diagnosis of eating disorder because I'm type 1 and follow low carb diet?

[donnellysdogs]

https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/health/keith-vaz-pioppi-diet-mps-challenge-summer/

 

[michita]

@donnellysdogs

Thank u ! It made me smile to think about the little Italian village with people with average life expectancy of 97 and I will keep my hopes about doctors. Thank you for all your comments.

 

[DCUKMod]

@michita - There are UK doctors who believe in a Low Carb way of eating. Some are even T1 and walking the walk themselves.

These two YouTube videos are now just over a year old, but I knew where to find them. There are probably more out there.

 

[DCUKMod]

https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/health/keith-vaz-pioppi-diet-mps-challenge-summer/

Keith Vaz is an interesting character (ignoring the most recent reported scandals in his personal life). he is certainly concerned about diabetes: http://www.silverstaruk.org/about-us/

Last month Silver Star attended an event local to me, and I trundled up to have a look at what they do. Clearly they aren't diagnosing, and the screening was being carried out by a lay person, but appeared to be a clear communications route, depending on the outcome of the screening. Print outs were of results were given to the individual, along with a leaflet explaining each category. and an experienced volunteer GP was in attendance should there be immediate concerns for anyone attending.

That the results of my tests, from the very sophisticated Tanita body composition monitor (costing about £3000 when I looked it up) included an assessment that my metabolic age is 15 years younger than I am didn't influence how I felt about it all. It did however suggest that I should consider gaining a little weight to achieve their considered ideal BMI of 22.

 

[michita]

@DCUKMod

Thank you. I only have access to Internet from my mobile and the data seem too big but I will watch them from work PC next week. Are they GPs or consultants and do you think there is a way I can switch my doctors to them ....?

 

[DCUKMod]

@DCUKMod

Thank you. I only have access to Internet from my mobile and the data seem too big but I will watch them from work PC next week. Are they GPs or consultants and do you think there is a way I can switch my doctors to them ....?

One is a GP, and the other a psychiatrist.

In my view, the GP will only be able to accept patients in their locale, in order to be able to deliver their services appropriately, so it would depend on where you live, in relation to him.

The psychiatrist is unlikely to become involved in any notion of day to day diabetes care, unless as part of a multi-disciplinary team, looking after patients with both diabetes and psychiatric issues.

As I say, these are my views. There appear to be more and more doctors who are comfortable with a reduced carb lifestyle, even in primary car, but finding them may be a challenge.

 

[MikeTurin]

https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/health/keith-vaz-pioppi-diet-mps-challenge-summer/

It is also interesting to read the confutation https://health.spectator.co.uk/the-...-lifestyle-guide-based-on-distorted-evidence/

Because I think it misses the big differences that exist on the mediterranean and Italian diet and the Britishand USA diet.
Starting from the carboyhyddrate aircraft carrier italian pizza is different from the pizza you find from domino. Same thing with pasta that is cooked differently and I suppose that changes the resistant starch, not to mention the sauces used.

This is changed due the industrial premixed doughs but the bread I buy in a bakery and made the old way and the one bought in a mall are quite different in taste.

 

[michita]

I had this prior to diagnosis. My consultant explained that it was the start of a failing pancreas and that my pancreas was producing insulin too late and then in too great a quantity.

@azure yes you responded to my other post previously . I think you are probably right it was undiagnosed type 1 causing RH like symptoms but because it went on for so long (had it for at least 7yrs), I wonder if one can have type 1 undisclosed for so long with such symptoms. I think I will ask my consultant for his opinion next time just to make sure that its not some other underlying problem which caused type1

 

[Odin004]

Hi @Odin004

Thank you for the response.

Your comments on psychological condition is an interesting one

I share your view and feel low carb diet is a perfectly sensible and logical choice for diabetics even for type 1s but I will read again what you wrote and will give my thoughts.

Reading your unexplainable hypo experience makes me scared ... I think it's logical and natural to want to reduce carbs and insulin to reduce the risk of hypo ... or is this considered possibly as a illogical irrational thinking .....

Re insulin resistance, I've read about it before and I might have it. I understand it is a physiological condition and not harmful. In my case I feel the insulin resistance is helping to even out BS level in case of small overdosing. I also don't have any delayed BS rise from protein which others mention.

I think low carb diet is working well for me maybe because I am late onset 1.5 type, and someday it might change but I hope it'll last because it is very easy to manage now

Thank you again for the very informative and encouraging comments.

My pleasure @michita

Yes, the hypo was scary - sometimes, an experience like that can lead to all sorts of diabetes related anxiety, for example, people can become very fearful of taking insulin; this in turn can lead to a more general health anxiety, and possibly depression (not to mention all the other issues associated with badly controlled sugars). However, sometimes an experience like that can also really put things into perspective, and give us a new insight into the things we take for granted, and the way we decide to live our lives. Sometimes, both happen together.

In choosing any diet plan, one has to be well informed of a number of factors - for diabetics, it seems completely obvious to me that those factors must include a consideration of the amount of insulin in your system, and ways to positively manage the risk of hypos.

A low carb diet therefore clearly has merit, and should actually be fully encouraged - as long as the choice is driven by informed logic, rather than fear - but it's hard, and often impossible, to really tell the difference , as it's human nature to rationalise the things we do to try to keep ourselves safe. For that reason, I would just encourage you to really reflect on why you're choosing a low carb diet - is there any element of fear or panic about having more carbs? Or is it truly an informed life-style choice? The most important thing of course, is that your diabetes is well managed, you're eating enough, and getting all the nutrients you need.x

 

[michita]

Hi @Odin004

Thank u for the comments

I feel my choice of low carb diet is based on both fear and informed logic. To me they are not one or the other. I think it's fine to make a choice based on one's fear as long as the fear is a rational one.

It's ok to be fearful and it's natural and healthy to try to avoid what causes you the fear?

I'm fearful of hypos. I have the right to live my daily life without having to worry about hypos if possible. I'm fearful that if I didn't keep tight BS control there is a good chance I might suffer from complications in 10, 20 years time. I don't think I could cope with living with complications. Low carb diet allows me to keep non-diabetic BS level so I can live without fear of future complications and I virtually have no hypos. It makes me angry when doctors accuse me (or I feel accused) of having too low BS. They are not the ones who will suffer if and when I develop complications in future after following their recommendations.

So I choose to follow low carb diet because it allows me to keep non-diabetic BS and it almost removes the diabetes related fears. I feel quite certain that my fear of hypos and complications are very rational and real fears, not something I made up in my mind.

Do you think I'm a bit extreme and I might be suffering from a mental disorder thinking this way ??

 

[donnellysdogs]

Personally I think your thoughts are rational and how all diabetics should be!!

Medics do not live our lives.. they see us for what??? An hour or max two a year???

 

[Odin004]

Hi @Odin004

Thank u for the comments

I feel my choice of low carb diet is based on both fear and informed logic. To me they are not one or the other. I think it's fine to make a choice based on one's fear as long as the fear is a rational one.

It's ok to be fearful and it's natural and healthy to try to avoid what causes you the fear?

I'm fearful of hypos. I have the right to live my daily life without having to worry about hypos if possible. I'm fearful that if I didn't keep tight BS control there is a good chance I might suffer from complications in 10, 20 years time. I don't think I could cope with living with complications. Low carb diet allows me to keep non-diabetic BS level so I can live without fear of future complications and I virtually have no hypos. It makes me angry when doctors accuse me (or I feel accused) of having too low BS. They are not the ones who will suffer if and when I develop complications in future after following their recommendations.

So I choose to follow low carb diet because it allows me to keep non-diabetic BS and it almost removes the diabetes related fears. I feel quite certain that my fear of hypos and complications are very rational and real fears, not something I made up in my mind.

Do you think I'm a bit extreme and I might be suffering from a mental disorder thinking this way ??

I agree with all your comments @michita - and it's quite rational to take actions designed to reduce fear and anxiety. I suppose the first question is whether the fear/anxiety itself is rational - and it certainly is rational to be concerned about hypos or long term complications; worrying about these things doesn't mean you have a mental disorder. I suggest the second question is whether the fear or anxiety is greater in magnitude than it should be in the circumstances, to the extent that it's become a problem in itself - and that can be a really difficult and confusing dividing line.

I can't say whether you have a psychological condition - only a properly trained psychiatrist can diagnose someone with that; but for what it's worth, I can say, with 100% certainty, that only an ignorant and ill-informed medic would claim you have such a disorder, on the sole basis that you've chosen to follow a low carb diet. Pay no attention to this kind of person - I'm sorry you've had to experience this.

I'm glad you have a new consultant - your medical team needs to inspire trust and confidence in you - not victimise you with self-doubt and despair.

Put everything that's happened so far, behind you - today, your slate is wiped clean, and you now start afresh. As you go forward, just be honest with yourself, and be honest and very frank with your new consultant about how you're feeling, and what you're thinking - and be completely open also about your low carb approach; let him/her do their job - and do let us know how things go. x

 

[azure]

@azure yes you responded to my other post previously . I think you are probably right it was undiagnosed type 1 causing RH like symptoms but because it went on for so long (had it for at least 7yrs), I wonder if one can have type 1 undisclosed for so long with such symptoms. I think I will ask my consultant for his opinion next time just to make sure that its not some other underlying problem which caused type1

That's very sensible asking I had the hypo symptoms for some years (I put "some" there because I dont remember the exact number) When I was diagnosed with Type 1, I couldn't believe it as I'd had these lows so thought that I was less likely to get diabetes. That's when I asked my consultant and got my answer. Interestingly, I had had occasional low spells many years before diagnosis as when I thought about it, i remembered wking up and feeling low as a young child. That got me worried I might have some pancreas issue instead of Type 1 (eg something producing insulin on top of normal production. I spoke to my consultant a number of times about this, and was reassured. She showed me a graph of a normal and various abnormal insulin responses.

As for whether fearing diabetic complications is an irrational fear, then no it isn't. It would only become irrational, in my opinion, if that fear interfered with your daily life, either by occupying your mind most of the time or by causing you to base your life around that solely and to neglect 'normal living'.

I think your hospital experience sounds frightening. Even if you don't want to complain for whatever reasons, you could perhaps ask for more information. Have you seen your patient records? Could your GP shed light on the misinformed thinking that led to your treatment?

 

[asortafairytale]

@michita by insulin manipulation I mostly meant omission in a sense that someone be restricting their insulin or manipulating their prescribed or set doses to lose weight. My comment about weight not being an INDICATOR (rather than not an issue) of an eating disorder was mostly in response to the comments in here that were asking you what your weight was as if that was a means of diagnosis as so many people with eating disorders are not underweight or emaciated at all. Further to that insulin omission is the most dangerous behaviour found in someone that has type 1 diabetes and any kind of eating disorder. I hope that makes sense.

With low carbing and whether or not this may be disordered I believe the intention behind it is the key.

 

[michita]

Hi @Odin004

You explain complicated matters with clarity and help me to sort out my confusion. I wish you were my consultant...

I would love to meet inspiring doctors. I find it too risky to be completely open, but I might casually ask them what their views are on low carb diet and see their reaction. I will certainly let you know if they respond positively

Thank u !

@azure

Thank you! Knowing that you had a similar experience is very reassuring. For a long time I thought I had a low blood sugar condition and I was constantly topping myself up with sugary drinks and snacks to fix hypos ... then be told I have diabetes was a shock.

@asortafairytale

Thank you for the clarification! I'm quite new to diabetes, insulin and eating disorder issue.

 

[Odin004]

Hi @Odin004

You explain complicated matters with clarity and help me to sort out my confusion. I wish you were my consultant...

I would love to meet inspiring doctors. I find it too risky to be completely open, but I might casually ask them what their views are on low carb diet and see their reaction. I will certainly let you know if they respond positively

Thank u !

@azure

Thank you! Knowing that you had a similar experience is very reassuring. For a long time I thought I had a low blood sugar condition and I was constantly topping myself up with sugary drinks and snacks to fix hypos ... then be told I have diabetes was a shock.

@asortafairytale

Thank you for the clarification! I'm quite new to diabetes, insulin and eating disorder issue.

That's my pleaure @michita! But please do be open with your doctors - there's nothing to be gained from hiding anything - and even if it turns out they're not in favour of a low carb diet, it's not the end of the world! Look forward to hearing how things go.

 

[michita]

Hi @Odin004

I will try my best with your suggestion! I do think doctors deserve patients to be open and honest, and I also want them to know low carb diet can benefit.

Can I just ask how your consultant reacted when he/she found out you are low carbing?

It's possible I might have a little bit irrational fear/anxiety in terms of doctors reaction to low carb diet which applies to your question 2.

The doctors I've met at previous place I feel seem to think low carb diet causes more hypos (not true at all) and they seem to not know the difference between ketones from low carbing and ketoacidosis - In my experience this can cause a stressful situation... I recently saw my GP nurse who said I tested positive for ketones in urine. and I'm very nervous acting like I'm a criminal.... She wanted to check my BS level which was normal and she looked puzzled but didn't say anything more and I didn't say anything.....

I'm dependent on NHS at least for insulin prescription and driving license renewal. At this stage, whatever I say or I do, I don't think they will cancel my insulin prescription but I'm a little unsure about driving license. I have been threatened.... They are the ones with authorities and what they think can count a lot

 

[DCUKMod]

Hi @Odin004

I will try my best with your suggestion! I do think doctors deserve patients to be open and honest, and I also want them to know low carb diet can benefit.

Can I just ask how your consultant reacted when he/she found out you are low carbing?

It's possible I might have a little bit irrational fear/anxiety in terms of doctors reaction to low carb diet which applies to your question 2.

The doctors I've met at previous place I feel seem to think low carb diet causes more hypos (not true at all) and they seem to not know the difference between ketones from low carbing and ketoacidosis - In my experience this can cause a stressful situation... I recently saw my GP nurse who said I tested positive for ketones in urine. and I'm very nervous acting like I'm a criminal.... She wanted to check my BS level which was normal and she looked puzzled but didn't say anything more and I didn't say anything.....

I'm dependent on NHS at least for insulin prescription and driving license renewal. At this stage, whatever I say or I do, I don't think they will cancel my insulin prescription but I'm a little unsure about driving license. I have been threatened.... They are the ones with authorities and what they think can count a lot

Michita - My view on the dietary disclosure thing is if we all go around hiding how we do things, we aren't being helpful to anyone.

If I am going to be discussing I think will be tricky (for me it has been lipids, rather than blood glucose or medication issues), I usually ensure I take links to my research with me, so that I can refer to them during the conversation, and leave them, with the Doc. I think that helped my Doc to understand I was doing my own research, and making informed decisions.

Doing that has really helped me build a really positive, and mutually respectful relationship with my Doctor. I'm happy to say her views on lipids and their breakdown has completely changed and our relationship is now more collaboratively based.

It would be so good if you could find the same, but clearly you have to do what you feel suits you best.

Just to reiterate; I'm not T1 and have never used insulin.

 

[azure]

@michita Ive never had my consultant ask me what I eat or how many carbs I have (apart from very soon after diagnosis when I was on fixed doses). She tends to look at my results - blood tests, eyes, weight, etc etc, and that's what we talk about.

From what you've said - about you wanting insulin but not being given it- I can see why you had to discuss diet then, but if your results are OK and your weights ok, then you might find its not even mentioned.

However, if the consultant does bring up your hospital admission, I'd take the opportunity to push for answers as to what was behind that.

 

[Odin004]

Hi @Odin004

I will try my best with your suggestion! I do think doctors deserve patients to be open and honest, and I also want them to know low carb diet can benefit.

Can I just ask how your consultant reacted when he/she found out you are low carbing?

It's possible I might have a little bit irrational fear/anxiety in terms of doctors reaction to low carb diet which applies to your question 2.

The doctors I've met at previous place I feel seem to think low carb diet causes more hypos (not true at all) and they seem to not know the difference between ketones from low carbing and ketoacidosis - In my experience this can cause a stressful situation... I recently saw my GP nurse who said I tested positive for ketones in urine. and I'm very nervous acting like I'm a criminal.... She wanted to check my BS level which was normal and she looked puzzled but didn't say anything more and I didn't say anything.....

I'm dependent on NHS at least for insulin prescription and driving license renewal. At this stage, whatever I say or I do, I don't think they will cancel my insulin prescription but I'm a little unsure about driving license. I have been threatened.... They are the ones with authorities and what they think can count a lot

Hi @michita

I decided to go low carb after a bad hypo - at the time, my consultant was very supportive of anything I did that helped me get over this - although she was (righty) concerned that I was doing it more out of anxiety at the time. Now, over a year later, I've also had much opportunity to reflect on things, and a low carb diet really does make more sense for an insulin dependent diabetic, for a number of reasons. I think my consultant does understand this - I do get the feeling that she thinks a little extra carb would be best - but I'm very lucky to have my consultant, as she is extremely supportive.

Your anxiety about discussing your low carb diet with your doctors, is quite reasonable given how you've been treated previously - but the doctors are there to help you, not the other way around. It's important that you tell your new doctor how angry you are at the way you've been treated in the past. I can't see why your driving licence is at risk - certainly not just because you're low carb!