weight and laxatives?

Laxatives are used to relieve occasional constipation. There are currently numerous and various kinds of laxatives and are widely available at any local drug store or pharmacy. Sadly laxatives are frequently advertised with little or no mention of short or long term side effects laxatives can cause. Many people take them without sufficient information. Prolonged use of laxatives, especially stimulant laxatives such as cascara, senna (sennosides) and bisacodyl, intensifies and perpetuates the condition for which they are used. The bowel becomes atonic and dependency is established. Overuse may cause electrolyte disturbances with symptoms of vomiting and muscle weakness.

Electrolytes are minerals like potassium and sodium that are dissolved in the blood and other body fluids. They must be present in very specific amounts for proper functioning of nerves and muscles, including the heart muscle. If laxatives and enemas upset this balance, it can result in tremors, muscle cramps and spasms. In some cases cardiac arrest (heart attack). The heart stops and unless the person receives immediate emergency medical treatment the individual will die. Vomiting can also be a culprit in upsetting this balance.

Laxatives and enemas remove required fluids from the body resulting in mild or severe dehydration. Dehydration can lead to weakness, blurry vision, fainting spells, tremors, kidney damage and in some cases can result in death. Severe cases of dehydration will require medical treatment as simply drinking fluid may not hydrate cells and tissues quickly enough. It is important to get medical attention immediately to prevent organ damage or death.

There is a protective mucus that lines the colon. Laxatives and enemas strip away this protective mucus leaving the colon vulnerable to infections. Enemas can stretch the colon and over time it can lose muscle tone resulting in the colon not being able to generate muscle contractions necessary to move fecal matter out of the body.

Laxatives irritate intestinal nerve endings and after prolonged use of laxatives, the nerve endings may no longer respond to stimulation. The individual must now take larger amounts of laxatives to produce bowel movements. The individual has become "laxative dependent" and without them may not have any bowel movements at all.

Laxative abusers may have more problems with irritable bowel syndrome , rectal pain and gas. Users may also be at risk for bowel tumors which may be benign and cancerous.

Laxative abusers may go through episodes of constipation and diarrhea which both can be painful. People who abuse laxatives can end up in a constipation-diarrhea vicious cycle in which they are always treating symptoms.

One of the most fatal dangers of laxative abuse is the risk of death. If this risk doesn't scare you, I'm not sure what will. Laxative abuse can upset your electrolyte balance and can damage muscles and tissues surrounding the heart. The heart can stop beating and without quick medical intervention, the individual can die. The severe dehydration by the use laxatives can also lead to death. At times we think "it won't happen to me" however if you are abusing laxatives, death is a possibility and risk you are taking and the reality is - it can happen to you.

why do you want to loose weight that badly?

laxatives are very very bad for you hun. i know you feel you need to be in control but please try to stop taking them, and also being sick will do bad things to you too. i know you may want us to tell you how to be sick etc, but this is by no means a pro ED site and i doubt you will get many people telling you that kind of thing

I know you may not fee ready to recover yet (if youdo then please visit your GP) but whatever you do please stay safe

I no they are bad for me, but short of starving myself again i dont no wot to do, i do exercise and i do have salad etc. I dont want people to tell me how to be sick. My parents are restrictive, im on a gap year so am round them quite alot, however when i go to uni in sept i wont be as much even tho they wont allow me to live in. This may mean i might slip back into not eating dinner etc because it is so easy when they are not around. Im not sure wot to do. I cant stand my GP and they wud prob dismiss everything, they av b4 wen i went 4 sumthing else????????????????????????

I no they are bad for me, but short of starving myself again i dont no wot to do, i do exercise and i do have salad etc. I dont want people to tell me how to be sick. My parents are restrictive, im on a gap year so am round them quite alot, however when i go to uni in sept i wont be as much even tho they wont allow me to live in. This may mean i might slip back into not eating dinner etc because it is so easy when they are not around. Im not sure wot to do. I cant stand my GP and they wud prob dismiss everything, they av b4 wen i went 4 sumthing else????????????????????????