Diabetes Type 1 Support Group

Well I can't say I’ve had the same problem (I looked like a stick figure after I was diagnosed I lost so much weight beforehand) but I can remember watching a program which interviewed a women who did just that, and she had a crazy amount of problems in later life which including being blind in one eye because of it, so I would really not recommend it. There must be easier ways to lose weight surely? Being high by not talking insulin will make you feel weak and tired a lot and really isn't pleasant at all, as well as all the complications later in life, so please don't do it, imo it's really not worth it.

I have to admit that "diabulimia" was something I had discovered before there was a name given to it. I had become "diabulimic" by accident, but when I found out that it was a quick fix to maintain the slender figure I had developed after experiencing my first diabetic symptoms, it was a hard habit to break. It wasn't that I was really overweight to begin with, but the temptation of being able to essentially eat whatever you want and as much as you wanted without gaining a pound was too difficult to pass up at the time.
This may sound too good to be true, and that's b'cas it is. Ignoring or skipping my insulin doses eventually took it's toll. I may have looked good, but I felt terrible. I had no energy, basically felt drained all the time, and always looked tired. I soon had frequent swelling in my feet too. As time went by, I started to get nauseated frequently. This later escalated to even more bouts of nausea, vomitting, and gut-wrenching pain. This would soon lead to my gastroparesis diagnosis. The gastroparesis has really affected my life, and has placed a lot of limitations on me. Not at all worth the relatively short-lived time I had to enjoy my waif-life body. That's all in the past now though. I take better care of myself now, and eventhough I don't have the same body I did before, I'm okay with that. I do what I should have done to begin with, which is watch my diet and work out frequently. It was a hard lesson to learn, but I hope that sharing my story with others will help to prevent anyone who may feel tempted to try the same thing.

You both make really good points. I used to be bulimic. And my parents found out and all this drama went down. So, I saw a therapist and gained a lot of weight. People tell me I look fine, but when I look at myself, all I see is fat. I'm thinking about going back to my therapist and talking to her about my feelings how and about skipping my insulin. It's bringing back all of those old feelings I got when I binged and purged. Do you think it's a good idea for me to go back to my therapist?

I think if seeing a therapist helps you to deal with your feelings and analyze your decisions on what's best going to help you, you should definitely do that.

I got really skinny right before I was diagnosed and thought the same thing because after I started taking shots, I started gaining weight. During my teen years I used to purge only if I felt I ate too much. So it wasn't like I did it all the time just maybe 2-3xs/week, I think. I always wondered if me doing that could of caused my diabetes in the first place?? Or maybe it was my punishment for being stupid. Now, I also have gastroparesis, which I've had for almost 2 years.

Thanks for sharing your story, Nina. I'm glad there are others who can relate to this also.

I've had bad body image since my diagnoses almost 6 years ago. I went through bulimia and then went to treatment. I am now battling a war with anorexia and I guess diabulimia too. My blood sugars are always in the 400, 500 range. I am always thirsty. It is plain awful, and the worst part is I am killing myself. So my advice, if you really need to lose weight DO IT THE RIGHT WAY! I am starting treatment for ED tuesday. I hate that I have to go through it again but I want to live.

It's so strange reading your posts....I have had some of the same symptoms of diabulimia and gastroparesis but never really had a name for it. DitzyBritzzy, in my experience, when I didn't take my insulin, my blood sugars would skyrocket, and I would feel horrible. Not to mention I felt like throwing up all the time, which contributed to dehydration (there's your weight loss, water weight) and finally contributed to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Thank you for all of your posts - I will definitely ask my doctor about the gastroparesis!

Hey i have just joined this support group today and read these posts as it is very close to my heart. i suffered from diabulimia from the age of 16 to 18. it started off as normal bulimia, but over time learnt how not injecting caused weight loss aswell. i was tired all the time, missed school to binge, legs and feet swelled, couldn't sleep, suffered from painful piles (nice i know)..etc. after seeing a therapist and working with the diabetes team, i finally started taking insulin again however my eating and constant diet and blood sugar control battles are still very much present today. i also suffer from depression because of this and cant see how my life will ever improve. i would kive to be able to eat 3 meals a day without having a constant urge to binge and send my sugars high. if anyone has overcome diabulimia and can think of tips they could give me i would be so grateful. in reply to this post i cannot stress enough how weight loss through diabulimia is the worst way. do it by exercise and healthy diet. it takes longer but the rewards are so much better. x

I was diagnosed 20 years ago, at age 10, and have been doing this on and off for about 15 years. I've always been thin, but I'm terrified of gaining weight. Still, I would NOT recommend this to anyone; it's a vicious cycle--I get motivated to keep my weight steady in a healthy way, through exercise, but I'm so exhausted, achy, and dehydrated all the time that I have no energy to do that. Also, I have developed horrible gastrointestinal problems from this. Please don't go there! It's the worst feeling ever, and takes a MAJOR mental toll! My main goal is to break out of this and get back on track, but it's a long, hard road.