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Laxative Abuse
Some eating disordered individuals misuse laxatives as a means of purging. These
individuals are under the misconception that through the use of laxatives they can
get rid of unwanted calories. Since most of the calories eaten are absorbed by the
small intestine right after eating, the method of using laxatives for weight loss
is actually ineffective. Many laxatives act by irritating the lining of the intestines
or by directly stimulating nerves. Continual over stimulation of the intestines
form laxative abuse can eventually cause the bowels to become non-responsive. The
following is one account of an individual who became entrapped in the misuse of
laxatives.
I am 19 years old and I never thought I would or could ever develop an eating disorder,
but sure enough I did and am now suffering the consequences. I have always been
athletic and very active so my weight was never a problem. This changed when I was
sent away to boarding school my junior year of high school and was unable to practice
the sports I played (gymnastics, soccer and swimming). My metabolism slowed down
and I began to gain weight and lose the appearance of the lean and toned body I
once possessed. For awhile it didn't seem to bother me until the entire thing blew
out of proportion and took control of my life. It all started while I was at boarding
school and I was having trouble going to the bathroom. At the first sign of constipation
the nurses gave me laxatives and I would take them as I needed. Well I soon was
drinking the orange flavored laxative fiber drink twice a day to keep me regular
until eventually the drink stopped working all together. To make a long story short,
from that point on I started taking different types of laxatives and kept upping
the dose until the point were the particular type of laxative I was taking at the
moment stopped working. Then I would start up on a new laxative and repeat the dance.
During all of this, my mind somehow tricked itself into thinking I was losing weight
every time I went to the bathroom. I was afraid that if I ever became irregular
again and failed to have a bowel movement, I would gain weight. My laxative abuse
graduated to where I started taking a stimulant laxative, which was very effective.
I was now able to go to the bathroom every day and each time I went, I felt as if
I just shed a few pounds. Well, when I left boarding school and came home I took
advantage of my new laxative "miracle pills" (as I thought). I would binge eat and
then take multiple laxative pills to "flush out my system" so I wouldn't gain weight.
I soon was exceeding three times the recommended dose. I couldn't go to the bathroom
without taking the laxative pills. If by chance I couldn't go to the bathroom, I
felt as if I gained weight and wouldn't even leave bed for fear that people would
see how fat I perceived myself. By this time I had been on the laxative pills for
3 years and the situation had grown into something so completely out of control
that it was impossible for me to deal with it. I even dropped two classes because
they were in the mornings and I couldn't go to them because I had to take my laxatives
the night before, causing me to be on the toilet most of the following morning.
Going out at night or the weekends became impossible because of the extreme stomach
cramps they caused. I really became scared because these laxative pills had now
taken complete control of my life and the way I felt about myself.
The misuse of laxatives can cause significant and severe medical complications.
These complications include but are not limited to:
 Abdominal pain, bloating, and fullness
Dehydration
Esophageal perforations and lacerations
(Mallory-Weiss Syndrome)
Electrolyte abnormalities
Irritable bowel syndrome
Ulceration of the bowel
Malabsorption of nutrients leading to
hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia and calcium deficiency
Fatty infiltration of the liver
Pancreatitis
Exacerbation of hemorrhoids
Esophagitis
Melanosis coli
Gastritis
Gastric ulceration
Gastric bleeding
Intestinal injury
Rader Programs understands and can successfully help individuals who have misused
laxatives. We have developed a withdrawal protocol that allows the individual to
end the use of laxatives with the least amount of discomfort.
For more information or to arrange for a free confidential consultation, call
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