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Among the two remaining participants, one said the results were a driving force in her recovery, and one participant did not respond. Those who reported no effect stated that they were so ''stuck in their eating disorder'' or ''in a fog'' that they did not care about the results. They distorted their bone density results the same way they distorted their body image. Unhealthy reactions to getting results of a low bone scan included ''there's something rewarding about how far you can push yourself,'' and the thought by some participants that low bone density results were positive because they would ''weigh less.''
''Timing of the bone measurement in relation to their phase of illness seemed to be a reoccurring factor in our results,'' said Stoffman. ''In the beginning or middle of the illness, patients described themselves as too 'involved to change.' Later in the course, some became more aware and concerned about their bone scan results.''
This is the first study that attempts to describe the influence of a bone measurement experience in young women with anorexia nervosa, explains Stoffman. Stoffman encourages health care providers to consider these responses and the stages of illness and recovery when informing patients with anorexia nervosa of bone scan results.
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