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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffTreatment of binge-eating disorder may require a team approach that includes medical providers, mental health providers and dietitians with experience in eating disorders.
Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointments, and what to expect from your health care team.
What you can do
- Write down the symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
- Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
- Make a list of all medications you're taking, as well as any herbs, vitamins or other supplements.
- Ask a family member or friend to come with you, if possible, to help you remember key points and give a fuller picture of the situation and your home life.
Write down questions to ask your doctor, such as:
- What kinds of tests do I need? Do these tests require any special preparation?
- Is this condition temporary or long lasting?
- What treatments are available, and which do you recommend?
- If medication is a part of treatment, is a generic drug available?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material I can take home with me? What websites do you recommend?
Don't hesitate to ask questions at any time if you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor or other health care provider is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:
- Are you concerned about your weight and your appearance?
- Have you tried to lose weight? If so, how?
- Do you think about food often?
- Do you eat even when you're full or not hungry?
- Do you eat unusually large amounts of food or until you're uncomfortably full?
- Do you ever eat in secret?
- Do you feel your eating is out of control?
- Do you feel depressed, disgusted, ashamed or guilty about your eating?
- Do you exercise? How often do you exercise?
References
- Binge eating disorder. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/binge.htm. Accessed Jan. 31, 2012.
- Appendix B: Criteria sets and axes provided for further study. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://dsm.psychiatryonline.org/content.aspx?bookid=22§ionid=1891981. Accessed Jan. 31, 2012.
- Sim LA, et al. Identification and treatment of eating disorders in the primary care setting. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2010;85:746.
- Herpertz S, et al. The diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International. 2011;108:678.
- Hay PJ, et al. Clinical psychopharmacology of eating disorders: A research update. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. 2011; In press. Accessed Feb. 2, 2012.
- Breuner CC. Complementary, holistic, and integrative medicine: Eating disorders. Pediatrics in Review. 2010;31:c75.
- Carei TR, et al. Randomized controlled clinical trial of yoga in the treatment of eating disorders. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2010;46:346.
- Forman SF. Eating disorders: Epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical features. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 26, 2012.
- Carrard I, et al. Acceptance and efficacy of a guided Internet self-help treatment program for obese patients with binge eating disorder. Clinical Practice & Epidemiology in Mental Health. 2011;7:8.
- Hudson JI, et al. The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Biological Psychiatry. 2007;61:348.
- Mazzeo SE, et al. Environmental and genetic risk factors for eating disorders: What the clinician needs to know. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2009;18:67.
- Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minn. Feb. 22, 2012.
- Sim LA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minn. Feb. 20, 2012.
- Goldschmidt AB, et al. Which dieters are at risk for the onset of binge eating? A prospective study of adolescents and young adults. Journal of Adolescent Health. February 22, 2012. http://jahonline.org. Accessed March 21, 2012.
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