Megan Davison had tried to commit suicide for the first time a year ago.It was then that her parents discovered that the 26 -year -old suffered an eating disorder: they saw her "somewhat thinner" but they blamed him for the side effects of the diabetes with which he lived as a child.
Last August, Megan achieved his sad purpose of taking his life.He left six written folios telling his despair: "No one knows how to help me. They leave me insulin to administer it, and that is like giving an alcoholic vodka."
Megan's story is one of those collected by the special produced by the BBC chain on diabulimia."More dangerous than anorexia and bulimia for those who suffer," says the British chain.Specifically, there are people suffering from type 1 diabetes mellitus, a congenital evil that is usually manifested at an early age.Unlike type 2 diabetes, which is triggered from genetic predispositions and depending on life habits, type 1 diabetes implies daily and unconditional injections of insulin to survive.
Insulin is the hormone that allows glucose to decompose at the molecular level so that the organism metabolizes it and burns it as energy or storage.A person with type 1 diabetes does not produce insulin, so sugars accumulate in their bloodstream causing hyperglycemia.Its consequences are serious, from the renal failure to loss of vision through the damage to the tissues that can lead to medical amputations.
But at the same time, the absence of insulin favors the elimination of kilocalories through urine and that is the terrible temptation for a diabetic person who also suffers from an eating disorder derived from a distorted perception of his body image: abandoning a treatment that ismatter of life or death in exchange for achieving fulminating weight loss.
"I ate for rage, then I was scared"
"From the age of ten I took control of my meals as they taught me. But in time I realized that the anxiety raised the sugar even if I did not eat. Carried by rage I started to eat hidden, because everyone was pendingof what took me to my mouth.Who speaks is a young woman identified as Vanessa, who incorporated her testimony on the page of the Diabetes Foundation.
It is not the only one: the Foundation encourages young women to express themselves to share experiences.Maria already dragged an anorexia and bulimia history when the diabetes was diagnosed."A doctor gave me the key: I could eat an entire cake if I took more insulin, but then I would get fat. My conclusion was: insulin fattens."The young woman stopped taking her.The consequences: loss of menstruation, osteoporosis, renal failure, retinal problems ... "Of course, nothing is beautiful because I have very little hair, dry and wrinkled skin."
Psychologist Elsa Espinosa, of the Tenerife Diabetes Association, has prepared the article on diabulimia on the Federation page."It can go unnoticed more easily than other disorders" - confirms to El Español."Patients do not necessarily show suspicious behaviors such as intake restriction, do excessive physical exercise, cause vomiting, etc ... Weight loss can be achieved, simply through the omission of insulin."The family and doctors can blame the irregularity of the shots to "passage" or a rebel phase of the patient.
Diabulimia multiplies up to three health problems associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM 1), to which the development problems that bulimia and anorexia entail adolescents are added.HisPrevalence can be 30% among diabetics between 18 and 30 years."The risk of mortality triples and life expectancy is significantly reduced, the average age being 45 years" - writes Espinosa.
A specific treatment
"I had lost all hope, I didn't believe there was a place where they could treat it" - says Lesley, Megan's mother, to the BBC.The young woman had been admitted to a clinic specialized in eating disorders, but the staff was not familiar with diabetes and left insulin injections to the patient's criteria."They did not have the right training, they were acting with protocols from here and there. We did not have enough information either, and that is why we want the case to be known."
The first unit that specifically deals with the link between diabetes and eating disorder began operating last year at the King's College Hospital in London.His patients are the protagonists of the documentary, and the treatment approach is multidisciplicing.In Spain, Espinosa already advocated in 2013 for gathering in a team a "endocrinologist, an educator in diabetes, a psychiatrist and a psychologist aware of the TCA and the DM", with the support of "a social worker."In practice, these teams are "really scarce."
"There is usually no systematic screening" - explains Espinosa."What usually happens is that in the face of clinical suspicion in medical consultation, they are referred to mental health or directly to the TCA unit, where there may be specific protocols for these cases or not."The Clinical Practice Guide on Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus contains recommendations on prevention and identification of CTAs in patients but, "are not mandatory" and do not guarantee "appropriate and equitable" care.
The guidelines for proper treatment were already delineated by the therapist in his article."It is essential not to blame the patient" - Write Espinosa."For people with DM it is crucial to have professionals with whom to speak openly of frustrations with their weight, fears about insulin, the intake of certain foods ... If this therapeutic alliance is not given, you can hardly move forward, so it is worth itLook for the professional with adequate sensitivity and empathy. "
