Bulimia Nervosa

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Call your doctor immediately if you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with bulimia and now:

  • Is not able to pass urine.
  • Notices that his or her heart skips beats or beats slower than normal.
  • Has severe belly pain, is vomiting up blood, or has black, sticky stools that look like tar. These signs may mean that there is bleeding in the digestive tract Click here to see an illustration..

Call your doctor to discuss bulimia if you or someone you care about:

  • Binges and then purges to get rid of food.
  • Is concerned about weight and is embarrassed about eating behaviors.
  • Shows signs of an eating disorder, such as secretive eating habits, a preoccupation with body image, or an unhealthy appearance.

Watchful Waiting

Taking a wait-and-see approach (called watchful waiting) is not appropriate if you think you or someone you know may have an eating disorder. Call a doctor or an eating disorder hotline to discuss your concerns and learn what you can do to help.

Who To See

Bulimia may be diagnosed and treated by the following health professionals:

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.

By: Healthwise StaffLast Revised: October 22, 2009
Medical Review: Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
W. Stewart Agras, MD - Psychiatry

© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

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