This is a really weird question.

[Ians Mommy]

I was off and on bulemic for a few years so I can understand why I still did go to the bathroom. I just now was curious about this. I had read up many things on bulemia over the years and a few things I had read had things on anorexia also.

 

So my question is, how do people that have anorexia still go to the bathroom if they don't have food in their system? The page said that one of the complications of the many was constipation. If they don't have the food in their system, how would it be possible to even have constipation?

 

This was a completely random thing and I was just wondering, and no, I don't have a eating disorder anymore. I got over my bulemia when I found out I was pregnant for my son's life.

[InaneCathode]

Well. Urine is constantly made, as it's a by product of simply living.

Feces are by products of food. If you dont eat, you wont pass them. Hence, constipation.

Unless you didnt know what constipation was?

[Ians Mommy]

Well. Urine is constantly made, as it's a by product of simply living.

Feces are by products of food. If you dont eat, you wont pass them. Hence, constipation.

Unless you didnt know what constipation was?

 

I know that you'd still be able to pass urine because most people with anorexia still drink liquids I think.

 

Still, I'm confused about the feces though. You say it is made by food products but if there is no food, how would there even be feces at all?

 

From what I know, constipation is when you cannot pass the feces out of your body but it's still in your intestines.

[nottoogreen]

I had a habit in my teens: I went to the bathroom to think to get away from noisy sisters. I even ate there at times while sitting on the loo. I think it is fixed for 20 years or so.

 

Thus IMHO it could it be that it is still habitual and it will resolve itself over time. What do you think?

[vandgsmom]

Even with bulemics, with the binge and before the purge, there is some food that just gets digested and has moved on into the small intestine before you go to void. Even a little tiny bit is enough for your colon.

 

I think what InaneCathode was trying to say above, is that even with urine, the body has to filter out some of the gunk that is circulating around in our bodies, and that what dosen't pass when you pee gets passed on to the intestines to join the rest of whatever made it down there.

 

Lack of food will cause colonic inertia whereby the colon shuts down its volatile wavelike movements until further notice or stimulation. Some peoples movements are just so strong that they continue nonetheless and they will have fairly regular, but small bowel movements even while purging 95% of what they eat.

 

That help?? And good for you to be so vigilant with your health.

[InaneCathode]

Uh, well actually, i was pointing out that constipation is where feces DONT pass. If there's no food, it wont pass.

[DN]

link removed

 

extract

Feces are mostly made of water (about 75%). The rest is made of dead bacteria that helped us digest our food, living bacteria, protein, undigested food residue (known as fiber), waste material from food, cellular linings, fats, salts, and substances released from the intestines (such as mucus) and the liver. Although feces are made up of about 75% water, this number varies from person to person, depending on how long the feces stay in the intestine. Since the intestines absorb water from the feces, diarrhea (poop that passes quickly through the intestines) will contain more water and retained feces (which stay in the intestines for a longer amount of time) will contain less.

[arwen]

I was anorexic, which didn't mean I didn't eat at ALL. I just lived on a diet of water, cucumber and ultralight crackers for a long time. Obviously I got constipated, I started to loose hair and grow more body hair, I got oedema on the ancles and a very dry skin. The constipation can be caused by the lack of fibres, eating too little, dehydration, etc. I have to admit I used laxatives for a while, which in the end only made my bowel a bit lazy (more constipation).

 

Looking back, I am so happy I got over this disease. I am happy you are healthy too Iansmommy!

 

Ilse

[RayKay]

Hmmm, most anorexics DO eat something...if they did not they would be dead quite a lot faster than they are if they don't get treatment.

 

However they will eat VERY little, and have very regimented rules about WHAT kinda of food is allowed and what their calorie limit is. When I was anorexic I would for example eat under 300 calories a day, no exceptions, and the less I could get away with in my mind "the better". My daily intake tended to include nothing but a bowl of Special K, and some fruit (carefully portioned out).

 

I don't recall ever become constipated or anything, maybe as I did eat very digestible items only, and drank lots of water, and exercised enough to move things through. But I did have a huge host of other health problems.

 

Anorexia does not mean "eat nothing". It does however mean you are basically not getting the nutrition and calories you need to sustain life. It also generally means you have some strange mind conceptions of 'bad' food, strictly avoid many (ie fat is a curse word to anorexics in most cases) and may develop rules around your eating (ie you will only eat at certain times, not past certain times, be very careful about portion size, obsessive about calorie contents and labels. Even now I automatically have in my head the content of most foods.

 

I am glad I am better, and very glad you are doing well too!