![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dr. Bob on December 21, 2004, at 10:50:49
Hi, everyone,
I'm pleased to announce that Elizabeth Steinhauer, MD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry here at the University of Chicago, has agreed to be our guest expert on eating disorders for a week (until December 28).
If you have any questions for her, just post them here with "Steinhauer: " at the beginning of the subject line to flag them.
Discussion about the how this works -- or doesn't -- is welcome, but should take place at Psycho-Babble Administration.
OK, any questions? :-)
Bob
----
The participation of a guest expert is intended to provide information and not advice. Her responses should not be considered diagnosis or treatment. She may suggest an option to consider, but do not infer that her professional opinion is that you personally should choose that option.
During the past 24 months, she has not been a full-time employee of any commercial organization that had an interest in the topics she will be commenting on, and neither she nor any immediate family member has had a significant financial interest in or affiliation with one.
Posted by vwoolf on December 21, 2004, at 13:38:49
In reply to Steinhauer: Guest expert on eating disorders, posted by Dr. Bob on December 21, 2004, at 10:50:49
This is great! Welcome Dr Steinhauer.
Posted by justyourlaugh on December 22, 2004, at 0:07:58
In reply to Re: Steinhauer: Guest expert on eating disorders, posted by vwoolf on December 21, 2004, at 13:38:49
welcome dr steinhauer..
i was wondering if "purging" for years(decades)..
has anything to do with hypothroidism...
thankyou for your time
j
Posted by stresser on December 22, 2004, at 12:42:21
In reply to Re: Steinhauer: Guest expert on eating disorders, posted by justyourlaugh on December 22, 2004, at 0:07:58
How wonderful to have you here, thank you. I have a daughter who has a binge eating problem. She is currently seeing a Phsycologist, which is her secone one. I have come to believe it's all about her having control over her life, is that true? Do we get rid of the junk food in the house or keep the sweets around as usual? She is 16, and drives, so she can get what she wants anyway. Do I stay out of the situation entirely? I haven't asked her about her weight lately, and don't really want to bring up the subject because it causes a great amount of tension. She refuses to talk about it with us. She isn't too much overweight, maybe 20lbs. We would like her to be able to eat normaly, and not let food control her life. Thanks for any advice you can give me. -L
Posted by Dr. Beth Steinhauer on December 22, 2004, at 17:00:36
In reply to Re: Steinhauer: Guest expert on eating disorders, posted by justyourlaugh on December 22, 2004, at 0:07:58
I am not aware of any direct causative link. It IS true that hypothyroidism is often associated with symptoms of depression, weight gain, etc., and might aggravate your mood or eating disorder symptoms if it is not corrected. I'd urge you to make sure your doctor is aware of the purging behavior, as it puts you at risk for electrolyte imbalances, cardiac arrythmias, esophageal tears, and other complications. ES
Posted by Dr. Beth Steinhauer on December 22, 2004, at 17:10:48
In reply to Re: Steinhauer:, posted by stresser on December 22, 2004, at 12:42:21
Dear Stresser,
I applaud you for your concern and your wish to help your daughter. We know that getting treatment early for eating disorders is crucial in preventing long-term medical and psychiatric complications.
There are many excellent books on the market that may answer some of your questions. One book, "Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder", by James Lock and my colleague at University of Chicago, Daniel le Grange, was just published and I recommend it highly for parents and families. For your daughter, another book I recommend a lot is Christopher Fairburn's "Overcoming Binge Eating". It is quite accessible and many of my patients have found it helpful.
The basic message that I'd emphasize is that restrictive dieting almost inevitably leads to compensatory bingeing. Rather than dieting, I encourage people to regularize their eating by eating 3 meals per day and snacks, not exceeding 3-4 hours in the daytime without having something to eat or drink, and exercising regularly (but not compulsively). These are important tenets for all of us, and lead to lifelong healthy eating.
Best of luck with your daughter's recovery. I'm delighted to hear that she's in treatment. If she does not appear to be responding to talk therapy alone with her psychologist, you might want to ask him/her to refer her for a consultation with a child psychiatrist, as SSRI medications can be very effective in binge eating and bulimia. ES
Posted by Dr. Beth Steinhauer on December 24, 2004, at 15:27:33
In reply to Re: Steinhauer: Guest expert on eating disorders, posted by justyourlaugh on December 22, 2004, at 0:07:58
P.S. for J.
Dear J.,
I ran your question by a colleague who is an internist, who was similarly unaware of any CAUSAL relationship between purging and hypothyroidism. However, she reminded me that hypothyroisism is a very common condition, especially in women (10% of all women), and since EDs are also common in women, many people are likely to have both conditions concurrently. Best, ES
Posted by foxy420 on December 26, 2004, at 23:18:51
In reply to Re: Steinhauer: Guest expert on eating disorders, posted by Dr. Beth Steinhauer on December 24, 2004, at 15:27:33
hello there
i just wanted too comment that once i had anorexia and i used medicinal marijuana! My appetite increased so now i am at a healthy weight and thankfully! i gave birth too a beautiful baby girl on **/** of 04. if it wasn't for medical marijuana i may not have had a healthy enough womb too carry my daughter! i recommend marijuana to people with eating disorders because sometimes marijuana tends too help with depression and anxiety too!peace
Posted by Dr. Beth Steinhauer on December 28, 2004, at 10:17:27
In reply to Re: Steinhauer: Guest expert on eating disorders, posted by foxy420 on December 26, 2004, at 23:18:51
While I am happy that you are no longer suffering from Anorexia Nervosa, I wouldn't endorse marijuana use as a method of treatment. While it is true that marijuana may increase appetite, most anorexics will tell you that their appetite is initially normal (though it may be suppressed with continued starvation); it is their RESPONSE to their appetite that is abnormal, i.e. the drive to OVERRIDE hunger pangs.
It may also be true that marijuana temporarily alleviates anxiety, but with continued use, cannabis is more likely to CAUSE or AGGRAVATE depression. Dependence on cannabis limits your ability to respond to stress in other, healthier ways and may interfere with your productivity, motivation, and social relationships. I am particularly concerned about your reliance on marijuana when you are parenting a child. Parenting is an extraordinarily complex and difficult job that requires you exercise clear thinking, responsiveness to your child's needs, and above all, good judgment.
There are many other healthier means to obtain help for Eating Disorders and body image concerns. For your own sake, and for the sake of your child, please consider getting some in-person help from a mental health practitioner. ES
Posted by Dr. Bob on December 28, 2004, at 17:40:10
In reply to Re: Steinhauer: Guest expert on eating disorders » foxy420, posted by Dr. Beth Steinhauer on December 28, 2004, at 10:17:27
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Eating | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.