Although diabulimia is an overwhelming, extremely powerful disease, it IS possible to recover. All you need is a good treatment plan, supportive, loving people around you, a supportive eating disorder team and a supportive diabetes doctor or nurse.

The Cumberland Hospital in Virginia, USA has an eating disorder programme tailored especially for diabetics with eating disorders. This programme includes healthy eating, exercise, cooking classes, education on medication, addressing body image issues, nutrition classes and incorporates a positive attitude to diabetes and staying healthy. Family therapy is also incorporated and treatment is maintained as an outpatient and very gradually reduced through time on discharge.

When in recovery from diabulimia it is vital that your eating disorder team and diabetes team work hand in hand, in harmony. A good level of communication is vital - regular meetings and joint appointments can often become lifesavers. Often diabetes teams know nothing about eating disorders and eating disorder teams know nothing about diabetes. The trouble is, is that diabetes doctors encourage and practise taking control over the illness however eating disorder professionals encourage and practise learning to release some of the control. The key to recovery is finding the middle ground between the two - the aim is to live in a world where you are able to manage your diabetes smoothly without it running your life and manage your eating disorder without it disturbing and preoccupying every waking thought. Ironically eating disorders and diabetes are very alike in the way they hold hands with control and thus puts the victim in a bad place to start with. However, it can be done and it will be done!

If you are ready and commited to recover, please visit my 'support' page. It is full of different methods of support including tips, techniques and coping mechanisms.