Binge eating

I think diabetes makes eating disorders harder because you always have to think about food, and you can't just eat what you want when you want.

Did you get any help with the depression? Have you mentioned the binge eating to your GP or DSN? Diabetes and eating disorders are more common than you might think. Is it certain things that set you off, or certain foods you can't resist? If it's the latter, not buying them is easiest. There are certain things I won't have in the house because I know I have no willpower where they're concerned.

Hi,

Don't be frustrated.. First things first. Do you keep records of what's eaten & BS..? Maybe particular thoughts/emotions that are the catalyst..? This may help professional help..?

I don't know if it would help, but there's a website here:

http://www.dwed.org.uk/dweds/dwed-signs-and-symptoms

Don't be ashamed or embarrassed about telling a professional. I bet both your diabetes team and GP will have heard similar stories before.

If your blood sugars are well controlled that might help with any cravings too.

Only you can identify any triggers, but perhaps things like planning the week's menu out so you can look at it and know what you're making without having to think might help? Also - again just a suggestion - would ordering your food online help at all? Supermarkets tend to put tempting things on offer right in your face as you're walking round, I've found.

Be kind to yourself. Diabetes isn't easy and it can get you down in many ways, big and small.

samantha13 said:

I'm a serial binge eater. Have been for 6 years since I was diagnosed with type 1. Was also diagnosed with depression that year too.

Has anyone else experienced this and any advice as to how to overcome? I'm at my wits end. Frustrated with myself and just can't get it together.

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I think that posting this issue was an important first step. I know what this problem is like and have also struggled with it myself in the past. It can be quite difficult to follow a diet that's good for you, especially if everyone else is eating stuff that will be bad for you. It can be a vicious chicken-egg cycle too: you eat the wrong stuff, you feel depressed and guilty about it, you then comfort-eat. Sharing the experience on the Dafne course will help, you'll probably find you're not alone with it! Another contributing factor for type 1 is that if you go hypo sometimes, you panic-eat the nearest stuff to hand. I try to deal with this by training myself to use glucose tablets as 'medicine' for the hypo. Since I don't enjoy eating them, I tend not to overdose on them. Personally, I found that doing the Low Carb High Fat diet was a godsend and got rid of cravings completely. If you are interested in this, the following website will help with starting this diet, and also talks about the problem of binge-eating: www.dietdoctor.com.

Hi @samantha13
i currently take part in some group counselling that includes diabetics that binge eat.
keeping a journal is definitely a good starting point and talking to your GP as well as your DSN and the dietician ( dietician especially )are all good starting points.
it is very brave of you to post so a big hug from me too [[[[[hug]]]]]

Deleted by Moderator as not helpful to OP.

I'm a terrible binger too - also linked to my depression - you are definitely not alone in this x

I think the key to it will be controlling the depression as in our 'sane' mind we should have much more control over what we eat. I think you should speak to your GP and DSN about getting some help - now you've admitted you have a problem to us lot it should hopefully be easier for you, they will have seen similar before and will understand. It's worth checking with work as well possibly - my company has an 'Employee Assistance' program which I can have some counselling through, and I only had to wait a week for my first appointment!

In the meantime, if I feel the need to binge I try to counter it with insulin as I would for a normal meal, don't punish yourself for the binge but react to it as much as you can. The DAFNE course will help you do this but it can still be hit and miss as it's difficult to judge how much to take for a ton of high sugar/fat content food (I assume you're not bingeing on healthy stuff ).

Take care and believe you can get through this x

I used to be a serial (and cereal) binge eater. I've found that removing carbs from my diet and then giving myself permission to binge (if I want) on foods that contain no carbs at all got my cravings under control. I always keep some cold cooked chicken in the fridge to snack on.

Brilliant news, keep us up to date with progress x

I do it sometimes after work. I do an odd thing where I buy a big bag of marshmallows or jelly babies, eat half then throw the other half in the bin? Seriously odd I've thought but it's obviously guilt accrued after a long time, and temptation/frustration/shame so thank you all for bring so brave and honest. Xx

samantha13 said:

I'm a serial binge eater. Have been for 6 years since I was diagnosed with type 1. Was also diagnosed with depression that year too.

Has anyone else experienced this and any advice as to how to overcome? I'm at my wits end. Frustrated with myself and just can't get it together.

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I have always been a huge eater - as a swimmer, water polo player and later as a strength athlete, 8-10 thousand calories a day was normal. If I was on a weight loss diet, I would gradually drop to around 5,000 calories a day. That was then. Now I am diabetic. here are some tips:
Routine - stick to it.
I have something that I eat/drink every evening that signals that it is time to stop for the day. After that, no more food.
Take up a hobby - something to occupy your hands
or try a hobby that occupies your mind.
Try looking at the strategies that ex smokers use to stop their cravings.

And one last one, don't be shy to walk out of the room if people are eating. I do, although I tend to retreat to the kitchen. I get followed by our pug and she does the big puppy eyes thing until I open the fridge and give her a treat - so a bit daft really.

Good luck.

I have had problems craving specific foods and think these are the same foods I have sensitivities to. The only way I stop craving them is to avoid them completely and the cravings go after a couple of weeks abstinence. But as soon as I start eating them again, its as bad as it ever was. So now avoid cheese, sugary foods eg biscuits cakes and chocolate, yeasty breads, and the only way I can do it is not to have them in the house. I seem to crave sweet foods when my sugar is high. And of course I give in sometimes and buy them in. I don't know if this will help or not but maybe just another idea.

Hi, Im a binge eater too. For me its Chinese food and Pizza. I started to keep a food diary to see if there was any links to why I binge eat. There were 2 things I noticed 1, starvation is not good. When my depression kicks in and I do not want to cook, I will binge or starve 2) typically I binge on wheat related foods and I crave more and more when I eat them. One of the things I found to combat my depression was getting my doctor to check my bloods and found I was vitamin D deficient. Once I was put on Vit D medication, I was no longer as depressed as I had been. You need to get this check by a Dr because too much vit D is harmful as it uses up calcium and you get calcium deficiency and problems relating to the calcium being in your blood.(I was at 10 and should have been between 65 and 85). Celebrate you small successes with a pat on the back when you do not binge. Today I hadnt planned what I was going to eat. It is really really tempting to just order my Nemesis but my resolve held today for the first time in a long long time. Secret to not binging number 3, Plan your meals, if you have planned you will not starve nor will you be tempted to grab anything Make sure you fill up on low carb vegs yes I know you either love them or hate them. Mix them up together dont just have one type. If you dont like cabbage mix in some mint and peas or leeks or onions. Its surprising how the taste changes. You can always add some spices too. I have stopped going to the shop and order online. Out of sight out of mind.
Above all dont let the binges win and become more depressed when you do it, Just say Ill do better next time and try to say no today when the binges attack. Good luck

samantha13 said:

@Kyi that's fab advice thanks so much!

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You are very welcome.

Is there anything low carb that you really like? For me a hard boiled egg with mayo, a chunk of cheese and a pickled onion or a ham and cream cheese roll - something like that, so when you've got 'the munchies' you've got something to go to which is immediately satisfying. If I absolutely crave something sweet, sometimes one piece of 85% chocolate will do the trick, or I buy a tube of wine gums, take the black ones out (my favourites) and throw the rest in the bin at the shop! The 2 or 3 black ones don't do significant harm! I might only do that once a year! Once you eliminate peaks and troughs in your blood sugars, the chemical driver of hunger is much improved.

I agree on the vitamin D, but thankfully I spend winters in Spain, I make sure I spend at least an hour in the sunshine on every sunny day, all year round.

Anyway, well done on identifying your problem and taking positive steps to resolve it.