Eating Disorders Forum - Recovering Anorexic: Weight Gain Rate ??? Help Urgent

Mental Health > Eating Disorders Forum > Recovering Anorexic: Weight Gain Rate ??? Help Urgent

Anorexia nervosa is one of several eating disorders. But what is anorexia exactly and who does it affect? Get anorexia basics and facts in this short intro....

Q: Recovering Anorexic: Weight Gain Rate ??? Help Urgent

asked by: Jaylene on July 18th, 2005

New User

Hi, my name is jaylene, i'm 15 years old & I was anorexic for about a year, I finally decided to recover on thursday, i'm 5'4" and I weighed 79.0 lbs. On thursday, I used to eat under 200 calories a day...So thursday I ate 500 calories, then on friday I ate about 1,200 calories, then saturday morning I weighed myself & I weighed 81.6 lbs. I got scared because I want to gain slowly, since I got scared I only ate 700 calories on saturday & sunday I weighed 82.8 lbs.And now I went from 79 lbs. On thursday to 84.2 lbs. This morning (monday) !!! Now i'm scared to eat more than 700 calories a day because I don't understand how i'm gaining with such little bit of food ? Am I gonna keep gaining at this rate with such a small amount of food ? I want to increase my caloric intake, but it doesn't make sense for me to be gaining at this rate while i'm still undereating...Right ? I mean I thought to gain weight this quicky I had to atleast eat like a normal person ! The fact that i'm still undereating and gaining so much so quickly is scaring me from eating ! I want to gain the weight back slowly so I can adjust !!! But now i'm afraid to eat more than 700 calories a day because I have gained 5.2 lbs. In less than 4 days ! I have no idea how i'm even gaining so much in such a small amount of time while i'm still undereating ??? So imagine when I eat normally i'm gonna baloon up and turn so fat !!! Please help me ??? How could I have gained so much while still undereating ??? Does this mean that now I can never eat normally without becoming overweight ??? Help is this actual weight gain or just food/water weight ? This doesn't make any sense ! What's going on ??? Sincerely, jaylene :shock:

Replies(12)

hanoi

replied on July 18th, 2005

New User

When you starve yourself as soon as you start eating more then you gain loads of weight, but it isn't real weight, its just water weight, which is why it seems like its going on and off a lot. But when you stop eating your metabolism gets screwed up so you will put on weight more easily, so you need to exercise and eat regular meals, preferably lots of small ones instead of a few huge meals. However I think you need to eat 3500 calroies to put on 1 lb, which is not water weight. I have this problem aswell, but try not to worry about it too much. Sorry I can't help more.

Jaylene

replied on July 19th, 2005

New User

Well, I started eating more thursday and it's tuesday and i've gained 5.8 lbs. I went from 79.0 lbs. On thursday to 84.8 lbs. This morning (tuesday) that's almost 6 pounds in just 5 days and i'm only eating about 750 calories a day !!! I'm eating mainly soft foods, that are fat free or low in fat and i'm still drinking diet sprite and water, I estimate that I drink about 48 oz. Of non-caloric fluids a day... I want to gain slowly, but i'm gaining too much too fast ! :0( and i'm still somewhat undereating !!! It just doesn't make any sense :0(

Jaylene

replied on July 19th, 2005

New User

:0(

Nikia

replied on July 19th, 2005

Experienced User

You Might Want to See a Dietician

I don't know if you talked to your doctor or not. If you haven't, you might want to. I don't know how you are built or how long that you have been anorexic, but it sounds like you are quite a bit underweight and could have developed some other health problems. Your doctor could check you out healthwise and help you with other professionals who you might want to see.
I am anorexic and am seeing a counselor and going to a support group. Many of them see dietician which might be good for me too. Right now, I am trying to eat more but panic when I eat normally and then skip a meal or two or eat less. A dietician might be able to help you too get on a regular eating schedule that you can deal with. Seeing this person somewhat regularly or staying in communication can assure you that adjustments can be made if you gain too much weight.
Depending on what issues lead to the anorexia and if you have been like that for a while, you might need to see a counselor or get other help. Anoreixa is one of the hardest things to beat. It isn't like alcoholism where you can just stay away from teh alcohol. We all have to deal with food everyday of our lives so it can be easy to relapse if you are not careful.

Jaylene

replied on July 20th, 2005

New User

Thanx for your advice...I seriously feel like i'm gonna relapse :0( I can't control this feeling !!! I've been thinking about the way I used to eat before deciding to recover on thursday and i'm longing for that :0(

Jaylene

replied on July 21st, 2005

New User

:0( i'm so confused right now ! I think i've just decided to relapse :0( I feel so guilty cause I don't want to let my parents down, but I can't just "recover" because i'm afraid to let them down...Right ?

Jaylene

replied on July 30th, 2005

New User

I've Relapsed !

I'm sorry to say that i've relapsed and i'm down to about 82 lbs. ! And I think i'm going to keep losing cause i'm going to keep restricting, I just can't stop ! I need this feeling of "control" even if it isn't real ! Sincerely, jaylene

holliadrienne

replied on July 30th, 2005

Experienced User

From a Recovered Anorexic

Jaylene~

my name is holli and I am 22. When I was your age I weighed 86lbs. I now am at a healthy weight for my height. I was anorexic for 6 years, and in the last few years I was bulimic too. I went through therapy, and it didn't help. What did help was my own will...I got to a point that I wanted to get better. I rejoined therapy with a better attitude and a strong will. You seem to be almost there now...And relapses do happen. But they happen because of the scales, and the mirror, and everything else that you do on a daily basis. You need some kind of support, a parent or a friend, to help you. If you really want to overcome this, you have to start with throwing away your scales, tape measurer, and cover up your mirrors for a couple of weeks. Throw away your diet pills and your laxatives. I made myself take vitamins, and eat three small meals a day. You will gain weight, because you need to...And it will be hard. But in time you too will get through it, and you will be stronger because of it. Please email me if you need someone to talk to, I have been where you have been and I know what you are going through. The first step is admitting you have a problem, and you have already done that. My aim name is pnkjaques. Take care, and I am thinking about you and praying for you...You can do this!

Love
holli

featherlynn

replied on January 22nd, 2008

New User

refeeding syndrome and corrections

Well, I went to my therapist for the first time and met my dietician... I had the beginning of refeeding syndrome due to my attempting on my own to eat so called normal...it turns out that most americans eat triple what they are supposed to in sering and portion sizes... I was taking in 2,200 cals. a day... weighed in at 97lbs dr. told me to cut back on cals. and i did... i weigh 92 lbs now... oh and i shrunk 2 inches I'm 5 ft 6"... ahhh... I'm eating small properly portioned correct fda servings 3 meals and snacks... i was eating candy bars... now I switched to granola bars, and protein bars... the diet kind. Refeeding syndrome is where u take in too many cals. too much too fast and your body goes hay wire... my face swelled up my whole body swelled it really strains your organs(heart especially) after I cut back I peed for 3 days straight constant pissing away all of the water... it was scary I wanted to die... i go to my dr. tommorow and my therapist and dietician thurs. I'm scared to weigh in... well cya

passion4fasion

replied on April 9th, 2009

New User

Hello

Jaylene. are you still looking for help or confused about anything?
This is all I want to know for now, if you do reply soon I can help you, only if you would like. I have some very helpful information you could use.
All I want is for anyone who developes this disease to get better as fast as they can.
No one deserves to have Anorexia, or any other disease. But it's life and it happens.
reply asap if you can!
x0x

chelsns

replied on June 1st, 2009

New User

Recovery Blog

Hey everyone! I am currently refocusing my recovery from anorexia and documenting my process, thoughts, etc. on my blog at losinged.blogspot.com. If anyone would like to follow me, learn from my struggles and successes, ask questions, find a mentor, become a mentor, etc. check out my site. Good luck to everyone!

kittyonice

replied on November 8th, 2009

New User

Anorexia weight gain? My personal experience

Hey Jaylene, I'm having some trouble over this too. I restrict a fair amount but im still gaining at a pretty big pace. I'm around the end of refeeding and i weigh 118 pounds! I'm only 5'5", so this is SO much for me to bear. Anyhow, i remember that in the beginning i had quickly shot up three pounds in a week, which i had then gotten rid of by the next. in the beginning weight gain goes really quickly, and then slows for a bit. The weight (i have found) is less permanent until you get your period. After that I lost a lot of energy and got pretty down moodwise...but anyhow, at this point good nutritional choices are essential. I hope this helps!

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