I need help....

[lauren_gee_x]

Hi guys been diabetic for 16 years. On two injections a day tried 4 injections didn't suit me didn't get much help from diabetic team with it.

The thing is I have the biggest appetite ever. For example today I've had cereal and toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, another sandwich before work, crisps on my break t work, 2 huge chicken breasts with potato wedges for tea, then a hug bowl of cereal just now.
I constantly feel hungry even after eating, I've tried everything's can possibly think of
Does anyone think that I'm eating too much if so any ideas as to how I can fill myself up with starving myself

Thanks in advance

[Fraddycat]

Hi Lauren, I am T2 not T1 so I don't really know if this will work for you, but I am just sharing with you what I have learned in the last few months.

Bread is not my friend, I certainly can't eat one sandwich, let alone 3, and I couldn't eat wedges without shooting my BGs through the ROOF. Could you try to replace some of these carbs with some different foods?

If you are raising your BGs quickly they will probably also be falling quickly which will make you feel hungry, really what you should be aiming for is slower BG rises and slower falls, then you will not feel so hungry. Since I have been eating low carb high fat I have not had anything like the appetite I had before.

How about having bacon and eggs for breakfast? I find that really keeps me full till lunch, its very low carb and filling. Then lunch could be a chicken salad. The chicken breasts for dinner are fine but have them with a large portion of broccolli or cauliflower instead of wedges. A late snack could be a handful of almonds or walnuts.

[Snodger]

Hi there

Here are some things I thought which might be worth considering:
- your description reminded me sooo much of me when I was first diagnosed. I was ravenous. In my case it was because I wasn't on enough insulin and my blood sugars were really high. My blood was full of 'energy' in the form of sugar, but my actual body couldn't use it because of the lack of insulin. Could that be a reason? Are you running quite high, and losing weight even when you are eating lots?

- or it could be the other end of the scale completely, you could maybe be on too much insulin, and bordering on low blood sugar all the time which is making you hungry. In this case you're probably putting on weight not losing it.

Are you carb counting and altering your insulin dose, or are you on a set dose that doesn't change?

[Klang180]

get a good book on T1 management and then start adopting a better diet.

In your description of what you are eating i saw very little in the way of healthy food. For my money i think if you ate complex low GI carbs and lots more fruit and veggies you woudln't feel hungry all the time.

Trust me i can be the biggest gluton out there but at lunch a bowl of different fruits is all i need.

Also i would say you need ot drink a lot of water. I find that quite often thirst is masked as hunger and a good pint of water does wonders to supress any hunger pangs.

[Klang180]

Hi there

Here are some things I thought which might be worth considering:
- your description reminded me sooo much of me when I was first diagnosed. I was ravenous. In my case it was because I wasn't on enough insulin and my blood sugars were really high. My blood was full of 'energy' in the form of sugar, but my actual body couldn't use it because of the lack of insulin. Could that be a reason? Are you running quite high, and losing weight even when you are eating lots?

- or it could be the other end of the scale completely, you could maybe be on too much insulin, and bordering on low blood sugar all the time which is making you hungry. In this case you're probably putting on weight not losing it.

Are you carb counting and altering your insulin dose, or are you on a set dose that doesn't change?

Excellent observation, when i am high BS i always want to eat more and more. When i am normal it doesn't have the same appeal. Of course when i am low i then get hungry for sweet things but you mention that too.

I would put my money on your regime not working for you. There is no way you can eat that sort of diet on 2 injections a day and be covering it all sucessfully. I haven't heard of anyone on non MDI or pump for several years now!

[lucylocket61]

I am not a T1, however, it might be worth finding out why you are constantly ravenous.

also, have you started losing weight or gaining weight? Maybe you need to ask your Diabetes clinic to review your treatment?

[phoenix]

would agree with the earlier comments, if I am high I will be hungry, if I am exceptionally low I will be hungry.
If I'm well controlled using the right amount of insulin then I'm fine (indeed I wrote on a thread the other day that I sometimes miss the feeling of being hungry)
I wonder if you are 'feeding' the insulin to avoid hypos.
TBH my best suggestion is to give 4 injections a day another chance but have a look at how to use this method sucessfully first,
There are a couple of books
Think Like a Pancreas G Scheiner
Uslng Insulin J Walsh
and an online course http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/
Perhaps having a look at those would help you to decide whether to give MDI another go.