to worry my friend is going to seriously damage herself (eating related)

[mummytowillow]

I've just come back from the long weekend with a friend who lives some way from me.

Over the last year she has lost over 7 stone and looks fab. I'm proud of her as she was seriously overweight and had many health problems, which have now all gone.

However, she has admitted she has an unhealthy relationship with food. She has told me she barely eats in the week, she will maybe have a tangerine and small banana in the morning and nothing for the rest of the day. If she is then hungry in the evening she will have a Cambridge Diet shake, (she used Cambridge to lose the weight) That's it!

She admits she feels faint and shaky but is so obsessed with keeping the weight off, so she thinks this is OK. But on the other hand we have both eaten a lot of food over the weekend, we have large appetites and are both greedy.

Since Thursday night she has had serious diarrhea, sometimes only just making it to the loo. I've heard her as she has a small house and it sounds pretty grim So grim she woke me up one morning with the noise.

So, my question is does it sound like she is using laxatives to keep the weight off, or could it just be the fact she's not used to eating? She bought dulcolax over the weekend, but said she hasn't taken any, which I don't believe.

I've tried to talk to her about it and she just changes the subject, I know its none of my business, but I'm worried about her. She thinks she's got to be slim to attract men (has admitted this). She has also admitted she is now going to starve herself for the rest of the week because of the amount of food we ate over the weekend.

Should I just butt out, or try and speak to her again? And what are the long term dangers of starving and using laxatives at the same time?

[Beaverfeaver]

I had a problem with taking laxatives when I was in my late teens.
Went on for a few years.
It's messed me up a bit now and I have since become intolerant to all sorts of foods. I also have very bad joints and am only 27 now. I know it might have nothing to do with the laxatives but it would explain it due to lack of nutrients and healthy days at the time.

It doors sound like she is taking them.
I used to lie about it too.

If I had a binge eating weekend I would have made sure I took a handful as soon as I could after.

I would buy extra strength and still get through up to 5 at a time.

[snowmummy]

Sounds like she's swapped one destructive disorder for another. However, I'm not sure what you can do to help til she admits it to herself.