Binge and Purge

[Danielle Emmalee]

I hate having this extra weight, but every time I get stressed or depressed I just eat uncontrollably until I feel sick.  Then I throw up and feel much better.  I wish I could just eat less, I'm scared I might become bulimic

[NaiveNicole]

If you are purging you should probably talk to your therapist about this. It is not healthy for you at all. I understand the binge eating because I too have done it in the past when I get depressed, it sucks I know.

What I try to do to avoid binge eating or minimize the impact from such is have only lower calorie dense food around my apartment like veggies and fruit. If I just eat a big salad with light dressing on it it usually will give me the effect of eating a lot with out the big calorie and carb intake that usually comes with downing a bag of cookies.

[Jessica Merriman]

Health wise you are risking esophageal issue's of life threatening proportions. The acid eats away at the esophagus and surrounding structures and break through bleeding can occur. Yes, I know what I am talking about. In my career I ran four cases of cis females who with as little as two years of purging lost their lives in massive hemorrhages. It is a very painful and frightening death. Address this issue immediately.

[cathyrains]

Health wise you are risking esophageal issue's of life threatening proportions. The acid eats away at the esophagus and surrounding structures and break through bleeding can occur. Yes, I know what I am talking about. In my career I ran four cases of cis females who with as little as two years of purging lost their lives in massive hemorrhages. It is a very painful and frightening death. Address this issue immediately.

You are conflating two different conditions.

The first condition: Barrett's esophagus where the esophageal lining changes to that resembling the lining of the gut. This usually happens from overexposure of the esophagus to stomach acid. The main concern (other than the symptomatic) is its link to esophageal cancer.

The second condition Boerhaave Syndrome is the rupturing of the esophagus due to exertion during vomiting. While regular purging could increase the chances of this, it could also also occur from vomiting after overconsumption on a Saturday night.

[Jessica Merriman]

Yes, I have seen both Barrett's AND Boerhaav's cases can end in ruptured esophagus AND erosion of the arteries. You are correct that Barretts if the purging is minimal does cause cancer.  Barrett"s is a precursor to Boerhaav's in many ways. Barrett's is most times caused by GERD and usually does not get high enough to cause major structural damage because it can be limited by medication. Basically Barrett's causes more lower level damage and Boerhaav's upper damage. Purging causes a dramatic increase in major esophageal and arterial damage and the primary cause is not Barrett's. You made me think, stop that!!  I have to go lie down now!