My Journey Towards Better Health

[neely]

When you see your PCP, you need to be 100% honest about your eating disorder (however hard or embarrassing that is - maybe have your mom leave the room for that part of the appointment so you can talk freely), and ask to be referred to a Dietitian who specializes in eating disorders, NOT a nutritionist.

Exactly! You took the words right out of my mouth.

Please make a point of speaking with a Dietician AND as @Columbine said, ask your mom to leave the room - I cannot stress this enough!

 

[artiemom]

My case worker just called and she is making the appointment with my new PCP for me. I think they were concerned that my mom is moving too slow. They were really concerned about my high blood pressure Monday and my swollen feet. I hope I'll be okay.

Hooray for you Case Worker! Sounds like a good one!
So glad they are on top of things.

You need to get with your new PCP. From what I'm reading, you are engaging in a high fiber diet. This may not be good right now. Did you get anything from the hospital when they discharged you? Find out, I don't want you to be in unnecessary pain.

I also agree that a high fiber diet could be counter-intuitive at this point.

Focus on a variety of things. Nothing with all that much fiber.
Do not go overboard with one food group. Mix it up.

You do want to eat some fiber, it's what keeps things moving along in the poop machine. But you do want to caution against eating things that might be too much for your digestive system right now.
For example, the cruciferous veggies that I mentioned earlier, cooking your veggies and peeling your fruits and veggies that have skins. Beans and lentils, I would be cautious about for now as well.
When it comes to whole grains, brown rice would be a more gentile option as well as well cooked oatmeal rather than eating a big sandwich made with whole grains and seeds all over it.
And really I would not focus too much on the "whole grain" stuff too much until your stomach has healed well enough.
Baby steps.....

I do not think brown rice would be considered a 'lower' fiber food.
You do need some fiber, try to get some veggies, and cooke them well. Do not eat many raw or hard fruits and veggies.

You do not want to do re-injure the area which was surgically fixed. That is why a PCP is so important. You need someone to guide you along this food introduction. I think chicken, potatoes, sweet potatoes--really good if they are baked, plain-- some rice, soft cooked veggies. Ground lean hamburger is good also. Make sure you get your nutrients.

I am just going on my own body; which had some Bowel issues earlier.

Nutrition can get complicated, and even more so at times where eating disorder recovery is concerned. When you see your PCP, you need to be 100% honest about your eating disorder (however hard or embarrassing that is - maybe have your mom leave the room for that part of the appointment so you can talk freely), and ask to be referred to a Dietitian who specializes in eating disorders, NOT a nutritionist. Anyone can set themselves up as a nutritionist with very little training, but Dietitians have standardised training (like any other medical professional does), and are regulated. Eating disorder recovery is about far more than nutrition alone, and needs to focus on your thought processes around food as much as (if not more than) the food itself. The food behaviour is a symptom, not the root cause of the problem, so it's not the same as a regular person just wanting to get a little healthier.

Eating disorder therapists often have Dieticians they like to work with, so that would be another route. You need to get physically healthy and strong again, of course, but you need help with the rest of it too. Eating disorders are hard to heal from, and you can't do it alone. We're all here to support and encourage you as much as we can, but we're not there, and you need professionals in your 'real'/offline life to help and guide you too.


I believe that edema is relatively common in the early stages of refeeding/recovery, especially if you've been fasting previously. It obviously needs to be monitored, as do your heart and blood pressure, but try not to panic about it all. You are stronger than you know, and you can make it through this

I cannot thank you enough @Columbine for this 'perfect', insightful, caring, advice.
Thank You.

Did you get a PCP doctors appointment? Your social worker can arrange transportation for you, without your mother accompanying you. Think of it as a 'new adventure', on your path to a New You!

If you can not get the family history form, then just ask her about her siblings, parents--what medical issues they had; and right it down on a piece of paper. Do the same for your DAd.

If you get stonewalled, it is perfectly ok to just tell your doctor that you do not know. It will be ok.. do not fret.

I really think you would be better going to the doctors, without your mother, but you do what YOU feel is right..

And please be honest with the doctor. Do not hold back. They want to help, but you have to be honest.. even tears are ok, being afraid is ok.. when in the doctor's office. They understand.

They need to get to know you.. all of you..All about YOU.. warts and all!! (LOL--Ha Ha_,
without any outside influences.

They understand..

Remember, the hippocratic oath (the oath they take when they become a Doctor): "DO NO HARM" .. This is what being a doctor is all about~~ doing no harm. Just remember that.

 

[maggiedemi]

When you see your PCP, you need to be 100% honest about your eating disorder (however hard or embarrassing that is - maybe have your mom leave the room for that part of the appointment so you can talk freely

It's not really that embarrassing since everyone already knows. I had to tell them what I had done when I went to the ER so they could save my life.

Focus on a variety of things. Nothing with all that much fiber.
Do not go overboard with one food group. Mix it up.

Yeah, that's what I've been doing, trying to sample a variety of things.

Did you get a PCP doctors appointment?

My caseworker hasn't called back yet.

 

[bbdoll22]

Be very honest with your doctor tell them you had a binge / starve eating disorder.
I’m so happy to hear your feeling better. I’ll be here rooting for you continued well being.

 

[lisahe]

What @Columbine said about working with a dietitian is really important -- a good dietitian (one who's registered) will work with you on creating a balanced diet that you'll enjoy and that can help heal your body and (in many cases) bring down that blood pressure. But as others said, that may need to be a slow process -- the small tastes you're doing now are a good start so you can tell the dietitian what you like. (And hurray for frozen vegetables! Frozen peas and corn can get added to so many things and they can be so tasty!)

artiemom 's mention about transportation is great: lots of hospitals and health care systems can offer rides. (I see the minibuses in our neighborhood all the time!)

P.S. My mother used to work as a nursing home and hospital dietitian so I grew up hearing about the differences between dietitians and nutritionists -- Columbine is so right!

 

[LTS3]

You might find resources and support here: National Eating Disorders Association

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Happy belated birthday, M maggiedemi !
I hope this year's trip around the sun is one of your best ever!


Pulling for you...

 

[JamesCalifornia]

I just had the fruits and veggies. I haven't added the whole grains and beans to my diet yet.

Soon you can sing the ' Happy for Beans' song.
" Beans! Beans! The musical fruit... The more you eat, the more you toot ! The more you toot, the better you feel. So let's have beans for every meal ! "

 

[Jcatbird]

Lots of information and great helpers. I’m checking in and keeping up. One thing, after something like this it can take a little while to relax again. A purring or playing kitty is very calming at bedtime. Try focusing on that. You have lots of love around you too.
I hope you can feel all the hugs coming from everyone.

 

[maggie101]

I only just noticed this thread,. Welcome back!

 

[maggiedemi]

Beans! Beans! The musical fruit... The more you eat, the more you toot ! The more you toot, the better you feel. So let's have beans for every meal !

Ha! I love beans. I just can't remember how to cook with them.

I hope you can feel all the hugs coming from everyone.

Sure can.

Welcome back!

Thank you.

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ Canned beans are delicious! Great on salads or with pasta ...

 

[maggiedemi]

Canned beans are delicious!

Do you cook the beans in microwave with the water that comes in the can? Then drain? or Rinse? Can you tell me exactly how you prepare them? Thanks.

 

[FflurCadwgawn]

I would caution against lots of fiber as well--for now I would probably want to think along the lines of how someone with diverticulitis is counselled for dietary needs (my grandmother had that and it was definitely a challenge. She could eat refined fiber items like white flour but she couldn't eat things like raw veggies or corn).

If you want to try beans, I love mixing canned beans with cooked onions and peppers and making a curry lime dressing.

My recipe:

Equal parts canned bean varieties (back eyed peas, navy, garbanzo, black, great northern.....)
The same amount of cooked peppers and onions
The same amount of cooked corn (if it's ok for you to eat)
Cooked spinach is always a good addition for a little color
I also sometimes add a can of chicken or tuna

My local whole food store, Wegmans, will sell packages of frozen pre-cooked mixes with these items. I'll mix this up the night before and let it thaw in the fridge.

Dressing:
1 tablespoon each lime juice and olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sweetener
1 teaspoon curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Whisk thoroughly and pour over the veggies

This is delicious either cold or heated.

 

[maggiedemi]

I was so focused on avoiding salt the past few days that I forgot I was supposed to be eating high protein! All my pain came back. This is so hard, it really is a lifestyle of eating.

 

[FflurCadwgawn]

It absolutely is a lifestyle change. I can't have extra glutamate in ANYTHING so it makes eating pretty challenging. You got this!!! You have survived 100% of your bad days so far, you can definitely do this little bit.

 

[maggiedemi]

You got this!!! You have survived 100% of your bad days so far, you can definitely do this little bit.

I just hope I didn't wreck anything inside me. I'll eat some high protein at lunch and dinner.

 

[FflurCadwgawn]

If you have to eat high protein, I definitely recommend looking at the keto or paleo diet. Both of those emphasize high protein.

 

[maggiedemi]

If you have to eat high protein

Yes. High protein and low sodium. I can't believe I forgot the high protein part. But I've never eaten this way before, so it's hard.

 

[Lari]

Eggs! Very easy to eat without added salt.

Do you like fish?

Re: beans. I never eat them just on their own, but use them in recipes which usually involves draining them. I use the mealime app for a lot of recipes and it allows you to put in food preferences and dislikes.