almost died

2

Replies

  • jadesign19
    jadesign19 Posts: 512 Member
    I am just giving a online hug to the OP. you are going to be ok :flowerforyou:
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Look at a mass gainer shake if you continue to struggle to eat enough food - they're sold in all the same stores as your usual protein shakes and pack a helluva lot of calories into an easy to drink form.
  • msjones2831
    msjones2831 Posts: 126 Member
    ice cream, pizza, gravy, avocado. You have to talk to a therapist and deal with your emotions. Your eating has more to do with what you are feeling inside than how hungry or not hungry you are. That's often the case with those who are overweight and those who are underweight. I pray that God will give you the strength to get the help you need and place supportive ppl in your life to help you during this difficult time.
  • brainfreeze72
    brainfreeze72 Posts: 180 Member
    Hayley I was there at 19, now at 40 I'm trying to get back DOWN to my healthy weight. Get a nutritionist or a dietician to help you. There are groups on here of people who are trying to GAIN weight, people with medical issues and eating disorders and people who like you and I, had stressful situations. For me it was my ex-husband and a roller coaster with his mental illness. Food just turned in my stomache making me fill physically ill after eating so I ate very little. I'm big boned so 100 pounds on my 5'8" frame made me look like a drug addict or anorexic. I wound up being hospitalized for a week due to stress and anxiety and that is when I finally realized there was a problem. It was a slow process gaining back 35 pounds, took me over a year and we didn't have the internet and MFP back then to help. Don't load up on a bunch of junk, you can eat healthy food and it may take a while to build up to that 2000 calories a day. Start slow and work your way up a couple hundred extra calories at a time. You can do this. If you can stomache it try things like Muscle Milk which has nutrition but a boat load of calories. My husband used to be a body builder and he drank that stuff every morning. I didn't find it very filling so you might be able to drink a few of those or something similar to help put some weight back on without feeling bloated and yucky. Good luck & hit me up if you need to.
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
    All of the advice you have received on here, besides from the people referring you to a doctor or specialist, is absurd. the recovery part of an ED can be the most dangerous (refeeding syndrome is a real risk) and you should be CLOSELY medically supervised. An online forum is not the place to get this kind of advise. Please find a good team that includes a doctor, an RD, and a therapist and don't listen to a bunch of strangers on MFP telling you to drink soda and eat peanut butter.

    Having googled refeeding Syndrome either 1) the OP's doctor is being very irresponsible in not providing further guidance; or 2) the doctor knows the OP's history better than we do and believes she will be fine, whatever she eats, or he/she would have done more than to say how many calories to eat.

    I am very concerned that this is not the first time i've seen anorexics on mfp trying to recover with very little support from their doctors.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Liquid calories such as pepsi, milk, and orange juice
    Also look at calorie dense foods such as peanut butter, snickers, and lots of butter

    What a silly suggestion group of food (if you can call it that) sugar & fat? Really? Not to mention the sodium in the pepsi, snickers & butter.

    - what is wrong with fat and sugar? Especially when someone needs to get their calories up?
    - there is not a lot of sodium in soda at all
  • Sincere24
    Sincere24 Posts: 126 Member
    Liquid calories such as pepsi, milk, and orange juice
    Also look at calorie dense foods such as peanut butter, snickers, and lots of butter

    What a silly suggestion group of food (if you can call it that) sugar & fat? Really? Not to mention the sodium in the pepsi, snickers & butter.

    - what is wrong with fat and sugar? Especially when someone needs to get their calories up?
    - there is not a lot of sodium in soda at all

    I guess the reason lies in trying to nurture a healthier food consumption pattern for the OP that she can sustain for the rest of her life. Relying on high sugar and high fat initially is okay, but what happens once she starts maintaining? Its best to look for better and healthier options first before resorting to foods that are just merely high in calories such as what was suggested is chocolate bars, pizza etc. Nothing wrong with it in moderation.

    From what i understand of the disorder quickly consuming such high calories can be a bit rough on the system. I definitely agree with everyone suggesting getting a RD or nutririonist. That also coupled with an ED therapist, as the disorder has as much to do with food as well as pyschology.

    Good luck OP, it'll take time, ups and downs but i'm sure you'll get there, just be persistence and know ur end goal....that is a better and healthier you!
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
    Eating some high calorie junk food will not hurt you, I'm sure. Please don't make that all of what you eat in an attempt to just get to calorie goal. For ED'rs, refeeding really IS a serious issue and it can have dire consequences.

    Your organs have been damaged. Your liver, stomach, kidneys, heart. These things will NOT react well to shock-treatment through large amounts of fast weight gain through junk food. Your body needs to be eased back into gaining weight. Be kind to yourself here - getting back up to a certain weight is important, but so is making sure that your organs are not being overwhelmed with suddenly having to process huge amounts of unhealthy food.

    Please, please find a new doctor, or get a second opinion, or talk to the nurse when the Doctor steps out of the room. He is making an egregious mistake by not giving you a real plan to help gain your health back. Please.

    I am so grateful to hear that you are in recovery. Believe me, that is not an easy thing. You are brave and you are strong. You can do this. You really can.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    My wife was like that when she was worried about things. Eat what you want and stuff you like and don't worry about it. The stress from worrying will upset your stomach. It's not best for a maintained diet but eat some sinful stuff like ice cream and fried food.
    Delicious.
    Most of us have to cut back on that but you can enjoy yourself, for now.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    Liquid calories such as pepsi, milk, and orange juice
    Also look at calorie dense foods such as peanut butter, snickers, and lots of butter

    What a silly suggestion group of food (if you can call it that) sugar & fat? Really? Not to mention the sodium in the pepsi, snickers & butter.

    - what is wrong with fat and sugar? Especially when someone needs to get their calories up?
    - there is not a lot of sodium in soda at all

    I was going to ask exactly the same thing - surely gaining some weight is more important at the moment than worrying how much sodium you are eating
  • I would hope your doctor gave you some constructive advice and help! Whatever happened to put you in this situation? Wishing you well...I've sent you a friend request!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Liquid calories such as pepsi, milk, and orange juice
    Also look at calorie dense foods such as peanut butter, snickers, and lots of butter

    What a silly suggestion group of food (if you can call it that) sugar & fat? Really? Not to mention the sodium in the pepsi, snickers & butter.

    - what is wrong with fat and sugar? Especially when someone needs to get their calories up?
    - there is not a lot of sodium in soda at all

    I guess the reason lies in trying to nurture a healthier food consumption pattern for the OP that she can sustain for the rest of her life. Relying on high sugar and high fat initially is okay, but what happens once she starts maintaining? Its best to look for better and healthier options first before resorting to foods that are just merely high in calories such as what was suggested is chocolate bars, pizza etc. Nothing wrong with it in moderation.

    From what i understand of the disorder quickly consuming such high calories can be a bit rough on the system. I definitely agree with everyone suggesting getting a RD or nutririonist. That also coupled with an ED therapist, as the disorder has as much to do with food as well as pyschology.

    Good luck OP, it'll take time, ups and downs but i'm sure you'll get there, just be persistence and know ur end goal....that is a better and healthier you!

    Again, what is wrong with high fat and high sugar, especially to get calories up while her appetite is catching up? I agree that they should not be at the expense of getting a nutritious diet, but the suggestion was in the context of the OP not being able to eat much volume initially.
  • MiCool90
    MiCool90 Posts: 460 Member
    No reason to eat 3000 a day... Shoot for 1500 - 2000

    Have your meals carb heavy with protein and veg
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    No reason to eat 3000 a day... Shoot for 1500 - 2000

    Have your meals carb heavy with protein and veg

    So, she should go against her doctors advice?
  • How much are you eating now? Did your doctor say to increase your calories over a period of time or up them in one go? Usually its easier to add a few hundred calories each week as you hormones will gradually get back into sync and your appetite starts coming back. However, this would be advice for someone who is not in recovery. I am not sure if the advice would be different in your case.

    To foods, it will be easier to eat calorie dense foods such as

    - nuts and seeds and nut and seed butters
    - add oil/butter/dressing to everything
    - full fat everything (no low fat)
    - full fat dairy (yogurt, milk, cheese)
    - avocados
    - pasta
    - juice
    - donuts and other light but sugary pastries
    - 'fatty' meats such as bacon
    - ice-cream

    THIS
  • ejohndrow
    ejohndrow Posts: 1,399 Member
    Liquid calories such as pepsi, milk, and orange juice
    Also look at calorie dense foods such as peanut butter, snickers, and lots of butter

    Just like when losing weight you want to be healthy, you want to be healthy while gaining it too, hopefully the above advice is just someone trolling because it's absolutely terrible.

    If you find it hard to eat the amount of calories you Dr says then yes, eat calorie rich foods, however, make sure they are nutrient rich as well. Look into things such as Ensure or other foods that are made specifically to give people a good amount of calories and nutrients when it's hard for them to keep weight up etc.
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member


    Again, what is wrong with high fat and high sugar, especially to get calories up while her appetite is catching up? I agree that they should not be at the expense of getting a nutritious diet, but the suggestion was in the context of the OP not being able to eat much volume initially.

    The strain of an eating disorder can show up in the organs. Heart. Liver. Kidneys. Put on too much unhealthy weight (and by unhealthy, I mean foods that your body has to work extra hard to process) and it puts a strain on those organs. Karen Carpenter suffered a heart attack due to her disease. It is what KILLED her.

    Right after she gained 30 pounds in two months. It is a serious issue and should not be handled with mass amounts of junk food.
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
    My 11 year old daughter is not in any type of danger, however, she has a very high metabolism, and is very skinny... I make her a double protien shake daily, to add in some extra calories, and it taste fabulous! I cant drink it, because I need low calories, but for you, it would be perfect!

    2 scoops vanilla protien powder
    1 1/2 cup whole milk
    2 frozen banannas
    1/3 cup peanut butter

    BLEND AND DRINK!

    Its about 1000 calories, and so very good!

    If you wanted to, you could add a piece of hersheys chocolate if your a chocolate lover...
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    Liquid calories such as pepsi, milk, and orange juice
    Also look at calorie dense foods such as peanut butter, snickers, and lots of butter

    Just like when losing weight you want to be healthy, you want to be healthy while gaining it too, hopefully the above advice is just someone trolling because it's absolutely terrible.

    If you find it hard to eat the amount of calories you Dr says then yes, eat calorie rich foods, however, make sure they are nutrient rich as well. Look into things such as Ensure or other foods that are made specifically to give people a good amount of calories and nutrients when it's hard for them to keep weight up etc.
    It seems you don't understand there is an emotional component.
  • lwagnitz
    lwagnitz Posts: 1,321 Member
    Honesty, some people have given you great advice, but we are not medical professionals nor know your medical background concerning your ED. EDs are serious and are not to be taken lightly. I don't know enough about you or your ED specifically to give you any sound, or tried and true advice. The best advice given so far is that you should go back to your doctor and ask he/she what is best for you and that you are struggling to eat that much. If he can't help you much; ask for a referral to a dietitian/nutritionist, probably preferably someone who specializes with eating disorders (if any do). Actually, you should probably ask for that referral regardless.

    ***Also, are you seeing any sort of psychologist or seeking any sort of counseling during this journey? I think that's key, as well.
  • Liquid calories such as pepsi, milk, and orange juice
    Also look at calorie dense foods such as peanut butter, snickers, and lots of butter

    What a silly suggestion group of food (if you can call it that) sugar & fat? Really? Not to mention the sodium in the pepsi, snickers & butter.

    Silly? Right now she needs to get her calories in any way she can and if that means it's through liquids then so be it. Sugar, fat and sodium shouldn't be her concern right now, or ever really - it adds further stress. There was no mention for her to limit her intake to these foods only either, these are suggestions to help up her intake.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member


    Again, what is wrong with high fat and high sugar, especially to get calories up while her appetite is catching up? I agree that they should not be at the expense of getting a nutritious diet, but the suggestion was in the context of the OP not being able to eat much volume initially.

    The strain of an eating disorder can show up in the organs. Heart. Liver. Kidneys. Put on too much unhealthy weight (and by unhealthy, I mean foods that your body has to work extra hard to process) and it puts a strain on those organs. Karen Carpenter suffered a heart attack due to her disease.

    Right after she gained 30 pounds in two months. It is a serious issue and should not be handled with mass amounts of junk food.

    This goes back to getting advice from her doctor if she is at risk. There was no mention of that - which I find a little surprising.
  • RoadsterGirlie
    RoadsterGirlie Posts: 1,195 Member
    Congrats on seeking recovery. And I also want to echo the thoughts of everybody who stated that you should see a nutritionist. Doctors know very little when it comes to what constitutes as eating healthy.

    As for the people who recommended pizza and ice cream - loading up on junk isn't going to help you. There are plenty of high calorie healthier foods out there like avocado, meats, bacon, sausage, eggs, whole milk, bananas, peanut butter, pancakes, etc. These items aren't always good if you are trying to lose weight, but if you are trying to gain weight, they are loaded with protein, and they will do you good.

    Sending you a friend request for support.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Congrats on seeking recovery. And I also want to echo the thoughts of everybody who stated that you should see a nutritionist. Doctors know very little when it comes to what constitutes as eating healthy.

    As for the people who recommended pizza and ice cream - loading up on junk isn't going to help you. There are plenty of high calorie healthier foods out there like avocado, meats, bacon, sausage, eggs, whole milk, bananas, peanut butter, pancakes, etc. These items aren't always good if you are trying to lose weight, but if you are trying to gain weight, they are loaded with protein, and they will do you good.

    Sending you a friend request for support.

    How is ice-cream junk food?
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Time for the JM Blakely diet
    "For breakfast you need to eat four of those breakfast sandwiches from McDonalds. I don't care which ones you get, but make sure to get four. Order four hash browns, too. Now grab two packs of mayonnaise and put them on the hash browns and then slip them into the sandwiches. Squish that **** down and eat. That's your breakfast."

    "For lunch you're gonna eat Chinese food. Now I don't want you eating that crappy stuff. You wanna get the stuff with MSG. None of that non-MSG bull****. I don't care what you eat but you have to sit down and eat for at least 45 minutes straight. You can't let go of the fork. Eat until your eyes swell up and become slits and you start to look like the woman behind the counter."

    "For dinner you're gonna order an extra-large pizza with everything on it. Literally everything. If you don't like sardines, don't put 'em on, but anything else that you like you have to load it on there. After you pay the delivery guy, I want you to take the pie to your coffee table, open that ****er up, and grab a bottle of oil. It can be olive oil, canola oil, whatever. Anything but motor oil. And I want you to pour that **** over the pie until half of the bottle is gone. Just soak the **** out of it."

    "Now before you lay into it, I want you to sit on your couch and just stare at that ****er. I want you to understand that that pizza right there is keeping you from your goals."

    "Now you're on the clock," he continues. "After 20 minutes your brain is going to tell you you're full. Don't listen to that ****. You have to try and eat as much of the pizza as you can before that 20-minute mark. Double up pieces if you have to. I'm telling you now, you're going to get three or four pieces in and you're gonna want to quit. You ****ing can't quit. You have to sit on that couch until every piece is done.

    And if you can't finish it, don't you ever come back to me and tell me you can't gain weight.
  • CarlieeBear
    CarlieeBear Posts: 325 Member
    What's wrong with fats and sugars? Nothing if eaten in moderation. Diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease if you eat too many. Even skinny people can get those along with heart attacks and strokes. I doubt that a lack of fat and sugar is the main reason your doctor said you're dying. It's more likely to be from malnutrition. However, I'm not a healthcare professional...just a person with decent common sense.

    You need to see a competent doctor and dietitian right away.
  • SuperstarDJ
    SuperstarDJ Posts: 442 Member
    Hi hon,

    Please stop reading anymore of the very well-intentioned posts here. I have AN too and have had it for more than 20 years so I know how your head is probably interpreting some of the replies here.

    The most important question is: what psychological supports do you have in place right now? There's no point in receiving nutritional advice without it. It's like handing a car to somebody who cannot drive (and is utterly terrified to do so!).

    You need to reach out to somebody in real time. You could go back to your GP and ask for a referral. See if there's a local support group. I know it's scary but they are a lifesaver and they will know how nervous you are. They're usually very warm and welcoming.

    You are not going to die from refeeding syndrome but you DO need long-term medical and emotional support to get through this.

    PLEASE get out of here and get the support you really need... and deserve :)
  • shanae727
    shanae727 Posts: 546 Member
    can you take weight gainers? add the powder to whole milk?
  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
    You really need to be medically supervised. It makes me sad that your doctor hasn't given you the tools/info necessary to help your recovery. To tell you to just eat 3000 calories a day? Not helpful! I'd find a nutritionist who specializes in healthy weight gain. And I would find another doctor

    I agree. A nutritionist is a great sugestion. And a doctor who will work with your over an extended period of time, not just give you an instruction and send you on your merry way.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Congrats on seeking recovery. And I also want to echo the thoughts of everybody who stated that you should see a nutritionist. Doctors know very little when it comes to what constitutes as eating healthy.

    As for the people who recommended pizza and ice cream - loading up on junk isn't going to help you. There are plenty of high calorie healthier foods out there like avocado, meats, bacon, sausage, eggs, whole milk, bananas, peanut butter, pancakes, etc. These items aren't always good if you are trying to lose weight, but if you are trying to gain weight, they are loaded with protein, and they will do you good.

    Sending you a friend request for support.

    How is ice-cream junk food?

    It has sugar, although the whole milk plus the bananas she said were healthy prob have close to the same nutritional profile when combined