Eating disorder history and symptoms

Eating disorders are particularly common in young females and change in weight is the main concern often expressed by the patient ot a family member. Apart from a detailed history, few questions that a physician should ask include:

• Do you think you are too thin? or too fat?
• What did you eat yesterday?
• Do you ever binge eat?
• Do you use any pills for losing weight?
• Do you ever eat in secret?
• Are you satisfied with your eating habits?
• Do you make yourself sick because you feel uncomfortably sick?

Ask about:

• abdominal discomfort
• bloating or constipation
• cold intolerance
• menstrual irregularities
• daytime hyperactivity
• insomnia
• exercise habits
• use of alcohol or drugs
• personal history of sexual assault or childhood abuse
• family history of depression, alcohol use.

Look of physical signs such as:

• AN patients look emaciated and bulimics look healthy
• erosion of teeth enamel
• hypertrophy of knuckles-Russell's sign
• hypotension
• bradycardia
• irregular rhythm
• peripheral edema
• yellow skin
• lanugo hair
• Reversible mitral valve prolapse in AN patients that occurs due to size disproportion between left ventricle and mitral valve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laboratory investigations
1.complete blood count
2.Urea, creatinine and electrolytes
3.blood glucose
4.serum albumin
5.TSH,FSH,LH and prolactin
6.Bone Densitometry
7.Electrocardiogram