Digestive and Bowel Disorders Forum - Truthful Diagnosis Or Willing Anorexia?

Hello.

I was hoping that someone could answer my question, or provide some better outlook, on a condition concerning my elder sister.

You see, nearly a year ago my sister was healthy and fit snug into a pair of size 9 jeans. I never seemed to have a problem with her healthy build, nor did the other people of our high school whom voted my senior sibling Homecoming queen. In her dress, she radiated beauty, causing a steaming envy on my end.

Yet, as the school year continued she began to shrink. The flesh that was once so healthy and nearly muscled became tightened and had now wrapped around a small amount of muscle and bone. Her thighs shrank as well and to a point she looked so perfect. Like, she'd lost the weight, but was still healthy and radiating.

Now, it's completely different. By the end of the school year, people began to comment on my sister's shrinking figure. "Katie is really skinny!" "Is she eating okay?" "Is your sister all right?" Those comments and queries haunted me down the halls. I became utterly sick of being pressed between two views. On one hand, I knew my sister was eating. On the other, she was very, very skinny. I fit into size 4 of pants. While she went from a 9 to a 1. All in less than a year's time.

So she went to the doctor. Apparently, there's something troubling her intestines in which she can't consume dairy products nor can she eat fatty foods. It gives her "severe" diarrhea. Mind you, I haven't truly witnessed this outcome. Is it truly possible for her to acquire a lactose-intolerant symptom so late in life? ( 17 years. )

Now, as I watch her eating habits, I've noticed that - even with this "diagnosis" - she continues to eat virtually no calories. Her food consists of vegetables, fruit, splenda sugar, diet soda, and beef jerky. All of which, she gets maybe 1,000 calories from a day. However, she sometimes consumes higher calorie items such as fruit snacks and bites of chocolate. Nevertheless, it's only a small nibble or a piece of the snack pouch.

My question is this: Is her diagnosis really concerning her intestines, or is her behavior with eating and obsessive habits of virtually no calories making her weaker?

Her current weight, she won't tell me. I know, though, by the lack of muscle and tissue around her bones that it has to be near 100. 100 pounds for a nearly-18 year old female! Her excuses are: "I can't eat fatty foods!" "I get sick".

Was it just a state of illness at first and is now her own choice of not getting better? How would I confront her on this? Is there any doctor out there that can give me an answer to show to my parents? Is there proof out there that my sister is falling ill on her own accord and what, to her and my parents, is a clinical problem is only a state of anorexia?

Please, please help.

Thank you.

<3
Broken Promises