Not the Coffeemaker Again! O_o

In the past ten minutes, I've received the same junk email for a "silver coffeemaker and cup set" three times! I guess that's what I get for sticking with AOL, haha. (And at least it's not porn, which IS what the Internet's for ;) )*

*warning-- ED stuff* as usual, you don't have to read. . .

So I was just eating lunch and was reading this article in the ProJo about Terri Schiavo's autopsy results. As you may know, it's been theorized that one of the reasons her heart stopped in the first place was cuz she had bulimia. You see, purging of any type lowers your electrolyte levels, particularly potassium. And if things get messed up enough, it's very possible for one's heart to stop. It doesn't matter if someone's been b/ping for 2 months or 20 years, anyone is vulnerable . . .it just depends how strong your individual constitution is, I guess.

Anyway, at on point the article said that Terri's husband originally sued her obstetrician for $1 million cuz his wife's bulimia was not diagnosed. And he won.

Where's my $1 million?

The public is, by and large, VERY ignorant when it comes to eating disorders. Of course, I don't know the particulars of what happened between Schiavo and her doctor, but I *do* know that bulimia can be notoriously difficult to detect, especially if it's not too severe.

Case in point:
I went to my physician's office last winter for my usual check up. I had purged the night before, so I was honestly a little worried it would be picked up on, particularly cuz stuff about my past ED treatment is in my file.
Anyway, she weighed me. Said I was down a few lbs from last year. No biggie, still quite in the normal range.
She used the stethescope (sp?!) and took my blood pressure. Everything normal.
She shined the light in my eyes, looked in my ears and up my nose. Okay, she said.
Then she looked down my throat and felt my glands.

You must have allergies, she said. That would account for my swollen glands and mucousy nose (heh). And I guess my throat looked irritated.

I shrugged. I don't think I do, but it's possible, said I.

My doctor also asks a lot of questions about lifestyle habits, and of course nutrition is a big part of that. I passed her questions with flying colors.

Sounds like you're doing great, she said as we were wrapping up.

But what was I supposed to say? She didn't ask if I had acid reflux or if my digestion had been normal (it's not; chinese food, anything overly greasy, etc. just sits in my stomach for HOURS) and I wasn't willing to volunteer that info. I have been trying to stop, but I want to do it on my own terms. My life is overall pretty good right now, so I don't think therapy would be beneficial, and I don't think drugs are the answer.

And actually, when the screen came up on the computer that said "Previous treatment for eating disorder," she didn't even mention it. She clicked forward to the next screen.

Now, to set the record straight, I am not bulimic. I do not fit the "official" criteria simply because I do not b/p often enough or on large amounts of food, so I am ED-Not Otherwise Specified Types 3&4. Yay.

Anyway, I'm skeptical about Schiavo's autopsy doctors saying that bulimia "definitely" had nothing to do with her heart failure. Maybe she also didn't do it often enough to cause other, obvious physical damage. Remember folks, it just takes one instance of getting the potassium low enough, and you're done. ._.

I have no answers. I just wish more people (especially young girls) knew that THAT is the reality of EDs. There is nothing glamourous about it.

I also wish more people were willing to write/read/discuss/learn about EDs. Ignoring something is not going to make it go away.


























*I'm not being a pervert; it's not my fault you haven't listened to Avenue Q! hehe