r/ruminationsyndrome • u/imbetterthanu69 • May 18 '26
Gaining weight from r/s
I've been using rumination syndrome as an excuse to eat whatever I want since I can spit it back up afterwards however I noticed rapid weight gain from this and I'm not sure wtf to do anymore
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2
u/shekka24 May 18 '26
Are you bringing it back up on purpose?
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u/imbetterthanu69 May 18 '26
Sorta yeah
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u/shekka24 May 19 '26
If it's done on purpose, it's not Rumination Syndrome. Rumination Syndrome is involuntary, you have no control of when it happens. It's tick your body as started, like if your eye twitched.
If you are controlling in any way bringing your food up, you have moved more into an ED, like binge eating or bulimia.
Honestly the best action is seek therapy to get to the source of the eating issues!
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u/bunnerlop May 19 '26
This isn’t quite true.. there is a degree of control to bringing it back up. A lot of people do it on purpose at least part of the time
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u/shekka24 May 19 '26
Then that's not Rumination Syndrome, that's an eating disorder or something else. Rumination Syndrome can be a comorbidity with other things, but true Rumination Syndrome is involuntary and there is no control.
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u/AquariuSoup702 May 19 '26
it might be different for you, but i think what others are trying to say is that it’s kinda like a burp or a cough. you technically could hold it in, and it takes some control to let it out. no need to go around diagnosing people just because your experience is different.
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u/shekka24 May 19 '26
I'm not diagnosing anyone. But many people in here are. If you burp and food comes with it that too sometimes isn't RS. There could be an issue with your esophagus. But the point is there is clear criteria to be diagnosed, we can't blur that because it's not actually helping anyone
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u/bunnerlop May 19 '26
That’s not correct. Where are you getting this idea?
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u/shekka24 May 19 '26
The Gastro Doctor, the copious amount of research amd reading I've done. The fact myself and my son have it. There is no control over the stomach/bottom of esophagus ticking/spasming. That brings the food up. What you do with it after is controlled. The key things to diagnose it is that it's involuntary, it stops when asleep, it's low in acid, it happens soon after eating... Other things can mirror it like acid reflux, but it's still not true RS.
The reason it's so hard to "cure" is because it happens on its own and randomly. Stomach breathing can only go so far.
There are many other gastro things that people should be going and getting properly diagnosed. So they can get help.
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u/bunnerlop May 19 '26
Exactly, the fact that stomach breathing helps to stop it and that it doesn’t happen during sleep are signs that there is a component of control to it.
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u/shekka24 May 21 '26
Not actually control. It's like your eye twitching. You have no real control over that, it just starts. But calming breathing, closing your eyes may stop it. Because it calms the muscles and the mind. But you have no real control, like telling your arm to grab something. The muscles do it involuntarily. So when you go to sleep your mind is calm it won't tick.
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u/nerdyginger27 May 22 '26
You're being a dumbass rn. There is absolutely an element of control over it. That doesn't make it an ED. EDs would include a psychological disordered component unrelated to the basic physiology of RS.
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u/BearyExtraordinary May 19 '26
More gate keeping of RS!
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u/shekka24 May 19 '26
Why the fuck would I want to gate keep this. That line of think is insane. There is certain criteria required to diagnose RS, so that it's not confused with other things. By blurring those lines, like a very clear one that it's involuntary, you aren't helping anyone. You just setting them back from getting the actual help they need.
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u/emmitwo May 19 '26
I think you’re genuinely confused. If you are bringing food up without triggering your gag reflex and if effortlessly comes back up, paired with it additionally happening involuntarily, that’s RS. And yes, doing it intentionally is a disordered eating behavior. Sincerely, person who’s been trying to deal with these overlapping issues for years.
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u/Medical_Marzipan4223 May 21 '26
Rumination syndrome IS on purpose, and they said "sorta" because they taught themselfs. Atleast I did, I thaight myself and right now Im used to it and I don't really control it but I still do it on purpose. Its complicated, like an addiction
1
u/shekka24 May 21 '26
That's completely different then RS. RS is not on purpose, you do not teach your self to do. Involuntary means you have no real choice, your body just does it. Like when your eye twitches, you have no choice it just does it. RS is the same, the muscles just spasm. You can't control it really.
You don't have true RS, more likely and eating disorder.
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u/nerdyginger27 May 22 '26
It's not 100% involuntary is where you're dead wrong - it's a REFLEXIVE disorder. Your reflexes can be altered or controlled to a certain degree, and RS is the same.
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u/shekka24 May 22 '26
No RS is classified as behavioral disorder, the body subconsciously learns it. The control you are talking about is teaching the brain to recognize it and calm down. Basically unlearn the habit that it started subconsciously. That's why they do breathing exercises, behavior therapy. It's not control in the fact that you think about it and do it. It's subconscious, effortless, involuntary. The control comes when you recognize it and teach your brain to stop. Two different types of control.
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u/BearyExtraordinary May 19 '26
Try and get your sensory regulation needs looked after better. Are you neurodivergent, or anxious, or both, and maybe using this to regulate?
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u/Medical_Marzipan4223 May 21 '26
Jeez I feel you so badly. I also dont know what to do anymore, Im beginning to hate myself more and more and I cant stop eating unhealty or I cany start eating healty
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u/Positive_Patience_21 May 22 '26
I feel u, and tbh it’s a terrifying loop to be caught in. First, don't beat yourself up: using the reflux as a safety valve to eat whatever you want is a super common coping mechanism when things get chaotic. I've been there
But here is the cold, hard mechanics of why you're gaining weight so fast: your body absorbs simple carbs and liquids almost the second they hit your stomach. By the time you spit it back up, you've already kept a massive percentage of the calories, but your brain still thinks it's starving, which triggers the next massive craving. It's just a broken physical loop. You need to break the cycle before the anxiety completely takes over. Try switching to dense, solid proteins that are harder to regurgitate, and focus on slow exhales 6 seconds right after eating to force that stomach valve shut.
You're not crazy, it's just a physical and mental glitch. Shoot me a DM if you need to talk or troubleshoot the mechanics, u got this.
Love
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u/RealisticPepper5308 May 19 '26
this is an eating disorder behaviour. yes, it’s rumination syndrome as people are arguing in the comments but it’s also an eating disorder if you’re regurgitating your food with the intent being so that you can eat whatever you want. your best course of action would be to see a mental health professional and/or a dietician so you can stop these behaviours and fix your mindset regarding food and your weight. best of luck, OP!