Can prozac bulimia treatments successfully combat an eating disorder that affects up to one million Americans every single year?  Research and current usage leads us to believe that this is probable.  In treating bulimia prozac is now being shown to be effective on several levels.  For more information on eating disorders and prozac, please review the following evidence.

What is prozac?

Prozac is the largest-selling anti-depressant in the world.  Manufactured by Eli Lilly & Co., this medication belongs to a class of drugs called SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.  Though it was developed primarily to fight psychological disorders like depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, prozac bulimia treatments are becoming another main use of this prescription drug.

What is bulimia?

Bulimia is an eating disorder characterized by episodes of over-eating, followed by the tendency to try to purge the body of the excess calories.  Some ways that bulimia sufferers get rid of extra calories include:

• Self-induced vomiting
• Laxatives
• Diuretics
• Obsessive exercising

In between these bingeing and purging episodes, people with bulimia often skip meals or severely limit how much they eat.  Along with these behaviors, feelings of guilt, low self-esteem, and inadequacy often preside.

Why do prozac bulimia treatments work?

Though the exact mechanism is unknown, there are several theories on why prozac bulimia treatments are effective. 

• Since up to half of all bulimia sufferers have an additional psychological disorder, such as depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder, prozac bulimia treatments may help alleviate bulimia by also treating these disorders.
• Prozac is designed to restore and maintain healthy levels of a brain chemical called serotonin, which controls mood, feelings and appetite.  When treating bulimia prozac may get a bulimia sufferer’s mood, emotions and appetite under control to effectively treat the disorder.
• Though many people with bulimia also have depression, you do not have to be depressed to benefit from prozac bulimia treatments.

In what ways can prozac help those with bulimia?

For many people with bulimia prozac has been shown to reduce specific problematic behaviors that are characteristic of this eating disorder.  When taking prozac, many bulimia-sufferers:

• Establish a more normal eating pattern.
• Usually vomit less often.
• May binge and purge up to 50% less.

What about other eating disorders and prozac?

Since prozac bulimia treatments have been so successful, people have wondered about its effectiveness in the treatment of other eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa.  Studies indicate that prozac can be helpful with anorexia, if used at the right time:  though prozac and other anti-depressants do not usually help with acute anorexia, they do hold promise in helping prevent anorexia from occurring again once the person has achieved a healthy bodyweight.

Other prozac bulimia treatment considerations:

• Most health care professionals agree that the most effective approach is an integrative treatment strategy, such as a combination of bulimia prozac treatments with cognitive behavior therapy (an active counseling treatment).
• To be effective in treating bulimia prozac may need to be taken up to six weeks before you see any improvement in the condition.
• Doctors warn against viewing a pill like prozac as a cure-all; often, the most effective bulimia treatment is a long-term, multi-faceted approach that combines drug therapy with other kinds of treatment, such as a nutrition plan, family counseling, and a psychotherapist.

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