Eating Disorder?

I think you might have to elaborate on your situation and your husbands eating habits. I know I did for a long time chew up food then spit it out but you would have to go into more detail. Best of luck

Well, he is an avid exciser and exercises at least an hour a day. Feels that is the way he controls his weight. He often starves himself all day and only eats one or two bananas and then a large dinner. He likes to eat sweets at night and always eats large amounts of cookies.

Buffs

While this may not be an eating disorder like the ones we hear about I do think his behaviour is odd enough to be in the eating disorder category.

Still I would not want to just jump to conclusions, everyone is different. Has he lost alot of weight in a relatively short time? Has he had a thorough check up, including blood, urine & stool tests (& liver, kidney & eloctrolyte levels)? Blood pressure, temperature, pulse? Is his temperament the same as usual or has he become controlling or uptight etc? Has his work/family/social life suffered ?

If all the above are ok then perhaps there's no need to worry, but if a couple (especially the medical check) are not ok then you need (or rather he needs) help. There are usually eating disorder support groups/associations that you could go to for some initial help/guidance.

Buffs: yes, this is considered an eating disorder. It is classified as "non specific eating disorder". Not too many people know about or discuss this. I tried going to several oa meetings, but I felt completely alone. It is not normal behavior. I wish I could stop, but I just can't. I do this every chance I can. It is my way of eating the things I shouldn't eat, without getting all the calories. I don't know what you should do... When I was confronted about it, I became very angry. Now I am very careful about "hiding" my c & s (chewing & spitting).

Chewing & spitting as an eating disorder is new to me (& believe me this year i've read alot about eating disorders etc) but what strikes me is that while it's not the nicest behaviour it's far from the worst or unhealthiest.

What i'm trying to do is put it in perspective for both of you, if your (or your husband's buffs) weight & general health is good then try accepting this as an eccentricity that really hurts no-one. Would you rather pick your nose & eat that as some people do? (yuk even typing that makes me feel ill & dirty!!) would you rather eat eat eat & then throw up or not eat at all & in either case waste away to nothing & possibly die?

Most if not all of us have our peculiarities/eccentricities, my daughter (15)manages to get food on the backs of her knuckles (when eating a proper meal) & has an annoying habit of using her finger tips to push food onto her fork - heaven forbid she use the knife (although she does for cutting??!!) so look at the bright side no-one is being hurt.

This is an eating disorder, try looking under ednos. There really isn't that much information out there on it, but it does exist.

"what i'm trying to do is put it in perspective for both of you, if your (or your husband's buffs) weight & general health is good then try accepting this as an eccentricity that really hurts no-one. Would you rather pick your nose & eat that as some people do? (yuk even typing that makes me feel ill & dirty!!) would you rather eat eat eat & then throw up or not eat at all & in either case waste away to nothing & possibly die?"

purple333: how dare you say this is an eccentricity? If he really has chewing & spitting then it is a eating disorder. What do you mean it doesn't hurt anyone? It hurts the person physically and mentally. You don't get proper nutrients when you spit everything out. It's like saying "would you rather have parkisons or lupus"? What are you saying, that it's the lesser of two evils? Do you know what it's like to go through this? I suspect not, so don't make those comments unless you have some facts to back you up. I take great offense to your comments because you treat this like it's nothing. I have been bulemic and now it's this... It isn't any better! I am going to therapy to help me with my eating disorder, and not too many people know how to deal with this. I wish there was more information out there about this, but there isn't. Please try and research something before making those brazen comments.

I totally agree. This is an eating disorder not otherwise specified. There are many types that fit in this category from me who is anorexic but have not lost my period, to a bulimic who only engages in behaviours occasionally. Check out this site. What you are looking for is number 5 under the examples.

Http://www.S omethingfishy.Org/whatarethey/ednos.Php

First I think that either 2 of you have gotten off track or that I misunderstood buffs' first post where she indicated that he did this only with sweets (as opposed to food in general) - in which case he's still getting nutrients from his other food - also in fact he does get at least some nutrients from the sweets since I assume he does swallow saliva during the chewing process.

One hour of exercise is not over the top. Many people only have one meal a day & are fine. Bananas are very healthy & nutritious. If he truly eats a "large" dinner then prefers to chew & spit sweets & is otherwise healthy, please note I keep repeating if he is otherwise healthy & nothing in his life(work, relationships etc) is suffering, then I think it is all too easy for others to judge inappropraitely.

For those who don't read entire posts I did say upfront :-

"while this may not be an eating disorder like the ones we hear about I do think his behaviour is odd enough to be in the eating disorder category"

i also said in that same post 12/14 that he should have a complete medical check up to ensure that his health is a.Ok. & again in that post at the end - I guess too far for some to read, in which case you're probably not rewading this or is it a lack of comprehension - that if there were any health issues that he should seek help & mentioned the existence of support groups - which even if he refused buffs could join.

Purple333: first of all, I did read all of the posts. Second, I did not misunderstand buffs post. How does she really know if he eats all of his dinner? When you do this thing, you learn how to hide things, just like a bulimic. How can you say that it isn't a problem because he is only doing it with sweets? I do it, but I don't choose sweets. Chewing and spitting any type of food is not normal behavior! I might be physically healthy now, but what about 1 year down the road? I also believe you are overlooking the mental aspect of this. How can you say that physical health is more important then mental health? My whole life suffers from this! I can't think of anything else but food, and how to get it and how to get rid of it. Going to a medical doctor is not the only answer; so many m.D.'s just don't know how to handle eating disorders. I spent many years of my life being bulimic, so I do understand what eating disorders are about. Can't you see that I obviously am moving from one to the other? I wish I could get a handle on things, but without the information on this (unlike, anorexia & bulemia), people just don't know how to deal with it. I am not judging you, I just don't think you were being fair with your statements. Please have courtesy to others, even though you might not think it's a "big problem".

Kittykat,

for heaven sake learn to comprehend what you read I said that maybe i, not you , I had misunderstood buffs post!! Do you think you can understand that now??

Also just where do you come up with some of your ideas as to what I have said?? Where & when & how did I say or imply that physical health was more important than mental health?? I simply (perhaps too simply for you) suggested that he have a complete medical to make sure all was ok physically before going any further. Secondly I also suggested support groups for both buffs & her husband (this comes under the heading of mental health for those of you who don't understand that it's often easier to get someone to a support group than to a psychiatrist!!!! By the way, the latter - that means the last thing I mentioned - is normally what people think of re mental health!!).

You may not choose to believe that I have researched & experienced this but I have & my views have as much right to be heard & stated as anyone else's even if you don't like them. You not likeing what I say doesn't make me wrong, it just either means that we have different views or that you choose to have a closed mind. Either way, I choose that it be your problem, not mine if you choose not to consider that others might have valid points of view even if they differ from yours.

Have a great 2004.

I do believe this is definitly an eating disorder.. Its obvious he is very concerned w/ his body.. And chewing and spitting is an eating disorder.. Also if he starves him self all day and then eats dinner . .Well that sounds like how I used to be sometimes. . I would starve all day. .Then give into dinner .. Lose control and binge (like he does on the sweets) then I would purge. But w/ him. . He just doesnt swallow.. R u sure he doesnt purge?