.
“To those who are suffering from insecurities, what is your advice so that we may prevent the development of more people that suffer from Bulimia Nervosa?”
Ages 18 - 19 are the risky ages in experiencing bulimia nervosa. Mostly when patient’s suffering from bulimia seek professional help, they would most likely hear that “number in the scale or weight does not define who you are as a person”. If ever there are minimal signs or initial symptoms immediately seek professional help to prevent the worsening of the condition.
Since there is an alarming trend of eating disorders among younger patients, please the number on the scale does not define you. And if you know someone who is at risk or suffering from Bulimia Nervosa, encourage them to verbalize feelings and concerns, and to seek medical support or treatment.
An interview from our medical expert, Ms. Alyssa Coma Portillo, RN. A registered nurse from Makati Medical Center.
“We have discussed what bulimia is and its harmful effects, how can it be prevented and how can a person slowly recover from it?”
To prevent nervosa bulimia from getting more severe it is a wise decision to spot if the person has symptoms of bulimia such as depression you should bring them to a bulimia nervosa support group so that they can get proper help.
If the person already has developed bulimia nervosa, a way to slowly recover from it would be psychotherapy where the therapist will help you to slowly recover from bulimia nervosa since your mental health is in line with it.
Another way would be by visiting a dietician wherein they will give you a diet that you will need to follow so that you can regain your health back from bulimia nervosa.
Using antidepressants may help in stopping your depression which may be a cause to bulimia nervosa
An interview from our medical expert, Ms. Alyssa Coma Portillo, RN. A registered nurse from Makati Medical Center.
“What can be the potential disadvantages of bulimia and what are its harmful aftereffects?”
The potential disadvantages of bulimia, are:
Severe dehydration
Constipation
Cavities
Irregular heart rhythm
An interview from our medical expert, Ms. Alyssa Coma Portillo, RN. A registered nurse from Makati Medical Center.
“We learned through some personal research that there are two types of bulimia purging and nonpurging type. What are these two types?”
The two types of purging is purging and non-purging
Purging is a kind of bulimia that refers to those who will engage in self-induced vomiting or the excessiveabuse of diuretics, laxatives, or enemas after bingeing. This type accounts for the majority of bulimia cases.
The non-purging type is a kind of bulimia that refers to the person using other compensatory methods to offset the effects of episodes of binging, these include fasting or excessive exercise. In cases such as these, the common types of purging are not regularly used. The excessive use of stimulants or diet pills are also regarded as a non-purging type of bulimia.
The disadvantages of these two types of purging are malnutrition.
Malnutrition as a result of bulimia is a condition caused by a lack of nutrients in the body. Some of the symptoms of malnutrition include:
Weight loss
Dizziness
Muscle weakness
Weak immune system
Stunted growth
Fatigue
Fainting
An interview with our medical expert, Ms. Alyssa Coma Portillo, RN. A registered nurse from Makati Medical Center
What are the possible symptoms that someone is suffering from it?
2 kinds of symptoms in terms of:
Behavior
- After they eat, they will go directly to CR to purge the food they intake
- They exercise too much (excessive exercising)
- Depressed and always concerned about their body image
Physical
- Typical weight is near normal or sometimes above normal
- Dental caries are observed (teeth are color yellow) as a result of frequent vomiting where stomach acid enters the oral cavity, resulting in erosion.
- Calluses in the knuckles or back of the hand, simply known as Russell signs, are evident to bulimics because of their purging.
An interview from our medical expert, Ms. Alyssa Coma Portillo, RN. A registered nurse from Makati Medical Center.
“What is Bulimia Nervosa?”
Bulimia nervosa, often known as bulimia, is a severe eating condition that may be life-threatening. Bulimics may covertly binge and purge, seeking to burn off the additional calories in an undesirable way. Binging is defined as consuming excessive amounts of food without self-control.
Bulimics may employ a variety of techniques to burn calories and avoid gaining weight. For instance, following bingeing, you might frequently self-induce vomiting or abuse laxatives, diet pills, diuretics, or enemas. You can also employ other strategies to burn calories and avoid gaining weight, like fasting, tight dieting, or overexerting yourself.
A story from a victim: What is it like to have a Bulimia Nervosa?
Bulimia nervosa is a well-known eating disorder characterized by binge eating episodes followed by compensatory purging behaviors. The purging behaviors most frequently involve self-induced vomiting, but they are also accompanied by excessive exercise, fasting, and laxative abuse (Hunnicutt, 2022).
Hunnicutt (2022) added that both binge eating and the following behaviors can have several short-term and long-term consequences, not only physical but also mental and emotional. Here are some examples of it:
How to Prevent Bulimia Nervosa?
Research suggests that at least 1-2 in every 200 people have bulimia, and 95% to 98% of those are female (Kerr, 2022). Also, Kerr (2022) added that approximately 150,000 women die each year from "dieting-related causes”. With these alarming statistics, here are some ways to prevent you from acquiring bulimia nervosa.
One of the reasons people often force themselves to achieve a particular proportion is due to the body standards set by society. With that, you must always remember these...