Laxatives Have Stopped Working

[pennx]

I've been bulimic since the age of 7 or 8 and abusing laxatives since 14 (I am now 20). Oddly I have always made a huge effort to stick to "natural" laxatives ie senna, colon cleansing teas etc, but now these have stopped working. A friend of mine used some tea for a detox and said the results were ridiculous - I drank 4 cups of the same tea (teabag in) yesterday and haven't even been never mind this miraculous cleanse! I know it's always a bit of a touchy subject and I am down from using them 4-5 times a week to once every 8-10 weeks- so I thought my body may start responding to it again.

Any advice would be appreciated. I'm scared I have done lasting internal damage and would not go down the chemical route unless there really was no other choice

[buzzybee]

Pennx,

Sorry Ive only just seen this and thus responding to your post.

As someone who lives with chronic colonic problems (I don't want to talk about messy stuff, or go into detail here) and have had a few quite nasty surgeries in that particular department (and it really isn't pleasant), I would be really careful with regards to laxative use as a strategy for weight loss (i've never done this myself, my eating related issues have been not eating due to sever stress). I'm not preaching, Im simply talking out of care and concern for you, so please don't read this message as if Im a old wifey, wagging my finger at you and telling you that your doing wrong, i'm seriously hand on heart not.

I think it's commendable that you have reduced your laxative use, which makes me think that at some point it has worried you in some way?. Sometimes (like myself) senna and other natural products do the reverse to my system, due to having allergies to lots of products, so they bung me up and make me feel even worse, this may be happening to you. Sometimes your body can build up an intolerance to them or with possible over use, it's your bodies way of telling you that it can't cope anymore with the laxatives.

It sounds like the crux of the matter here is what is at the core of your bulimia? and are you receiving any support for this?. i know that eating disorders are a symptom of emotional pain/ trauma, which hasn't been resolved (I know that takes time), but is someone professional helping you to explore this?