Experiences with Anorexia

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

online conference transcript

Transcript from Online Conference with: Stacy Evrard on Her "Experiences with Anorexia"
and Dr. Harry Brandt on "Getting on the Road to Recovery"

Bob M: is the moderator.

Ed. Note: This interview with Stacy Edvard was conducted in 1999. On April 15, 2000, Stacy died from medical complications stemming from her eating disorder, anorexia nervosa.

Her sister, Cheryl Wildes, chronicled Stacy's long battle with anorexia on her website. She writes:

"Stacy fought a long, hard battle against this devastating disease. For all of you that have known her in person or through my website, I thought you should know: Eating Disorders do kill. Even the toughest people die from them. Please let her story help in warning others of the danger. Get help and get it early. Stacy was on her way to a 6-month treatment program when an infection set in and ended any chance of recovery. Don't allow your chance, or the chance of a loved one, come too late."

BEGINNING

Stacy: Hi Bob. Good evening everyone. Thanks for inviting me.

Bob M: How long have you been dealing with anorexia and how did it get started?

Stacy: I have been dealing with anorexia since I was 16. I have had it for 20 years. It got started when I was 16. My mother used to weigh my younger sister and I every Sunday morning. I think that's when my obsession started.

Bob M: Can you tell us how the anorexia has affected you mentally, and then physically, over the years?(complications of anorexia)

Stacy: I have short-term memory loss and tend be be depressed alot. Physically, I had kidney and liver failure, 3 heart attacks and have been hospitalized over 100 times. Now I cannot exercise, or bike, or even rollerblade unless I take it very slow. My heart tends to beat very fast. I also have to be in the hospital 2 days a week to be hydrated and get potassium infusions.

Bob M: When the anorexia started, at the age of 16, were you in denial, or did you not recognize it as "being a problem"?

Stacy: Back then, nobody had ever been trained to deal with eating disorders. I didn't even know what anorexia was.

Bob M: Why do you think it got so out of hand - to the point where you are today?

Stacy: Well, I went to a summer camp when I was sixteen, and I just stopped eating because I wanted to lose weight. Years of abuse take their toll on a body. I was raped when I was 17 two times, and started to really feel that I was not worth much. This time around, I got really sick after an operation and I couldn't keep anything down for a month. It threw me right back into my disease.

Bob M: Now you know, there are people in the audience saying, you are unique. They may be saying "this can't happen to me. I WON'T LET the eating disorder get the best of me". What do you say to them Stacy?

Stacy: IT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU DON'T GET HELP!

Bob: We are speaking with Stacy Evrard. She is 36 years old and has been dealing with anorexia for 20 YEARS. During that time, she has had 100 hospitalizations, 3 heart attacks, kidney and liver failure and literally been at death's door. A little later, Dr. Harry Brandt, medical director of the St. Joseph's Center for Eating Disorders will be joining us to discuss "getting on the road to recovery". Stacy, here are a few questions from the audience:

want2bthin: Stacy, how much have you recovered?

Stacy: I feel like I am stable right now. I am not as depressed at before, and I try to be a little bit more social. College has really helped me to build up my self-esteem. I haven't lost any weight in the past 2 years. But I am not any better physically. Actually, I am worse.

Heatsara: It seems you have had to acknowledge the need for help and support. Can you talk about how you came to that realization and what you went through when you "admitted" you needed help?

Stacy: I watched a program about anorexia and realized that I was not the only one with anorexia. I went to an eating disorder treatment center, but they kicked me out because I was not compliant. When I was sent to the state hospital and lost 16 pounds in 3 weeks, I realized that there was something wrong in my head.

Jenna: What role did your friends and family play in your eating disorder recovery? How did you reach out for help?

Stacy: My family was too far away to give me any help. Although they were very concerned about me. I have a 16 year old daughter and I want to live to see her grow and have kids. Some of my friends left me because they couldn't watch me die. Everybody thought that I was going to die when I weighted 84 pounds.

Donnna: Stacy, what really made you decide enough was enough? I've been both anorexic and bulimic for 26 years and am totally sick of it.

Stacy: When I didn't know who my daughter was when she came to visit me at the hospital, my brain finally got the message. Because of my daughter, I have a reason to live. Before, I just wanted to go to sleep and never wake up.