Hi. I struggle with sub-clinical binge eating and I am a pre-diabetic. I seem to find myself doubly in a hard place because both of these conditions tend to fall through the cracks. I listened to Dr. Woods’ answer to diabetes and ED. I am a little frustrated because I have mentioned these issues to both my Primary Doctor and the Nurse Midwife in my Gynecologist’s office, and both seemed to shrug me off. They do not seem concerned by my overeating, stating that many people overeat. I struggle with what I should eat, because when I try to adhere to lowering my carb intake, it seems to only serve to make me feel deprived and so I binge. I am an RN and so I am not blind to the fact that I am probably damaging my body but I don’t know how to get this issue under control on my own. How can I get help when those I ask for help, don’t think there is a problem? My dad suffered renal failure in his late forties due to diabetes and died at the age of 66 after a long battle with complications from IDDM. He was not overweight like me and he did not have an ED. I don’t want to suffer the same fate he suffered. What can I do?
Dear Visitor,
I am so sorry to hear of your frustrations. Sadly, what you describe is a common scenario for people who struggle with EDNOS. Unfortunately, not all medical professionals are aware of the seriousness of EDNOS and therefore don’t take steps to help their patients. I sense that your primary care physician and GYN nurse do not understand the complexities of eating issues and think that since you acknowledge your problem, you should just eat less. If only it were that simple.
The good news is that you are motivated by your health concerns to make positive changes—and you can take action yourself. The best place to start would be an assessment by a nutritionist who specializes in disordered eating (who will also address your carb intake and blood glucose levels). Since you are not getting much support from your medical team, read the article “Finding a Nutritionist” for guidance. She or he might also recommend that you see a counselor or therapist at some point. Your binges are most likely triggered by more than just a sense of deprivation from reducing carb intake. It is worth exploring any root issues and learning to deal with your emotions in healthier ways.
In the meantime, we have many articles here in our “Eat Well, Live Well” section that you might find helpful.
Know that we at FINDINGbalance recognize the seriousness of your health issues, and hope and pray that you will get the professional guidance you need. You can break free from your binge eating, attain a healthy weight for your body type, and minimize the risks for the medical complications that your father suffered.
Many blessings to you on your journey.
Ann Capper, RD, CDN