My name is Jacqueline and I am new to Tudiabetes. I am currently trying to set up a charity that will act as a focal point for those who have diabetes and an eating disorder. I currently support practising and recovering 'diabullimics' via online groups and a (really basic) website that I set up a few years ago. I have been steadily working since then to get something more formal and on monday will be presenting what I have done so far to B-EAT, the UKs largest eating disorder charity.
So I guess I need just some ideas on how I should approach this. I need some fundraising ideas or someone who knows about charities or just any help from anyone really. One of the main things that I would like to campaign for is the recognition of deliberate insulin ommission as a diagnosable eating disorder.
Any ideas help
I guess this is an open disccussion on what you all think about the issue and the lack of resopurces?
I think it would be interesting to know how many people do it. I know i do it all the time. Maybe there should be certain levels to consider. Level one could be somebody who does once in a blue moon, usually on bad sugar day whether high or low. Level two could be somebody trying to set themselves for the longrun but keep on running into problems. Level 3 could be either a) difficulty figuring out sugars on there own (aka tired mixed results) b)somebody who just stops all of a sudden for whatever reason c) person trying to lose weight through omitting insulin
I don’t think people understand how emotionally draining it can be trying to figure all this stuff out, especially when we take whatever our doctor says as the word of god. Sometimes the easy “uh duh” stuff doesn’t come out right away.
I red once that 30-40% of diabetics have it,specially female.
I like the levels by the way,defining.
one of my friends once told me that it’s cool to have diabetes so you can lose weight whenever you can,she’s obese so I can see where that’s coming from,but that’s not the point! ,that’s just plain wrong!,you could get yourself in a serious problem doing that!,and int he long run it might be a factor helping complications to manifest.
Yeah part of what I’m trying to do is get a diagnostic criteria for Deliberate Insulin Manipulation similar to that for any other eating disorder i.e. anorexia in the DSM looks like this
The DSM-IV criteria for Anorexia Nervosa is as follows:
A. A refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height (e.g. weight loss leading to a maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected, or failure to make expected weight gain during period of growth, leading to body weight less than 85% of that expected).
B. Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight.
C. Disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.
Specify type:
Restricting Type: During the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has not regularly engaged in binge-eating or purging behaviour (i.e. self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas)
Binge-Eating/Purging Type: During the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in binge-eating or purging behaviour (i.e. self induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas).
So something like this for deliberate insulin manipulation would be great as I don’t believe we can treat it yntil it is diagnosable
All eating disorders have underlying psychological roots, my issue is that there are psychological interventaions for other eating disorders but not this. I absolutely think that by the time deliberate manipulation has gone to the extreme it is exactly the same mechanism that drives anorexia and bulima. Having had all three at sometime or other, the big problem is that diabullimia will kill you a hell of a lot quicker
relationship between food and insulin seems more challenging task to complete, especially when it feels like one controls the other. I’m curious how they go about fixing blumia/aneroixa and how it may help diabetics. I feel stuck, i love food and i hate depriving myself of goodies, but if i try to fit those goodies in with insulin then you gain weight. Another question is how does the person eat… everybody has there on way low carb high carb, nobody is the same.
One of my biggest issues with the DSM for anorexia and bulimia is the focus on weight. One thing to consider with respect to diabulimia is that not everyone ends up under weight.
As someone who has always struggled with her weight, I was diabulimic for years, but I never dropped to what would be considered under weight. Maybe I would have eventually, but I stopped before it got to that point.
That doesn’t mean I wasn’t diabulimic, though. And that didn’t stop me from damaging my body by withholding insulin. The physical dangers (DKA and other diabetic complications) of diabulimia are different from other eating disorders. To diagnosis based on weight would cause some who desperately need treatment to be considered ineligible.
Hi there, from my experience there are many factors contributing to eating disorders however I read a recent study that showed that compared to the general population diabetics had a higher incidence of the classical eating disorders (ie ana/ mia) I think that this is for the following reasons
A diabetic by obligation must be preoccupied with food - they must always think about it and be mindful of what they are eating, and if they are not then they are chastised by carers and medical profesionals. This can lead to an obsessional fixation on food.
Although it is changing now diabetics more than most are forced to categorise food as being good or bad. Food can become a battle field, can be a thing of rebellion, guilt or shame.
More and More ‘Diabetes’ has become a buzz word for Obesity. Many young diabetics are determined to show that obesity did not cause their illness. This can lead to insulin ommission and/or undereating.
Eating the foods recommended by the health pros does not work for all type 1s I know a lot of young t1s who were on a high carb diet and have become overweight as a result.
I absolutely Agree with this - The only difference between an anorexic (purging subtype) and a bullimic is 2.5 points on the BMI scale. It makes me soooo angry
However there is another option - You can have atypical ana or mia or an EDNOS
As a diabetic that deliberately ommits insulin there is nothing
it definitely is a contributor to complications. Of the girls in my facebook group I don’t think that there is anyone over 30 and the list of combined conditions between us is terrifying ie
Neuropathy, Tooth loss. Amenorhea, retinopathy, medical abortions, kidney failure, odema, gastropariasis … I could go on and on
Not to mention that a 28 year old diabulimic died of her illness last week
Agree that, by definition, we’re preoccupied with food. I’ve joked that if a diabetic doesn’t have an eating disorder before diagnosis, we’re bound to end up with some type of eating issue. Counting, weighing, dosing, factoring in dozens of variables is far from normal behavior, not that we have a choice.
Very true that diabetes has become synonymous with being overweight. We can thank the media for that.
Feeling your life is one of deprivation is a formula for failure. That’s the first thing I worked hard to get out of my head. Attitude adjustment isn’t an easy route & it’s certainly more complex than that.
A high carb diet is a prescription for weight gain & also feeling hungry constantly that becomes a vicious cyle of more weight gain, more guilt & more rebellion.
I believe I saw your post in another thread about Diabuliama (correct me if I am wrong). I am currently recovering from my Diabuliama (which has either been completely on or completely off for the past 5 years, I was completely recovered for a year until my older sister passed away and I fell off the wagon for about 4 months).
Anyways, I have been very diligent with my insulin and blood sugars for over two months now and I eat relatively healthy and stay around 1400 calories or less a day and I exercise regularly, however I have gained a lot of weight. I know this is normal, but I was wondering if you have any insight to when this will stop? Or how to counteract it? As I cannot fit into most of my clothes anymore and I am very uncomfortable all the time because of how sudden the weight came on.
Please give me any insight you can, it is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
