Weight Loss for Diabetics: A Dangerous Secret

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, there are several precautions you can take in order to make sure that your blood sugar is at a normal level. However, certain diabetic conditions can lead to other side effects such as fatigue or weight gain. And, in the struggle to stay thin, many young women who are diabetic are taking drastic measures in order to lose the weight and keep it off.

Dia-bulemia, a condition many physicians and psychologists have diagnosed in young women who are reducing their insulin intake in order to lose weight or to stay thin, is a dangerous, undercover epidemic. It affects 30 percent of teenage and young adult women with type 1 diabetes, and has been introduced to a number of young girls via diabetes management camps and Internet message boards. Type 1 diabetes requires lifelong insulin treatments, and may people have to take these injections several times a day. However, insulin can cause extreme weight gain while regulating the body's blood sugar. Many young women have found that cutting down on insulin injections, or skipping insulin intake for a few days altogether will help to cut body fat down in a matter of weeks. One and a half million women suffer from diabetes, and there are several side effects from this condition that many teens don't think about, including depression, chronic fatigue, rapid weight loss, and failure to get pregnant or maintain a pregnancy later on in life. Many people don't see this condition as an eating disorder, but bulemia, an eating disorder in which people purge food after eating large amounts, is a very serious disease, and dia-bulemia should be taken just as seriously.

In addition to insulin reduction, there are also certain drugs that these women are taking in order to stay thin. Glucophage, a popular blood sugar drug, has been used to drop weight rapidly even in women who don't have diabetes, and the drug is sold on various websites. Glucophage, along with minimal insulin, can help girls to lose up to 30 pounds in a couple of weeks, but the side effects are extremely dangerous, especially since the weight loss is so unnaturally rapid. The liver and kidneys can be damaged due to taking this drug, and extreme weight gain can also take place if women stop taking Glucophage suddenly.

If you notice that your loved one or family member starts to lose weight within a week or two after getting a new prescription for insulin, or is eating excessively but not gaining any weight, these may be signs of dia-bulemia. Extremely high blood sugar is also a sure sign, which could result in lightheadedness, moodiness, fainting, and dehydration. You can find out the best ways to treat dia-bulemia on forum sites like www.bravekids.org, messageboards.ivillage.com, or www.healthcentral.com. You should also consult a physician to find out all the best ways to find counseling for dia-bulemia, as well as the most effective treatments.