Gaining weight after an eating disorder

happydayzz

Hi everyone

I have a close friend (let's call her Sophie) who has recently begun recovery from an eating disorder. She is not in a clinic (can't afford one) but her parents are supporting her and providing care as according to her nutritionist/doctor. She has begun putting on some much-needed weight, but yesterday as I was talking to her about her success, she burst into tears. I thought she had relapsed, but she told me that she had no problem with putting on the weight, but she was feeling dejected and "gross" because all the weight was going to her stomach. When she showed me, I noticed that her stomach was quite bloated/plump compared to her bony shoulders+ribcage, but I didn't know what I could say to comfort her.

I've read that people who gain weight after an eating disorder often have all the weight go to one part of their body (thighs, stomach, hips) because those are the "target spots" or something. If anyone who is reading this post has any insight to the disporportionate weight gain, feel free to share here! I would love to give Sophie a better answer than, "Crunches?"

Even if you haven't personally recovered from an eating disorder, any advice/thoughts would be welcome Thanks again everyone!!

graelwyn

It will even out over time, she just needs to keep at it. It is really common among those recovering from anorexia.

This might help.

"For most sufferers undertaking recovery without in-patient treatment, the complications will be unpleasant but not life-threatening. Many of them may seem to confirm the worst fears of the anorexic, since they involve visible bloating that can look like fat deposits. Fluid retention, for example, may be an issue, with oedema around the ankles (during the day) and around the eyes (at night), and the sensation of bloating, seeming to realise all one's worst fears about regaining weight as nothing but 'getting fat' (although oedema can be a feature of starvation as well). As with all the problems that can arise, it can be reduced by ensuring very gradual refeeding. The stomach is also likely to become bigger disproportionately to other body parts, which also taps into typical anorexic fears, but this is to be expected given the slowing of digestion (food can take four or five hours to pass through the stomach in a starved person, as opposed to about 1.5 in a healthy person) and the wastage of abdominal muscles during starvation. Bloating and wind, abdominal discomfort, and stomach cramps are likely as the digestive system adapts to larger amounts of food and the muscles involved stretch and strengthen. Avoiding too much insoluble fibre may help at this stage. It's important to remember that all of these things will pass, and are not reliable indicators of what the recovered state will be."


Taken from
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hunger-artist/201110/the-physical-effects-weight-gain-after-starvation

happydayzz

Good article-I'll show it to her thanks

anyone else??

PS2CR

I had noticeable, painful fluid retention in my legs, esp. ankles--felt like my skin was going to split (and somewhat in my belly) for at least two weeks with refeeding. Also incredibly intense stomach pain one night as I recall after eating a normal-sized meal. I remember wondering if I should go to the hospital, but didn't. (I'd lost almost a third of my body weight with clinical depression at menopause, and was not what docs would've termed 'overweight' to begin with. In fact, I'll be delighted to reach that starting weight today, lol. My current weight loss goal is related to thyroid disease, and unrelated to anorexia or its aftermath.)