Urgent help needed - please reply

[Fallout]

Hi, I have a friend that is in some serious trouble and would greatly apreciate some advice...so let's start :

 

- she went from 119 pounds to 84 pounds last time she checked about a week ago...and lost 7 pounds in 1 day from 91 to 84 this thursday

- she has chest pains almost every day and sometime attacks...like 2 days ago she had 2 seizures within a few hours, lasting about 10-15 minutes, which consisted of stabbing-like pains on her left side, heart pounding really fast, major trouble breathing...had to lie down and couldn't move or talk loud even for a while after the attacks

- she is constantly tired, sometimes cna't walk right, and she is doing alot of phisical work around the house

 

I keep telling her to go to the doc ASAP but she's really reluctant...because she's in an abusive situation and is afraid to ask for "approval" to go see the doctor.

 

My question is...what could be wrong with her, what assumptions can be made by those sympthoms? And please if you think she needs to go to the doctor's now say so and I'll show her this thread maybe it will convince her.

[Scotcha]

To me it sounds like an eating disorder.. They can cause heart problems, all sorts of problems.

 

It may be something else that is causing her to dramatically loose weight but I don't know what else it could be.

 

She NEEDS to see a doctor NOW.

[Entomon]

No buts about it, SHE NEEDS TO GO SEE A DOCTOR RIGHT NOW. Drag her if you have to. Whether she's in an abusive relationship or not - she doesn't need anyone's approval to seek out medical attention when her health is compromised.

 

How old is she?

[coollady1957]

Are you aware of any eating disorder she may have? This sounds like what it could possibly be. IF it is not an eating disorder it could possibly be a serious illness/ disease that is causing her weight loss. She should seek professional medical treatment without delay.

 

She should NOT have to ask permission to see a doctor for her health. Whatever abusive relationship she is in needs to stop. But right now the utmost immediate importance would be to seek medical help NOW. Her life could be in serious danger both from the weight loss issues and from the control that some abusive person has over her.

[Jayar]

Definitely a doctor... Even if she needs a police escort to do so.

[RelaxByWater84]

If she is a teenager like not an adult teenager but one who is under 18 you should tell her parents cuz they need to know about this situation. And I agree the others she needs to a doctor.

[Fallout]

Thanks for the replies...a little clarifying : she is over 18 and her parents are the abusers, she can't go anywhere out of the house without their approval, and many other things I'll leave out here...

 

yes she does eat very little...could it be anorexia? tho she doesn't eat little b/c she thinks she's too fat which I think is the case with anorexia, I guess it's because of stress from all the abuse...

 

Also...she is 5 foot 9 and 84 pounds, how dangerous is that height/weight ratio?

[laboheme]

Just to reinforce everything that's been said...she NEEDS to go see a doctor.

 

5'9" and 84 pounds is VERY dangerous. I've got healthy fit friends who are under 5 feet and weigh more than that.

 

It could very well be the stress from the abuse, like you said. I hate to say this, but it could be suicidal tendencies...she may have the desire to just "wither away." Also, has she been physically hurt in any way (if it's an abusive household, I wouldn't rule that out)? Some kind of trauma to her internal organs may have damaged her digestive system -- hence the very rapid weight loss.

 

As somebody suggested, perhaps it's time to involve the police, if her parents will not let her take care of her health. She's lucky to have a friend who's concerned about her the way you are. My best wishes to both of you...

[doyathink]

She better get help soon...very soon. Her organs will start shutting down if they havent already!

[2ndplace]

I used to be anorexic/bulimic. I also excersied ALOT and took alot of diet pills and towards the end, diuretics... and after I started to get some those same sympthoms that your friend has, I had to see a doctor.

 

Her "attacks" sound similar to mine... I started to get panic attacks... I wouldn't speak, move... nothing. Pains in my left side of my abdominals, palpitaions, I've come close to blacking out...

 

I have been diagnosed with Panic Disorder, Low blood pressure and a really slow heart... (for which I may require surgery in the near future).

 

She needs to see a doctor as soon as possible...

 

Take her to the emergency room if you have to, even if she feels fien at the moment. Eating disorders aren't fun, she can have alot of stuff happen to her... heart attack, pass out, death even. ALOT of stuff. I don't want to scare you, but take if from someone that HAS been there and STILL struggles with these problems.

[Gold Hawk]

She needs to see a doctor ASAP.

 

Panic attacks they may be. However... internal organs will start shutting down. She's ematiated. She is not getting enough nutrition the body is eating itself. People with anorexia "CAN" have heart-attacks.

 

Get her to a doctor right away.

 

If she won't go... pick up the phone and called Family and Human Services and get someone in that house NOW.

[celticghirl]

Kramper is referring to a member of ena and also a good friend of mine: Lilac_indi. Please please help us convince her to get medical help. I dont want to lose her

[Fallout]

Not good...just talked to her she kept giving me the old "I'll go tomorrow or monday" run-around, I kept pushing until she said "I don't care, fk it" and left msn a few minutes after that...tell me how do you convince someone to help themselves??

[coollady1957]

You mention that she is 5'9'' tall . I think it was in her thread about not being able to gain weight she says she is 5'2'' ?

 

Here she says she is 5' 2'' .

 

However, from the sound of things going on with her weight dropping so quickly and the chest pains she is having, she should be seeing a doctor quickly .

[ImThatGirl]

She needs to talk to someone. And get help quick. Look up links for risks of being anorexic and bulimic.

 

The ultimate risk: Death

 

Unfortunately, since she's in an abusive situation with her parents, depression has possibly set in and death may not seem so bad.

 

I used to skip meals, sometimes a couple a day, sometimes no meals for a few days. I started noticing severe side pain - when I wouldn't eat right and when I was stressed. It was also on the left side.

 

Whatever it is, she needs to go to the doctor to find out and get it taken care of. Find a way to make it clear that her life is valuable - that she's important - that she can't just give up.

 

Note signature line at the bottom. Her situation may be terrible but she needs help fighting her way out of it and creating happiness for herself.

 

 

[Fallout]

Well guys I tried making her realize she needs to see the doc in every way I can think of...maybe more replies would convince her..you know her she's lilac_indi so don't leave her alone until she goes!

[coollady1957]

Kramper I have sent you a PM, please read and reply if you can .

[coollady1957]

Ok I found out now that she is 5'2'' and is at 84 pounds, possibly less by now.

[Hope75]

Hey There Kramper and Celtic Girl,

 

Are you two actually physically NEAR Lilac?

 

What are your thoughts about picking her up and taking her to the ER? Would she agree to go with you?

 

She is in some serious trouble. If she is 5'2" and 84lbs, her body can start to go into shock and her electrolytes get thrown off... this can and will eventually cause a heart attack and possibly subsequent death.

 

If she needs to see what being deadly thin can do to a person, have her review the Terri Schiavo case:

 

link removed

 

She starved herself until she had a potassium imbalance which caused a heart attack and left her brain dead- she lived for 15 years in a vegetative state until a battle between her husband and parents ending in her being removed from her feeding tube and, ironically, starved to death.

 

Get her to the ER- her life depends on it. Don't let her blow you off.

[Fallout]

Leah (celticghirl) just died 1-2 hours ago, look here for details.

[Fallout]

Update : She is going to the doc tomorrow! She is down to 82 pounds now let's hope it all goes well and she can get diagnosed and treatd properly,...I'll keep you guys posted.

[coollady1957]

Yes, definitely keep us posted on lilac indi and how she is doing ,if she is not comfortable talking about anything here right now.

[Hope75]

Do keep us updated.

 

Hopefully she gets the help she needs before it's too late.

[Fallout]

Ok a little update...seems it was a public holiday in Scotland today so she didn't go...but says she'll go tomorrow right after uni *keeps fingers crossed*

The only thing she ate today was a banana and a couple of toasts...and she gets bad stomach ackes whenever she eats, what could that mean...

Well on top of that and the chest attacks (of which she had 2 more today...tho they only lasted a few seconds) and lack of sleep she also has sinusitis I think...forgot to tell you guys that...I'll post again tomorrow

[lilac_indi]

ok i didnt go to the doctor's. i told ma dad about the chest pains but not the seizures (dont ask me why). im going this monday, deffo. i was meant to go on tuesday but i had no one to take me plus ma dad said it wud be pointless for me to wait around for buses since im not well already (fair enuff).

 

im really scared, i dont kno what im going to be told. fallout has been amazing. i feel bad tho cos i have taken ma anger out on him a couple of times. ma head is all over the place n when i have these attacks i always think "this is it". i was soo glad he was ther (well on msn via voice convo) when i had one of ma attacks. he calmed me down a lot n it felt nice to not be alone for once when that happened.

 

to be honest i dont remember much of that night. i had to ask him what happened n i felt guilty for putting him through that i remember strugglin to breathe but not much else, i dont have a clue of half the stuff i said to him....

 

im meant to be goin to india a week today.....im scared n i hope the doc says i shudnt fly. if i have an attack on a plane then im dead. im just really scared.

 

i hope its jst an eatin disorder n thats it