i normally do not even like to talk about this but i have dealt with bulimia for almost 16 years now...the only professional that knows about my bulimia is my counselor...and i did not start getting help for it until i was 29. my my parents and my sister have knownn about my problem since i was about 15. however since my mom was in denial and thought she could control my eating habits i never got help as a child...(sorry a bit bitter about still). I have had years in between episodes- stress and my mentstral cycle seem to mess me up. i am very athletic and for the most part i have a very healthy diet however relationship stress (with boyfriends or when i feel out of control) and the onset of my menstrual cycle seem to trigger me. I have to mange myself well...it is hard though especially when life sometimes knocks you on the butt. i was diagnosed with ADD last year and was given concerta which really helped me...then i switched to adderall which is even better for me...however i am really considering seeing a psychologist (because right now my meds are regulated by my regular family doctor...and i do not want to talk to her about this)....I did not have a period for for over two years before i was diagnosed this was due to to much exercises (only way for me to deal with my stress) and serious relationship stress problems however during this time i did not have an episode it was not until the doctor gave me provera to jump start my period that i started again to have problems with binging and purging. i still did not have a regular period until the last 6 months- i find that my -meds do not seem to work well for me on the onset of my period i seem to have troubles...and i find myself wanting to binge and purge and i hate that feeling. the rest of the month i never think about binging and purging...i do not think about my body or food in a negative way. but the days before my period food i am my worst own enemy...

adderall helps me tremendously but i know it is not a cure-all i have sought counseling and have worked though a lot of issues...i work in the psychology field and i am very self aware- i know that i can make better choices....i am working on myself everyday...

i would really like to see if i can get a booster or something...to help me during this time...does anyone have any advice since my regular doctor does not know about this...? since i have never seen a regular psychologist excepted for my diagnosing...?


(p.s. my daughter is 11 years old and sees a psychologist every three months for her meds and it has seemed to help her...both of us have ADD...anyway her regular doctor once tried to prescribe her a different ADHD drug however the dosage was very high (i did not give it too her until i spoke to her psychologist - because something i felt was not right-) anyway i guess what i am getting at is that i feel a psychiatrists or psychologist can understand ADD meds and ADD much better than the family doctor)

Is it safe for people with eating disorders to take stimulants? I think they are not supposed to take Wellbutrin, for example.

If you have not had a period for 2 YEARS, I guess you should see a Family Doctor for a checkup.

You say that you do not want to talk to your Family Doctor about this situation.

Your Doctor deserves to know if you are not menstruating due to overexercising or undereating. (And ofcourse undereating and overexercising can both be enhanced by taking stimulants!)

'Period Loss' is part of what is known as the 'Female Athlete Triad': Amenorrhea (period loss), ED and Osteoporosis.

QueensU_girl (http://www.addforums.com/forums/member.php?u=5719)-

thank you for responding however as i mentioned in my post I did seek treatment for the loss of my period i lost my period because i was under a lot of stress during those years...and although i am athletic I have a normal healthy diet almost always except when I have the onset of my period- this is when I feel the most out of control emotionally. My bulimia stems from the need for control in my life...and has has nothing to do with body image. I have went through years of counseling I have learned to manage my stress however i find it extremely difficult during the onset of my period...and because of this i think about binging and purging. I have a normal weight and eat a well balanced diet exercise is a stress management tool for me. I am well aware of Amenorrhea. I see my doctor on a regular basis (like every six months) to ensure my periods are almost normal my doctor told me that as long as i have 4 periods a year it should not effect my bone health. Also I would like to state that my doctor is aware of the fact that i was under sever stress during the time that i lost my period...however i must note that i weighed almost 10lbs more then i do now even though i worked out more- probably due to hormone imbalance. since i sought treatment I went back down to my normal weight of 140 and i have stayed consistent with that weight for almost a year.

please also note that thoughts of binging and purging (a past coping mechanism for me) starts at the onset of my period I do not think about it any other time-

you are right Wellbutrin is not good for persons who have a history of bulimia because it can cause seizures.

as you might have noted from other topics in the forum ADHD is linked to eating disorders http://www.add.org/articles/eatingdisorders.html
and stimulants such as adderall have been effective in treating eating disorder.

i guess the reason i posted this was to get some advice on how to talk to my doctor about getting a referral my therapist is well aware of the fact that i have an eating disorder but I have come this far and i do not wish to discuss the matter with my family doctor I would much rather speak to a psychologist someone who understands human behavior.

i apologize if my response is edgy I believe what i posted is clear and concise so I do not understand some of your response to the post.

i also want to say i posted this to get some advice from others who have lived with bulimia. I have had on and off years...once had a 5 year span without binging or purging. I really do not want to go down this path...when hormones are involved (which seems to be the case for me)...how does one over come brain chemistry?