Harm Reduction Tips      Ephedra Overdose     Dangers of Laxatives    Dangers of  Diuretics      

Dangers of Ipecac Syrup

*Harm Reduction Tips*   - are not tips on "how to become anorexic, but on how to stay as healthy as possible if you already haven an ED.  Thanks to 'Amy' for allowing us to use the great information found at her site http://paroxysms.diary-x.com/.

-Drink at least 64 oz. of water, preferably more. When your body breaks down its tissue, toxic bodies called ketones are produced. A build-up of ketones can lead to ketoacidosis and death. By drinking lots of fluids, you can flush these toxins out of your system. Signs of ketone build-up include lower backaches (around the kidneys).

-Try to find GlaceauPur FruitWater. It is 0 calories, and it has electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium. When you starve or purge, your electrolytes are thrown out of balance, which can lead to cardiac arrest and death. Trying to replace electrolytes may prevent such occurrences.

-Take a multivitamin, a calcium supplement (double the recommended dosage), and a potassium gluconate supplement. Obviously, these can help with vitamin deficiencies and electrolyte imbalances. Also, take an iron supplement to avoid anemia, which can make you feel tired and sluggish.

-When eating, choose nutritious foods. Fortified cereal is a good choice; so is fruit, especially bananas.

-Under no circumstances use syrup of ipecac to purge. Ipecac is a poison that makes one throw up, and is used in children when another toxin has been swallowed. It is extremely harmful and can lead to death THE FIRST TIME. Your fingers are just as good.

-Do not use foreign objects (i.e., a toothbrush) in an attempt to purge. This often causes choking. Again, fingers.

-If you have purged with great frequency in the last 24-48 hours, and feel very dizzy and light headed, buy some Pedialyte syrup and take twice the recommended dose. Pedialyte is a concentrated formula of electrolytes used to prevent dehydration in flu patients, and can quickly replace those lost. Dizziness is a sign that you have an electrolyte imbalance! Remedy it!

-Laxatives are not, I repeat, are NOT an effective means of purging. You do not expel calories, only water weight. Those who abuse laxatives permanently fuck up their digestive tract. Unless you want a permanent case of painful constipation, do not use them. Ever.

-It would be extremely wise to wear a medic alert bracelet to inform doctors of your condition in case of emergency room admittance.

-Diet pills are a thorny issue. No one knows if they actually work. For my part, I know that the Ephedra in them contributed to my psychotic episode. If you are prone to depression or anxiety, I would advise you to avoid these medications, as they can exacerbate mania and lead to psychosis.

-After purging, it is important to take care of your teeth. The best possible remedy is to rinse with a mixture of baking soda and water, and then chew an antacid gum (they have these on the market for heartburn now). Another possibility is to rinse your mouth with a liquid antacid. If neither is possible, at least chew on an antacid tablet and rinse with water. Do not brush your teeth until at least thirty minutes afterwards as brushing will only spread the acids around on your teeth.

-If you are going to purge, try to avoid purging foods that are irritating to the esophagus. Acidic fruits are an example; also, when I first began purging, I would often binge on Doritos. During a binge, thorough chewing is often forgotten, and so when I threw up I could feel the sharp bits scratching my insides. Not a good feeling.

-I would recommend not purging at all, if possible. It is better to cut calories and exercise.

-Women: Get on Birth Control Pills. Even if you don't need them for birth control. Having the extra estrogen in your system prevents amenorrhea (cessation of menstruation). Although it might seem convenient to not get your period, it can cause serious bone density loss, leading to osteoporosis. Being on birth control will prevent amenorrhea unless you are at an extremely low weight. My recommendation is Ortho Tri-Cyclen, because it helps with pimples, and anorexia can definitely make your skin worse!

-Excessive exercise is dangerous, especially if you are on stimulants. Make sure to take breaks and re-hydrate; do not exercise in intense heat.

-Make sure that you are not taking medication that is dangerous for eating disorder patients. Wellbutrin, for instance, can cause seizures in ED patients; switch to an SSRI or St. John's Wort. Lithium is dangerous for people who purge especially. Look up interactions on all of your medications.

-Do not weigh yourself every day. This is for mental health reasons, not physical ones. Just trust me on this one. I weigh myself about twice a week.

-See a therapist, even if you don't want to recover. It helps you get things out, and they can't commit you unless you're extremely sick and near death.

-Remember other activities you enjoy, and friends that you have. Do not let the starvation obsession take over your head. Read a book, and I don't mean Wasted!

-Low Sodium Salt is potassium rich and great for replenishing electrolytes.

-Diet V-8 Splash is only 15 calories and contains lots of vitamins. As much as possible one should try to get vitamins from food since those from pills aren't always readily absorbable.

-It is better to eat more and exercise more than just restrict more to compensate for lack of physical activity. Why? You can create the same calorie deficit by eating 500 and exercising 200 off as you would eating 300 calories, but get more nutrients and protect muscle while utilizing fat.

-Healthy supplements that help with weight loss: green tea extract and alpha lipoid acid. 5-htp also has been shown to help.

-Instead of laxatives: fiber pills, sugar-free Citrucel, unprocessed bran - all low-calorie ways to get rid of the bloated feeling safely.
 

*In Case of Ephedra Overdose*

CALL POISON CONTROL OR 911.
1-800-222-1222
http://www.aapcc.org/findyour.htm

That's what I recommend, but I understand many will not do it. UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE TAKING A RISK. These tips are here, but also understand I AM NOT A DOCTOR

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BURNT TOAST. it reduces absorption b/c of the charcoal, take some ASAP, with butter/margarine for potassium.

OTHER POTASSIUM RICH FOODS:

Milk

Fruits High In Potassium                             

apricot          cantaloupe     coconut water
grapefruit     honeydew      orange juice
papaya         peach               fruit cocktail

Fruits With A Moderate Amount Of Potassium

apple            cherries            banana
dates            grapes               lemons
oranges       mangos            pineapple
plantain        prune juice      raspberries
raisins          strawberries    tangerine
watermelon

Fruits With A Low Amount Of Potassium

pears     plums

Vegetables High In Potassium

artichoke (cooked)        asparagus                  Bell peppers
beet greens                       bamboo shoots        Broccoli
cabbage (cooked)        cauliflower                Celery
chard                                  chicory                       Chinese cabbage
collards                              cucumbers                dandelion
dill pickles                         endive                        escarole
mushroom                        parsley                        radishes
spinach                             summer squash        tomato
turnip                                 zucchini                       black-eyed peas
lima beans                      winter squash             white potato
black beans                   garbanzo beans        great northern beans
lentils                                 navy beans                 pinto beans
kidney beans                 soybeans                      avocado

Vegetables With A Moderate Amount Of Potassium

beets             carrots           eggplant
ginger root    kale                mustard greens
okra               parsnips         pumpkin
rhubarb         rutabaga         sauerkraut
scallion         string beans   sweet potatoes
 
 

Meat With A Moderate Amount Of Potassium

flounder       halibut         liver
rabbit           sardine        salmon
turkey
 
 

Miscellaneous Foods With A Low Amount Of Potassium

peanut butter    graham crackers      saltine crackers
rice                       grits                              green peas
corn                     steak                            oysters
haddock             ham                              cottage cheese
lamb                    veal                               margarine
butter                  mayonnaise               chestnuts
pecans               peanuts                       sesame seeds

[THESE ARE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR PURGERS - possible interaction between electrolyte imbalance and Ephedra]

HYDRATE. 'nuff said.

TAKE A DOSE OF AN ANTI-EPILEPTIC IF YOU HAVE THEM [diazepam or lorazepam]

NO IPECAC!

KEEP WIGGLING YOUR TOES/CLENCHING AND UNCLENCHING YOUR FISTS. this will help to let you know if a stroke is the issue. IF YOU CAN'T DO IT, GET HELP!!!!!

CALM DOWN. BREATHE DEEPLY. LIE DOWN. DON'T PANIC.
TELL SOMEONE.
 

FROM
http://www.maripoisoncenter.com/ctr/9607ephedra.html

TREATMENT

Due to the rapid absorption of ephedrine, induced emesis with syrup of ipecac is discouraged unless it can be given within a few minutes of Ephedra ingestion. Inducing emesis in a symptomatic patient may exacerbate ephedrine-induced hypertension and increase risk for seizure.(2) The exposed patient should be referred to a health care facility for treatment and observation. A dose of activated charcoal with cathartic should be administered as soon as possible to reduce the absorption of ephedrine. Gastric lavage is not beneficial unless it can be performed immediately after ingestion and it is not considered necessary after activated charcoal has been administered.(5) Laboratory monitoring should include electrolytes, glucose, BUN, serum creatinine, and CPK. Monitoring the electrocardiogram is also recommended and a CT head scan should be performed if an intracranial bleed is suspected.(5)
Initial management of Ephedra overdose should include supportive care. Efforts should be made to maintain the airway and assist ventilation if necessary. Seizures can be treated with diazepam or lorazepam. Lack of response to these agents may require the use of phenobarbital or phenytoin.(2,5) Hypertension should be treated aggressively if the diastolic pressure is greater than 100 mm Hg, especially in patients without a history of hypertension. Vasodilators, such as phentolamine, nitroprusside, hydralazine and nifedipine, are the preferred agents for treating Ephedra-associated hypertension.(2,5) B-blockers should not be used alone to treat hypertension because a hypertensive crisis may result from the unopposed effects of the a1-receptors on the vasculature. Tachyarrhythmia's are usually responsive to treatment with lidocaine, low-dose propranolol or esmolol.(2,5,14) Brady arrhythmias are very rare with ephedrine overdose. Bradycardia in the presence of hypertension may be a compensatory response that should not be treated since it serves to limit hypertension.(5)
Dialysis and hem perfusion are not considered to be effective for removing ephedrine.(5) Acidifying the urine will enhance the elimination of ephedrine and pseudo ephedrine; however, it is not done because it is potentially hazardous to the patient. Patients with Ephedra toxicity are at an increased risk for rhabdomyolysis; thus decreasing urine pH can facilitate the precipitation of myoglobin in the renal tubules and lead to acute renal failure

Article written by 'Amy' @  http://paroxysms.diary-x.com/.