this is an area i have not very many ideas on at all..
i woudl suggest you do a web search fo rrelated forums from folks that have been there fo rsure..
i do know htat virgin coconut oil is an excelletn appetite stimulant/ and also high in teh goo d fat... adn many folks that hav ehealth issues do gain wt with it..
my son ahs a high metabolism and is extrmemly thin for 6 ft 2 he uses the oil liek butter on foods also we did soem research in to what are fatty foods.. that are still good fo rhim as we are vegan also/non dairy and non soy.
bananas are veyr good / sweet potatoes.. blackeye peas..
get a good book on the *fattier of the veggies etc...
and even tho the virgin coconut oil is expesive ... i think i tis a must if vs death..perhape syo ucoudl ge ther family firends et cot donate to purchaase a half gallon for her?
we also make puddings using water and corstarch/ jstu use less water thatn you woudl of milk/ the cook it your self oudding it will stillb e a bit runny.. we chopp up banansas in ti and put it in freezer for about 20 minutes.

i know it is not really prudent suggestiosn bu ti think the main thing is to get her to ain wt/ then you can deal with other s thign s form there.. so ano ther good thign i think would be to get her a half gallon of grade b mayple syrup and put it on as much as youcan... make oatmel and put teh syrup on it/ with soem cinnamin/ nut meg ..etc (ps i am tryign to thign of soft foods/ sicce i am assumiong tha t she is not able to handle much in solid food if that extrmeme...garlic/is a good appetetie stimulant/ pepermign is also..mayb eyo ucoudl get soem folks to donate the 1/2 gallon virgin coconut oil is about 33 i think and the 1.2 gall on grade b maypl syrup is 18 for a half gallon at www.plummerssugarhouse.com
tropical traditions is hte comapny i buy my virgin coconut oil form...we jstu open up the cotnaine RA nd keep a bowl of it on hand for daily use/ tehn refill it when that run s out..i woudl assume that family friend s woudl be willign to donate enven 5 $ each to get her soem stuff tha twill help her gain soem wt and increase her appetite..
try to fin dout thign s she does liek , then fatten it up (with other good veggies/ drizzl eoiliv eoil on it etc..
homemade spaghetii sauc eis grea tappetite booster (no meat /) esp if he system is so compromised... lot sod basil oregano onion garlic etc.. i fsh eliek s garlic bread tha t is a good thing..make it her slef/ brushon oliv eoil and garlic and thrwo under a toaster oven /
make her brothes and thicken them with cornstarch .. honey dews are a good fatenign produce and veyr good for you ..
nuts if sheis not allergic are good.. protein source
i don tliek peanuts i eat a few pecans now and then before mealsi fshe lieks pumpkin oie then make her pumpkin pie !!
i steam apple sand and add corshtch water/ litel oil o fcocnut and mapyple syrup and cinnamin and nutmegg and keep it simmerign til it congeals well/ then throw i t in fridge to cools/ we all eat it as a treat/ it is really fatening as heck lol but at elas t good for you 8)
and i make it alot when i hav ebeen ill it is soemthimes the only thing i can eat soft on my stomach.
make her cornstahced brothes as much as possible.. adn throw in veggies good kinds i think if sh eis true anoercix she is gonn aresist solid lookign foods/ so tha ti s why ia m suggestign a grea tmanay soft ideas... or brothy puddign style stuff /caus eno matter wha tyo ugott a get past her head anyhow... tha tis agains t solid food .. and sheis riutted well now i amsure in resitign tha tsortta thing... mash up bnanas and mix in blender with soem pineapple and coconut oil and water/ jstu enougth to make it a smooth ice crem pina colada sort a taste.. the idea is to giv eher relaly good tastign stuff .. tha tis soft in texture to start.. sorry so lentghty / sorry my bad typing.. hope any of tha thelps... check out soem good webs on the topic i am sure there are highly skille dfolks out there that active ly treat this horrible ailmetn
i knwo wh aaatit is liek to be diret porr belvie me.. but life is soem thign tha tmust be addressed... and again get a support group of her friends helpign evne they donate 5 $ each a wekk willhelp buy her food to help her regian wt/
i would doit for a friend i am sure most woudl if clearly understand the seriousnes s fo wha ti is happeneing.
Ami B>

Make sure she gets some electrolytes. Emergen_c lite is free of calories, but has potassium, magnesium a,dn b vitmins so she can keep her heart going.

Pedialyte helps too.

Her doctor sounds like a nutcase. She needs to be hospitalized. 5'7" and 79 pounds? Come on.

Is there a church nearby that might be willing to "adopt" her and help with food expenses. This poor woman sounds like she needs a lot of compassion, prayer, and emotional support as well as financial help. Bless you for being there for her. That's Christianity in action.

I don't know much about Anorexia, but did have a friend who suffered with it. Her hair even lost its color and started to fall out. Anyway, I remember ever after this lady knew she had to eat, she couldn't. Her stomach would no longer keep down normal sized portions.

My idea was similar to Wrenn's. Maybe a smoothie packed with calories would help her. A base of whole milk, even some cream if she can keep it down, bananas, berries, coconut oil (I would even go for the less expensive stuff, just to get it in her)maybe an egg for protein. She could sip this in small amounts and still get calories and nourishment.

Is there a social services office near you? This lady needs help. I wouldn't know where to start, but surely there is a Medicaid supported program that could help her.

I lived 12 years with an eating disorder and was hosptialized two times. I am probably going to tell you what you don't wan to hear. #1 she has to be in the hospital. They have to take you NO MATTER WHAT. Even if she cannot pay for the stay, her life is more important. #2. I fshe is not ready to begin eating, no one can make her. The urge to stop comes from within and the love around you. She has the latter and it has not helped. I quit only because I have a family know and they are more important than being so thin. Their are also places you can go in each state for psychiatric counseling on a slideing scale, so if she has no money it is free. I don't know where you live but these services are out there. I would also look into a college becaus ethey have services which are free or very minimal. I am sure if the situation was explained they may make an exception. I have a lot of insight and info if you need more. The battle she is facing is harder than almost any other self inflicted disease you can think of. I wish her the best and I am here if there is anything I can do.

i agree with ant 's post and the other person about needign medical carre.. but then again in her extrmemcondition she might veyr well die jstu form compromised immune system in a palce crawlign with Antibiotic resisstant viruses etc...
and an anorexic per son is ofte r balky bout losign control... fo r many the whoel issue of the desease /cond
is base don havign control ove r that area of her life.. and unfortuenly those aroudn her also.
she will not ge tbetter no matter what anyoen doe sunless she WANTS to live.
in the mena tiem / her husband needs to break i think the emotional/finacial tie a bit... by instea dof takign car e of her / taking care of the NEEDS.. my advice
get a good mature young woman in there that knwo ho wot cook and he needs go get a job. a young teenager i am sure woudl *babysit* and help prepare food for her and etc
for a samll pay i am sure.
thsi would enabel him to get a much needed break form the situation... he has a life to live also, and put them both in proper perspectiv eof..wha tis goign on.. and create a barrier betwenn them so tha the is not becoming her nursemaaaaid.. i knwo htis sounds awfully cruel.. but i think evye oen is well aware of co dependecy and enablign situations.
and certainly this woman needs mental help which he is completely unable to giv eher. bu ther can giv eher support emotionalyy / whiel yet takign care of the regualr life styel of workign gettign an incoem etc. he will feel much better i am sure if he woudl follow theis path..
put a post up at eh local churches and high scholl libraries etc/ask mother sin aarea who they might recommend as a good baby sitier. and make sure she can cook/
also i think sh ewoudl do better givign her small amout liek eveyr coupel hours to kkeep her energy lvl ... i fsh eis tat far down the road.. she won't be able to eat much / evn e solid wise at all /at oen sitting...you hav eto lok at it i think liek a sick baby... soft.good and smooth and jstu a tad as often as possible/
i agree wha tthe gal said about the electrolytes too/ she has got to keep a good electrolyte balance /
good luck .. my strong headed 2 cents worth
Ami B.

Hello,
I was like your friend and let me tell you it's HARD to come back from such a low weight. I am 5' 8" and weighed 83 pounds for about a year. It was painful to eat because I didn't have stomach enzymes to digest food and the stomach motility itself was slow (side effect in most anorexics). People just don't understand that it hurts to eat when the food just sits in your stomach and doesn't move.
Eating 3,500 a day will freak out any anorexic. Everyone is different but here is my experience and it may help.
I found that eating a small amount of frozen yogurt before meals helped relax my stomach. I litterally could feel the tension ease -- allowing me to eat slightly more. Go for high calorie food with little bulk. A few posts up someone mentioned bananas. Dense foods like that could fill me up for 24 hours so I avoided it. Try something that will move through the system easily. Drink pure juices (high calorie content).
Also, I went to a FREE program in New York sponsored by Columbia University. I couldn't afford treatment for the same reason as your friend. I flew there free (Delta flies people for free with proof of medical need). They put weight on me by using Ensure drinks. I didn't agree with the protocol (thought I should gain weight with food) but the end result was that I gained weight).
Additionally, EVERY pharmaceutical company GIVES medicine to people who can't afford it. The doctor just has to fill out a few forms saying it is medically necessary and the patient can't afford it. The donation program is called something different at each company but if you e-mail the drug company and ask what the donation program is called I'm sure they will give you the info.
Definitely use Pedialyte too.
I hope this helps.
M