Question about Eating disorders

[Mr Mister1]

Hello people, I hope this doesn't sound too morbid but I'm wondering. If someone either a) stops eating altogether, or b) whenever they eat force themselves to throw up, roughly how long can they survive? What would generally happen say after doing something like this for a month or so?

[abcd1234]

As long as they are getting enough water id say about 4 - 7 weeks depending on size and weight. As the body has no food it breaks into fat reserves and then once it is out of fat it breaks into protein reserves (the body itself). The damage is not repairable once a person gets to that second stage.

 

Do you think that you or a friend has an eating disorder, if you do i suggest you visit a doctor to talk about it. Or if you would feel more comfortable about it, you could tell us and we'll do our best to help.

 

abcd1234

[Mr Mister1]

She does have an eating disorder, going by what she's said she hasn't eaten properly for over a month now and when she does eat she makes herself vomit. I'm in the process of organising her help but she's ben very difficult about meeting up with me and I haven't seen her in person since this began. She's always got exams to do other some other things and can't meet up. It's rather frustrating because I haven't been able to see for myself how she is, lately all the communication has been online, that's why I'm wondering, if she really hasn't eaten anything in 4 or 5 weeks or eats but then vonits, how would she be?

[abcd1234]

Id be surprised if she wasnt feeling very weak and she will probably have lost some weight. I suggest you try and get her to visit a doctor or perhaps speak to a doctor yourself and see what they advise.

[Mr Mister1]

Thanks for your advice, I probably should have said all this before, she's admitted she has a problem and we're in the process of getting her into a clinic. I'm just more worried about how she is at the moment, after over a month with not eating at all, how long can someone survive not eating at all when they're already really skinny? I don't know for sure how long she's been doing this for, maybe as long as 6 or 7 weeks and before hand she was eating very little, usually only fruit or vegetables, never meat. She was at the lowest end of the "healthy weight range" (if you believe BMI) before she started the starve or puke phase but as I haven't seen her since this occurred I don't know how much she weighs now.

It's a little frustrating because she'll tell me she's just made herself vomit but when I tell her we should meet up and talk she always has something else that needs to be done. She wont tell anyone else about the issue but at the same time will keep me at a distance. Okay enough venting for now.

[Aktrez]

MrMister, please PM me. I was bulemic in high school, and now work with the National Eating Disorders association to help people like your friend conquer their eating disorders. I would be happy to help you try to help her!