Dangers of an E.D. - MUST READ by violetgrace ..... Anorexia & Bulimia Forum
Date: 9/11/2005 3:50:55 AM ( 19 y ago)
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URL: https://www.curezone.org/forums/fm.asp?i=370617
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| Danger Signs and Physical Consequences of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia | ||
| Some of the major danger signs in Anorexia Nervosa patients are:
* loss of a significant amount of weight * continuing to diet although thin * feeling fat, even after losing weight * intense fear of weight gain * preoccupation with food, calories, fat contents & nutrition * preferring to diet in isolation * cooking for others * exercising compulsively * lying about food |
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| Bulimics may not be visibly underweight and may even be slightly overweight. Danger signs
include: * binging, or eating uncontrollably * purging by strict dieting, fasting, vigorous exercise, vomiting or abusing laxatives or diuretics in attempt to lose weight. * using the bathroom frequently after meals * preoccupation with body weight * depression * mood swings * feeling out of control * soar throat |
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Physical Consequences of Anorexia and Bulimia |
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More Common In |
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Found In |
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| Anorexia | Bulimia | |
| Weight Loss | ||
| Malnutrition - caused by under eating or overeating. The word malnutrition | ||
| indicates deficiency for energy, protein and micronutrients either singularly or in | ||
| combination. It can cause severe health risks including respiratory infection, | ||
| kidney failure, blindness, heart attack and death. | ||
| Dehydration - caused by the depletion or lack of intake of fluids in the body. | ||
| Restriction/starvation, vomiting and laxative abuse are the primary causes in | ||
| victims of eating disorders. Symptoms include dizziness, weakness, or darkening | ||
| of urine. It can lead to kidney and heart failure, and even death. | ||
| Electrolyte Imbalances | ||
| Vitamin and Mineral deficiencies. | ||
| Gastrointestinal Complications | ||
| Acid Reflux Disorder - Oesophageal Reflux - damage of the oesophagus, | ||
| larynx and lungs due to the regurgitating of partially digested items in the stomach | ||
| mixed with acid and enzymes. Also increased chances of developing cancer of the | ||
| oesophagus and voice box. | ||
| Barrett's Oesophagus - cancer of the oesophagus due to oesophageal reflux. | ||
| Tearing of Oesophagus - caused by self-induced vomiting | ||
| Mallory-Weiss tear - tear of the gastroesophageal junction | ||
| Gastric Rupture - spontaneous stomach erosion, perforation or rupture | ||
| Heartburn / Indigestion - often found in bulimics due to the build up of acids in | ||
| the stomach after vomiting. | ||
| Cramps, Bloating, Constipation, Diarrhoea, Incontinence - decreased | ||
| bowel activity. | ||
| Digestive Difficulties - a deficiency in digestive enzymes will lead to the | ||
| bodies inability to properly digest food and absorb nutrients, which can lead to | ||
| malabsorption problems, malnutrition and electrolyte imbalances. | ||
| Peptic Ulcers - caused by increased stomach acids. | ||
| Pancreatitis - repeated stomach trauma e.g. vomiting or excessive use of | ||
| laxatives or diet pills, can lead to attack of digestive enzymes to the pancreas. | ||
| Liver Failure - Fasting increases risks of Liver damage and failure. Loss of | ||
| menstruation and dehydration (causing a dangerous elevation of iron | ||
| concentration in body), and chronic heart failure can lead to liver damage or | ||
| failure. | ||
| Dental Problems, Decalcification of Teeth, Erosion of Tooth Enamel, | ||
| severe decay, Gum disease - will be caused by stomach acids and enzymes | ||
| (from vomiting), vitamin D and calcium deficiencies, and hormonal imbalance. | ||
| It can also be due to the lack of exercise the teeth get from chewing. Dental | ||
| problems can sometimes indicate problems with the heart. | ||
| Cardiovascular Complications | ||
| Hypotension - caused by lowered body temperature, malnutrition, dehydration and | ||
| a low potassium concentration in the blood due to vomiting. Can cause heart | ||
| arrhythmias, shock or myocardial infarction. | ||
| Orthostatic Hypotension - sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing up | ||
| or standing. Symptoms include dizziness, light headedness, blurred vision, passing | ||
| out, heart pounding and headaches, and are caused by nutritional intake, purging | ||
| and/or laxative abuse, slowed heart rate, malnutrition and dehydration, depression | ||
| and/or stress. | ||
| Bad Circulation, Slowed or Irregular Heartbeat, Arrhythmia, Angina, | ||
| Myocardial Infarction - Electrolyte imbalances (especially potassium | ||
| deficiency), dehydration, malnutrition, low blood pressure, extreme orthostatic | ||
| hypotension, abnormally slow heart rate can all cause cardiac problems. | ||
| Congestive Heart Failure - rapid glucose-rich hyperalimentation and fluid | ||
| replacement may cause starvation-induced hypophosphataemia and induce | ||
| congestive heart failure. | ||
| Lowered Body Temperature - Temperature Sensitivity can be caused by | ||
| loss of healthy insulating layer of fat and/or decreased circulation due to lowered | ||
| blood pressure and slowed heart rate. | ||
| Seizures - may be caused by dehydration. Lesions on the brain due to long | ||
| term malnutrition and lack of oxygen-carrying cells in the brain may play a role. | ||
| Renal Complications | ||
| Kidney Infection and Failure - Vitamin deficiencies, dehydration, infection | ||
| and low blood pressure increase the risks of kidney infection, and thus | ||
| augment the chances of permanent kidney damage or failure. | ||
| Oedema - swelling of the soft tissues as a result of excess water accumulation, | ||
| often in abdominal areas in anorexics and bulimics. | ||
| Swelling - swollen glands in neck and face (following self-induced vomiting) | ||
| Haematological Complications | ||
| Low Platelet Count or Thrombocytopenia - caused by low levels of vitamin B12 | ||
| and Folic Acid, and/or by excessive alcohol. It may also be an indication of a | ||
| suppressed immune system or immune dysfunction. | ||
| Hypoglycaemia - indication of liver or kidney problems, and can lead to | ||
| neurological and mental deterioration. | ||
| Hyperglycaemia - can lead to diabetes, liver and kidney shut down, circulatory | ||
| and immune system problems. | ||
| Diabetes - caused by hormonal imbalances, hyperglycaemia, or chronic | ||
| pancreatitis. | ||
| Ketoacidosis - caused by the body burning fat (instead of carbohydrates) to | ||
| obtain energy. It can result from starvation, excessive purging, dehydration, | ||
| hyperglycaemia, and/or alcohol abuse. It can lead to coma and death. | ||
| Anaemia - an iron deficiency affects haemoglobin and therefore oxygen | ||
| transport around the body, leading to fatigue shortness of breath, increased | ||
| infections, and heart palpitations. | ||
| Skeletal Complications | ||
| Osteoporosis - depletion of calcium and bone protein causes thinning of bones | ||
| with reduction in bone mass, and predisposes to fractures. | ||
| Osteopenia - below normal bone mass due to calcium and/or vitamin D | ||
| deficiency, and leads to Osteoporosis. | ||
| * Hormone imbalance/deficiencies associated with loss of the menstrual cycle | ||
| can also increase the risks of Osteoporosis and Osteopenia. | ||
| Arthritis (degenerative) - can be caused by hormonal imbalances and vitamin | ||
| deficiencies. | ||
| TMJ "Syndrome" and related TMJ problems - Vitamin deficiencies and teeth | ||
| grinding (often related to stress) can both cause degenerative arthritis within the | ||
| tempero-mandibular joint in the jaw, creating pain in the joint area, headaches, | ||
| and problems chewing and opening/closing the mouth. | ||
| Muscle Atrophy - wasting away of muscle and decrease in muscle mass due | ||
| to the body feeding off itself | ||
| Impaired Neuromuscular Function - due to vitamin and mineral deficiencies | ||
| (especially potassium), and malnutrition | ||
| Endocrine Complications | ||
| Amenorrhoea - the lack of oestrogen secretion from the ovaries causes loss | ||
| of the menstrual cycle, which can lead to Osteoporosis and Osteopenia. | ||
| Infertility - loss of menstrual cycle and hormonal imbalances can lead to the | ||
| inability to have children. Malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies can also make it | ||
| impossible to succeed with a full time pregnancy, and increase chances of a | ||
| baby being born with a birth defect. | ||
| Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCO)- a study a few years ago suggested that | ||
| people with Eating Disorders were at an increased risk for developing PCO, and | ||
| that recovery from the Eating Disorder should be part of the treatment for PCO. | ||
| * International Council on Infertility | ||
| Metabolic Complications | ||
| Weakness and Fatigue - caused by poor eating habits, electrolyte | ||
| imbalances, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, depression, malnutrition, heart | ||
| problems. | ||
| Insomnia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Hyperactivity | ||
| Lowered Body Temperature - Temperature Sensitivity can be caused by a | ||
| slowed metabolism. | ||
| Dermatological Complications | ||
| Callused or bruised fingers - caused by repeated using of fingers to induce | ||
| vomiting. | ||
| Dry Skin and Hair, Brittle Hair and Nails, Hair Loss - caused by mineral | ||
| and Vitamin deficiencies, malnutrition and dehydration. | ||
| Lanugo (fine body hair on arms, legs, face and back) - caused due to a protective | ||
| mechanism built-in to the body to help keep a person warm during periods of | ||
| starvation and malnutrition, and the hormonal imbalances that result. | ||
| Easily Bruising Skin - Vitamin deficiencies that decrease the body's ability to | ||
| heal itself, low blood pressure and extreme weight loss will all lead to easily | ||
| bruised skin that can take a long time to heal. | ||
| Mental Complications | ||
| Depression - physiological factors such as electrolyte imbalances, hormone | ||
| and vitamin deficiencies, malnutrition and dehydration, can cause mood swings | ||
| and depression. | ||
| Depression can also lead the victim back into the cycle of the Eating Disorder. | ||
| Stress within a family, job and relationships can all be causes although there is | ||
| a percentage of people born with a pre-disposition to depression. | ||
| Suicide can be a consequence of depression. | ||
| Death - caused by any of the following or any combination of the following; | ||
| heart attack or heart failure; lung collapse; internal bleeding, stroke, kidney | ||
| failure, liver failure; pancreatitis, gastric rupture, perforated ulcer, depression and | ||
| suicide. | ||
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