Worried about DD's health

[smudgethepuppydog]

She's almost 19 and is usually very fit and healthy (apart from chronic asthma which she doesn't allow to stop her doing anything including triathlons) she's a swimmer and works hard as a TA in a special school. She broke a rib recently in an accident at work which meant she had to have time off which she doesn't handle well. She hates being home alone after the murder of a friend in 2002 when DD was just 12. Since she broke her rib she seems to have stopped eating. This hasn't been helped by the pain killer she had to take or the fact that she was recently sick and is emetophobic so is inclined to stop eating when that happens (she is waiting for CBT to help with her phobia).

She normally wears size 8 but recently size 6 is starting to look very baggy on her. I'm worried about her and so is her dad and her boyfriend but she's insisting she's ok and doesn't need to see the doctor. Her boyfriend came over last night but by 7.30pm she was asleep on the sofa, that is just not like her. She got up this morning, had a shower then went back to sleep. Again that is not normal for her. Even her swimming coach has told her not to turn up for training as she's not well enough to train.

Do any wise MNers have any words of wisdom for me? I don't know how to get her to see a GP and I am slowly getting more worried especially as in the past she's shown tendencies towards an eating disorder.

I should also add she's been suffering from more than her usual number of migraine type headaches.

I wanted to bump this for you smudge in the hope that someone with good advice will come along. My dd(16) is emetophobic and I know that although she is well atm, it could all change if she comes across any sickness.

Really hope your dd does see the GP this week. If she saw what you had written here and how worried you were, do you think she would agree to go to the doctors? xxx

It sounds like she's having to deal with a lot of difficulties at the moment. Broken ribs are awful - any pain is. Constant painkillers can mess up the system and make headaches worse if you stop taking them (they are more addictive than often acknowledged).

I feel for both of you. I know how worried you must be about her but healing does take time.

Hope you get some help from the doctor.

has she had grief counselling? or help for eating issues?

She did have 6 sessions with a bereavement counsellor a few years ago but nothing since, we are told the CBT may be able to refer her on for further help if she needs it.

After posting this she did actually manage to have quite a good day food-wise yesterday. Her dad managed to talk to her on Saturday night and her boyfriend's mum also had a little word. I think it's helped her to see that a great many paople are worried about her.

If she's still not herself in a week I WILL drag her (kicking and screaming if necessary) to the GP for a chat.