Self Medicating With Food...Diabetes, Support?

[73kittycat73]

Hi, I've tried to word/start writing this a few times, so I hope it comes out OK...But, today I have finally realized that I eat junk/sweet food to self medicate.
I have type 2 diabetes and have been 'getting away' with it for a while, but I'm starting to feel the effects of eating sweet food. If I eat chocolate before bed for example, I get terrible cramps in (Mainly my left) calf. Recently I have cut down on chocolate as it was making me feel like crap after eating it. I take depression and anxiety tablets and they make me tired so I thought it was them. However I have really noticed recently that eating it makes me so wiped out afterwards.
Today I was bored so ate a bit of cheesecake. Boy did I feel like shit afterwards. I was still feeling a bit rubbish a few hours later so I decided to dig out the old blood sugar testing kit. My blood sugars were17. In the dangerous category. (A non diabetic person should be between 7.1 to 10.0). It has given me a shake, and a wake up call.
I went to my Sainsburys delivery (Due Sunday.) and have taken all the sweet things out, including Pepsi Max. I drink 2ltrs of the stuff a day (I get 'cotton wool' mouth from the medications I take for depression/anxiety and just water does nothing.). I have read conflicting articles on whether Pepsi Max spikes your insulin so have taken them out my list too. I tried finding a decent drink that wasn't full of sugar or artificial sweeteners, I couldn't find any! So I have ordered some fizzy water and orange squash (With sweeteners.) to have it very diluted for some flavour.
However, like I said, it's only just clicked that I self medicate with food (Sweet stuff being the most.). I know I'll be back to craving even later tonight, or definitely tomorrow, so I was wondering if anybody would like to join me on cutting down on junk food. We could come on when we are craving, or just for some support generally. If you're doing it to loose weight that's fine too.
I hope I haven't gone on...I just wanted to be honest (With myself too.) and start a new, healthier, way of eating.

I got the steps! Just walked around the kitchen for a bit Fitbit is on charge now so I'm not moving

Yay, congrats! You deserve a rest, enjoy the rest of your evening. I'm off now to brush my teeth so I can settle down and watch TV, then go to bed. The rock 'n' roll lifestyle baby...

It's raining, it's poring...And I'm about to go on my walk in a minute. It's windy too. Lol
Hope everyone is doing Ok today?

I could have gone for a rainy walk but took a nap instead it's my day off today and I didn't sleep well.

Hi, I did my rainy walk. Wasn't too bad actually. Didn't test the door today either.
I think you deserve a nap after all that exercise yesterday! I hope you've enjoyed you day off and had a nice nap. Sorry to hear you didn't sleep well. I have had periods of insomnia on and off for over a year now. I hate just uselessly lying there. If you're in bed you should sleep! Then I get more wound up and obviously makes sleep harder. There's not to much to do in the dead of night either, is there? I'm definitely more a night owl, I want to get the hoover out at midnight and start housework. Obviously I don't because I'm not an arsehole neighbour (I'm looking at you downstairs neighbour. ). lol.
I hope you get a better night tonight.

I’m about five weeks post diagnosis and moving between “this is fine” and completely disheartened.

Trying to learn and do my best. I’ve decided to eat lower carb but not low low carb because it feels too much now. But everywhere I look online for advice/support/suggestions is full of people spouting that anything but minimal carbs is a failure, carbs are poison for diabetics etc. And then I just feel like I’m not doing enough.

@73kittycat73 I live in a village so me and my friend went off over the fields! We’re hoping to do some more exploring next week but with the kids in tow! Fingers crossed for good weather.

Well done everyone on their walking! I have a bit of a potter around the village on a Friday and help out at lunchtime at school, and my pottering has amounted to 4 miles today.

Went to Asda and Sainsbury’s yesterday (living the dream, eh?) and neither had any Oppo. Sad.

To the poster who’s just been diagnosed - have you got a meter? That really helps you identify what causes your blood sugars to rise. Then you’ll know how low carb to go, and when your body reacts better to carbs. For example, I can tolerate some low carb toast of a morning, but my body’s less tolerant of it at lunchtime.

@PleaseStopExplaining - sorry, my last comment was for you! Couldn’t see your name on my phone when I was posting for some reason!

Meh. You've still got to live your life, we all want to be as healthy as possible but we also want to enjoy ourselves. I generally eat very low carb but I also sometimes eat a chocolate bar or a brownie. I do advocate very low carb to those who want to do it but if you feel that isn't sustainable for you then just lowering your carbs will make a massive difference. You could do small swaps like: instead of having a whole plate of spag bol have 1/2 plate of salad or veg with 1/4 spaghetti and 1/4 Bolognese. If you're having a burger and chips then does your burger also really need a bun? Rather than a banana why not have some strawberries and raspberries. Instead of a muller light have fage Greek yoghurt with some skinny syrup stirred in. I would also suggest not eating carbs between meals as that will limit your blood glucose spikes. Any change you make will be a benefit so don't feel like it isn't enough

Oh, I hope you have a great time exploring PaperMonster. The weather is looking good for Tuesday, supposed to be up to 22 in London. I'm looking forward to being in the garden then. Shame you couldn't get the ice cream. I tried for about three weeks to get their candy floss grapes. Kept being subed with some horrible black grapes. Yuk. lol I got them last week though and they really do taste like candy floss!
Hi PleaseStopExplaining welcome aboard. I understand it is very confusing about what to eat and when, and the future looks scary. My diabetic nurse told me everything in moderation, and if I did want to lose weight, go low carb. If you go on any diabetic forums though, carbs are out! I think we're supposed to have up to 150g a day. I reckon I have up to 200 a day. I was eating absolute junk before (Cake, chocolate, ice cream, etc.) and since I gave them up feel so, so much better, so I'm just concentrating on that at the moment and carbs from meals I will deal with later, if I have to.
As for the long term, as I'm taking action now, I feel more in control, and know I'm limiting what damage, and illness, can be done. Please feel free to stay and chat. We're a friendly few here and I personally recommend WreckTangled for advice. She's ace, and knows what she's talking about!
Oh, I'm just presuming here that you have type 2?

I haven’t actually been told which type but assuming it must be type 2 (I have a friend with type 1 and my experience of treatment/diagnosis is vastly different to hers)

Hi can i join in.
Recently diagnosed T2 about 6 weeks ago.

Im really struggling with carb portions and basically portion control.
Im on 1600 hundred calories a day.

I have knocked alcohol and takeaways on the head.
Well i had 2 cans of gin and slimline tonic 2 weeks ago and woke up with a hangover

Hi Borderline portion sizes can be tricky especially when restaurants serve such huge meals and we've all been brought up to clear our plates. I think my standard advice would be to make sure your plate isn't too big (I've got some that are gigantic! I use a smaller one) and fill half your plate with veg or salad before you add the rest of the meal. Another thing is thinking about if you really need a second biscuit/hot cross bun/chocolate. You get enjoyment and satisfaction from the first one so go ahead, but do you get the same amount of enjoyment and satisfaction from having a second one?

Haha thanks 73kitty I agree some of the forums are very harsh and I tend to steer clear of groups like that because I don't want to feel guilty for eating some chips in a pub garden on a sunny day but for every day I won't eat things like that. It's all about balance and sticking to something that's sustainable and not beating yourself up if you have a chocolate bar one day.

@WreckTangled I actually got myself a portion plate in Lidl.Really opened my eyes to how much we actually over eat
Never realised how much of our standard food is made up of carbs.

@BorderlineHappy hello! Living out in the sticks means little opportunity for takeaways, but I did find that Chicken nuggets from McDs don’t increase my bloods! Also, I now occasionally drink gin and have it with sparkling water - you can really taste the gin! If you like a curry, Aldi do this chicken and spinach dish (can’t remember what it’s called) in the frozen section, low carb and really tasty!

I'm the same here paper no deliveries available and the nearest McDonald's is 20 miles away.

I just went to a farm shop and resisted all the delicious cakes. Got the dc something but came home and had a protein bar was pretty tasty though.

I'm doing Nando's chicken for dinner, it's a bake in the bag thing and I'll have mine with salad, everyone else will have a flatbread too.

HI BorderlineHappy welcome in. Have you had any input from a diabetic nurse? It seems more and more of us are just left in the dark. Well done on the changes you have made.
For those wondering how carbs affect you, I think (Don't quiote me on this.) that you take your blood sugar just before eating your desired food, just after, and two hours later. Then you can tell what effect that food has on your blood sugar. (Hope I've got that right!)

@73kittycat73 No input from the nurse yet.I actually went the Dr the other day just to get started.Hes referring me.

I have only to take my bloods 3 times a week at different times.

How did you all find out you had diabetes.?

No, I didn't have much input from the nurse either.
You know what, I can't actually remember when I was diagnosed! It might have been around the same time I had other health problems which overshadowed it. I honestly can't remember atm. [confussed]

even.

I'm type one and have been since I was 12 Advice for type one's is to eat what you like, count the carbs, and cover with insulin. This rarely works and leads to rollercoaster blood glucose levels and increases the likelihood of being overweight (seen in lots of type one children). I feel much better when I eat low carb. You wouldn't tell someone with a dairy intolerance to drink milk and treat with Imodium so why do they do this to diabetics? Makes me cross. I want a normal hba1c not one that's acceptable for someone who is diabetic. I also want to live my life and enjoy the odd treat which I feel I can do without causing major issues. It's all about finding the right balance.

Sorry went off on one there

I found out because they thought i had a stroke. Luckily i hadnt.
Loads of tests mri,echo,lumbar puncture found out i have diabetes.
And sleep apnea.

Came out of hospital with 6 types of pills and a cpap machine.But what can you do.

Wow, since you were 12 WreckTangled ?! That must have been really hard.
I've been diabetic for around 3-4 years now I think? I'm not 100% sure though.

Sorry to hear of the sleep apnea BorderlineHappy. Does the Cpap help? Lucky you didn't have a stroke. Do you take Metformin? I do and one other pink one, can't remember the name right now. (Geeze, did I wake up this morning?! lol )

Ye i take metaformin and another one with a mad name.
Oh the cpap is amazing.
I feel so much better and refreshed using it.

I was really looked after in the hospital,even got my hearing aid sorted for me.Im really falling to bits