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After years of ED's, my bdy says STOP! Heart muscle inflammation and oedema

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anorexia bulimia heart muscle inflammation laxatives oedema
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192 views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  *Talulah*  
#1 ·
I've already made thread about recent and slowly developing health problems since 2025, after YEARS of Anorexia/Bulimia, including panic attacks, fainting, extreme fatigue, me having to call an ambulance after substance abuse, laxative overdosing, despite my body being used to lax on-off phases.

With elevated heart enzymes and since I couldn't get an appointment at a cardiology center anytime soon, before 2026, as a new patient covered by health insurance (that's the German healthcare system for you! -.-°°°), I have now found a private doctor that I pay for myself, because I am very AFRAID and don't want to/can't constantly call in sick to work on the spur of the moment!

The heart ultrasound examination on Thursday revealed that I not only have severe edema in my legs, but also water throughout my entire body and around my heart, and that one of my heart valves does not seem to be closing properly!
Diagnosis Heart muscle inflammation! 😰

After being laxative-free for exactly three weeks!

Now I have to take medication regularly for drainage AND for heart muscle inflammation.

I never thought it would come to this... at just 33 years old!

⚠ Shout out to everyone who's abusing lax or regularly and/or restricts and commits to their ED. Please get checked by your doctor more often!!!
 
#3 ·
Onlymeguys said:
I'm so sorry to hear that, if there's a chance of your heart going back to normal I hope it happens.

We all know the risks of an ED, and we all think we'll be the exception if we continue... And we're all wrong
Click to expand...
Right. My body always was very robust, like nothing could kill me! Bloodwork fine. Well, they've should checked my arteries and heart sooner, but it's so difficult to get an cardiology appointment for an ultrasound when you feel fine all the time!:rolleyes:
 
#6 ·
sidewalk said:
thats scary

harm reduction is my bff but we are drifting these days as my mental health is declining smtimes
ugh
its a good reminder that i need to stop!! being an ed queen all the time and just choose a middle ground of not being one extreme or the other !
Click to expand...
Harm reduction had been always important to me, like replenishing magnesium, vit.c and potassuim, but because I've gained for a longer period of purging everyday, I got kinda mad and blood work always was fine, so I got more and more lazy. Just felt indestructible. Then everything went downhill so fast...!
I def needed that reminder, that emergency. Hope we both can get out of this safe ! 🙏
 
#7 ·
I always was anorexic to some extend, but mixed with orthorexia and later more bulimia.

I also have the misfortune of being genetically predisposed to high cholesterol and arteriosclerosis, both of which I was diagnosed with at a young age, as a young adult. I KNEW I'm constantly in risk for clogged arteries ad tried to figure out the best preventive diet for that, but came to the realization, that this can be highly individual. One person got better with keto, low carb high fat, others with the exact opposite and I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO and end up purging no matter what I've tried nowadays.😖

That's why I was so obsessed with what I ate and wanted to find the perfect, healthiest diet and stick to a sporty lifestyle. After years of experimenting, I ended up binge eating and in 2022 I slipped into permanent bulimia, with LAX on/off and daily vomiting. I just didn't have the strength to eat healthily or exercise anymore. Also, my body seems to crave more easy, quick digestible foods and SUGARS now, instead of these looong digesting fat-fiber-low carb meals.

This year, after such a long time of junk food binge-purges (at least one daily) AND HEAVY LAX ABUSE, my symptoms got worse and then the hospital noticed these elevated heart enzymes and then suddenly severe edema in my legs after 3 weeks without LAX.

Long story short: I am now seeing a private doctor and so far the initial diagnosis is “heart muscle inflammation” AND, what worries me the most: a heart valve is not closing properly, who knows how long it has been like this...!?

I'm back on Wednesday for a check-up, but since my heart is positioned differently in my body, possibly due to my funnel chest, all of this couldn't be properly detected by external ultrasound, and I now have to undergo a trans-esophageal ultrasound (swallowing a camera) at another clinic and, based on the results, POSSIBLY heart valve surgery!😭
I'm so scared. But heart valves can't recover on their own, so I'm pretty sure this will need t get fixed by a surgery.
And we all know how difficult a hospital stay can be for someone that can't keep food down and has multiple food intolerance's and digestive problems.
 
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