Help please!! Really worried!

My sister suffers from anorexia and she wants to get better, but she doesn't want to visit the doctor or go to a service for eating disorders, like Beat.

 Is there anyone who's gone to the doctor or a service to get treated for bulimia or anorexia?  

If so, can you please tell me how satisfied you were with the help you recieved?

I really need to know how helpful doctors or services are. Please, even if you were unsatisfied, it would help to know who to follow to and avoid and why and tell my sister.  Thank you  x

[bumblebee20]

Hello miss r.

I received treatment after a visit to my Gp where from they referred me to my local eating disorder specialists. It's difficult to say how the services are as it really does vary from county to county. Even tho willing to get well, Her reluctance to go to a gp or service is her eating disorder playing games... She knows going their will mean treatment and gaining weight (this is recovery but it's so scary!)

My treatment started with outpatient (seeing a counsellor once a week) but my weight continued to drop so I was referred to an impatient unit where I was in a 12week programme (was however there longer) after a relapse I was back. In my opinion, the service would have been good if I was willing to utilise it to get well. If u say your daughter is wanting to get well and engages well then recovery is absolutely possible. 

Recovery is not a decision she will make once... But everyday, every mealtime and so on. The anorexic voices get stronger during treatment, inevitably because of the weight gain that is necessary... But most impatient units will have 24hr support for her.

The sad thing is that impatient treatment is what is needed for all (or at least I believe)but is only accessible when the bmi get dangerously low. I so wish this would change as the lower the weight, the harder the climb back up.

Do go to the gp. They will advise you and costs should be covered by the nhs.

I wish you both strength and courage in her recovery xxxxx

[Hidden in reply to bumblebee20]

Thank you so much!!  Xxx

Which county did you get treatment in?

[bumblebee20 in reply to Hidden]

I was under Worcestershire.

As I was classed as an adult I could go not to the adolescence in Birmingham so I ended up in Aylesbury...I believe they have closed down tho so I'm not sure who others r being referred too...

But the community help (outpatients) is very well set up, often the counsellors came to my hometown for my session x

[crazycrossstitcher]

Unfortunately if she doesn't want treatment you cannot force her - and it does make you question her desire to change - but have you/she thought of contacting ABC or BEAT - both offer confidential helplines - and ABC offers support to people like yourself who are trying to support a sufferer - I think it would help you to talk things through - and keep encouraging your sister to get "professional" help. 

[Hidden in reply to crazycrossstitcher]

She's really paranoid about talking to anyone else about it. I understand I can't force her,I was hoping to tell her others experiences of treatment and whether they were satisfied with it. Also to help me to decide hiw helpful services are. Do you know of anyone who's been treated or is receiving treatment? Can you tell me how they find it?

[crazycrossstitcher in reply to Hidden]

I have spoke to my GP and he got me a referral to a ED specialist - it really helped to be open with the GP - and the counselling was good too - it opened my eyes to the issues around the ED.  I spent years trying to "get myself better" - it doesn't work in my experience - so do encourage her to seek help - there are many many others out there struggling just like she is - she is not alone and no one is going to think badly of her for seeking help - they are going to see her bravery.

[Hidden in reply to crazycrossstitcher]

Wow, thank you. I was thinking of visiting non local specialists, but I'm not where to start. Which county did you get help in? Xx

[Mathe97]

I went to the doctors as I'm suffering from bulimia, I thought they were so helpful and I got referred to a counsellor to try and help beat it x 

[Hidden in reply to Mathe97]

Thanks a ton for your reply!! Which county is this? As mentioned by bumblebee, I was made aware that services are different from county to county xx

[Mathe97]

North Tyneside, Newcastle x