Bulimia treatment, diagnosis & prescriptions

Maple is a virtual care platform that connects you with doctors and other healthcare providers via text, audio, or video. After you log in to your Maple account, you can request an online consultation.

Consultations work similarly to in-person appointments — the doctor can complete an assessment by asking questions about your symptoms, going through your health history, and determining what treatment is right for you. If they think your condition is more serious, they may tell you to go to a clinic for an in-person examination.

As a Maple member, you get 24/7 access to virtual primary care online and more. You can connect with our network of providers via text, audio, or video call within minutes.

Our membership costs $79.99/month and covers virtual care for patients and their families, including the primary account holder's spouse and any dependents.

For patients in eligible provinces, our membership includes:

• Access to daily primary care provider visits: One daily visit with a primary care provider for each family member in their household.
• Paediatric care: Covered paediatric primary care visits, available by appointment.
• Second medical opinions: access to a network of experts for a second opinion if diagnosed with a complex condition (e.g. cancer).
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• Specialist referrals in eligible provinces: Ability to be referred to a physician specialist for in-person care, if needed.
• Credit discounts: An $80 credit per month to be applied to a Maple specialist visit.

Please note that our membership cannot be combined with other offerings, such as private insurance coverage and provincial programs, where available. In some cases, membership fees can be covered by a Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) — check with your HSA provider for more details.

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Regulators across Canada support and recognize the value of services like ours, and the way in which they can benefit patients, physicians, and Canada’s broader healthcare system by improving access to care and increasing efficiencies in the delivery of care.

Yes. A doctor on Maple will be happy to talk to you about bulimia.

They’ll most likely want to discuss your condition and regular eating habits, which can lead to diagnosing bulimia nervosa.

Yes. Our physicians can prescribe bulimia nervosa medications online during your consultation. Once you accept a prescription, you’ll have the option to pick it up from any pharmacy or to have it delivered to your door at no additional cost.

You can visit our How it works page to learn more.

Bulimia nervosa, commonly just called bulimia, is a very serious eating disorder, which can be life-threatening in some severe cases.

Typically, bulimia is characterized by binge-eating foods, sometimes in secret, and then purging the food in unhealthy ways to avoid absorbing the calories.

These purging methods are triggers that doctors use as the basis for a bulimia nervosa diagnosis.

People with bulimia are usually a normal weight or even slightly overweight. As such, it can be difficult to identify this condition and for a doctor to determine how to best treat your bulimia nervosa.

Direct causes for bulimia are unknown at this time.

Many factors can contribute to someone developing bulimia. These include emotional health, biology, genetics, social expectations, and underlying mental illness.

The doctor may recommend you have some bulimia tests performed to try and narrow down the specific causes of your condition.

There are many possible health risks and complications from bulimia, including:

• Digestive problems
• Dehydration, which can lead to kidney problems
• Misuse of alcohol or drugs
• Severe tooth decay
• Gum disease
• Relationship or self-esteem problems
• Anxiety or depression
• Personality disorders or bipolar disorder
• Suicidal thoughts
• Self-harm
• Absent or irregular periods in women

There can be some serious long-term health effects from bulimia, which can have a major impact on your overall health if they aren’t addressed.

Some of these long-term effects include:

• Kidney problems from diuretic abuse
• Tooth decay, gum disease, and cavities
• Gastrointestinal ulcers
• Amenorrhea or irregular periods in women
• Constipation or irregular bowel movements
• Weakened heart muscles
• Heart failure
• Low blood pressure
• Irregular heartbeat
• Sore throat caused by frequent or excessive vomiting
• Severe dehydration
• Electrolyte imbalance
• Bloating
• Chronic fatigue

Recommendations from your doctor and the severity of your condition will help determine how your bulimia is treated.

Bulimia management can be challenging, especially until specific underlying causes or triggers can be identified. Because of this, the doctor may suggest multiple bulimia treatment methods until one can be found that’s most effective for you.

Bulimia and pregnancy are a very dangerous mix.

Research has shown that women who are pregnant and experiencing bulimia nervosa are much more likely to have complications during their pregnancy, such as:

• Early delivery
• Miscarriage
• Diabetes
• Postpartum depression

If you’re pregnant and believe you could be experiencing bulimia, talk to a doctor on Maple as soon as possible. They can help you with your bulimia management to protect you and your unborn child.