Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
In recent weeks, I have read media reports that mentioned both "drunkorexia"
and "manorexia." I have fielded questions about "diabulimia" from coworkers and
friends. From the sound of these terms, it appears that there are a lot of new
and recently discovered eating disorders. I certainly did not hear the word drunkorexia in medical school.
Actually, these new terms (which, by the way, are not official or standard
medical terms) simply refer to subcategories of the well-known eating disorders
anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, both of which affect up to 1% of women and
a lower percentage of men at some point in their lives.
Diabulimia is a form of eating disorder that affects people taking insulin to
treat diabetes. It refers to the practice of minimizing insulin dosages by
patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus in an attempt to control body weight.
Since insulin encourages fat storage, the manipulation of insulin dose is an
attempt to reduce weight gain. The term does not refer to a recognized medical
condition but to a practice recognized by diabetes experts. Diabulimia is most
common in young girls and women with type 1 diabetes.
Bulimia, also called bulimia nervosa, is an eating disorder. Bulimia is characterized by episodes of secretive
excessive eating (bingeing) followed by inappropriate methods of weight control,
such as self-induced vomiting (purging), abuse of laxatives and diuretics, or
excessive exercise. Like anorexia, bulimia is a psychological disorder. It is
another condition that goes beyond out-of-control dieting. The cycle of overeating and
purging can quickly become an obsession similar to an addiction to drugs or
other substances. The disorder generally occurs after a variety of unsuccessful
attempts at dieting.
Bulimia is estimated to affect between 3% of all women in the U.S. at some
point in their lifetime. About 6% of teen girls and 5% of college-aged females
are believed to suffer from bulimia. These numbers are somewhat lower than
earlier estimates of the prevalence of bulimia
due to the precise criteria now established for the diagnosis (see below).
Approximately 10% of identified bulimic patients are men. Bulimics are also
susceptible to other compulsions, affective disorders, or addictions. Twenty to 40% of women with bulimia also have a history of problems related to drug or alcohol use, suggesting that many affected women may have difficulties with control of behavioral impulses.
Unlike
anorexics, bulimics experience significant weight fluctuations, but their weight
loss is usually not as severe or obvious as anorexics. The long-term prognosis
for bulimics is slightly better than for anorexics, and the recovery rate is
felt to be higher. However, many bulimics continue to retain slightly abnormal
eating and dieting behaviors even after the recovery period.
The secrecy of bulimia stems from the shame that
bulimics often attach to the disorder. Binge eating is not triggered by intense
hunger. It is a response to depression, stress, or other feelings related to body weight, shape, or food.
Binge eating often brings on a feeling of calm or happiness (euphoria), but the
self-loathing because of the overeating soon replaces the short-lived euphoria.
Often, the individual will feel an impairment or loss of
control during the binge eating and the purging becomes a way of regaining
control. Not all bulimics engage in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of
laxatives, diuretics, or enemas during the current episode. Some may fast for
days following a binge episode. Others may resort to excessive exercise as a
method to regain their control and rid their body of the possible weight gained
during the binge. Excessive exercise is that which interferes with normal daily
activities or when it occurs at inappropriate times or in inappropriate
settings, or when it continues despite illness or injury.
Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by markedly reduced appetite or total aversion to food. Anorexia is a serious psychological disorder and is a condition that goes well beyond out-of-control dieting. With anorexia, the drive to become thinner is actually secondary to concerns about control and/or fears relating to one's body. There are psychological and behavioral symptoms as well as physical symptoms of anorexia including: depression, social withdrawal, fatigue, food obsession, heart and gastrointestinal complications, kidney function, flaky skin, brittle nails, and tooth loss (this list is not exhaustive).
Suicide is the process of intentionally ending one's own life. Approximately 1 million people worldwide commit suicide each year, and 10 million to 20 million attempt suicide annually.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that causes a person to suffer repeated obsessions and compulsions. Symptoms include irresistible impulses despite a person's realization that the thoughts are irrational, excessive hand washing, skin picking, lock checking, or repeatedly rearranging items. People with OCD are more likely to develop trichotillomania, muscle or vocal tics, or an eating disorder. Treatment for OCD includes psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and medication.
Nausea and vomiting are symptoms that may be caused by many conditions. Antiemetics are drugs that treat nausea and vomiting. Though some antiemetics for motion sickness and mild nausea are available over the counter (OTC), most require a medical evaluation and prescription.
Fatigue can be described in various ways. Sometimes fatigue is described as feeling a lack of energy and motivation (both mental and physical). The causes of fatigue are generally related to a variety of conditions or diseases for example, anemia, mono, medications, sleep problems, cancer, anxiety, heart disease, drug abuse, and more. Treatment of fatigue is generally directed toward the condition or disease that is causing the fatigue.
Mental illness is any disease or condition affecting the brain that influence the way a person thinks, feels, behaves, and/or relates to others. Mental illness is caused by heredity, biology, psychological trauma and environmental stressors.
Characteristics of binge eating disorder include eating more quickly than usual, eating until uncomfortably full, eating a lot of food despite not being hungry, eating alone due to embarrassment, and feeling disgusted by overeating. Depression may be a cause of binge eating disorder. Risks of binge eating include weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and some cancers.
Women's health is an important topic area to guide a woman through the stages of her life, as well as knowing the conditions and diseases that may occur. Educating yourself so that the transitions into different phases of life is key to a healthy, happy, and productive life.
Children's health is focused on the well-being of children from conception through adolescence. There are many aspects of children's health, including growth and development, illnesses, injuries, behavior, mental illness, family health and community health.
Fast food consumption and lack of exercise are just a couple of causes of childhood obesity. Health effects of childhood obesity include type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, high cholesterol, asthma, sleep apnea, gallstones, fatty liver disease, GERD, depression, and eating disorders.
Women and men share many similar health problems but women also have their
own health issues, which deserve special consideration.
Women's lives have changed over the centuries. Historically, life was
particularly difficult for most women. Aside from the numerous dangers and
diseases, women became wives and mothers often when they were just emerging from
their own childhood. Many women had a multitude of pregnancies which may or may
not have been wanted. In the past, childbirth itself was risky and not
infrequently, led to the death of the mother. Most women in the past did not live
long enough to be concerned about menopause or old age.
In 1900, a
woman's life span was about 50 years. Now, in the new millennium, life
expectancy for American women is 82 years of age, and continuing to rise. Not only are
women living longer, but they also have the possibility of enjoying a better
quality of life t...
In recent weeks, I have read media reports that mentioned both "
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