Teen Eating Disorders - Thread 5

[myrtleWilson]

Welcome everyone,
Our last thread can be found here
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eating_disorders/4279530-Teen-Eating-Disorders-Thread-4?watched=1&msgid=111172926#111172926

That we're on thread 5 in about a year is a reflection of the incredible increase in mental health issues, including eating disorders amongst young people over the last couple of years.

With that in mind, we thought we'd try to include some resources that have helped us along the way to date. No one resource will be a panacea but hopefully this list will be a useful starting off point for any newcomers and a reflection for others. It is our first go at sharing a list of resources on a thread so it won't be perfect!

www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

anorexiafamily.com/?v=79cba1185463

www.youtube.com/evamusby

www.youtube.com/channel/UCa7G1P5WQopVMc9qTSP_lgA

www.orri-uk.com

www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/behaviours/eating-disorders/overview/

www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Junior-MARSIPAN-Risk-Assessment-Framework.pdf

People to look up on social media
Hope Virgo
Ro-Recovering
James Downs
Cara Lisette
Adam Fare
BarefootRebel
Ilona Burton

Girlie hope Covid is not too bad for your DD

Betty - great news on a gain!

dark how are you doing?

How’s your daughter this meeting @Lougle? X

Myrtle that's really interesting thanks for posting, might try something similar with my dd.

Hope your dd is okay Lougle

Betty don't worry about it, having a child with an ED is a steep learning curve and if I can help with support and advice that makes me feel good.

Things not great here tbh, dd seems v low and is back to all the old behaviours. I know I need to take control but honestly I'm so tired of the constant battles 😪 plus when she's already so low it seems so unkind to be making her life harder (I know I can't fix one without the other.)

Praying she just needs to go back to school and that will help with the mood and eating.

Hi, we've been to the GP. Urine is clear but dehydrated. She wants a stool sample and I've just got to keep an eye on her that it doesn't get much worse.

She's lost 2kg this month, so I need to keep an eye on that. Still within target range though.

@Girliefriendlikespuppies “Praying she just needs to go back to school and that will help with the mood and eating.”
Me too!

Hope your DD is okay Lougle. I wonder what it could be.

Ahh Gurlfriend sorry to hear that your DD is reverting back to old ways. Do you think it’s just being poorly and not having the distraction of school that’s to blame? I guess this is a lesson to us all that we have to remain vigilant even when we think things are going well.

Myrtle thanks for that list, I think that will help my DD also at times when she’s experiencing heightened anxiety. I think the fluoxetine is having a slightly stimulating effect on DD actually. Sometimes she seems very animated and I can see she’s furiously chewing gum and clenching her jaw, almost like she’s done speed! 🥴

DD has just texted me actually. They have just had PSHE at school and the lesson was about consent. Apparently there was a statement written up on the board that was to illustrate victim blaming and one boy said that he agreed with it. Cue utter carnage ensuing in the classroom and apparently another teacher was roped in to calm things down! DD is enraged. Haven’t seen her this feisty for a while so fingers crossed she’s getting closer to her old self!

Oh we finished Squid Game a few nights ago. I thought it was excellent albeit incredibly violent. There’s a thread in AIBU at the moment though about 9yr olds watching which is just horrific. DD and I have started on The Chestnut Man now. Love a bit of Scandi noir!

God knows roller I think unfortunately with EDs they definitely play the long game so as soon as you let up even a tiny bit they jump on it 😕

Have just had a stand off over a tuna roll, something she has reliably eaten always. Apparently she doesn't like bread or tuna now.

FML

Have also chased her upstairs as she was holding a mouthful of juice in her mouth. Told her from now on bedroom and bathroom doors are to remain open otherwise I'll take them off the hinges 🙄

Well at least you know exactly what to do and won’t take any shit!

So DD1 has puked again. I'm wondering if she just can't handle eating a (small portion) dinner, then having movicol 1 hour later. The trouble is, she's exhausted so she wants to go to bed by 8.30, so time is limited. I think I'm going to have to give the movicol in the mornings.

It just doesn't seem right, but I've called 111 and visited the GP, so not much more I can do. Having said that, she's been puking up the movicol and not drinking, so...

Oh lougle I hope she is ok.

How is she this morning lougle?

How's your DD lougle?

Well it's serve me right for thinking things were going better. Apparently, her blood results show slightly elevated bicarb levels which they say results from purging. I really really didn't think she was doing that.

@Mogtheanxiouschat that's a blow. Is it something you can talk to her about, or would she just deny it?

DD1 is saying she feels very poorly. She said that the pain was worse than ever this morning. But I made her drink some movicol and eat a slice of toast, and it stayed down. I took her to school and emailed them beforehand to ask them to monitor. I haven't had a call to get her, so she must be coping ok.

How has your DD been today Lougle?

Oh no Mog! Are you going to ask her about it? Has she been gaining weight?

DD has gone to a party tonight. I’ve just dropped her at a friends house where they are all getting ready. DD is absolutely bricking it. There will be pizza, alcohol and a hot tub. I think she is terrified of all 3! She has already said that she’s not going in the hot tub, which is fair enough. She says she’s going to try and eat 3 slices of pizza. I just hope she is able to forget the ED for a night and let her hair down and have some fun! God knows she deserves to!

I don't think I'm going to ask, I'm going to watch like a hawk for a few days. She will just lie, and if I had evidence it would be much easier.

I still can't imagine when she's done it though.

She has been gaining albeit slowly. I was feeling optimistic before this!

Does she know her blood results @Mogtheanxiouschat - did she react at all if she did?

Lougle hope no news was good news from school?

roller I really hope Dd enjoys the party!

Hope new joiners are okay - do ask away - no question is off bounds (and in that manner... TMI if needed)

So, DD has awful digestive/bowel issues. She is on a ridiculous amount of related meds and has been for over a year now. She saw a consultant earlier this week who was lovely, did an x-ray, went "oh" at how blocked up she is and has got some treatment lined up to start in 10 days or so.

Obviously, I hope the treatment works but am trying to research what possible outcomes there may be if it doesn't. She's not yet been given a diagnosis of anything more than her entire colon is blocked up apart from a teeny tiny bit. But my worry is what if the anorexia has caused permanent damage to her digestive system - I've found out a little bit about gastroparesis whereby the stomach doesn't contract properly to digest food and then blockages ahoy... but it doesn't look like that can be "cured". I know I'm borrowing worries from tomorrow in this regard - the treatment may well sort her out...but.....

Does anyone have any insight into gastro issues....?!

@myrtleWilson I have told her that although she has gained some weight, the bloods show that her body is still unwell and we have a way to go. Not what she wanted to hear, and she's been pretty moody today.

Her white blood count was down a little too.

That's a bit shit mog theyre bloody sneaky buggers when they want to be. Can you insist on a door open policy?

Hope your dd has fun at the party roller!

Sorry to hear your dd is still feeling rubbish lougle, do you think it could be linked to stopping the olanzipine?

Not a gastro expert Myrtle have they referred your dd to a consultant?

We've had a bit of a shit day here really, think two weeks of being at home has taken its toll on both of us. I'm feeling low and tired, not sleeping well doesn't help. Dd is very quiet and seems to have shut down.

It all feels relentless with no end in sight 😢

Dd has CBT today and when I asked how that went dd said 'she thinks I don't need her anymore...' 😱 I really hope that's not what the therapist said!!

If she pulls out that will leave dd with nothing.

Hi there everyone
@myrtleWilson I posted on thread 1 but not since I don't think. My daughter was diagnosed 8+ years ago with anorexia - there's been lots of ups and downs, extended hospital stays but still struggling with it all. Just wanted to touch base and say hello. Had a hard summer, BMI dropped to 13.9, weekly bloods abnormal and worrying, talks again about hospital admission, it's been tough. I think there has been some slight improvement over last couple weeks but bloods still not great though weight slightly increased. But are other positives to focus on in terms of university and gaining independence. Over the years we have had so much experience of trying different meds, being inpatient etc. So quite alot of insight ,just thought I'd pop back and say hello. Wish there was a magic wand for you all xx

@Bluebuddha10 how old is your dd?

Hi @Bluebuddha10 lovely to hear from you. Am pleased she's managed to stay at university but it must be such a worry for you. @NCTDN, Blues Dd was 18/19 on thread 1 I think so 19/20 now I guess?

@myrtleWilson @NCTDN
Yes she is 20 now, diagnosed at 12, but started bit earlier then that even. Yes she done amazingly well to stay at uni (though stayed local) but the ED is still so dominant and every so often reminds us how powerful it can be. Adult services are a joke, so disjointed, nobody speaks with each other and I'm not privy to any conversations. Although her consultant has contacted me a couple of times when concerns were high. Adult endocrinologist is awful, they ignored her for most of last year and then said she desperately needs to go back on hormone treatment but also said it would make her put on weight!! So no surprise she's now refused any more hormone treatment. Couldn't make this stuff up!

Hi all, hope you have all had good weekends and decent amounts of food have been partaken!

DD had a good time at the party on Friday night. It seems to have really lifted her spirits which I’m so happy about! She got really drunk, which under usual circumstances I probably wouldn’t be best pleased about. But at the moment I’m taking it as a win that she actually chose the extra calories! She also ate pizza and she also got in the hot-tub. And she wasn’t sick. So I think she’s proud of herself. She even asked if she can have a Halloween party here during half term and I haven’t heard her say anything like that for a long while!

The only downside is thet she was 900g down when I weighed her yesterday morning. I’m hoping that getting drunk the night before may have something to do with it and it’s down to dehydration. We did away with her evening snack 2 weeks ago. It didn’t make any difference to her weight last week. And admittedly she has missed a few afternoon snacks this week because of school and college open days that she had to attend. She has her fortnightly clinic appointment tomorrow so I will weigh her again in the morning and see if it’s any different. But if it’s not it looks like we might have to reintroduce the evening snack for an interim period.

Hope you are okay Dark, thinking about you and your DD.

That's great your dd had a good time at the party roller. I'd def take the alcohol as a win, can't imagine my dd doing that yet!! That's a shame re the weight loss though, definitely reintroduce the snacks.

Our wends not been too bad, we had a mass stand off Ystd morning over a dribble of juice 😩 I was so pissed off with her running out of the living room with her juice and chucking it down the sink. She finally drank it but it triggered a massive anxiety attack and I felt ill with the stress so not sure it was worth it 😕

She's back to school tomorrow so hoping things will settle a bit...

Really bad weekend for us! She’s eaten less and less as the days have passed and yesterday lunch time we had a huge standoff over a bowl of soup. I’m so stressed by it all that I didn’t deal well with it and completely lost it. How on earth do you deal with flat refusal??

@Lougle did I read your dd has put on 17kg? That’s amazing!

@myrtleWilson sorry I don’t have any experience in gastro issues but I hope the treatment works for your dd

@Rollergirl11 I’m glad your dd had a good time at the party, fingers crossed the loss was just dehydration as you say.

@Girliefriendlikespuppies hope school goes well for your dd