Effective Medications for Bulimia

Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC, Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope

Bulimia Nervosa is a severe psychiatric illness and eating disorder that is characterized by episodes of bingeing and purging. Binge episodes may include consuming an abnormal amount of food in a short amount of time, and purging may include self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative abuse and more.

Bulimia closely coincides compulsions with chaotic eating episodes followed by an attempt to compensate for the binge eating somehow. Individuals who struggle with bulimia often experience intense and overwhelming feelings and emotions that may be triggered by a binge and purge episode, such as:

• Shame
• Guilt
• Anger
• Frustration
• Sadness
• And more

The Complexity of Bulimia on Top of Another Mental Illness

As a mental health disorder, bulimia can commonly occur with other mental illnesses, adding another layer of complexity to an already complicated disease state. Other mental illnesses that may co-occur alongside bulimia include:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression disorders
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• And more

Full recovery from an eating disorder an other co-occurring mental illness is possible with the help and assistance of a professional treatment team that is specialized in treating these mental illnesses.

Multidimensional Approaches to Treatment

Depending on the severity of the condition, bulimia is often a multidimensional approach and includes:

• Medical care
• Nutritional rehabilitation
• Counseling and psychotherapy
• Pharmacotherapy

While each aspect of treatment is vital to the overall progression of a person’s wellness and recovery from bulimia, the combination of these treatment approaches together enables holistic and whole person care. Pharmacotherapy involves the treatment of a medical condition with the use of prescription medications and is completed under the supervision of a board certified psychiatrist/medical doctor and pharmacist.

Medications That Can Help with Bulimia

While there is no one prescription that can “cure” bulimia, nor can medication alone be effective as a treatment method, there are some medications that have been shown to help reduce the frequency of binge-purge episodes in bulimia. These medications may also be used to treat other mental health issues that may commonly occur alongside bulimia, such as depression.

Currently the only antidepressant that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as a treatment for bulimia includes fluoxetine or Prozac. Any and all medication options should be discussed with your treatment team and health care provider to decide what would be most effective for an individualized approach to treatment.

Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!

Have you found medication a helpful part of your treatment for bulimia?

Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on July 1st, 2015
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com