wow...ok so i read what everyone wrote and i can relate BIG TIME. nice to know im not alone in all this!! Im 19. i have been bulimic since i was 15...non stop. b/p about 10-20x a day. i recently had a seizure while out running and the doctors couldnt find anything wrong with me, but im pretty sure its from not taking care of myself and being dehydrated, anemic...etc. I started taking my friends adderall back in february for a month,, which (he wasnt using anyway, and gave it to me because i also have ADD!). IT HELPED TREMENDOUSLY! ive used strattera and all that but i could never get a doc to give me adderall without seeing a phych (and that takes months!) anyways.....that whole month i didnt b/p once (the longest by far since i started!) but then i went and stepped on the scale and i gained 10 pounds!!! i freaked out and immediately started b/p again. have been ever since......i cant seem to loose anymore weight for i have lost 40 pounds since i was 15 and now i cant control it...it is a huge addiction for me and i pray everynight that i can stop. i read someone saying that if you take adderall and still throw up you can have a seizure..... thats a good thing to know! im soooo scared to have another seizure. my question is have any of you ever overcomed this disease? i read online somewhere that its more of an emotional thing than a "fear of gaining weight thing" i call BS on that.....but thats just my opinion. honestly and i know this is horrible.....the only thing that ever really helped me was doing meth......being that i have bad ADD and BULIMIA. it helped big time, stayed skinny and could stop throwing up except their was alottttt of negative too. i have a yr clean tho and i dont want to get back into that lifestyle.,,, someone please talk to me about this. i have never told anyone in my life about my disease except god and it would be nice to have like a "support group" thank you and god bless.......
i feel ya. i have almost two years clean off of meth (and everything else), and honestly, stimulants were the ONLY thing that ever helped with my compulsive overeating. i think bulimia is an emotional thing coupled by a weight issue, like we don't feel comfortable in our own skin because somethings not right inside. I don't know, just my opinion. Good job on sobriety!
omg THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED WITH ME
I had had bulimia for a year and a half. I was seeing a shrink (but hadn't told him about the bulimia) and got diagnosed with ADD, and started taking a stimulant drug for it. I hadn't taken the med for long when I realized: my bulimia had, miraculously, disappeared! And I know that it's not a coincidence, because the one week I didn't take the medication, the urge to b/p starting creeping back.
I had had bulimia for a year and a half. I was seeing a shrink (but hadn't told him about the bulimia) and got diagnosed with ADD, and started taking a stimulant drug for it. I hadn't taken the med for long when I realized: my bulimia had, miraculously, disappeared! And I know that it's not a coincidence, because the one week I didn't take the medication, the urge to b/p starting creeping back.
OMG So I have been desperate to figure out a way to quit this disgusting problem we call bulimia. I have had this problem for over 8 years, I am 22 now. I just recently got worse. I am living at home, and just graduated college. I have no idea what to do anymore. In high school, my parents found out about it and I was put on anti depressants and was going to a therapist. I hated going to my therapist and being on the anti depressant meds, so I took myself off of them and convinced my mom I could beat this problem on my own. It did get better for a little bit, and now my parents think I have over come it on my own and are proud of me. Little do they know my problem is worse then ever. From the time I wake up to the time i go to bed i think about food...what I am going to eat to purge. Its aweful and like someone said, I feel like I am in this prison and cant get out. It consumes my life, and I feel like sometimes just wanting to take my life.
But like others said, I had taken adderall sometimes in college to concentrate on an upcoming exam or a huge project I needed to get done since I found it was hard for me to concentrate because my mind was always so focused on food. just recently, just being so desperate I wondered if anyone else thought adderall has helped others and thought it could help me. The thing is, is right now I'm still looking for a job, I don't have any money, and I am not on my parents insurance anymore. So I don't want to tell them because I dont want them to be worried and then have to pay for everything. I dont know what to do...i'm just soo desperate to find something and thought adderall could be that one thing that could help. any suggestions?
But like others said, I had taken adderall sometimes in college to concentrate on an upcoming exam or a huge project I needed to get done since I found it was hard for me to concentrate because my mind was always so focused on food. just recently, just being so desperate I wondered if anyone else thought adderall has helped others and thought it could help me. The thing is, is right now I'm still looking for a job, I don't have any money, and I am not on my parents insurance anymore. So I don't want to tell them because I dont want them to be worried and then have to pay for everything. I dont know what to do...i'm just soo desperate to find something and thought adderall could be that one thing that could help. any suggestions?
I completely agree with the connection between taking adderall and reducing sx of bulimia. I am a psychotherapist and have struggled w/ bulimia since I was 12 years old. If you think about it, bulimia is impulse driven. Part of ADHD with or w/ out hyperactivity still includes impulsive tendencies. I tried every SSRI (prozac, lexapro, wellbutrin etc) as well as non stimulant meds (strattera, concerta) for the past 15 years and nothing has worked. Both my brothers and my father have ADHD. It was a good possibility considering the genetic predisposition that I did as well. I tried their meds one day b/c I was curious. I felt more focused and not on edge and for the first time and wasn't consumed w/ thoughts of b/p. I brought this up to my psychiatrist and knowing I'm not a drug seeker he thought it was an interesting concept and brought it up to his board of doctors. I have been on it for 2 years and other than an occasional slip I have been free from this addiction. I can think of other things now other than when will be the next time I can binge. I am thinking of going back for my doctorate and this would be my area of study for my dissertation for my PhD. I think you will find new studies and articles coming out in years to come regarding this medication for tx of bulimia, binge eating dis NOS, and poss OCD. If you have any questions let me know, I'll be happy to help because I know what it's like to be a prisoner of your own mind/body.
Guest wrote:
I don't. Feel so lost after readibg all of your stories. I have been dealing with bulimia for ovw a year and a half,I want to stop before its too late. I used to smoke a lot of weed right before I started the b/p cycle,but after not smoking for a while,when I tried it again it actUally helped. I felt light and totally relaxed,the only thing I got a panic attack twice,that's why I dont smoke as much. From what I've heard,aderral sort of makes u feel high,so if you can't get adderral from your doctor,try smoking some green,THAT has no side effects.
hi,
this is probably a year late, but wanted to give you the name of this book: Pieces of a Puzzle: The Link Between Eating Disorders and ADD. perhaps you can take that to your doctors to show that many studies have been done and do in fact show that ADD medications are helpful for EDs as well.
hope that helps, i plan to take it to my next appointment, as i've also been bulimic 20 years, and have never been diagnosed with ADD even though the symptoms are there!
this is probably a year late, but wanted to give you the name of this book: Pieces of a Puzzle: The Link Between Eating Disorders and ADD. perhaps you can take that to your doctors to show that many studies have been done and do in fact show that ADD medications are helpful for EDs as well.
hope that helps, i plan to take it to my next appointment, as i've also been bulimic 20 years, and have never been diagnosed with ADD even though the symptoms are there!
hi,
this is probably a year late, but wanted to give you the name of this book: Pieces of a Puzzle: The Link Between Eating Disorders and ADD. perhaps you can take that to your doctors to show that many studies have been done and do in fact show that ADD medications are helpful for EDs as well.
hope that helps, i plan to take it to my next appointment, as i've also been bulimic 20 years, and have never been diagnosed with ADD even though the symptoms are there!
this is probably a year late, but wanted to give you the name of this book: Pieces of a Puzzle: The Link Between Eating Disorders and ADD. perhaps you can take that to your doctors to show that many studies have been done and do in fact show that ADD medications are helpful for EDs as well.
hope that helps, i plan to take it to my next appointment, as i've also been bulimic 20 years, and have never been diagnosed with ADD even though the symptoms are there!
I relate to all of you. I also have been bulimic for about 4 yrs. I feel constantly controlled by food, my body, b/p. Its an obsessive disease. I am in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction but I can't get a handle on the b/p, obsession with food. I was on prozac for a while, then topomax and now Lamictal. The prozac and topomax decreased my urge to binge thus not feeling a need to purge. I actually tried to binge so I could purge and I just couldn't do it. I've noticed the Lamictal and Zoloft aren't as effective. A friend who has ADD gave me a couple Adderol to try because he (and I) sure I have ADD/HD. I have an appt with my psych for an assesment. But, the Adderol helped me so much. I was actually patient with my kids, productive. On a daily basis I am so scattered to the point where it is debilitating. ADD/HD, addiction and mental health issues run in my family. I have been diagnosed with PTSD, Agoraphobia, Bi-Polar II/Hypo-mania, Bulimic. I feel out of control, isolated, my emotions are all over the map.
My psych said that if in fact I do have ADD/HD and get on a medication for that I may not have to be on an anti-deppresant. I'm just hoping I can get on a combination that works for me. I do go to 1:1 and group counseling 1x a wk to work on core issues/triggers. It makes me so angry that I can't stop this behavior and the compulsion.
I wish the best for all of you too. So glad I found this thread. Thanks!
My psych said that if in fact I do have ADD/HD and get on a medication for that I may not have to be on an anti-deppresant. I'm just hoping I can get on a combination that works for me. I do go to 1:1 and group counseling 1x a wk to work on core issues/triggers. It makes me so angry that I can't stop this behavior and the compulsion.
I wish the best for all of you too. So glad I found this thread. Thanks!
As someone who has been dealing with bulimia for a number of years, at points it getting so bad that I lost friends, failed school and completely disassociated from my life, I know that for myself I would be uneasy about introducing drugs to 'cure' my problem. But mine is just another point of view, no more or less valid than anyone else's.
The way medical doctors disregard the experiences and expertise that women have about their own bodies is shameful. We are all the experts in our own lives, and deserve to be respected for the informed choices we make.
While at many points I thought that perhaps anti-anxiety meds might be a useful in resisting the urge to b/p (since i experience a marked relaxation after purging and use it to deal with stress often) I have recently had a lot of success in challenging my bulimic tendency through a gradual and slow shift in habit (dating an awesome, body-positive, supportive and food-friendly person started it).
This is certainly not a viable option for everyone and that needs to be respected. I am not 100%, but i hope to get there and wish everyone the best in finding what is right for them.
The way medical doctors disregard the experiences and expertise that women have about their own bodies is shameful. We are all the experts in our own lives, and deserve to be respected for the informed choices we make.
While at many points I thought that perhaps anti-anxiety meds might be a useful in resisting the urge to b/p (since i experience a marked relaxation after purging and use it to deal with stress often) I have recently had a lot of success in challenging my bulimic tendency through a gradual and slow shift in habit (dating an awesome, body-positive, supportive and food-friendly person started it).
This is certainly not a viable option for everyone and that needs to be respected. I am not 100%, but i hope to get there and wish everyone the best in finding what is right for them.
I absolutely know that Adderall is a drug that could mange Bulimia. It is a drug that if used correctly could help so many people.Finding a doctor who isn't afraid to use it for that reason is difficult however. They are afraid of getting sued or even worse criminal charges related to the DEA laws.And of course the people who have ruined it for all of us are those who abuse the drug and then cry boo hoo I'm addicted to it. I was once a bulimic who went through years of the binging and purging cycle. I have gained and lost 100 pounds in my lifetime. By chance a few years ago when I was seeking help for the bulimia I was also given a diagnosis of ADD. I was prescribed Adderall 20mg XL and it miraculously changed my life like nothing ever has. I am a normal person who can actually be around food and not eat everything in sight then purge. I can cook Thanksgiving dinner without falling into the binge and purge cycle. I lead a healthy normal existence and have accomplished more in the last five years than anything prior to the use of Adderall. Adderall is a wonderful and miraculous medication. I wish I had the freedom to speak out more about this. Many people in the medical community have such a negative opinion of this medication and they do not know what they are talking about. They are so wrong to dismiss Adderall as a drug that is simply addictive and dangerous.All medications have side efects and can be lethal when they are abused.When Adderall is taken as prescribed it effectively treats depression,bulimia and ADD. Under the direction of an MD and proper medical follow up Adderall could help so many people suffering from the horrific disease bulimia.
Hey girls...reality check here! Adderall is not a safe med to go on to curb your b/p urges. If you don't need it for ADHD specifically it is just a stimulant that is going to tear up your insides and result in moodswings and worse physical destruction to your body. Trust me...After several months of using Adderall to curb my b/p urges I was a psychotic, nuerotic emotional wreck and at one point I even destroyed my boyfriends house and nearly killed him during an argument about nothing important. I'm normally a well adjusted calm person but I noticed this change in my moods that I can only attribute to this med I began taking, which by the way might as well be crystal meth when it comes right down to it if you don't need a prescription for ADHD. GO TO THERAPY AND OA...STAY AWAY FROM ADDERALL IF YOU DON'T REALLY NEED IT FOR THE RIGHT PURPOSE!!!
I'm 27yrs old and have struggled with an eating disorder for 17yrs going back and forth from anorexia to bulimia but I've been only bulimic for several years and it's so frustrating. I've been to rehabs, phsychiatrist, counslers, eating disorder specialist, and nothing has helped. I turned into an addict to stop my bulimia but that only ruined my life and I'm still bulimic. I've gotten pretty much clean from everything but I cant seem to stop b/p. I hate it, It controls my life and has so many negative effects on your body. A doctor prescribed me adderall and it has helped tremendously! I don't have the urge to b/p ever while I'm on it. I went from b/p all day every day to not at all! The problem now is I found out I'm pregnant and when I stopped taking it, the b/p came back. It's like I can't stop it and I try so hard. I've gotten a little better than before I was pregnant but b/p is not good for the baby or myself so I'm considering going back to the doc to get back on it. I think the benefits will outweigh the risk. Anyone have any advice?
Sorry, didnt mean to post that last one. I was trying to ask whoever posted that how their doing
Hi Everyone,
I can relate to every post here. I have had bulima since 15/16 and I am now 21. In January I started seeing a pscychologist (for depression)and at a follow-up appt I talked to him about my obsession and impulses when it comes to b/p. He actually brought up taking Adderall for my bulimia. There have been numerous case studies that show taking Adderall, in moderation and under complete control, is an aid in helping overcome bulimia. However, it should also be coupled with counseling, etc.
It gave me the energy to go to the gym and work-out to loose weight healthily...and I have also lost all of the impulses to b/p. However, because of my personality,I have now become obsessed with working out and eating a specific amount of calories. So the plus, is that I do not b/p anymore...however, I have to go to the gym everyday and I count calories like crazy. So physically, I am much healthier, but mentally I still suffer from the obsession of food and losing weight.