- With Mayo Clinic diabetes educators
Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
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Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
Nancy Klobassa Davidson and Peggy Moreland
Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., B.S.N, C.D.E
Nancy Klobassa Davidson is a registered nurse who has worked in diabetes education for 17 years. She is a certified diabetes educator (C.D.E.) and is currently in graduate school working on a Master of Science in nursing (M.S.N.) and health care education.Nancy works with adults who have type 1, type 2 and other forms of diabetes. Nancy is coordinator of the Diabetes Unit's intensive insulin therapy program within the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, & Nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Nancy has worked extensively with insulin pump therapy and continuous interstitial glucose sensing.
Peggy Moreland, R.N., M.S.N.
Peggy Moreland is a certified diabetes educator (C.D.E.) in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, & Nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.Peggy graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing and Health Care Education from the University of Phoenix and is a member of the American Association of Diabetes Educators and the American Diabetes Association. A certified diabetes educator (C.D.E.), Peggy enjoys working with patients to set and achieve diabetes self-management goals.
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Living with diabetes blog
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June 11, 2011
Diabulimia: Recognize this eating disorder
By Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, eating disorders — such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder — include extreme emotions, attitudes and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. Eating disorders are serious emotional and physical problems that can have life-threatening consequences for females and males.
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation reports that a new type of eating disorder has surfaced. Unofficially coined "diabulimia," the condition occurs when those with type 1 diabetes skip or restrict insulin use to lose weight. Type 1 diabetes is a dangerous disease if untreated. Failing to take insulin raises your blood sugar and results in frequent urination — the body's attempt to rid itself of excess sugar in the bloodstream — resulting in rapid weight loss.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), researchers estimate that 10 to 20 percent of females with diabetes in their mid-teens and 30 to 40 percent of those in their late teens or young adult years skip or alter insulin doses to control their weight. Uncontrolled blood sugar can lead to long-term complications, such as heart attacks, strokes, eye problems or blindness, nerve damage in the hands and feet, kidney damage, and gum disease.
The ADA suggests that early warning signs of an eating disorder such as diabulimia in someone with diabetes include:
- Very high A1C test results
- Frequent hospitalizations for diabetes ketoacidosis
- Frequent severe low blood sugar
- Anxiety or avoidance of being weighed
- Widely fluctuating blood sugar levels without obvious reason
- Delay in puberty or sexual maturation or irregular or no menses
- Binging with food or alcohol at least twice a week for 3 months
- Exercising more than is necessary to stay fit
- Severe family stress
If you think that you or a loved one might have diabulimia or another eating disorder, please talk to your healthcare provider. It is important that you seek evaluation and treatment. Your provider can recommend a health counselor who will help you or your loved one with this problem.
Peggy
6 comments posted
May 9, 2013 10:20 a.m.
Diabulimia-- This is new to me. I am not so sure about some of the symptoms that you list? I believe I can identify with 5 or 6. I think one thing that was not mentioned, was "low self-esteem". This would be attributed because you could not reach this life style change thru the normal or regular channels. I have all of this as well as Epilepsy, thyroid, depression/anxiety.....and no health insurance. Does anyone know of a diabetes type 1 blog which is generalized? Thank You
- Jules
April 17, 2012 8:32 p.m.
I am a nursing student with an interest in this subject, it would be helpful if you could post some preventive nursing interventions.
- cheryl
February 27, 2012 4:07 p.m.
I went thru this when i was 16 and didnt know it til i had to be hospitalized. I just wasnt taking my insulin, but i did lose weight. I didnt get the connection until they were questioning me and asked me if i did it on purpose to lose weight. I was just going through a depressing phase in my life and wasnt taking care of myself, i have learned how to manage my weight while taking my medications and try to stay positive about needle sticks. Having high blood sugar is the worse feeling in the world to me, i have had type 2 diabetes since i was 13, i am now 23 and i think having diabetes ( no matter what type ) is hard to deal with because not everyone with type 2 can get rid of it, even if it is more manageable. we still have the same problems, possible side effects and future complications.
- Elizabeth
November 3, 2011 8:51 a.m.
Am a type1 diabetic and i have had diabulimia for over two years now i went down to a size4 in january and then started to take my insulin and within 4months i was a size10 and not am back down to a size 6 its a horrible thing to have to deal with xxx type1 diabetics take insulin every day all the time i find it very hard to belive a type2 diabetic can have it has bad as us type1 xx type2 people can get rid of diabetes when us type1 have to live with it till we die xx
- Hiya
July 8, 2011 3:03 a.m.
I am a type 2 diabetic and that diabulimia sounds like my situation. So, it doesn't necessarily have to be type 1 right?
- Jeffrey
June 15, 2011 4:53 a.m.
Thanks much for this update :)
- Prescilla Anne
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6 comments posted