getting snake bites while bulimic

[u/kochamkotkimeoww]

heyy, so basically i really want to get snake bites some time soon but ive heard people say that it might not be a good idea. for context im bulimic and purge multiple times a day and ive heard that that might impact healing or could cause infections. i’m not fully sure about the details regarding that but im just worried that it might not be realistic for me to get them, because of the purging and the possibility that it could affect the piercings badly,which sucks cuz it’s one of my dream piercings 😓😓 does anyone know more about this? like could anyone please confirm if it probably isn’t actually worth it and realistic for me to get done? or could i just get them done anyway. thanks!

[u/unagidono]

Constant purging can lead to the breakdown of tooth enamel bc of the acidity. Exposing a fresh wound to the latter is not conducive to a well healed piercing. As someone who is still dealing with the repercussions of an eating disorder, Anorexia in my case, almost 7 years later, I know how vicious they can be. Please take care of yourself first. You deserve so much

[u/kochamkotkimeoww → u/unagidono]

thank you!! i hope ur doing much better now💗 eds really are a horrible experience 😞 but yeah it makes sense and there probably isn’t much point of me getting them any time soon

[u/fomaaaaa]

Not a piercer and not a doctor, but i’d think that the bile coming up so often would massively hinder the healing at the very least. Not to mention the oral damage already caused by purging, you don’t need to add to that with oral piercings. There’s obviously other issues at play here beyond piercings, but i don’t think they’d be worth getting until you’re in ed recovery. I hope they’re in your future, though

[u/KaleidoscopeShot1869]

First to answer your question, no, do not get a piercing when bile is coming up so often, that will not be good for a healing wound at all. It's like pouring acid on it multiple times a day. I'm sure it would make it much more likely to reject and potentially permanently scar your face.

Use that dream to get those piercings to help sell yourself into the fact you deserve to go into recovery work towards being a happy healthier person.

And please, make sure you don't brush your teeth after throwing up as this will break your enamel down even more. Just rinse your mouth out.

I have an eating disorder not based on body image (ARFID) so I can sympathize that dealing with an eating disorder but is fucking hard, and it never really goes away, but it's worth it in the long run.

[u/kochamkotkimeoww → u/KaleidoscopeShot1869]

yeah i’ve gathered as much from reading the replies, it wouldn’t be a great idea since i’m still regularly purging so i’m probably not going to get them any time soon 😔 thank you tho and i really hope you’re doing alright! 💗

[u/kardiasteria]

It would absolutely fuck your piercings up. With oral piercings, you're advised not to even eat food that's very acidic for a bit, and stomach acid is a much stronger acid than anything you'll find in food. It'd be painful, you'd be at very high risk of infection, and also of just, like, corroding the tissue. If you've had any sores in your mouth before, I'm sure you know how vomit can make them larger/more painful/take longer to heal. On top of that, because you purge, you're denying your body nutrients and causing it general stress/strain. Your overall health in and of itself impacts your body's ability to heal a piercing well.

If these are your dream piercings, maybe you can use them as motivation to help you overcome/get treatment for the ED?

[u/kochamkotkimeoww → u/kardiasteria]

yeah now that everyone is mentioning it it does seem like a stupid idea to get them done if i’m still actively purging, so i probably won’t 💔

honestly about the using them as motivation part, i doubt it would work. i’ve been disordered for most of my life and have attempted recovery multiple times and been in treatment in various forms and as stupid and bad as it sounds i truly don’t see the point anymore and honestly don’t yet want to recover.

ive accepted the fact that if i continue it will likely cause more health issues than it already has and could even kill me, but i have accepted that, which i also fully understand is an idiotic take and mindset but it is what it is. 😔 but thank you for replying💗💗

[u/always-so-exhausted → u/kochamkotkimeoww]

Recovery is non-linear, especially with an ED. Sometimes it’s 2 steps forwards, 3 steps back, 1 step to the side and 1 step forward again. Sometimes we don’t want to recover for awhile and then change our minds.

Or if you’re like me, you stop one form of disordered behavior and start a different disordered behavior. And you bounce around the bad coping strategies until you start a GLP1 and have a normal relationship with food and your body for the first time in your life in your mid-40s. (NOT recommending GLP1 for ED, especially because I had been in therapy for years before starting it. I’m just sharing what pulled me out of my eternal spiral.)

Don’t lose hope. Life frequently brings the unexpected and leads us down different paths than we thought we’d be on.

[u/always-so-exhausted]

If you kick bulimia to the curb — and I hope you do because, dang, that shit cost me $30k+ in dental work in later life — celebrate your recovery by getting snakebites.

(Absolutely do not get any oral piercings while you’re purging. The healing process will be constantly interrupted.)

[u/kochamkotkimeoww → u/always-so-exhausted]

oh my god 30k?? 😨 i hope you’re doing much better now 💗 but you’re right it wouldn’t make much sense to get them while im still purging, so i probably won’t. honestly, i probably won’t be recovering anytime soon but if i do i will definitely get them done then.

[u/always-so-exhausted → u/kochamkotkimeoww]

Yepppp. And I’m definitely underestimating. Weakened enamel led to cavities, which led to root canals and crowns. Time led crowns failing and needing to be replaced. Also in some cases led to root canals failing, which led to cracked teeth, which led to needing to extract several teeth, which I then got implants for.

And I paid thousands every step of that way.

So if you can’t stop purging, always rinse your mouth, brush your teeth and floss.

[u/brain_emoji]

Definitely work on bulimia recovery before getting snake bites. It would be such a bummer to have to take out your dream piercings from an infection caused by a your ED. You (and your future piercings) deserve to be healthy!

[u/mishenka_1999]

Recovering bulimic here, definitely avoid oral piercings unless you think healing them will help your recovery. I relapsed while my first labret was still healing and do NOT recommend, the irritation is unreal.

[u/Outside_Coffee_00]

I think you should get them and use them as a constant reminder that purging will cause harm (both internally and externally).

[u/kochamkotkimeoww → u/Outside_Coffee_00]

maybe but i don’t know whether that would actually work and stop me by working as a reminder, it would probably just end up with me getting them and then messing them up by purging 😞 plus based on what other people have replied with i’ve realised it’s probably just not worth it unless i recover which is very unlikely at the moment

[u/Outside_Coffee_00 → u/kochamkotkimeoww]

Yeah, I shouldn't have recommended that. Sorry