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Sending Hope Issue #5

Hello ,

It’s Shannyn the Nurse here at EDV, and this issue I’m jumping in to talk to you about some of the physical symptoms that you may experience during recovery. I want to start by acknowledging that each person’s journey will be different. You may have experienced some of these before, or maybe you haven’t. What I want to do is give you the knowledge that your body will go through some physical changes during recovery, and importantly, it is going to be okay.

What we do know is that sometimes these physical changes or symptoms can be really scary and might even deter you from continuing your journey to recovery. Why do I feel worse when I thought I would feel better in recovery? I want to let you know that these symptoms won’t last forever and you are adjusting to your ‘new normal’.

We encourage you to seek advice from your GP or dietitian if you are wanting further support to manage and understand why this is happening. I can also help connect you with these health professionals – I’ll leave my details at the bottom of this email. 

So, let's get into it. Here are some of the common physical symptoms of recovery:

STOMACH UPSET/PAIN + BLOATING
You’re in recovery and are now nourishing your body regularly with food, so why does it cause you to feel bloated and upset in the stomach? This commonly happens because your body has likely not been experiencing any kind of routine around eating and digestion. If nutrition has been restricted or purged for extended periods of time, your digestion can slow down and not absorb nutrients as effectively. This is because it has not been used to receiving regular nutrition, or a lack of variety of foods, so it can forget how to break down and digest effectively. It may take your body a little bit of time to get used to digesting regularly again. You may experience pain and bloating following consuming large quantities of food too, as the body requires a lot of energy to digest the volume of food consumed. You can talk to your GP about how to manage any pain you might experience, or even try simple things like peppermint tea after meals, which can help ease your digestive symptoms.

YOUR BOWEL MOVEMENTS HAVE CHANGED
Yes, we’re talking about the one thing we all do, but don’t like to talk about. Very commonly, we see people experiencing either difficulty going to the toilet or a change in the pattern of how they normally would. Constipation is when your bowels cannot pass stool easily/regularly or infrequent bowel movements. This can be caused by: Inadequate nutritional intake, stress and anxiety, use of laxatives, bingeing large volumes of food and changes to your eating patterns. Working with your GP or dietitian to understand why this may be happening to you is important. Your bowels will get into a ‘new normal’, so try to be patient.

FATIGUE
Let’s be real, recovery is really hard. And it requires energy from your body and your mind. Be kind to yourself, and allow yourself to rest more if that’s what you need. Your body is now absorbing all the wonderful nutrients. This can feel exhausting, but stick with it, because your energy will eventually be revitalized. You may need to sleep more and allow time for self-care to restore your mental energy.

EXTREME HUNGER/LOSS OF HUNGER
It can feel really stressful listening to our bodies in recovery because you may not have felt intuitive for a long time. It can be hard to read your bodies signals. Am I hungry? Full? Why am I STILL hungry? If you are having these thoughts, you are not alone. It takes time to become intuitive with our bodies again. Loss of hunger signals will likely be caused by long periods of restriction. When your body is unsure when it will receive nutrients next, it can sometimes temporarily ‘shut down’ certain functions. It can take time, but rest assured, with adequate nourishment, your signals will return. An extreme sense of hunger, or feeling as though you can never get full, may be a phase you have to work through too. Essentially, this happens due to a complex process between your brain and digestive system. Your body is feeling so excited to be receiving such great nourishment, it begins repairing all of your internal organs that otherwise experience disruptions due to the eating disorder. This is why you require more energy in recovery, and will feel much hungrier. Although sometimes distressing, it is important to honour your hunger and continue nourishing your body.

What do I do if I am feeling uncomfortable?

If you feel distressed by any of these symptoms and want further advice on how to manage, your GP is a great start. They can help identify and manage these symptoms to make you feel more comfortable. Again, this isn’t forever, but being comfortable throughout recovery will make you feel more inspired to continue. You can also seek guidance from a dietitian. Our dietitian Isabel works every Tuesday and is experienced in supporting people through these symptoms in recovery.

 We also run a wide range of support and information events across Victoria.

Remember, if you need to talk to someone, please give our Helpline a call during business hours on 1300 550 236, or email edv@eatingdisorders.org.au

For urgent support please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14

Eating Disorders Victoria respect and welcome diversity of culture, religion, gender and sexuality.