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health is priority

This week i recieved some bad news regarding my health. I had a dexa scan done which revealed that i have severe osteopenia and am very close to osteoporosis. It came as a huge shock to me because despite knowing the consequences and medical complications of ed, i always thought these things happened to others, not me. Im 19 years old and have the bones of someone probably twice my age.

I cant even express the anger, hurt and frustration among other emotions im feeling right now. I had to write this post to remind other ed sufferers that even if you think your not "sick enough" or you wont be the one left with medical compications from this, its not true. The impact all of the destructive behaviors and ed symptoms have on our bodies is something to be taken so so seriously. Malnourishment slowly takes away so much from our precious bodies. Our bodies are for life....we only get one and we have to deal with the consequences of ed eventually. Even when you think your out of the woods, nourishing yourself well and have been free of any destructive behaviors for two years, complications still arise. Our bodies are taking the fall for all of those ed/condition thoughts and behaviors in the past. Its no wonder the consequences can be so scary and severe when the ed is such a complex, destructive thing.

So i urge you all to treat your bodies with love and respect. Treat your body as a temple. Get yourself medically checked out to make sure your body is in good health and do WHATEVER you can to heal your body after the damage inflicted on it when suffering from the condition. our bodies allow us to LIVE LIFE ...to FEEL and EXPERIENCE the wonderful thing that is life. So make sure your take care of it.

This has made me realize more than ever how much recovery is the most important priority in life...because now more than ever i want to beat the ed and be rid of it. It does nothing but harm. I deserve so much more in life, and so do YOU!!

I hope everyones having a nice sunday,
L.L xxx

Comments

Well done your post is so

Submitted on April 5th, 2010

Well done your post is so true, i wish i was brave enough to come on and share my feelings. I had my scan during the summer and off i went to doctor tareq thinking id be fine...i was never "sick" enough to develop such a condition...how wrong I was, the moment he said i had osteoporosis it really awakened me to what i actually had put my body through, i was upset for a while but i was lucky i had a sun holiday to distract me..how convinient!! so many people have said that seeing as im only 22 there is plenty of time for the effects to be reversed so lauren have no fear it will get better, i think you have allready realised that so theres not much need for me to say it, you speak so positively as it is and again i must say i admire your bravery, well done, take care.
Marian (",)

thank you all

Submitted on April 2nd, 2010

Thank you to all of you for replying to my post, each reply meant alot to me :)

Im feeling more hopeful now about reversing the damage done because I will do WHATEVER i have to for my health...we only get one chance at life and if were not in good health then we cant live life to the full and experience all it has to offer.

I would definetly recommend anyone who hasnt gotten a scan done to do so ( I got mine done FREE in st. micheals..all you need is a doctors refferal letter)because as hard as it is to hear the results when theyre not as great as id hoped, Im glad i can act on strenghtening my bones now.

Thank you all again for your kind replies
Lauren
xxxx

Dexa scan at St Michael's

Submitted on April 3rd, 2010

Would you have a contact number for St Michael's Lauren? Or even where it is?

Donna

St micheals number

Submitted on April 3rd, 2010

Donna,

St micheals is in dun Laoire and the number is 2806901 for the radiology department. You basically have to send in a doctors refferal letter to them and then they call you and arrange a dexa scan appointment! It only takes like 15 mins to get done, theyre pretty good out there.

Lauren xxx

Thanks for that Lauren, I'll

Submitted on April 5th, 2010

Thanks for that Lauren, I'll arrange it asap because I've put it off too long as it is.

Regards,

Donna

them bones, them bones

Submitted on March 31st, 2010

Hi Erika

WOW I am impressed reading your post, SO impressed, i rember getting my Dexa scan results 2 years ago similiar enough to yours and a number of things happened.

Initially I felt totally overwhelmed and upset, like many ED sufferers i did not really think this would happen to me...I then went on to tell a few people my results, they didnt actually share my surprise or dismay, in fact they didnt really care...and i went on to think i didnt have a right to feel the way i had about my results...until i read your post and realised it is perfectly natural to be upset about this, its your precious body.

Also I have good news I went for a second DEXA scan recently and the osteo HAS improved so don't worry too much hun, take care of yourself and you WILL get better and recover fully !

XXX

Lucky

Submitted on March 30th, 2010

By the way, in a way I think we are LUCKY that we are advised by Marino to go and get our DEXA scan done. Think of all the other young people out there who may not necessarily have ED, but may binge drink regularly, eat junk food, obsessively diet... So I think we're LUCKY to have this diagnoses... instead of finding out when a bone breaks suddenly a few years down the line.

LOOK FOR THE LIGHT IN EVERY SITUATION!!!!!!!!

Lots of love,

Freedom Fighter Princess C

Yup...

Submitted on March 30th, 2010

Hey L,

Gosh I had an "Interesting Day" a while ago,

http://eatingdisorderselfhelp.com/articles/2009/october/10/interesting-day

I put off my DEXA scan for ages because I've never looked like the "typical anorexic" portrayed by the media so I thought I'd be OK!! I just couldn't believe that I have osteoporosis.

Your article is a great reminder for me to think again before doing behaviours or over-doing caffeine or alcohol... the DEXA does not lie!

Lots of love,

Freedom Fighter Princess C

Brilliant attitude xxx

Submitted on March 30th, 2010

Dear L.L.,
Your attitude is just the perfect start to getting past this and re-gaining the healthy bones you naturally have. Just keep at it and at it and at it some more. Whatever you do, don't give up; don't get despondent; YOU CAN DO IT!
I have faith in your strength, and I know you can keep up this brilliant attitude, but just in case you - being only human!x - find this difficult, I've a little quote for you (I love quotes). I think it was Abraham Lincoln who said "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on".
All the best,
Michelle xxx

Hope

Submitted on March 29th, 2010

Hi L.L,

I am so sorry hun - there is nothing more real than medical results like that - but there is always HOPE.

Really and truly both my parents and one of my parents in particular was given terminal news maybe 15 years back right at this very moment they are treking through a jungle in South America.

Believe it or believe it not the body totally replenishes itself every 7 - 8 years, new cells, new skin, new bones even.

Survivors of the concentration camps from WWII who left there as skeletons went on to fully and completely recover and most survivors lived well into their 90s!!!!!!!!! There are ten today that are age 105.

Like Saoirse said about acting instead of reacting - that's such brilliant wisdom, there is HOPE, this is motivation to heal not confirmation of living with an illness.

You are already hopeful by the sounds of your post - you can heal your body - I have faith in you and love yourself and your bones - love is a big healer too.

Lots of love from me to you,

Joy

Lets look after our wonderful bones now!

Submitted on March 29th, 2010

Hi L.

I got my dexa scan results a few weeks ago, and like you I didn't receive good news. Initially I was shocked, then for a while I wasn't really that bothered and continued with my destructive behaviours....because as you say i still thought I wasn't really 'sick enough'. Now how wrong, naive, and silly was I?...EXTREMELY!!

How I wish I initially showed your PASSION, ENTHUSIASM, BELIEF. You are SOOOOOOOO right that our bodies are temples, they need to be nourished, treated with respect, treated gently and kindly. Now I am listening to my body not the condition.

We can tackle osteopenia, but it needs to start now! I am doing what Saoirse said in her post...use this as motivation for recovery! I really want to go jet sking and water rafting, scuba diving in the great barrier reef!! First tho I need to look after my bones!

Treat your beautiful bones with lots of love!

Erika XxX

you have your priorities right

Submitted on March 29th, 2010

hey LL

Sorry to hear that your dexa results were bad i know this ED is such a destructive thing but you have realised now more than ever that you want to look after yourself so fair play to you girl keep fighting and looking after yourself you deserve it.

I am dreading getting my results i go tomorrow to get them.

Love Sonya

Temporary situation

Submitted on March 29th, 2010

LL,

Thanks for posting this, like you said- reminding other ED sufferers that the consequences aren't jsut paragraphs in text books, but are real problems happening to real (and beautiful) people like us!!

L, a DEXA scan revealed really bad to me too a couple years back and d'ya know what I thought/felt----nothing!! (In fact I was pi**ed off that everyone seeemed so suprised and upset) And while I carry few regrets in life it would have been nice to try use it as motivation for full recovery, both from ED and my osteo. Congratulations on realising the importance and fragility of your wonderful body and realising where your priorities lie FOR SURE!

In the mean time- do what you can, ACT rather than RE-ACT to this situation and TRUST that they will fix themselves..you're still so young, they've lotsa life in them yet!

I made a point of talking to people who's bones had cured themselves so that I could TRUST it couldl happen (despite what the books/or so-called experts might say) and work towards making that my reality. Isn't it fantastic that they can,,,,,that they WILL once we ACT now rather than hanging around and depleting them further!!

Don't worry hun- this can be temporary condition....thats how wonderful our body is to us, and if your finding tackling it a bit over whelming, think of all the things you wanna do with your life.....my major motivation was SKIING, although since breaking my arm, being able to cut a loaf of bread would suffice,hehe!

Feel all the upset, anger and hurt thats there hun and then let it go,....re-invest that energy into RECOVERY, LIFE and the bucket loads of motivation that your post shows. Brill post L!

Trust that in time, they will come good!!

Saoirse XX

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.
-- Havelock Ellis

All's not lost

Submitted on March 28th, 2010

Hi LL,

Sorry to hear your Dexa results weren't good. It reminds me to go and get my own Dexa scan done.

I can understand your shock and anger but it's not too late. You've caught the osteopenia before it progressed any further than it did and you are taking positive action now. There's a really good article on the professional's page about what you can do to improve the situation.

Good Luck,

Donna