Waiting for IP treatment

[IntrovertedKindaSoul]

Hello,

I am not new but I guess I feel new as its been so long since I first joined this forum and so long since I have used it since I guess life kinda just happened!

I feel old now..in my 30’s but have been struggling again for the past few years with Anorexia and things finally came to ahead last week when I got told that I needed to go in patient again. It’s been a while as I say since my last admission (13 years) so I know that things would have changed and staff would have changed since then.

I am on a waiting list for a bed as the unit is full at the moment. They said this could be another week, maybe two which I am finding incredibly hard to deal with as my thoughts are telling me to restrict and loose more weight before then but I am really trying to at least stay the same and did manage this week. I am just finding it hard and I am just looking for some reassurance about being admitted again after so long and if anyone had any advice or tips to cope before then?

I am also quite anxious about going inpatient again with the other patients and if they are really ill and what they will think about me with eating etc as I don’t feel like I have any ED behaviours as such around food but I struggle with exercise.

I am waiting for a bed in the Birmingham inpatient unit if anyone has been in there maybe you could provide some advice on what it is like and routines etc as I say its been about 13 years since I was last there and I guess a lot has changed. I am so scared and just can’t rest at the moment :(

[Auror.]

Hey,

I think I remember you! I hope that's not creepy. I'm not in your country so I can't give specific advice. But I know how hard the waiting and uncertainty is. It really is the worst.

With regards to the thoughts around losing more weight and restricting more before you go, I definitely thought the same thing. What I had to keep reminding myself was that the sicker I was and more weight I lost, the longer I would have to be there and the more weight I would also need to gain back. The more things deteriorate, the more work you have to do. So as much as you can manage to keep things stable for now, the better position you will be in once there.

Do you have any support right now while you wait?

I know you didn't mention this specifically, but I highly doubt you'll be the oldest one there. When I was in treatment (again in my country) there were patients in their 50s and even 60s with me. Some of whom had been in treatment before, some of whom never had. Everyone struggles on their own time frame. Nobody's going to judge you for coming back after so long.

It sounds like you've done incredibly well to manage for so long, and I think you are being incredibly brave to go back. You deserve the extra help and support and I hope you can go in sooner rather than having to keep waiting.