Hospital impatient care may be needed to correct severe electrolyte imbalances that result from repeated vomiting and laxative abuse. Electrolyte imbalances can result in heart irregularities and other potentially fatal complications.
Most people with bulimia do not require hospitalization. The rate of hospitalization is much lower than that for people with anorexia nervosa because many bulimics maintain a normal weight.
Day treatment or partial hospitalization where the patient goes every day to an extensive treatment program provides structured mealtimes, nutrition education, intensive therapy, medical monitoring, and supervision. If day treatment fails, the patient may need to be hospitalized or enter a full-time residential treatment facility.
Outpatient treatment provides medical supervision, nutrition counseling, self-help strategies, and psychotherapy. Self-help groups receive mixed reviews from healthcare professionals who work with bulimics. Some groups offer constructive support in stopping the binge/purge cycle, while others tend to reinforce the behavior.
Drug therapy helps many people with bulimia. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft) have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of bulimia.
These medications increase serotonin levels in the brain and are thought to affect the body’s sense of fullness. They are used whether or not the patient shows signs of depression. Drug treatment should always be supplemented with psychotherapy. (see Therapies below).
Other drugs are being explored for use in the treatment of bulimia. Individuals with bulimia interested in entering a clinical trial at no cost can find a list and description of clinical trials currently enrolling volunteers at
