Dealing with gaining weight

[notmywill]

I am working on recovery from anorexia. I have been underweight for a long time. Recently I got to the point where I was ok with increasing my calories to the point of just maintaining my weight and not losing any. I was even ok with gaining a couple pounds...or so I thought.

I just got back from my honeymoon. while I was there I made a deal with the ED (eating disorder) that I could completely let myself go on my honeymoon...but as soon as I get back I MUST go back to completely starving..

So I ate and drank sooo much while we were away. It was awesome...the first time in years that I allowed myself so much freedom. But as the week went on, it got harder and harder. My body is not used to eating that much and I got majorly bloated.

When we got home, I went immediately to the scale. I gained weight. I freaked out and have been restricting majorly since. So far I have lost half of what I gained and its only been a couple days. I keep telling myself that its ok that I am restricting...I have to because it was the deal..and once I get back to where I was before I will stop. But anyone who has struggled with anorexia knows that "just a few more pounds" never means just a few more pounds. Its never enough. I am just afraid that I won't stop....and I will keep losing and get really sick again. I don't want this to happen in my first couple months of my marriage!!

I am seeing my therapist on Thursday so we will talk about it then. I just really wanted to vent about it to people who understand. For those in recovery...have you experienced rapid weight gain like that? How do you deal with it psychologically? I can't stop thinking about it...

 

[Soulwings]

First, please don't post weights. I hate sounding bossy etc., but numbers could easily trigger the people here, so they should be avoided.

Back in oh six, I gained weight rapidly when I started eating more than before. I don't remember how I dealt with it - not healthily, that I know. I, too, made deals with Ed and things... not good. Fight it. Fight it with all you have (and you've got God on your side, so you have a lot of ammo!! ).

I think that you won't be able to stop thinking about it... I don't know how to control thoughts, except by taking them captive to God and letting Him deal with them. And - for me - that only works sometimes. Distract yourself in any way you know how - journal it out... journal about something else... do art... listen to music... dance... talk with a good girlfriend or your husband... there are lots of options out there if you are willing to seek them out.

I'm glad that you are seeing your T on Thursday. I'm sure that s/he will be able to help you much more than we can... but yes, I am glad you posted, because we will support and encourage whenever we can. That's what we're here for. Hang tough and I'm here if you need to talk anytime.

 

[Princess Of Yahweh]

Praying!
God Bless

 

[Angeldove97]

Praying for you--- I haven't had the ED you have, but I do hope you can get through it

 

[loveisjoy]

Go read one of my posts on the first page of this forum for life changing help!

~loveisjoy

 

[loveisjoy]

This is a post I made in this forum that might help you:

One word: Zinc.

"Features of the illness: Physiological: ...Abnormalities of mineral and electrolyte levels in the body, Zinc deficiency"

My Story

I took a high mg of Zinc, as prescribed by my psychiatrist and the Anorexia went away that day and has never come back. It's been six months. I literally looked in the mirror that day and didn't see someone fat (or ugly) anymore. I didn't feel bad about myself anymore. (I'm actually fine with how I look! In fact I think I'm pretty now. The (healthy) weight that made me miserable before makes me happy now). I no longer had the symptoms.

For me Zinc didn't just increase my appetite, it changed my BRAIN so that my mind was right, so that the thoughts and feelings and behaviors were gone, and the distortion of my body image disappeared. I never had to deal with it again. It's been over six months. I don't even think of it anymore, except when I'm appreciating my ability to enjoy food.

I take Zinc thirty mg with two mg of Copper, the Copper is important with the Zinc.


The Research

Studies have been done that show Zinc has been effective in reducing or eliminating the self-image distortion of Anorexia for Anorexics.

"...The release also cites a Journal For Medical Research article by Dr. Alex Schauss, which reported studies at Stanford University, the University of Kentucky, and the University of California at Davis which found most anorexics and bulimics were zinc-deficient. According to the release, a five year study showed an eighty five percent remission rate for anorexia patients given zinc supplements. According to Dr. Barbara Levine, Director of the Nutrition Information Center at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, zinc-rich foods include red meat, seafood, cheese, and nuts."

"People who don't consume zinc may become seriously anorexic, with little desire and even a repulsion for eating. For many young, weight-conscious women, and often the elderly, not eating becomes a state of mind and is considered a serious psychiatric disorder.

"...For people trying to recover from anorexia, or those who are having trouble holding onto body weight, I believe our work strengthens earlier findings that recommend the use of zinc supplements," Shay said. "Another lab has shown that zinc supplements have led to greater recovery rates."

" The use of zinc in the treatment of anorexia nervosa has been advocated since nineteen seventy nine by Bakan."

"While the causes of anorexia nervosa may be complex and may often relate to psychological and social factors, there is at least some evidence that disordered physiology may play a role in the development of the condition too. In particular, research has suggested that anorexia may be related to a deficiency in the mineral zinc. Zinc deficiency has been found to be a common feature in anorexics, and it has been noted that zinc deficiency and anorexia nervosa have symptoms in common which include poor appetite, weight loss, nausea and cessation of periods (amenorrhea).

"These findings have led some scientists to suggest that zinc deficiency may actually play a role in the causation of anorexia nervosa. The role between zinc and eating behaviour may be connected to a brain chemical known as neuropeptide Y (NPY), the main function of which is to stimulate eating. Generally speaking, restriction of food causes an increase in NPY levels. Animal research has discovered, however, that zinc deficiency blunts the increase in NPY in response to food restriction. The results of this research suggest that zinc deficiency may quell the normal urge to eat more should food be rationed.

"Support for the idea that zinc deficiency plays an important role in anorexia nervosa has come from a study which found that zinc supplementation appeared to promote significant weight gain in # out of # anorexics. In another piece of research, zinc supplementation doubled the speed of weight increase in a group of anorexic women compared to supplementation with placebo (inactive medication)."

"If you have anorexia, [take] fifty mg a day of this essential mineral, along with one to three mg per day of copper."

"Insufficient zinc has been linked to anorexia, which responds well to zinc replacement treatment."

"Zinc deficiency has also been detected in people with anorexia or bulimia in most, nineteen, twenty though not all, twenty one studies. In addition, some of the manifestations of zinc deficiency, such as reduced appetite, taste, and smell, are similar to symptoms observed in some cases of anorexia or bulimia."

"Researchers are continuing to investigate whether zinc therapy is an effective supplemental treatment for anorexia nervosa.

"A # study (Birmingham and Gritzner) reports that low zinc levels create dynamics in the brain that are similar to those seen with anorexia nervosa. The study found that giving zinc to a group of persons with anorexia produced a significant improvement in body mass index compared to a group of anorexic persons not receiving zinc. Birmingham and Gritzner suggest that zinc deficiencies make neurotransmitters less effective. When this problem is corrected with zinc therapy in those with anorexia, they conclude, the resulting improvement in brain functioning creates an improvement in anorexia symptoms....

"What is interesting is that such an inexpensive and widely-available mineral shows promise, by itself, in establishing better brain functioning in this group.

"It's important to check with your doctor before beginning a course of zinc therapy, however, because too much zinc can result in other problems in brain functioning (Flinn et al., two thousand five). Medical assistance will help regulate zinc at the proper level for you."

Love Amy