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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Sonya on November 8, 2005, at 11:29:39
I saw a nutritionist last week and she gave me some good ideas, although she doesn't believe in meal plans so I was a little confused/uncertain about what to do when I left her. But I'm eating healthier than before and not skipping meals for the past week. I have experienced more anxiety not knowing for sure the calorie content of everything but I'm certain I'm consuming way more than 500cal/day. So I can't understand why I'm still losing weight (another 3 lbs in 1 week).
I also had to call my pdoc because my OCD is becoming problematic at my job. I can't seem to 'let go' of a task and move on to the next. I can't help but wonder if Wellbutrin is exacerbating the OCD symptoms. This could explain the obsession with dieting/calories and the work-related problem. Are eating disorders related to OCD?
Comments or suggestions would be appreciated.
Posted by Racer on November 8, 2005, at 12:58:18
In reply to Eating issues and OCD, posted by Sonya on November 8, 2005, at 11:29:39
It's funny, in a sick sort of a way, because there's so much of the chicken and the egg here -- anorexia particularly of the eating disorders has a lot of OCD aspects to it. In fact, the Oregon Semi-Starvation study showed that the men in the study got to be quite obsessive and complusive during the study. They'd do a lot of the things that 'real' anorexics did, like obsessively clipping recipes, and generally were pretty whacked by the whole thing. So, is your OCD increase the cause or result of the ED? Probably the answer is "yes" -- it's both, too intertwined to figure out which is which.
As for the weight loss, that's also kinda normal -- when you first start eating better, your weight is likely to fluctuate in weird ways. You can eat what seems like your own weight in food, and not gain, then semi-restrict and gain. {shakes head} It's not fun, but the two things you can do to help yourself most are: only weigh yourself once a week, or even once a month; and don't worry too much about weight, but about health. I know, believe me, how hard that is. I'm struggling constantly with that sort of thing, and my N doesn't quite understand when I say that I can't stand being so frightened of my scale. It gets a bit better, though, every week, for me. I hope the same is true of you, too.
And my N doesn't do 'meal plans' per se -- what she did was to give me a little chart, showing how many 'exchanges' of various sorts I should have per day. Like, '9 to 12 starch exchanges,' '3 fruit exchanges,' '3+ veggie exchanges,' etc. That didn't turn out to be enough for me, because I was so deep into my own anorexic/OCD fog that I couldn't cope with that level of choice, so she finally did a 'breakfast: 2 protein, 2 starch, 1 fruit, 1 fat' etc sort of thing. That helped me a lot, and is still what I use, mostly. Although I"m getting a bit better about eating something I think I want, rather than what I think the 'plan' says I should have. Maybe your N could do something like that for you?
I hope taht helps, and good luck.
Posted by Sonya on November 9, 2005, at 6:56:41
In reply to Re: Eating issues and OCD » Sonya, posted by Racer on November 8, 2005, at 12:58:18
> It's funny, in a sick sort of a way, because there's so much of the chicken and the egg here -- anorexia particularly of the eating disorders has a lot of OCD aspects to it. In fact, the Oregon Semi-Starvation study showed that the men in the study got to be quite obsessive and complusive during the study. They'd do a lot of the things that 'real' anorexics did, like obsessively clipping recipes, and generally were pretty whacked by the whole thing. So, is your OCD increase the cause or result of the ED? Probably the answer is "yes" -- it's both, too intertwined to figure out which is which.
>
This makes alot of sense. I think when I started to lose weight it wasn't an obsessive thing at all (just happened due to depression) but it became one down the road when it became more of a mission to continue the weight loss.>As for the weight loss, that's also kinda normal -- when you first start eating better, your weight is likely to fluctuate in weird ways. You can eat what seems like your own weight in food, and not gain, then semi-restrict and gain. {shakes head} It's not fun, but the two things you can do to help yourself most are: only weigh yourself once a week, or even once a month; and don't worry too much about weight, but about health. I know, believe me, how hard that is. I'm struggling constantly with that sort of thing, and my N doesn't quite understand when I say that I can't stand being so frightened of my scale. It gets a bit better, though, every week, for me. I hope the same is true of you, too.
>
YIKES...only weigh myself once a week or month????? I can't imagine. My N also suggested I don't weigh daily but that's just not possible for me now. Maybe eventually.
> And my N doesn't do 'meal plans' per se -- what she did was to give me a little chart, showing how many 'exchanges' of various sorts I should have per day. Like, '9 to 12 starch exchanges,' '3 fruit exchanges,' '3+ veggie exchanges,' etc. That didn't turn out to be enough for me, because I was so deep into my own anorexic/OCD fog that I couldn't cope with that level of choice, so she finally did a 'breakfast: 2 protein, 2 starch, 1 fruit, 1 fat' etc sort of thing. That helped me a lot, and is still what I use, mostly. Although I"m getting a bit better about eating something I think I want, rather than what I think the 'plan' says I should have. Maybe your N could do something like that for you?My N didn't even give me that much detail. She just told me to eat some protein, vegetables and carbs at dinner because I told her I really haven't been eating dinner or very little. I think I need more direction than she's giving me.
>
> I hope taht helps, and good luck.It most certainly does, Racer. Thanks so much.
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on November 9, 2005, at 23:37:46
In reply to Eating issues and OCD, posted by Sonya on November 8, 2005, at 11:29:39
Racer had such a good answer, so I don't have much to add other than this: I was really surprised to read that your pdoc has you on Welbutrin. It is an unusual choice for someone with anxiety problems, like OCD, and typically not recommended for people w/ eating probs (although I know that there are some exceptions to that rule). Does your pdoc know your entire history? Was there a specific reason that s/he chose WB? Was there a reason that s/he thinks that the WB is not contributing to your current probs?
I hate to think that something you are taking to help you is making you worse. Is there any plan to adjust meds any time soon? Hang in there and take care of yourself.
Best,
EE
Posted by Sonya on November 10, 2005, at 7:05:49
In reply to Re: Eating issues and OCD, posted by Emily Elizabeth on November 9, 2005, at 23:37:46
Actually, I asked my pdoc to put me on Wellbutrin because I needed an AD and had never tried that type before. He warned me up front it's not good for anxiety. I also wanted it because I read on the internet that in some cases it may cause weight loss (even though pdoc won't admit to that - he says it's weight-neutral). I'm very glad I lost all that weight, but the increased obsessiveness is upsetting. I guess it's a trade off I'm willing to live with for now. The Wellbutrin also has been very effective at keeping depression at bay.
I see pdoc in 2 weeks and will (hesitantly) tell him what's going on. I just don't want him to take my Wellbutrin away. I also take Depakote because I'm bipolar II.
Thanks EE for the concern and feedback.
> Racer had such a good answer, so I don't have much to add other than this: I was really surprised to read that your pdoc has you on Welbutrin. It is an unusual choice for someone with anxiety problems, like OCD, and typically not recommended for people w/ eating probs (although I know that there are some exceptions to that rule). Does your pdoc know your entire history? Was there a specific reason that s/he chose WB? Was there a reason that s/he thinks that the WB is not contributing to your current probs?
>
> I hate to think that something you are taking to help you is making you worse. Is there any plan to adjust meds any time soon? Hang in there and take care of yourself.
>
> Best,
> EE
Posted by DiamondDoggie on November 28, 2005, at 1:05:23
In reply to Re: Eating issues and OCD » Emily Elizabeth, posted by Sonya on November 10, 2005, at 7:05:49
Hi All! (I'm new on this thinger...) I DEFINITELY think eating disorders can be/are connected to obsessive compulsive behaviors in a lot of people. You want a SUPREME example? Check out anything on Brigid Berlin (I love her!), one of Andy Warhol's superstars. I guess the drugs in the 60s didn't help her at all...lol. Don't do THAT! But like with me, I have serious issues with compulsive skin picking/ self-injurious skin picking, as well as binge eating disorder. I know that when I get to feel like CRUD about the weight or eating, or I eat bad stuff or binge, I get just as distressed about my skin and pick at it, and vice versa. I think that OCD behaviors and eating disorder behaviors are very similar in their ability to help us cope/soothe/numb. Clipping coupons, washing hands, picking at skin, chewing nails, etc etc seem pretty darn similar to counting calories, getting on the scale, food logging, obsessively reading nutrition labels, etc.....
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