Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder that is characterized by bingeing (consuming large amounts of food at one sitting while feeling out of control), purging (getting rid of food by using laxatives, vomiting, obsessive exercise), dissatisfaction with body, and fear of gaining weight.

Behavioral Signs:

• Binging
• Secretive eating, evidenced by missing food
• Preoccupation with and constant talk about food and/or weight
• The avoidance of restaurants, planned meals, or social events if food is present
• Bathroom visits after meals
• Purging at least twice a week for a minimum of three months
• Laxative, enema, or diuretics abuse, or fasting
• The use of diet pills
• Rigid and harsh exercise regimes
• Fear of being fat, regardless of weight
• Feeling out of control
  
  
  

Physiological Signs:

• Swollen glands, puffiness in the cheeks, or broken blood vessels under the eyes
• Complaints of sore throats
• Complaints of fatigue and muscle ache
• Unexplained tooth decay
• Frequent weight fluctuations, often within a 10-15 pound range
• Dehydration
• Electrolyte imbalances
• Low sodium and potassium levels
• Liver and kidney damage
• Constipation
• Severe bowel abnormalities
• Callused skin on index and middle fingers
• Internal bleeding from vomiting
• Ulcers of the stomach and/or esophagus from vomiting
• Heart palpitations or heart attack
• Death

For more information, please contact the Women's Center at (203) 392-6946.