# Advice needed please.



## sarahecat (Nov 14, 2016)

Just wondered if anyone could help?  My fourteen year old type one daughter has just told me that she has been making herself sick after eating for over a year now. She was very distressed and is clearly struggling with her body image. I'm very worried but not sure where to go to for help. Has anyone else experienced this?  Thanks


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## grovesy (Nov 14, 2016)

Welcome!


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## silentsquirrel (Nov 14, 2016)

Welcome, Sarahecat - I am giving this is a bump as it seems to have been overlooked.  Hopefully some of our parents or @Northerner will be along soon to give advice.
You might find it helpful to talk to someone at Diabetes UK, I'm sure they will have encountered this before. If you press Home at the top left you will see "Talk to us about diabetes" with a phone number.
I hope you and your daughter get the help you need.


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## Northerner (Nov 14, 2016)

sarahecat said:


> Just wondered if anyone could help?  My fourteen year old type one daughter has just told me that she has been making herself sick after eating for over a year now. She was very distressed and is clearly struggling with her body image. I'm very worried but not sure where to go to for help. Has anyone else experienced this?  Thanks


Hi sarahecat, welcome. I'm very sorry to hear this  Unfortunately, it's not uncommon, but as I'm sure you realise it is particularly dangerous for people with Type 1  Can I suggest that you contact the Diabetes UK Helpline - hopefully they will be able to direct you to some helpful resources. It's good that your daughter has told you about the problem, she sounds very open to finding help rather than being in denial. How long has she been diagnosed? You might also like to take a look at the DWED site (Diabetics With Eating Disorders) - they are a UK charity with a very good understanding of the problems. 

Good luck, I hope that you can find her the help she needs to get through this, and please let us know if you have any questions - we will do our best to help


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## Flower (Nov 14, 2016)

Hello Sarah and welcome,

Eating disorders amongst young type 1 diabetics are not uncommon. There is so much emphasis on food choices, keeping a sensible weight, being weighed at clinics etc plus at 14 years old a surge of hormones affecting body shape and perhaps peer pressure to be like her friends. Your daughter has done such a brave thing to ask for help. 

I suffered from diabulimia for two periods of my life. It is surprisingly easy to fall into manipulating food intake and insulin injections. Do you know if she is injecting before making herself sick and then suffering hypos or is she avoiding or cutting down on insulin because she knows she is going to make herself sick? Obviously it is a dangerous situation with a rapidly fluctuating blood sugar and needs appropriate help to improve the situation.

Are her diabetes team aware yet that she is having problems with food? They will be aware of diabulimia and will want to help her through this difficult period as soon as possible so she remains a healthy young girl. I would contact her DSN and discuss how best you can help her out. As Northerner says the DWED site is an excellent source of information for people concerned about diabetes and eating disorders. 

I was referred to an eating disorders clinic that worked with my diabetes consultant on a plan to get me eating small amounts and injecting properly for them. It wasn't a quick fix as all the issues that started me down that path are so closely entwined and I had some real battles with myself over doing the right thing but I did eventually move on with appropriate help.

I wish you and your daughter well, it is a surprisingly easy thing to find yourself doing as coping with all the complex aspects of diabetes at a young age and dealing with puberty can really weigh heavily on you. Good luck with helping your daughter


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## HOBIE (Nov 14, 2016)

sarahecat said:


> Just wondered if anyone could help?  My fourteen year old type one daughter has just told me that she has been making herself sick after eating for over a year now. She was very distressed and is clearly struggling with her body image. I'm very worried but not sure where to go to for help. Has anyone else experienced this?  Thanks


Welcome sarahecat. Sorry to hear about your daughter. I am pleased she has told you & that is a step in the right direction. As Flower says it is common & your DSNurse will be able to give support.  Really good luck & please ask if we can help we will.


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## sarahecat (Nov 15, 2016)

Thank you so much for your replies. I am going to get in touch with DWED and our DSN. I'm not sure whether she has been cutting down on insulin. I'm frightened to ask and worried about asking too many questions. Type 1 is enough of a challenge on its own to deal with and I feel so sad for her that she feels so unhappy about herself. She was diagnosed two and a half years ago when she was 11.


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## Northerner (Nov 15, 2016)

sarahecat said:


> Thank you so much for your replies. I am going to get in touch with DWED and our DSN. I'm not sure whether she has been cutting down on insulin. I'm frightened to ask and worried about asking too many questions. Type 1 is enough of a challenge on its own to deal with and I feel so sad for her that she feels so unhappy about herself. She was diagnosed two and a half years ago when she was 11.


There's never a good age, but that is such a difficult one, with so many other things happening and changing. Does she know anyone else with diabetes? You might find the Children with Diabetes website helpful also - they have a Facebook group with lots of friendly, supportive parents of Type 1 children, and it may be that you can find some more help there, perhaps even people who live close. Wishing you both well.


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