Friend's Sister

[Fiddle-Faddle]

This person (my friend's sister) has had years of bipolar disorder and poorly controlled diabetes. She is very overweight, and I believe she has a terrible time controlling her binge-eating, especially with sweets.

She was recently hospitalized with anemia.

I think that at the very least, they should attempt to rule out celiac, as I know there are strong links with bipolar, diabetes, and anemia. But when I have suggested that, my friend rolls her eyes (as though she thinks I'm in some kind of cult), and says that they have to get the diabetes under control first, and that her sister is very undisciplined, etc. etc., and there is no way she would give up wheat, she can't even give up her sweets.

Now, she might be right. I don't know. I don't have access to her sister's medical records. I don't even know her sister well, just enough to say hello when I see her (which is hardly ever). But IF gluten is behind all these problems, then they'll never get any of them under control unless they get the gluten under control first.

If my friend's sister weren't in such in seriously bad shape (she's been hospitalized many times for the uncontrolled diabetes), I would just shrug and look the other way. I mean, I did mention celiac, and I forwarded some links about the celiac/diabetes relationship, and mentioned that my endocrinologist routinely checks all diabetic patients for celiac, etc.

Is there anything else I can do? I would feel horrible if she ends up dying without their ever having looked for celiac, just because I didn't try hard enough.

[debmidge]

This person (my friend's sister) has had years of bipolar disorder and poorly controlled diabetes. She is very overweight, and I believe she has a terrible time controlling her binge-eating, especially with sweets.

She was recently hospitalized with anemia.

I think that at the very least, they should attempt to rule out celiac, as I know there are strong links with bipolar, diabetes, and anemia. But when I have suggested that, my friend rolls her eyes (as though she thinks I'm in some kind of cult), and says that they have to get the diabetes under control first, and that her sister is very undisciplined, etc. etc., and there is no way she would give up wheat, she can't even give up her sweets.

Now, she might be right. I don't know. I don't have access to her sister's medical records. I don't even know her sister well, just enough to say hello when I see her (which is hardly ever). But IF gluten is behind all these problems, then they'll never get any of them under control unless they get the gluten under control first.

If my friend's sister weren't in such in seriously bad shape (she's been hospitalized many times for the uncontrolled diabetes), I would just shrug and look the other way. I mean, I did mention celiac, and I forwarded some links about the celiac/diabetes relationship, and mentioned that my endocrinologist routinely checks all diabetic patients for celiac, etc.

Is there anything else I can do? I would feel horrible if she ends up dying without their ever having looked for celiac, just because I didn't try hard enough.

I sounds like you are trying hard enough and it's not in your control anyway.

I have the same problem with my sister in law: I know she has celiac -

her brother (my husband) has it and she has similar symptoms and additionally arthritis.

But she too refuses to acknowledge it - she doesn't want to know because then

she'd have to accept it and change her diet. She does not want to change her

diet/lifestyle of going out to eat Italian at her favorite restaurants, etc.

She said she'd rather die than eat gluten free. She might get her wish....

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I think the bigger problem is the family rather than the person with all the medical problems. They seem to think that it's all a question of her making poor choices (i.e., not wanting to be on bipolar meds, eating too many sweets, etc.). I don't think she's even heard of celiac, let alone its connection to all her medical issues--and they won't tell her about it because they think all her problems are her fault for making poor choices.

I'm sure they think I'm just a lunatic who thinks that gluten is the cause of all the world's problems.

And I bet she'd be thrilled to find out that there is at least some portion of her issues that are NOT her fault. And get this--she hates doctors. Do we here on this board understand that or what??????

I mean, she's being told to go low-carb--and we all know how terribly addictive gluten is. If she eats one piece of whole-wheat toast a day, that's enough to keep the cravings going. But if she only knew that there really is a light at the end of the tunnel!

But the only way for me to get the message to her is through her sister--who simply doesn't believe me.

[Juliebove]

If her diabetes is not under control, that's going to make her crave carbs, and possibly sweets. You say they sayt she won't give up sweets. Well, if she won't do that she will NEVER get her diabetes under control. And unfortunately if she is bipolar and won't take her meds, it's not likely she will do what she is supposed to. People who won't take their meds can think they are invincible.

[home-based-mom]

People who won't take their meds can think they are invincible.

I once supervised someone who was bipolar. Once when she was "up" she bought an ill-afforded Mercedes. When she was "down" she could hardly pick up one foot and put it down in front of the other one. She was often in tears for no discernable reason and would come to work with "bed head." It was really awful. In the middle, on the way up or down, she was fine.

She had medication but the side effects were about as bad (to her - from her perspective of inside looking out, not for us from the outside looking in or at) as the bipolar condition. She would alternate between taking the meds and going off of them, according to how bad things were. When I left that station, I still don't think the doctors had figured out how to balance things out.

I felt so sorry for her and her family.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

If her diabetes is not under control, that's going to make her crave carbs, and possibly sweets. You say they sayt she won't give up sweets. Well, if she won't do that she will NEVER get her diabetes under control. And unfortunately if she is bipolar and won't take her meds, it's not likely she will do what she is supposed to. People who won't take their meds can think they are invincible.

I'm sure that her family's mindset is identical to yours.

But in my own experience, I was not able to give up or even cut down on sweets UNTIL I WAS GLUTEN-FREE for 2 weeks. At that point--totally all of a sudden--it was easy. But those 2 weeks were hell. I wasn't diabetic--but my blood sugar had inched up to where it was borderline, until I went off gluten.

Now it's possible for me to feel satisfied with 2 or 3 cookies. But before gluten-free, I could have eaten a whole batch and still wanted more.

My take on the situation is that the addictive aspect of gluten is what makes it nearly impossible to give up sweets/carbs, not the sugar. Of course, high fructose corn syrup is another ball game, isn't it?

And who can possibly blame her for not wanting to take meds that mask her bipolar symptoms without dealing with the CAUSE of those symptoms (the cause being exacerbated by gluten, or who knows, maybe gluten is CAUSING her bipolarity)? Bipolar meds are notorious for unpleasant side effects, yet when a patient doesn't want to be on them, they are blamed for thinking they are invincible.