Eating Disorders in Lexington, Richmond & Frankfort KY


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What are Eating Disorders?

An eating disorder is an illness that causes serious disturbances to your everyday diet, such as eating extremely small amounts of food or severely overeating. A person with an eating disorder may have started out just eating smaller or larger amounts of food, but at some point, the urge to eat less or more spiraled out of control. Common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. 


Signs & Symptoms

Anorexia nervosa

Many people with anorexia nervosa typically weigh themselves repeatedly, portion food carefully, and eat very small quantities of only certain foods. Some people with anorexia nervosa may also engage in binge-eating followed by extreme dieting, excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting, and/or misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas.

Anorexia nervosa displays the following symptoms:

  • Extreme thinness (emaciation)
  • Intense fear of gaining weight
  • Distorted body image, a self-esteem that is heavily influenced by perceptions of body weight and shape, or a denial of the seriousness of low body weight
  • Lack of menstruation among girls and women
  • Extremely restricted eating.
Other symptoms may develop over time as a result of anorexia nervosa, including:
  • Thinning of the bones (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
  • Brittle hair and nails
  • Dry and yellowish skin
  • Growth of fine hair all over the body (lanugo)
  • Mild anemia and muscle wasting and weakness
  • Severe constipation
  • Low blood pressure, slowed breathing and pulse
  • Damage to the structure and function of the heart
  • Brain damage
  • Multiorgan failure
  • Drop in internal body temperature, causing a person to feel cold all the time
  • Lethargy, sluggishness, or feeling tired all the time
  • Infertility.
Bulimia nervosa

Patients with bulimia nervosa have recurrent and frequent episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food followed by forced vomiting, excessive use of laxatives or diuretics, fasting, excessive exercise, or a combination of these behaviors. Unlike anorexia nervosa, people with bulimia nervosa usually maintain a healthy or normal weight, while some are even slightly overweight. The binge-eating and purging cycle happens anywhere from several times a week to many times a day.

Other symptoms associated with bulimia nervosa include:

  • Chronically inflamed and sore throat
  • Swollen salivary glands in the neck and jaw area
  • Worn tooth enamel, increasingly sensitive and decaying teeth as a result of exposure to stomach acid
  • Acid reflux disorder and other gastrointestinal problems
  • Intestinal distress and irritation from laxative abuse
  • Severe dehydration from purging of fluids
  • Electrolyte imbalance (too low or too high levels of sodium, calcium, potassium and other minerals) which can lead to heart attack.
Binge-eating disorder

With binge-eating disorder a person loses control over his or her eating. As a result, people with binge-eating disorder often are over-weight or obese. This causes sufferers to experience guilt, shame, depression and distress about their binge-eating, which can lead to more binge-eating.

Symptoms associated with binge-eating disorder include:
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol levels
  • Heart disease
  • Type II diabetes
  • Gallbladder disease
  • Fatigue
  • Joint pain
  • Sleep apnea
  • Evidence of binge eating, including the disappearance of large amounts of food or lots of empty wrappers and containers.
  • Secretive food behaviors, stealing, hiding, or hoarding food.

Diagnosis & Treatment Options

Psychotherapy, medical monitoring, nutritional counseling, and medication are effective treatments for most eating disorders, with the specific treatment plan tailored to meet the individual’s needs. Some patients may also need to be hospitalized to treat problems caused by malnutrition or to ensure they eat enough if they are very underweight.

Treating eating disorders involve three main components:
  • Restoring the person to a healthy weight
  • Treating the psychological issues related to the eating disorder
  • Reducing or eliminating behaviors or thoughts that lead to insufficient eating and preventing relapse.

There Is Hope!

Eating disorders are serious health conditions that can be both physically and emotionally destructive. People with eating disorders need to seek professional help. Early diagnosis and intervention may enhance recovery. Eating disorders can become chronic, debilitating, and even life-threatening conditions.

When you begin to notice that an eating disorder is affecting your life, your happiness, and your ability to concentrate, it is important that you seek treatment. Please contact our office to set up an appointment or visit these sites for more information.

New Client Info
Lexington, KY

Darby Creek Location
501 Darby Creek Road
Suite 11
Lexington KY, 40509
Phone: 859-338-0466
Fax: 859-294-0802
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