Addicted to sugar

Kitt82 said:

Please help! Kind words and not so kind are welcomed!

I'm T2, and after a long time of my hba1c being 'slightly' raised,.. My most recent was 141. Yes, 141!!

I havnt changed what I eat but its all gone a bit squiffy.

However, I do have a major addiction to sugary things. I'm trying to crack down but it's honestly like an addiction.

I know, logically, that this ain't good. That I'm at risk of massive complications. But I just can't seem to get my head into it!? What's wrong with me!

I have multiple other illnesses, of which the list is ridiculous. I will share here if needed. Suffice to say the sweet things I eat don't make me feel sick, they're handy (I don't have to get up to make food).

Some sort of help, support, signposting for such would be appreciated.

I hope I've made some sort of sense!

Xx

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Hi, I know exactly how you feel. I used to be the same. Even saw a hypnotherapist many years ago but that didn’t help.

What did help was the covid lockdown. I started getting my groceries online and if I didn’t order the sweet stuff, I couldn’t have it. I’ve kept up with that, although I do let myself have a small treat now and then.

The hardest part is making sure no one else brings it into the house. I do eat fruit which has its own sweetness and bananas are my go to snack.

Good luck.

There's loads of help for sugar addiction. Just Google it. Lots is American but a good introduction in the UK is Jen Unwin and her website and book Fork in The Road
Basic is that food companies purposefully make their foods to hit our "bliss point" so they can make money out of us. By swapping to eat real food, that which hasn't been processed or made it is possible to break the addiction..

Key is never to say never, as in "I could never do that" "I could never give up bread". Just do it, and if you stumble, pick yourself up, learn and move forward.

You can do this, one step at a time, one day at a time

I know exactly how you feel. My addiction is chocolate, I cannot go without it for a day. I was eating the big share bags of buttons every night but I have cut down to a normal bag now. I’ve had advice like ‘don’t buy it’ but that doesn’t work because if I don’t buy it I’m thinking about it all the time and I will just go to the shop and buy it. I really don’t know if there is any professional help out there but I’ve not found any. Hope you find some help.

Kitt82 said:

I know, logically, that this ain't good. That I'm at risk of massive complications. But I just can't seem to get my head into it!? What's wrong with me!

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Addiction is real, no need to apologise.
Like you I needed a slap with a wet fish post diagnosis.

Followed some other T2 on Reddit who was bemoaning the fact he couldn't get a date as he was on dialysis.
Then he further whinged about being judged cause of ED.
Last I read he'd lost the sight in one eye & the prognosis wasn't good for the other.
He was 33 & never had done anything to control his T2.

That was the slap with the wet fish I needed.

Your situation sounds similar to other addictions such as involving drink or drugs. Cutting to the quick I would go for route 1 help via someone such as Dr Jen Unwin i.e. expert help. When I had my diagnosis I began to prepare for death within months, as I had many complications and felt physically awful. What helped me was not being able to fully see my daughters face less than 15 meters away, and I am stubborn. Walking was painful, but I powered through and refined my diet. It took me 9 months to into remission numbers, but I am still refining years on.

You can change your situation, you really can, but you have to find a driver that sticks such as self preservation / fear, family, relationship(s) - the reason has to be more powerful than the sugar.

I am also addicted to sweet things, namely chocolate! Sugar free drinks and sweeteners all day but at night I can't help myself

Chocoholics, start by working your way up the darkness (cocoa %) scale .
Throw away all milk chocolate (even your secret stashes)
Buy a bar of 70% (lindt is good, supermarkets may have their own cheaper versions).
Evening 1
Break off just one square and start to nibble it. At first you will grimace but let it melt slowly, tiny piece by tiny piece on your tongue.
The first night you may not even finish that one square and you'll say no way, but stick with it.
Repeat the same night 2 and night 3
Soon you'll find 1 Square is not enough and you'll want 2 squares
At this point go buy a bar of 80 or 85% and repeat the process
Next there's 90%, and even 100% from Montezumas, but don't go that far too soon.
Going up the scale slowly, a square at a time adjusts your taste buds, and if your low carbing at the same time, weight will be starting to fall off.
Take at least 2 weeks to do this, or up to 4 if if you can .

This woman's mad, your saying, but this woman was you back in 2020 and kind people in here helped me through. Now a square of 85% is my occasional treat. I did get to the 100% but prefer, and can moderate myself, at 85%. I don't need it every night, and even forget its in the cupboard. (Yes, this is me saying this, I could do a box of guylian seashells in a half hour!!! 《blush》)
Milk chocolate now tastes greasy and processed and nasty to me. I no longer crave it,
Go for it, you have your bodies to heal

This was me exactly 2 years ago
Post in thread 'What have you eaten today?' https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-you-eaten-today.75781/post-2301979

Edited to add the link

Kitt82 said:

Please help! Kind words and not so kind are welcomed!

I'm T2, and after a long time of my hba1c being 'slightly' raised,.. My most recent was 141. Yes, 141!!

I havnt changed what I eat but its all gone a bit squiffy.

However, I do have a major addiction to sugary things. I'm trying to crack down but it's honestly like an addiction.

I know, logically, that this ain't good. That I'm at risk of massive complications. But I just can't seem to get my head into it!? What's wrong with me!

I have multiple other illnesses, of which the list is ridiculous. I will share here if needed. Suffice to say the sweet things I eat don't make me feel sick, they're handy (I don't have to get up to make food).

Some sort of help, support, signposting for such would be appreciated.

I hope I've made some sort of sense!

Xx

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This is something I pull out often for posts such as your own. The delegates at the conference in the video are HCPs, lay people, but all concerned about health, and to a greater or lesser extent, healthy eating. I found it illuminating. You are not alone.


I notice you have already been signposted to Jen Unwin's book, but if you Google "Public Health Collaboration Food Addiction", so much comes up.

And here's something new I found today.
2 UK NHS doctors now well into food addiction recovery. (Both from Spain originally)
I was listening to a podcast that isn't available on line yet but they have a website
Do read the blogs too.
I'm sure we're going hear more of these

@kirstiek @Kitt82 @Sarah69
There is so much out there, and in here, to help you. Take it at your own pace. It will be a matter of looking at why you eat rather than what you eat, initially

Do you all have meters to monitor your bg? There's no better way of seeing what certain foods do to our own individual bodies. There's no one size fits all. When I saw what cupcake did to my bg it was so horrific I vowed there and then never to let one past my lips again and have stuck to it (chocolate still slips through )

@kirstiek just be aware that as a type1 you will need to separate out any info meant more for type 2s. Yes, overcoming food addiction and low carbing can have huge benefits but never ignore your insulin or your type 1

Dear ,

I can understand your agony.

There are a lot of sugary things with Stevia or sucralose. you can start experiment by cooking your own sweets with stevia and sucralose.
Even the smallest movement can help lower the blood sugar.

I found relief in sucralose and stevia.

Kitt82 said:

Please help! Kind words and not so kind are welcomed!

I'm T2, and after a long time of my hba1c being 'slightly' raised,.. My most recent was 141. Yes, 141!!

I havnt changed what I eat but its all gone a bit squiffy.

However, I do have a major addiction to sugary things. I'm trying to crack down but it's honestly like an addiction.

I know, logically, that this ain't good. That I'm at risk of massive complications. But I just can't seem to get my head into it!? What's wrong with me!

I have multiple other illnesses, of which the list is ridiculous. I will share here if needed. Suffice to say the sweet things I eat don't make me feel sick, they're handy (I don't have to get up to make food).

Some sort of help, support, signposting for such would be appreciated.

I hope I've made some sort of sense!

Xx

Click to expand...

You have my sympathy, I am the same. I have been addicted to sugary foods all my life ( 70 years ) I remember as a small child being desperate for sweets etc.
Unfortunately I too have many other complex illnesses and my mobility is very limited so like you having something nearby to reach for is far too easy.
I am struggling to get to grips with the fact that my T2 has now caused a leg ulcer which doesn't want to heal and my eye check resulted in a diagnosis of Diabetic Retinopathy this year.
I have to take it seriously and lose weight and ditch the bad stuff.
It's not at all easy and I wish you the very best in coping.

Kitt82 said:

Blimey. Hell.

Did/do you just keep thinking of that guy when/if you wavered in your diet/meds control?

I used to work in the NHS. I have seen sores, ulcers, gangrene & amputations. Yet for some reason, my brain won't allow the connection to me. I wonder if its left over from the 'I will live forever' mindset of youth, even though I'm practically 40 now. Denial? Probably. Depression? Potentially.

I will definately keep your lesson in mind however, and keep coming back to it when I need to.

Thanks for sharing xx

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Acceptance of the reality of diabetes for ourselves is very hard. Accepting our addictions is also hard. You are doing some very hard things here. I used to be addicted to carbs too. Controlling my carbs was as hard as stopping smoking. Please don't beat yourself up, I think you are doing really well facing these hard new situations. The addiction to carbs is real, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Best wishes.