Binging on Sugary foods

[islelassie]

My son in law, aged 36 , was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just over a year ago. He is a nurse so should understand the risks but he is buying large quantities of cakes and other sugary items and binging on them, and then taking higher doses of insulin to counteract it. We have all tried to dissuade him but he continues. His Insulin levels are already poorly controlled and he has been very depressed since his diagnosis. What will this behaviour do to his longer term health? He also has frequent hypos because he forgets to take his insulin.

 

[AMBrennan]

His Insulin levels are already poorly controlled

That statement makes no sense.

He also has frequent hypos because he forgets to take his insulin.

Neither does this statement (what is it - does he not take his insulin, or does he have hypos?).

Obviously, binging on sugary cakes and such is not exactly healthy, but as long as you take an appropriate amount of insulin then I would not expect any diabetes-specific problems (i.e. I would not expect him to experience any problem an otherwise healthy person binging on cakes might get)

My advice would be for him to see a GP about depression (overeating is on the PHQ9) who can help and/or refer to specialist as required.

 

[noblehead]

Does sound like he is in a state of denial about his diabetes, there is help out there and people he can talk to to help him come to terms with living with diabetes, first port of call should be his gp or diabetes clinic.

 

[Klang180]

My son in law, aged 36 , was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just over a year ago. He is a nurse so should understand the risks but he is buying large quantities of cakes and other sugary items and binging on them, and then taking higher doses of insulin to counteract it. We have all tried to dissuade him but he continues. His Insulin levels are already poorly controlled and he has been very depressed since his diagnosis. What will this behaviour do to his longer term health? He also has frequent hypos because he forgets to take his insulin.

I think without his will to do something you don't have a chance. When i was younger i wasn't as good as i should have been and no one could have told me to do differently. In fact even to this day if people tell me how to manage my diabetes it makes me very upset.

That said, i think it is a very serious situation. Diabetes is scary and it is almost impossible to lead a normal life BUT you can manage it to somewhere near an acceptable level. He needs to realise that it is going to be tough but ignoring it or managing it badly is very restrictive indeed.

I would recommend getting him something like "Think like a pancreas" or a similar book (i've been plugging this all day) as it gives you the reasons you should get in control, the ways to do it and the realism too. That said the only thing that really works as a true motivation is the thought of the horrific consequences of poor management. Is it fair? no, is it going ot help feeling sorry for yourself? no. You only hurt yourself and continue to by not taking it seriously.