Binge Eating - help please

[Mirabelle78]

I've had (undiagnosed) Binge Eating Disorder for as long as I can remember. For years, I restricted rather than binged which meant that I was at a low and steady weight.

For the past year or so, however, I've gained a huge amount of weight and my episodes of bingeing are out of control. I'm miserable every single day to the point where I feel suicidal. So I eat, and eat, and eat. Then I feel even worse. I don't want to carry on like this.

This morning I called my GP surgery, and an advanced nurse practitioner called me back this afternoon. She said that because I'm not making myself sick after the binges, that I don't meet the criteria for the mental health team. So instead she's suggested referring me to some wellbeing coach who I can have a once a month 60 minute telephone session with.

Sorry that this is in AIBU, but I despair. I don't know where else to turn.

Have you looked into Overeaters Anonymous? Follows the same principles as AA. It is not for everyone but it would be worth attending a meeting to see if it helps.

Well done for reaching out and admitting you have an issue.
I don't know much about this but I'm sure someone will be on with some advice soon. I think there are special boards related to food. Try the consultation. My husband has awful anxiety and did only a few sessions of CBT and it's been life changing

I had the same experience with my GP. Have you tried the Brain over Binge book and podcast?

Op I'm sorry you're having a difficult time but you are actively trying to do something about it and that's fantastic news.

I'm sorry the doctor was of little help to you.
Perhaps you've already tried these tips but here are some to look at anyway..

www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-overcome-binge-eating

There's an earring disorders section under health, and a thread for binge eating disorder help, get yourself onto that @Mirabelle78 lots of nice people. It is ridiculous in so many respects, the criteria for mh help, the wait lists.

Excellent work on realising you have an issue.

I realised after many years that my binge eating following on after bulimia was at base a lack of acceptance of my body and a failure to regulate my emotions. It goes up and down but I mostly avoid big binges most of the time now!

Also, here is a list a books that many have found useful

breakbingeeating.com/eating-disorder-books/

Earring disorders? Eating!

Call your GP practice, ask for a GP appointment.
You aren't asking for a referral to the mental health team, you are asking for a referral to the eating disorders service.

OP, try contacting BEAT the eating disorder charity.

I arranged private weekly counselling via BEAT. This was many moons ago for anorexia/bulimia that turned into binge eating disorder. It was fairly expensive but it definitely helped.

I kicked up a bit of a fuss on the phone (as politely as possible), as she kept talking about the wellbeing coaches being able to help with weight management. I told it wasn't about weight management, and that it was about the mental disorder itself. So she's speaking to "Elizabeth", never said who Elizabeth is, and she's going to call me back. Should I press to see a GP, so that I can be referred to ED services?

There's a book called Brain Over Binge, and the author does a monthly group Instagram live which is quite good.

Have you told the nurse about feeling suicidal? I absolutely would ask to see a GP regarding your mental health. You can then discuss with the GP how your eating problems are alongside low mood and suicidal thoughts. Ask for ED referral but also ask for Talking Therapy referral as well. You can self refer to the latter if needed. I think I would bypass the nurse (and I say that as a nurse!). The NHS, and other supportive services, seem to be all about fobbing people off at the moment, and finding ways not to have to add to waiting lists. Good luck 💐

@FabFitFiftiesI did tell her about feeling suicidal and she told me to call the crisis team. I told her that it's directly linked to my eating, and how that makes me feel. But yes, I definitely got the sense that she was trying to fob me off.

I take 100mg Sertraline daily, but it only does so much. I desperately need help with my eating. I'd rather just die rather than even try to imagine carrying on living a life like this.

Nurse called back and said they can refer me to bariatric services 🙄.

There’s no wonder people commit suicide after feeling like no one’s there to help.

Tell them you’ve been misunderstood and you do make yourself sick regularly

Have a look at the NICE guidelines for binge eating disorder.

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng69/chapter/Recommendations#identification-and-assessment

They are just guidelines but can be a starting point for discussion. I'd seek a GP appointment and say that you want treatment.

@Mirabelle78

I kicked up a bit of a fuss on the phone (as politely as possible), as she kept talking about the wellbeing coaches being able to help with weight management. I told it wasn't about weight management, and that it was about the mental disorder itself. So she's speaking to "Elizabeth", never said who Elizabeth is, and she's going to call me back. Should I press to see a GP, so that I can be referred to ED services?

Push for the referral to ED services. Currently going through similar. After speaking to GP about my eating issues for years, being brushed under the carpet, I went abroad for a gastric sleeve. Amazing! Or it was for 6 months, I'm regularly sick now because of how much I eat. I spoke to EDS myself, a psychologist spoke to me, said I almost certainly had binge eating disorder and wrote a letter to my GP asking them to refer me- which they promptly ignored.

I was never even referred to bariatric services, but I assume they won't work with the obsession around food, they're unlikely to look at a (possible- unsure of how you're affected and don't want to assume we're exactly the same) reason behind the reason why you eat until you're uncomfortable, or why you're always thinking about food.

After having my sleeve I should eat 100g of food, I was told to be careful about portions because I could potentially rupture my stomach pouch. It's increasingly common for me to eat 300g portions in 5 minutes flat, I literally inhale food and I'm in the toilet within 5 minutes being sick. I'll clean myself up and go back to the kitchen for more food, as soon as the uncomfortable feeling of full disappears, I'm eating again. I've been known to eat hourly throughout the night when my family are asleep...

If you don't get a referral try to speak to your local EDS yourself; they can see if you'd require their jelly, and ask your GP for a referral. I've got an appt next week to discuss the referral as I don't think they should be ignoring a psychologist who has said I clearly need help.

Hi I share your pain, when I’m at my worst and binge eating it makes me feel like there no way out. I started following pages lies rebel fit etc and what iv come
To realise is that I will binge eat before starting a diet and I end up never starting and bingeing. I’m going through a good phase at the moment where I’m cal
Counting but allowing myself to eat, I come upstairs after dinner and keep busy. Iv accepted I’m not going to suddenly be skinny I need to work on small chants.
I’m still
Diet obsessed though

to everyone - it's definitely worth going back to the gp @Mirabelle78 and @Shockedmama well done for breaking the cycle - that's the hardest part isn't it, stopping in the first place, and then not falling back into it when something makes you feel bad.

Sorry there were supposed to be daffodils but they've disappeared from the post! Hope you've woken up feeling ok.

I broke the eat, guilt, eat, cycle with intermittent fasting. Because I was still complying with the plan I didn’t feel guilty and I’m better able to control my eating if I have periods of time when I’m not eating. It’s just when I start I can’t stop. I still binge occasionally but not anywhere near as often as I did and I don’t get into a cycle of doing it over and over again.

My brother also binges and he’s decided to accept a binge without guilt and leans into the pain caused by being sick and getting crippling heartburn. He says that’s stopped the cycle for him.

That's a good point, I don't have zero binges, and I accept the ones I do have without guilt because that spirals into a longer jag.