BSPED2016 Main Symposia Symposia 4 Living life with Diabetes (3 abstracts)
Nottingham.
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 10 years old. Then in 2014, when I was around 15 years old, I begin developing an eating disorder which was diagnosed as a combination of both anorexia and bulimia tendencies. After struggling with the condition, as it got increasingly worse, by myself for around 4 months I was referred to CAMHS. Having an eating disorder made my HBA1C very unsteady and rather high (but never above 9%/ 75 mmol/mol), which in turn made me suffer with headaches and migraines and the constant feeling of tiredness. After around a year and a half of counselling from CAMHS and additional private Tapping therapy, I began getting better and the bulimia tendencies began to fade. It was around the 2 year mark I was discharged from CAMHS. My HBA1C took roughly 9 months after being discharged from CAMHS to return to a normal healthy level. Eating disorders in young people with diabetes are more common than people realise and can take many different forms. I hope that by sharing my story, I can raise awareness of this and also show that it is possible to recover and do well.