I was diagnosed with anorexia athletica this past summer. For the past several years, while I never starved myself, I never ate enough to fuel the intense amount of running I did (I always ate in the range of 2500-3000 calories, but ran like 60 miles a week for cross country). Around 2 years ago I became extremely constipated. It never really fixed itself as I was embarrassed to tell my parents. I dont know how or why, but I began to use my finger to digitally stimulate a bowel movement every morning because it worked. This had huge affects on my appetite and after a while my weight dropped from 130 at 5 feet 9 inches to about 115. I was shocked to see it so low and gained up to around 120 rather quickly. However, the constipation never got better and I continued to have to use my finger. I was also unsuccessful at putting any more weight on for another year or so even thoufh I have not run in years and continued to eat 2000-2500 calories.
I eventually told my parents about my problem and we began doing everything we could, GI wise, to try and fix the constipation. I just wasnt ready to admit yet that it was due to my low body weight for all those years.
This summer I admitted some things to myself, specifically it is my lowish weight causing the probems. In the past 15 weeks I have gone from around 119/120 to about 134 pounds, and continue to gain weight at about 1 pound a week. The first month or so I had to eat a solid 3500 calories to begin adding any weight (I guess it was the refeeding period). After that it has only taken around 2500 calories each and every day to continue to add on weight as my metabolism has adjusted (is it normal to need that much at first, and less later on)?
After about 3 or 4 week of gaining I began going every day on my own again. I would have several days of substantial bowel movements, and several of sub par bowel movements where they would feel weak and incomplete. THis pattern has continued, but recently it has started favoring the bad days way more. I don't understand it. I use mirilax so I know my stool is not hard. I drink plenty of water and get in 30 grams of fiber a day. I also eat plenty of healthy fats.
When I get the urge, I will sit on the toilet in the morning and, more often then not, I will just end up passing gas, and very small amounts of mushy stool. I also dont just sit down and have one normal bowel movement. I will make many many visits to the bathroom each morning (most times I just end up passing gas). I have had colonoscopies and endoscopies in the past, an everything checked out.
Will this just take time for me to be completely normal again? In most cases does it get back to normal? I use to go 2-3 times a day in high school, and just want to be able to have a healthy bowel movement each day!