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Hello Michele,
I've read your answers to many questions, and I would firs like to tell you that you seem very sweet and very knowledgeable, and thank you (from, I'm sure, many people) for keeping this site up. I can see it helps many.
So, about me. (wow.) I'm fifteen right now, and two years ago (13) I was 'borderline anorexic'. This means, if you're not positive, that I did not have all of the clinical symptoms of an anorexic. I did have thetypical anorexic mindset, but I had not lost my menses, and I had only lost 23% of my body weight by the time tht people found out, and not 25%. I never got "proper" counseling, but I no longer am borderline anorexic.
For the past year, I get nauseous often, and very bloated from gases. I have no idea where all of this is coming from. Firs of all, I'm terrified of throwing up, and so I get panic attacks when I feel nauseous like this. I've been to doctors and to a gastrointerologist-- I've had sonograms, and drank the barium, and had a stomach-emptying test. My feces has been checked. Nothing is wrong with me. Originally, when my symptoms were only nausea, everyone kept telling me that it was 'in my head'-- apparently after being anorexic, you become more apt to lie.
But lately, because of my bloating (you can actually see my stomach is puffed out and tight, and hear the gases rumbling around my stomach,) they know that I'm not lying, or it's not all in my head.
Do you have any idea at all what this could be?
Thanks!
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HI honey, and I am glad that you wrote, thank you for the encouragement. You sound very smart for 15. I did work for a naturopathic physician for 6 months. In between jobs, but I still help out there, and I learned so much. I have also taken some courses in nutrition. YOu are in luck because naturopathic doctors believe that all problems start in the gut, fix the gut and you will fix the problem. I think that during the time that you were anorexic, you messed up your hydrochloric acid valves. You have valves in your stomach that release hydrocloric acid so you can digest food. Without that acid, this is what happens to the food in your stomach. Imagine you left a tuna and mayo sandwich on Rye of course, in a moist dark container, unwrapped, and in the sun and it got to 98 degrees in there. And it just sat there, and sat there. Well I don't have to paint a picture. It would start to congeal and start to putrefy and smell, all this creates gas. You food is not being digested, it is just breaking down from the heat and time lapse. I think you need help digesting your food, and by that I don't mean Tums or Mylanta. Or even the new stuff PEPCID or the purple pill. Those pills turn off the valves too. (please stay away from them)
You need digestive enzymes. I don'think you will find them at the local drug store, you need to go to a health food store. They are not expensive. A good digestive enzyme has three ingredients. Lipase, protease and amylase.
These three ezymes are plant based. They are safe to take. They help your stomach digest carbs, proteins and fat. The basic components of all foods. They are not expensive. YOu may have to take ONE with each meal, or at least each large meal. Maybe for the rest of your life. If you are lactose intollerant, you may need additional enzymes for digesting dairy products. YOu can get those at the health food store also. If your mom wants, she can order them on line. But there are soo many, and soo many sites. Just about any health food store will have them and she and you may be able to talk to a clinical nutrionist and tell them what you told me and they will recommend the same thing. That is in case you want more assurance.
Yes it is safe to take digestive enzymes at your age. It is also very important for you to fix this problem, because digestive problems can lead to all kinds of auto-immune deficiencies. Not to mention Chron's disease, Irritible Bowel Syndrom and/or Diverticulitis. All very problematic to live with. (Sounds like you have already been through enough) If you want to learn more about that, go on the internet and type in "leaky gut syndrome" or ask the person at the health food store. YOu might also want to add an lacobacillius acidopholis capsul with bifidus. That is the stuff found in yogurt. It is also found natrually in your intestines. But if you don't have enough, you will have digestive problems.
I know this will work, I hope your mom is willing to try it, and don't ask me why the medical doctor didn't prescribe it. At the Medical Arts Center, (where I sometimes work) we get asked that all the time. We wish they would.
Hey,you know what, you are too young to be suffering with these problems. I do hope your mom and you follow this advice. So they can be cleared up.
I hope this helped you. Let me know how you make out.
Michele
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