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.

MFP says 220g carbs a day but that’s not specifically asking for low carb or mentioning diabetes. The three days I tracked last week I was around 120g.

I just put an average before diagnosis day in and it reckoned that was 354 carbs. Wow.

I had double carbs for tea yesterday (3 Sainsburys garlic potatoes and Cheese and Tomato Ravioli.) and had leg cramp last night. I wondered if the two were correlated? I didn't think to check my BS as it happened a couple of hours later.
I've been sniffing around couch to 5K. I might give it a try in two weeks. Oddly specific I know. I would like to start on a Monday you see, and my nieces are coming round for the afternoon next Monday.

@PleaseStopExplaining

MFP says 220g carbs a day but that’s not specifically asking for low carb or mentioning diabetes. The three days I tracked last week I was around 120g.

I just put an average before diagnosis day in and it reckoned that was 354 carbs. Wow.

Easy to do PleaseStopExplaining Chocolate, cake, biscuits...Then meals, etc. Congrats on reducing them so much though. 120g is awesome!

It is easy to do. Whenever we think of snacks we mainly think of something carby, even those 'dieting' will go for fruit or rice cakes etc. Breakfast is always toast/cereal/porridge lunch a sandwich or wrap and dinner lasagne with garlic bread 🤤 or something with potatoes. I wish I liked eggs as they're really good for breakfast (and other meals).

Yes I’m another who regrets not liking eggs since having to cut carbs

Funnily enough my big spike came when i ate a few jellies of all things.

Jellies as in sweets? If so that's what I treat hypos with as they work so quickly. You'll get a much quicker spike with some jelly sweets than you would eating five Mars bars.

It's so warm and sunny here today makes me so happy.

Gorgeously sunny here today too @WreckTangled. Makes everything much better.

Been out in the garden all day as it's so nice and sunny.
Did a big walk today in the pleasant weather. Decided to hold off on Couch to 5K for now. Week one is a brisk 5 minute walk followed by 1 minute walking, one running for 20 minutes. I've only justr started doing my walks and I don't think I'm fit enough for that yet. Maybe ina couple of weeks time.
Glad I found week ones' routine as I couldn't sleep last night (Eventually drifted off just gone 5am.) and almost went online and ordered sports bras, leggings, tops etc. I can save that money this week and buy paint for the porch. (Which painting will be exercise anyway. )
Anyone else been doing anything in the lovely sun today? Make the most of it tomorrow, it's supposed to turn colder after Wednesday!

I’ve had to stay in today because I’ve had a workman in, but he’s gone now and we’re off for a potter round the village this avvo.

The good news today is that my low carb goodies arrived that @WreckTangled recommended! OMG - the hot cross bun is amazing!! Put the rolls and the rest of the buns in the freezer! But am sitting in the garden with a cup of tea and have thoroughly enjoyed that hot cross bun!!

Oh I'm pleased you like them. I just had a hot cross bun for lunch too

Sorry to be the odd one out - I don't like hot cross buns! I don't mind the toffee ones Sainsburys' (Asda?) did a few years ago though. I just don't like raisins and fruit like that. (Don't like fruit cake and Christmas pudding either.) I'm glad you both enjoyed your buns though.
Hope you had a lovely walk PaperMonster, what was the weather like? It was supposed to be sunny and 22 here, hardly saw any sun and it was no where near 22! Still, I went for my walk and did some painting. Am going to paint the fence tomorrow as it's supposed to get quite cold after that.
Hi WreckTangled how are you today?
My mum's just phoned and said there is a diet programme on Channel 5 at 8.00. I think I accidently threw out this weeks TV guide with the old one (Or I should say recycled.) so I don't know what it is yet. Can't be arsed to get up and go and check yet.

I'm ok, it wasn't sunny here either and I had a busy day at work. I did get a walk in but am not going to get 10k steps and didn't get any exercise is. Oh well.

Aww, sorry to hear that. I know you like to stick with the exercise. At least you got some walking in though. My butt is going numb from sitting on this uncomfortable chair (Looks good, but is so uncomfortable! ) so I'm going to check out this TV programme.

Just checking in to say hello. I've put on 1lb but am being kind to myself as we lost my DF last weekend so I've been a tidge lax. I'm also coming off the wagon for weekend treats over Easter (lasagne calls to me) and will drink for the first time since Jan 2nd. I have a cabinet full of lush wine. Then back on the job again of low carving. Loving the hot cross bun chatter.

Hi travailtotravel, I'm so sorry to hear about your father.
I hope you really enjoy your lasagne. I'm going to have a little bit of Easter egg. (I weigh myself the Monday after next so don' t want to derail when I'm so close! ) I really hope you enjoy your wine too.

I might have friends visiting next week. So planning to be a good host I ordered some flapjack bites (their kid is coeliac and I know she likes them). I was planning to have a couple of a treat. I just read the nutritional info and I am half shocked, half sad to see how full of carbs and sugar they are. When I was first diagnosed my DM was really pushing me to have them for snacks as “at least you’ve got the oats for something good.”

Travailtottavel I'm sorry about your dad Definitely enjoy your Easter as much as you can.

Please I know, I could easily eat a whole tub of those too

I've got to go into the office this morning so no morning walk but I'm going to go on one with the dc after school so that's something. Off for two weeks after today!

I'm going to be really tough - I think you need to see your GP about getting some psychological counselling as well to come to terms with the fallout from having diabetes if you are self-medicating with food. You are not understanding normal (non-diabetic BGL's - (4-8 is normal) and if I were your diabetic nurse, I'd be giving you a VERY hard talking to and showing you terrifying pictures of gangrenous feet and toes, because I think that's where you're going with what you're describing. I am having the same conversation with FIL atm - and frankly, I am just about to give up. At some stage YOU have to take responsibility for you future and that means taking responsibility for what you buy and what you put in your mouth. You know this. Another thing to look up when you get a second is Type 3 Diabetes. This could be your next future insight. You probably keep telling yourself that you'll be "good" tomorrow. You have to start telling yourself that yesterday is gone, and tomorrow never comes. You only have now, and that now is the only time you are in control of.

@Justilou1 it sounds like you haven’t RTFT. Things have moved on since the OP.

People who struggle with their eating habits really don't need 'a very hard talking to'. Support and guidance is the best approach so I'm sure the OP is pleased you're not her dsn.

'The classification of type 3 diabetes is highly controversial, and it’s not widely accepted by the medical community as a clinical diagnosis.'

@73kittycat73 I watched that programme last night. I thought it was interesting although some of it was a bit wishy washy in places. I liked that the CBT ones lost the most weight because it backs up that more intense lifestyle support is what's needed, we talk about it at work (children's services), it's the only thing that seems to help but we just don't have the services to offer these families. Also did you see the size of that plate of lasagne

I did read the whole thing and I have actually been there. Luckily reversed morbid obesity and prediabetes. I know how hard it is. I am hardest on myself, trust me. I am now studying nursing and plan to specialize in this subject. I know that different people need different treatment, but people are very happy to be victims rather than accept that they are responsible for what they put in their mouth.

Hugs to you @travailtotravel, so sorry to hear of your loss. Enjoy your lasagne xxx

I was quite surprised that my little tootle around the village yesterday totalled 2.5 miles! We were delivering Easter gifts to people and it was lovely to bump into people and have chats! We’re off for a ‘proper’ walk today!

@73kittycat73 the hot cross buns have very few bits of dried fruit in, I think it’s the seasoning of them that’s just lovely! Not something I’ll be buying regularly but if the bread buns are as good, I’ll get them in future to take on holidays.

My SIL got me a keto snack box and there were sugar-free sweets in. I decided to have a couple yesterday- by crikey I’ll not be bothering again!! Severe stomach cramps and much wind!! That’ll be the sweeteners!

@Justilou1 I think @73kittycat73 is taking responsibility for her health, making changes and getting support - and I think we’ve all found this thread very supportive. I’m not overweight and have T2D, as does my mum, as did one of her parents and grandparents, none of whom were overweight. But we all face the same issues and gentle support is always helpful. Start showing me pictures of gangrenous toes and it would probably have the opposite effect to the one you intended. The level of professional support differs from surgery to surgery - my mum’s DN doesn’t support low carb and encourages her to have porridge made with water for breakfast and increases her meds a lot. Whereas the nurses at my Practice support low carb but face an uphill struggle educating patients about what a carb is! If meters were prescribed, people would know what affects their blood sugars, but sadly they are rarely prescribed nowadays.

Im having a hard day today.I just want to eat everything in sight.
Stuff myself with carbs.
Its going to be a long day.

Stuff yourself with low carb food instead. That's what I do. I just allow myself to eat as much as I want as long as it's low carb. 85% chocolate, cheese, pepperami, a slice of ham, some veg sticks to make me feel healthy, a bit more 85% chocolate and probably more cheese it's one of the reasons I keep low carb brownies etc in the freezer too, then they're there when I need them.