Diabulimia?

[Injecto]

Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2007/08/15/lothian.diabulimia.cnn)

Sad. Weird thing is, that's how many of us find out we are Type 1. The difference is, they are doing it on purpose.

[SteveM]

I heard about that a few weeks ago, and the people doing that are just ignorant of what they are doing to themselves. They will find out too late. Those who don't go into a coma or die will irreparably damage their organs and suffer from great discomfort as they gradually slip into Acute Diabetic Ketoacidosis. I'm sure they'll love the canker sores all over their tongue when they are severly dehydrated and malnourished.

[princesslinda]

Wow...that's such a sad report...i'd never heard of this before. My first thoughts are how can some do this knowing it could kill them...then I remember just how much importance society places on physical beauty at any cost and how much more important this is to someone when they are young...i'll bet this goes on much more than anyone realizes.

[camjen1]

I did it and I'm ashamed but to say some are ignorant about it just makes people who do it feel that much worse. This isn't a simple problem!! One just doesn't say hey let me stop taking insulin for the **** of it. The problem lies much deeper!!

For me I didn't stop insulin completely, I just injected enough to get me by.

This issue was just talked about rencently here

http://www.diabetesforums.com/forum/diabetes/19558-diabulimics-diabulima-diabulimia-combined.html?highlight=diabulimia

[SteveM]

...then I remember just how much importance society places on physical beauty at any cost and how much more important this is to someone when they are young...i'll bet this goes on much more than anyone realizes.

How correct you are about the peer pressure, but this route will make them look how they want for MAYBE a week, then they will just start to look like the human incarnation of Death. Then they are back at square one, and in physical daynger (purposely misspelled to avoid the filter for the word D-A-N-G) now. It probably is going on at a dumbfounding rate, and I feel sorry for the people doing it, because they are suffering.

[SteveM]

I did it and I'm ashamed but to say some are ignorant about it just makes people who do it feel that much worse. This isn't a simple problem!! One just doesn't say hey let me stop taking insulin for the **** of it. The problem lies much deeper!!


Your right, I shouldn't have put it that way. The problem does lie much deeper, just like an addiction. After you point that out, this is way too deep for me to spend my energy on because I hate arguing because more often than not, it is based on opinion instead of factual information from resources or journals. I'm not here to put anyone down or make earth-shattering revelations. Sorry if I upset you.

[princesslinda]

I don't think the original poster meant "ignorant" to mean "stupid", but rather "lacking proper understanding of the consequences."

I remember reading a survery once that asked if people could give up 10 years of their life to be thin, would they, and a surprising percentage of respondents said "yes, I will give up 10 years of my life." Our self image is so important and, as a plus-sized woman, I can understand how these girls must feel to be gaining weight simply by taking medication. Being overweight is hard at any age. I hope the media brings this more to the spotlight, where parents, teachers and young people can see the potential dangers and look for warning signs.

[lgvincent]

I've been thinking of doing it for some time now so what's the big deal?

[shockme]

lowell-are you ok?! i hope you're kidding...trish

[howdysf]

****.. that sucks!... hopefully not too many people are doing this

[howdysf]

Another filtering of the word D A N G

[cheryl]

I cannot for the life of me understand why people would do this now, with all the different treatment options, you can live off your basal insulin and not eat if you want to be an anorexic, or try to not eat for a few days to loose a few pounds fast....I don't get it....

Now back in the days, yea I admit R and NPH was a b you know what, and I went some mornings without taking my shot because **** I wanted to spend my money or cigs LOL...sorry I was 14 and bad......not on all this food to feed my flippin insulin, snack now or low, get low at gym, get low from just sitting get low from having lunch 20 minutes later then the time your supposed to LOL....it was a pain in the butt back then.....

But now, I don't get it, you can low carb it and take insulin and loose weight, there is so much you can do with our insulin, so to me this is crazy.....and quite honestly a mental illness.....


Cheryl

[Erin]

I think what we might be missing here is that this is an eating disorder... not terribly different from anorexia or bulimia... it's not a healthy diet, it's a disorder.

And probably the bigger issue than image or weight that these young women (and men) are dealing with is control or depression. I bet they've not adjusted well to their diagnosis or are dealing with other mood disorders... I just don't understand why the media is picking up on diabulimia any more than regular bulimia or anorexia. Any eating disorder is going to cause lasting health problems, and the risk of DKA only makes this particular one slightly more risky than the others.

[camjen1]

I don't think the original poster meant "ignorant" to mean "stupid", but rather "lacking proper understanding of the consequences."


True that's probably what it meant but don't you think people who are doing this ARE aware of the consequences? We know it's wrong! There is obviously something deep enough telling them that the consequences are worth it or that they' will deal with the consequences later. Everyone has their problems whether it being depressed, suicidal, hearing voices etc..

[dgrilli]

I did not do this on purpose but I lost a good 45 pounds in relatively short period of time less than 6 weeks. I was so sick I thought I was going to die.

Oh the thirst and the bathroom trips and the feeling of just plain I'm dying.

Went on insulin and gained back 15 pounds over the course of approx a month and remained steady thereafter. I would never do that on purpose. I thought I was a type 2 or wishing I was or something but I really believed that.

This was a very stupid thing to do period.

[cheryl]

Every type 1 diabetic is warned what happens to them if they don't take there insulin......that is a given these people know, they are sick mentally, it is a disorder there sickness overpasses there need to be healthy.

I am gonna say something about this crazy world, I never thought I was unattractive ever ever, sometimes I might get hit on occasionally but not a lot...but I was a bit heavier, not heavy though, I thought I looked **** good for having four kids.....So now I am 30 pounds lighter, and I get hit on left and right, the attention I am recieving is ridiculous, and seriously guys, I am a wearing a darn big yellow shirt and it is long from my job, so You cannot see any curves of my body barely....

So in this world you are looked at more when you are thin....sorry but it is true, I don't feel like men coming on here saying no that is not true, bull bull bull where were all these men 3 months ago LOL.....not that I like it at all....

But my point is that this sick twisted society wanting girls to look thin, and these **** stick thin, I only eat celery and do drugs models is crazy......and don't even say you all like curves either because a normal woman would not be so so thin and have nice curvy body, it is all fake LOL.....

So what are these people supposed to do.....I think society needs to accept all curves because this thin **** is crazy....i am seeing it now that I am considered one of the thin people...

Cheryl