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ED Dietitian Experience

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LittleBigFoot

Policy Enforcement
Has anyone worked with a dietitian before? Particularly where an eating disorder is concerned and said ED is tied up nicely with a bow with your CPTSD?

I’m getting more and more anxious and I just want to hear stories about what it was like.
 
I worked with a dietician and wasn’t honest about my complex trauma issues and I’m okay with that but psychologist is pretty much pressing me to let him on the team. I have no trust in joining them up because then everything becomes about the trauma and nothing about the physical which I also have. It’s messy for me. I have a good team with the regular doctor and dietician and Gastor doc but my psychologist wants in. No thanks. I don’t know if that helps or makes it worse but a lot of people have also been recommending When the Body Says No, and i don’t want to read it. sound super resistant? Ya, I am, but I am aware. hope it somewhat helps.
 
@Teamwork I’m curious why you feel that way. I feel like the physical is very much a result of the psychological so it makes sense for me to have them joined up. I think my physical is maybe 20% to an 80% of mental. But to each their own 🤷🏼‍♀️. Outside of that, did the dietitian themselves seem to help you get a better relationship with food?
 
I worked with a dietitian and it helped. I was also working with a doctor and a therapist so there was lots of support. The dietitian new about my PTSD. We didn't go into lots of details but it was discussed as that was a huge part of why I had the ED. It definitely helped. It was intense and hard work. We spent time on what I ate, meal planning, thoughts around food and coping skills.
 
Yep yep. I’ve worked with a few at different times in my life, and every one has been hands down brilliant / made my life almost immediately better, as well as better in the long term. Can’t more highly recommend working with one.
 
@Teamwork I’m curious why you feel that way. I feel like the physical is very much a result of the psychological so it makes sense for me to have them joined up. I think my physical is maybe 20% to an 80% of mental. But to each their own 🤷🏼‍♀️. Outside of that, did the dietitian themselves seem to help you get a better relationship with food?
When I reflect on it, I’d say past experience . so if mental health was shared then even a cold was all in my head type of never getting heard. Or just getting viewed as mentally unwell so that once I got away from that situation I actually stayed away from doctors for a long time. I’m building a relationship with a new doctor who respects that I wont do certain tests, that I’m highly anxious if she shuts the door when I see her or if the nurse shuts the door and leaves me shut in waiting for the doctor. I suppose if I could feel heard on both sides I might be more open to listening how both work together but at least I’m keenly aware that I have the belief that if it’s psychological making me ill then its my fault. So at least this way I get help.
 
When I reflect on it, I’d say past experience . so if mental health was shared then even a cold was all in my head type of never getting heard. Or just getting viewed as mentally unwell so that once I got away from that situation I actually stayed away from doctors for a long time. I’m building a relationship with a new doctor who respects that I wont do certain tests, that I’m highly anxious if she shuts the door when I see her or if the nurse shuts the door and leaves me shut in waiting for the doctor. I suppose if I could feel heard on both sides I might be more open to listening how both work together but at least I’m keenly aware that I have the belief that if it’s psychological making me ill then its my fault. So at least this way I get help.

That makes sense, it makes me sad though. Because I feel like a lot of value can be had when a whole team works together and it seems hard to get doctors to communicate with each other in the first place in my experience. That’s one of the reasons I’m nervous is this will be the first real back and forth outside of hospitalization and it’s got me stressing. But I don’t want to back out because for once I do feel heard.
 
I've seen nutritionists and a dietician (not for an ED though, which I think is a big caveat).

The dietitian was someone I saw while hospitalised for mental health issues - she was basically a mental health dietitian. And same as @Friday . Instantly changed and improved my life. Still use her advice over 5 years later.

I hope you have a good experience as well.
 
That makes sense, it makes me sad though. Because I feel like a lot of value can be had when a whole team works together and it seems hard to get doctors to communicate with each other in the first place in my experience. That’s one of the reasons I’m nervous is this will be the first real back and forth outside of hospitalization and it’s got me stressing. But I don’t want to back out because for once I do feel heard.
Everyone’s experience is different and I hope yours goes well. You’ve taken an important first step and congratulations for that. When I’m worried about an upcoming appointment I remind myself not now. In other words, it isn’t happening right now so don’t sit in the worry of the unknown. It helped me a lot.
 
Yep...It was pretty simple. Having lost 75 lbs before I was diagnosed with Addison's she walked in circled everything and said they were going to fatten me up. I took it from there.
 
I see a nutritionist. I have restrictive eating and she knows my trauma story. I keep a food diary that she reads and comments on. She gives me challenges. I feel I have plateaued because I can’t “just eat no matter what.” She got me eating on a schedule and knowing how much I’m supposed to eat. I haven’t binged since I started working with her. My alcohol and gummies consumption has dropped almost completely away. But I really struggle to eat. I take gummies to help me but I’m so resistant to even taking the gummies. And even with the gummies it’s hard. I’m glad she’s there though, because I feel safer with my restrictive eating, like I’m supported. And at the same time I don’t know how I will ever get a healthy appetite!
 
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