"After Effects" Here's a list of the physical dangers involved in eating disorders (from Something-Fishy.org). Just look it over.. It's important to know. If you're like me you're a trooper who absorbs it but doesn't let it affect whether or not the eating disorder continues. Purging related risk: Here the stomach acid is the factor in whether your tooth enamel erodes, decays, and whether you experience decalcification or develop gum disease. Starving related risk: Vitamin deficiencies my friends. Your hair can grow brittle, dry, and could even fall out. Of course there is malnutrition. How about a lowered immune system, lowered body temperature, and lanugo (downy hair that grows to promote body warmth)? Your metabolism also slows down. This sucks when you actually eat something.
In my experience Acid reflux - Sometimes random in onset. Can occur days to a week and even a month after purging. Dry skin and hair - yep..it's drier than when my eating was simply disordered and my condition wasn't as extreme. Hair loss - worse when I'm stressed. Brittle nails - my nails break and crack all of the time. I try to control it with frequent filing and nail hardeners. Bleeding - in the esophagus, whenever I purge I see it. I didn't eat anything red when I saw it. Esophagus tearing - I've seen pieces of it come up while/after purging. Migranes (debilitating) - longest one has lasted 48 hours or more without ceasing. Intensity constantly increased from severe to moderately severe, rarely miniscule. Medication rarely taken. Random in onset. Irregular periods - here is something that no one knows: my periods became adversely irregular when my ED started 4 - 5 years ago. Dizziness - occurs randomly and also after exercising, calming down, and when walking. Muscle spasms - that explains itself. However for the sake of it I will explain. My muscles jump rapidly at times for no reason at all. Memory loss - this is scary. It's getting better though. Lowered mental performance - scarier.. :\ I'm a perfectionist. Just imagine it! It has been getting much better though. It can be fought! Fatigue - still persists even after my bout with osteomyelitis Vision blurring - happens ocassionally Insomnia - I can go 24 hours straight without even napping. I went 24 hours without sleep one day and slept for 3 hours and could not return to sleep. It is scary. However, I sometimes manage to get 6 hours. A few years ago I suffered of extreme dehydration during a heat wave and stayed up for 36 hours and decided to force myself to sleep when it was advised I do before I die. Dehydration - frequent.. Water helps sometimes and the same goes for watermelon and apples. Bloating - exactly as said. I'm usually driven to abuse a laxative when bloating lasts too long. Cramps - exactly as said Paralysis (temporary) - related to extreme muscle fatigue. Lasts from an hour to several hours. Semi blacking out - Random in onset. Sometimes I nearly collapse or everything goes black. Nerve spasms - in the corner of my eyes my nerves tend to jump causing my eyes to move a bit. I can't control it at all. Tongue coating - it's not there anymore. It came about when I almost died and recently for a day or two. It was followed by desensitization. I found out this indicates a vitamin deficiency (riboflavin). And to think..the doctors who were treating me couldn't figure it out or connect the pieces. Electrolyte imbalances - this screws you up so bad, it's not funny.. Heart palpitations - yeah..they're still around. It started before I started ODing on diet pills and worsened when I did.
Well there you go. It's a bitch and i've gotten used to living with these conditions. What do you say? Email comments here.
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