Bulimia Nervosa

stormy weather over a lake | The Kahm Clinic eating disorder treatment

Do you feel out of control when you binge? Afterwards, do you stop the scale from going up by vomiting or doing something else to get rid of the calories? Do you feel stuck in your relationship with food and live in a world of secrecy and shame? Do most of your thoughts or actions pivot around food? Is food both the cause of and solution to your most pressing problems? Is food causing a kind of vicious cycle that you feel trapped in?

At the Kahm Clinic, we want to give you the support, tools, and structure that you need to challenge bulimia nervosa and re-establish your physical and nutritional health. With the knowledge and encouragement from our caring nutritionists, we can help you develop skills and strategies to manage ongoing difficulties with food, body image, and eating disorder behaviors.

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating along with a perceived loss of control, which is followed by regular compensatory behaviors (purging) to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, fasting, excessive exercise, and misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or other medications. Bulimia is often a very secretive disorder and difficult to diagnose because individuals with the disorder can appear to be healthy on the outside.  Here are some warning signs to consider if you suspect you or someone you know may be struggling with the disorder:

  • Evidence of binge eating, such as the disappearance of large amounts of food in short periods of time or the presence of wrappers and containers indicating overeating

  • Evidence of purging behaviors, including frequent trips to the bathroom after meals, signs and/or smells of vomiting, and the presence of wrappers or packages of laxatives or diuretics

  • Excessive, rigid exercise regimen in an effort to "burn off" calories taken in and despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury

  • Unusual swelling of the parotid glands (the cheeks and/or jaw area)

  • Calluses on the back of the hands and knuckles from self-induced vomiting

  • Discolored or stained teeth

  • Creation of lifestyle schedules or rituals to make time for binge-and-purge sessions

  • Withdrawals from usual friends and activities

  • Other behaviors and attitudes indicating that weight loss, dieting, and control of food are becoming primary concerns

How Metabolic Testing And Body Composition Analysis Can Help

Bulimia nervosa can be difficult for doctors to diagnose because blood work is often totally normal. Metabolic testing and body composition analysis can more effectively diagnose individuals by taking a look at the inside. In determining whether a patient is hypometabolic and catabolic, Metabolic Testing assesses individuals nutritionally, while Body Composition Analysis is helpful in evaluating a patient's cell integrity. This shows if there has been a significant decrease in fat-free mass (muscle), despite weight being in normal range and normal blood work. Knowing that the tests indicate symptoms helps patients be more forthcoming about their binging and purging behaviors. Metabolic Testing and Body Composition Analysis motivate patients because patients can see what needs to be done and they can witness the changes in their own bodies when they follow the treatment recommendations.