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Eating disorders

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Help for seriously anorexic sister age 30

4 replies

runningLou · 15/05/2014 10:54

I am at a complete loss as to how to help my sister. She is now dangerously ill with anorexia and barely eating at all. Yesterday she collapsed and hit her head. She is still driving, although my mum has asked her not to. She is on a high dose of anti-anxiety meds but these are just dulling her emotions and are not helping her to eat more. Yesterday she saw a therapist for the first time, who asked her to keep a food diary and come back in a week. She has been being monitored by her GP, who referred her to the therapist, and to be honest I am shocked that they cannot see she is an urgent case. A food diary is ridiculous - there will be one apple a day written on there, if that. I am going to see her tomorrow and I really don't know what to say to her. All the guidance I have read suggests talking about food not feelings, but she can't express her feelings coherently - at this stage her lack of food is preventing her from thinking straight.
She is texting me a lot which is difficult. Yesterday I asked her how I could best help her, but she could not come up with anything concrete. She does not want to be reminded to eat, wants no help preparing food, and yet hates feeling as if the rest of the family is 'watching her'. She does not participate in meals but hangs around in the kitchen. The tensions is unbearable.
She is 30 and has moved back into my mum's. She is signed off work and has been for a while.
Does anyone with any experience of dealing with this know how I can best help her??????

OP posts:
JokersGiggle · 15/05/2014 22:47

Just popped in to support you x see you in our usual thread soon Smile

Littleturkish · 15/05/2014 22:57

Oh this is awful, I really feel for you all.

What area are you in? It could be that her calorie intake won't permit talking therapy yet- she won't be receptive to it as brain isn't functioning. She needs a proper evaluation at an ED clinic.

Millie2013 · 20/05/2014 08:32

Echo, she needs a proper assessment from an ED clinic, or if nothing locally, as sadly is often the case, a psychiatric assessment at the very least. I would be concerned at the GP thinking he/she can manage this and although the therapist might be very experienced, this sounds like it's gone way beyond food diaries and such like

Gen35 · 20/05/2014 19:05

I agree a can you get another urgent gp appt and have someone go with her? I've found they sometimes take it more seriously that way - apologies if you've already tried that.

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