Type 1 - No appetite/hunger pains

[Andrew0306uk]

I’m 49 and got diagnosed type 1 about 8 years ago and also suffer with Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder.

When I go into mental health crisis I will refuse to eat/drink for multiple days with a combination of either taking 2x dose of Tresiba or none at all, but I never get hungry. I only start eating again when I can see the impact of worry on my family and/or the crisis passes.

I fluctuate between carb counting every meal and taking a 4u:10g dose of Novorapid, to no carb counting while binge eating cakes/bread/sweets, to not eating. Majority of the time I will take the daily dose of tresiba to hold off a DKA but I do refuse that too on occasions.

My previous DKA was caused by body-dismorphic and refusal to take any insulin for months (am I truly type 1 if I can go months without insulin?).

My EUPD causes lots of issues with self-harming and suicidal thoughts which, because of my understanding of needing the insulin injects, turns that understanding into a weapon for immediate and long term self-harming due to knowing how much damage it could cause my body

My main question is - is it normal to not feel hungry when Type 1?

 

[EllieM]

My main question is - is it normal to not feel hungry when Type 1?

Not that I am aware of, if you're managing your bgs reasonably well. (Obviously someone on the edge of a DKA is unlikely to be feeling anything other than pretty ill.) Though Dr google says that gastroparesis, which is a possible complication of diabetes, can cause loss of appetite.

am I truly type 1 if I can go months without insulin?

Adult onset /LADA T1s can go on producing a very small amount of insulin for a long term, so it can take longer for them to go into DKA if they aren't eating. (Before the discovery of insulin the only treatment available for T1s was basically a starvation diet to keep them alive for as long as possible in the hope of a cure.)

But I suspect your lack of appetite is just as likely to be caused by your mental health issues as your T1. (It's pretty common among sufferers of eating disorders. Once you stop eating for long enough your judgement about food and appetite becomes compromised.)

Are you currently getting any medical help for your mental issues? (Am guessing COVID lockdown did not help.) Not many folk awake on these forums at this time of day so here's a link to the various UK helplines if you need to talk to someone right now.

Help for suicidal thoughts - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Good luck.

 

[claire mccann]

Personally I tend to find if my blood sugar is high I don’t have hunger symptoms. Also it’s common if we don’t eat as per normal patterns the body can stop sending hunger symptoms.

Would planning meals and working out carbohydrates in advance help you?

Can you reach to your gp to get a referral for mental health help particularly in relation to food and diabetes management? I recently had to do that snd it’s been tough but definitely worth it