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12percentspider · 1 month

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Info time: Diabetes and related issues [this is long but I highly suggest reading]

Do you ever see something and you go "that doesn't sound right, but I don't know enough about diabetes to dispute it"? Well, I can help you there. I can help you know enough about diabetes to dispute it if need be. Especially because well, there are seemingly a lot of scams going around where people claim to be diabetic [in my experience it's maybe 3 scammers that just remake] and the information is not very correct in most cases. Not to mention this type of scam pisses me off because I am in fact diabetic, and not only are people preying off of others' lack of information about the chronic condition, but it's also trivializing a serious lifelong condition that can be fatal. If you have now or have lost a loved one to diabetes complications, you are already aware of how dangerous it can be as well as how dangerous misinformation is as well.

What is diabetes? Diabetes is a chronic condition related to the endocrine system- the pancreas specifically. However, if complications get serious enough other parts of the body will be affected. In type 2 diabetes, the body's cells have become resistant to insulin, which is a hormone produced by the pancreas that allows cells to use glucose from the blood- your body's energy it needs to function. When someone is 'type 2', the food that person is eating is not able to fuel them, regardless of caloric content. Glucose is commonly called "blood sugar". It's a type of sugar that is processed and then transported via the circulatory system to your cells where it's needed. With type 1 diabetes (which used to be called "juvenile diabetes"), the pancreas does not produce any/enough insulin for some reason or another, generally because of autoimmune or other damage. [For me personally, I was diagnosed as an adult and had to have it confirmed as type 1 due to the presence of autoimmune antibodies, also apparently my pancreas hadn't quite given up at that point.] As we've seen before, insulin allows your body to use the food you are putting into it. As a double whammy, you can have type 1 with resistance, so not only is your body not producing any/enough insulin, what's there can't be used properly. [RIP Spider who has this] So to explain the effects, think about what happens when you're literally starving. Now imagine that's happening no matter how much you eat. Your body may go into starvation mode and store fat. This can be misleading, which when combined with fatphobia has people concluding that "well, you have diabetes because you're fat, duh". Heck, I have/had diabetic relatives who believed that eating too many carbs will automatically cause the condition because that's what everyone is told/assumes. Eventually, you'd starve and your body would start deteriorating as so. HOWEVER because you would have so much glucose that just sits there because it can't be used, your kidneys are going to work overtime to try and correct this- and they can't do it alone. Your liver can also suffer severe damage. That's not to mention a whole host of other complications that can occur.

So what about it? Well, obviously there are treatments. Insulin injections have existed since the 1920s. There are also medications that can help your body actually use the insulin it's being provided, be it naturally or artificially. So yes, people with diabetes are dependent on prescriptions to survive. My grandma lost a sister in childhood due to insulin treatments apparently not being available in the extremely rural area they were living in at the time. More recently, the israeli occupation has banned insulin from being distributed to Palestinians. [Insulin has also been used historically in psychiatric hospitals to force low blood sugar in psychiatric patients, but that's a whole other rabbithole about psychiatric abuse.] There are resources for the US and beyond if you or someone you know and/or love are in dire straits financially and need help with insulin or other diabetes medications/ related medical help. That's only one aspect of treatment, though. Because pain, stress, hormone changes, other medical issues, and plenty of other factors can raise your blood sugar to dangerous levels, other kinds of treatment to manage other factors may be necessary.

Now that that's out of the way, let's get to specifics. So the most common problem you're going to see mentioned is high blood sugar. We've already covered what the effects are, but what is considered high? For the most part, "high" is 200 milligrams per deciliter. My CGM (continuous glucose monitor) lists "high" as anything 181 or higher but stops giving an exact number after 350. This is why I had a good laugh that time I saw a scammer using an image of a meter reading glucose in the 120s- that's good blood sugar. If you're going to get even more specific you want your pre-breakfast blood sugar to be 80-130. So when you see an accompanying image reading in the 500s, that's extremely dangerous. That's "you're in danger of going into a coma" dangerous.

Insulin pricing? How come I'm seeing people saying they need $300? In the US, pricing cap was set to $35 somewhat recently. What this means is that per insulin pen (as far as I've experienced, the above-linked resource post should have links with better clarification) it's $35. Can't be more than that for one pen. How many doses that provides is very up in the air. It absolutely varies from person to person. I have relatives with type 2 that have to inject a dose of very long-acting insulin weekly, one has gone back and forth with daily doses on top of that. I'm type 1 and have to take one dose of long-acting nightly with injections of a short-acting insulin before every meal, with the exact dosage amounts varying per meal. Insulin is measured in units (there's probably an actual mL amount, both of mine are 100 units per mL with a 3mL pen). How many units someone needs is determined with their medical provider (or care team? When I went to 'diabetes education' after diagnosis I was set up with a "care team").

But at any rate, if someone is in an emergency situation in the US should be able to get an insulin pen for $35 pretty much when they get to a pharmacy. Yes, I get that this can be difficult in some situations, but that's outside the concept of insulin prices.

If someone's blood sugar is over 500 though, they almost certainly need a hospital more than they need an insulin pen. Yes, alright, the actual real single mother on twitter who was the source of the profile images/meter images that whatever the current url for vero-og has stolen and been using for months... that was actually months ago and I'm sure she doesn't need to be told to go to the hospital right now. [That said, if you get an ask from someone and the url is a variation off of 'vero-og' that is a confirmed scammer.] And then on top of that, yes, why would you block people that can get you free or discounted insulin? If someone was offering to save your life for free or find you what you need for far less than what you were expecting to spend, why wouldn't you take it? Unless what you're actually after is money.

SO TO RECAP: Insulin does not cost $300, $350, $370, whatever someone is sending you an ask about. In the US, it is federally capped at $35 per pen, with further resources available, as well as further resources being available internationally. If you need help, please be honest about it. I promise there are people who care, you don't have to try and explain yourself- but it absolutely does not cost that much and if it did, there are ways to lower the cost by quite a bit if there aren't resources to make it free. Diabetes is a lifelong chronic condition that is not caused by "being fat" or "eating too much", it is caused by your body not functioning right and your body can starve no matter how much food you eat. Unfortunately, people have been lying on this site for months if not years claiming to have type 1 with an insulin emergency. These people cannot possibly have diabetes, or they would be well aware that they do not need hundreds of dollars to get their insulin. They are counting on you not knowing this so you will donate to them. The 'vero-og' scammer had been harassing someone who donated and threatening them with the intention of bullying more money out of the donor.

#refdesk

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celtic-crossbow · 5 months

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Blood Ties Chapter 9

Series Masterlist

Warnings: Brief mentions of pregnancy and pregnancy symptoms

A/N: Not quite as long as previous chapters but I digress.

*Click here to be added to taglists.

Moodboard by @dannyo000 💙

You heard voices surrounding you, some loud and urgent while others almost whispered. You knew them, that was for certain but the stygian fog shrouding your consciousness forbade you from seeking information you knew you had. You were too tired to care, never even opening your eyes before you once again surrendered to oblivion.

The second time you became aware, it was quick. Your eyes opened, a reflex to the fear that immediately took hold and had you trying to sit up. You didn’t get far. You were so weak; your arms refused to hold your weight. When you collapsed back onto the soft pillow, something in your right arm pinched. It didn’t exactly hurt, but it did draw your attention to the tubing running from the crook of your elbow up to a clear bag hanging from the bedpost.

“You’re awake.”

Your head rolled to the left, wide eyes meeting the soft gaze of an older gentleman. The first thing you noticed was that he was so clean, dressed in a nice button-up and black trousers. His white hair was neatly combed and clearly cared after. Your confusion must have been distinctly written across your face because he went on with providing a little more detail.

“My name is Hershel. You were brought here in quite the state, young lady. You were severely dehydrated. Quite honestly, I still fear that there may be some damage to your kidneys but we will just need to wait and see.”

You were still so tired. “Where the hell am I?” The man—- Hershel —-pinned you with a chastising stare but it disappeared just as quickly.

“You’re in my home.”

You didn’t acknowledge the reply, adjusting your gaze to the ceiling. You didn’t remember much aside from the pain.

And Daryl.

Those eyes—- blue like a mountain lake —-had been brimming with concern; and then determination. He had brought you there. You knew he had to be terrified for—-

“The baby!” You suddenly gasped, palms pressed hard over your stomach. “Is my baby okay?!”

Hershel was already holding up his hands in a placating gesture, nodding slowly. “I’m aware. Your husband filled me in on everything. Quite crudely, I might add.”

You snorted weakly. “He’s not my husband.”

Hershel’s gaze wandered over to the far side of the room, a low, steady hum emitting from behind closed lips. “I see. Well, in any case, I happen to have a POCUS machine here for use on the springing heifers. Now, I’m no medical doctor, but I was able to locate the fetus and a strong heartbeat. Your baby seems to be healthy, though I can make no guarantees.”

You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding, fingertips absently brushing back and forth over your abdomen. “You said you’re not a medical doctor.”

“That’s correct.”

You pulled a face, willing your tired brain to fill in the blanks before Hershel could simply tell you. A lightbulb sparked to life. “You’re a vet.”

“I am.” He moved around the bed, carefully eyeing the tubing connected to your arm and then the bag. He seemed concerned but said nothing. “You need to rest. We’re going to try to get some bland food in you along with some water. Of course, I’ve never had to treat hyperemesis gravidarum but I have medical journals that will help.”

You raised your head slightly, an inquisitive eyebrow arched. “Hyper who the what?”

He chuckled, making his way toward the door. “That’s exactly what your—- whatever your relationship is. Anyway, that’s exactly what he said.” He motioned toward the far corner of the room, where his gaze had ventured moments before. Curiosity got the better of you and you forced yourself up, one arm at a time to rest on your elbows. Your arms trembled with the effort. It didn't matter because you were too overwhelmed by the warm feeling stirring in your chest.

Daryl was slumped in a chair, chin on his chest, and fast asleep.

“He hasn’t left this room.” The veterinarian offered, turning toward the door. “The condition is severe nausea and vomiting. From my reading, it’s hard to control even with medication. You’ll likely need fluids periodically throughout your pregnancy. We’ll discuss this more once you’ve regained some strength. For now, rest, sips of water, and small, bland meals.”

Your stomach churned at just the thought. “I’ll just throw it all up.”

He nodded in agreement, but didn’t seem pessimistic. “I’ve discussed this with him,” Hershel tilted his head toward the sleeping hunter. “My daughter has a list and will be leaving tomorrow morning to gather what we need. The Korean boy will be accompanying her.” He nodded and stepped over the threshold before you called out.

“Is Carl okay?”

“He’s not completely out of the woods but I expect he’ll make a full recovery.”

That made you smile. At least one of the children would be okay. With the information you were just given, you still worried for your own baby. “Thank you, Hershel.”

With a tight smile, he nodded and closed the door.

You laid back and let everything digest. You were going to have 7 months or so of what sounded like pure hell. You’d need access to constant medication. And the man couldn’t even guarantee that the baby in your belly was indeed healthy. If ever you felt like a burden to the group, it was at that moment.

Would they even allow you to stay?

You placed both hands on your belly and rubbed in soft circles. “You’ve decided to start giving me hell early, huh, little thumper?”

“Lil’ thumper?”

You raised your head as far as you could, finding Daryl sitting on the edge of the chair with his elbows on his knees while he wiped the sleep from his eyes. He looked exhausted despite having just been asleep.

He hasn’t left this room.

“Hey.” Your smile was feeble at best. Your body felt heavy and it ached, but the cramping had mercifully stopped. The hunter gave a slight nod to greet you just before he stood to stretch, his joints protesting. “How long have I been here?”

“Jus’ over a day.” Your eyes tracked him crossing the room. When he was close enough, he snatched up the unused pillow. Leaning forward with one knee on the mattress, he slid a hand under the back of your head to assist you with sitting up. The second pillow was placed behind you and left you at least elevated enough to hold a conversation in relative comfort.

Your eyes downcast, you muttered a quiet ‘thank you’. Daryl simply nodded, shifting from foot to foot in a nervous cadence, likely unsure of what to do.

He suddenly cleared his throat. “Think ya can drink some water?”

Until that moment, you hadn’t paid any mind to how dry your mouth was. “Yeah. Yeah, I can try.”

The archer nodded, bringing his thumb to his mouth to chew on the side all the way around the bed where a glass of water was sitting on a bedside table. He removed the digit from his mouth in favor of fetching the drink.

Daryl held it out to you, eyeing your trembling hand lifting to accept it. “Wait.” He settled his hip on the edge of the mattress and brought the glass to your lips. “Yer gon’ spill it if ya try by yerself.” With an aggrieved whine, you parted your lips so he could tip the glass. When he tried to take it away after a mere two sips, you brought your hand up to hold it in place, yearning for just a little more. “Nuh uh. Can’ have too much. Tryin’ ta keep it all on the inside.”

Bottom lip jutted out, you decided you weren’t beyond begging…until you realized your hand was covering his on the glass. Your need was promptly forgotten. You watched Daryl’s gaze follow your appendage but he placed the glass back on the table without commenting.

Probably for the best.

He didn’t remain on the bed long after that. Rubbing his palms over his thighs, he stood and walked over to the window, pushing the curtain aside.

“Did you, uh, get to see it?” You asked, needlessly smoothing the blankets over your lap. Daryl looked at you questioningly. “The baby. Did you get to see?”

“Mhm.” He looked back out the window. “Didn’ really know what I’s s’posed ta be looking at. There was this lil’—-” he made a gesture with his hand that you weren’t sure how to interpret, “I don’ know, like a flashing. He said it was the heartbeat.”

You hummed and brushed your fingers over your belly again. “Wish I could’ve seen it.”

“Mhm.” He nodded but kept his eyes on whatever he was watching outside, if there really was anything there at all. There was a sudden discontent in the air; the same thick tension you had felt in the truck that first day after he found you.

“He said you stayed the whole time.”

“Course I did.” His voice had lowered to a point where you were surprised you could hear him. “S’my kid in there. Needed ta make sure ev’rything was okay. We don’ know these people.”

It felt like a punch to the gut. You had been telling yourself all along that the baby was all Daryl cared about. He’d almost made that perfectly clear, until the forest. Something in his eyes had shifted, and the way he spoke to you. He had been so coarse up until you admitted that you had been wrong. Then his touches were gentle, his voice even more so.

But now, you wondered if maybe you had imagined it. You chewed on your lip, glancing up at him every few seconds. It might finally be the right time. You had no doubt that he would stop you if it wasn’t.

“I’m really sorry, Daryl.” You willed him to look at you; it was imperative that he actually witnessed your sincerity. You had never meant to hurt him.

“‘Bout wha’?” He asked, just before he obliged your unspoken request. He started to turn back to the window but it appeared he thought better of it and held your gaze.

“I only knew for less than a day.” You waited to be dismissed; for him to snap at you and stomp out of the room.

He did neither.

You slowly repositioned yourself, suddenly uncomfortable under his stare. He was giving you his attention; finally hearing what you had to say, only for you to be terrified to continue.

“I, um… I found out from the blood test. I went to see Jenner after supper. I came to tell you that night but… I got scared and then you kissed me and I…” you lowered your head, the stark white sheet suddenly very interesting. “I’m just sorry. I'm sorry you had to find out the way you did. I should have told you.”

The silence carried on, suffocating and loud. You were certain he could hear the intensity of your thundering heart from across the room. A tear tickled your skin as it cascaded down your cheek, almost conjuring a laugh when you realized you were hydrated enough to actually cry.

“S’ok.” Your wet, shining eyes locked on him immediately. He was looking out the window again, but somehow looked calmer. That tenseness in his stance had softened. “I shouldn’a been such a asshole.”

You gave a wet laugh, the acceptance of your apology having more of an effect on you than you could have imagined. Naturally, Daryl was looking at you with an inquisitive brow arched. “I’m not laughing at you.” You assured him with a useless gesture, waving your hands. “Hormones, I guess?”

There was a very slow nod that meant ‘I have no idea what that means but I’ll take your word for it.’ He watched you nervously until the waterworks dried up, seemingly afraid to approach while you were having your moment. You were still sniffling when he sat down on the edge of the mattress again and grabbed the water glass. “A lil’ more n’ I’ll go down ta see wha’ we can do ‘bout some food fer ya.”

And right on cue, your stomach rumbled while your cheeks reddened.

Hershel had discovered some Odansetron in his supplies and was able to work out a safe dose for you with the help of the medical journals. It had made you a little drowsy but not so much so that you didn’t laugh and smile broadly when the waves of nausea all but ceased for the first time in days!

Daryl brought you one scrambled egg and half a piece of toast with no butter. He was forced to snatch away your fork when you almost crammed the entirety of the egg in your mouth in one bite.

“Slow down. Ain’t nobody gon’ take it from ya. Jesus.” He handed the utensil back after you promised to take your time. It was difficult but you managed to keep that promise.

Now you were curled up under the sheets, eyes heavy and stomach full. You felt better than you had since first arriving into the small group. Sleepy, but better. The fluids would continue at least throughout the night, Hershel had said. He would give you another injection of the antiemetic when it was time, just to keep your symptoms under control until his daughter could hopefully find some in tablet form.

The room was near silent, which didn’t bother you now that Daryl had heard your apology and accepted it. He may only be worrying about his baby but he at least wasn’t angry with you anymore. You still had a lot to talk about but it was more related to planning for childbirth and parenting during an apocalypse. So, for now, you melted into the bed and closed your eyes.

Daryl yawned from the chair in the corner. Your eyes were quick to open. The hunter had protected you, had been protecting you from the moment he carried you out of the woods. How cruel was it for you, pregnant or not, to be in a nice, cozy bed while he was slumped in a very uncomfortable-looking chair.

“Hey, Daryl?” You didn’t move from the comfortable position you had found but you were able to call out loud enough for him to hear. He grunted in reply, which you wanted to chuckle at for whatever reason. “Can you come over here for a sec?”

There was a sigh before you heard the chair slightly shift when he rose from it. He actually approached the side your back was turned toward, probably assuming you wanted the water glass. You were able to roll onto your other side, careful of the IV. You were definitely improving. That movement alone would have been impossible when you had first awakened.

Daryl actually looked tired. Worry and near sleepless nights had that effect, you supposed. His hand wrapped around the glass but you extended yours before he could pick it up.

“Thank you, but that’s not what I needed.” You smiled gently.

“Wha’ is it then? Gettin’ up early ta look fer the girl. Need ta get some sleep.”

You were careful about scooting backwards, maneuvering the tubing so it was against the headboard and not across the mattress. Situated comfortably, you lifted the blankets on the other side.

“Get in.”

He arched a brow, the question of ‘are you serious’ needn’t have been spoken aloud.

“Ugh, always thinking with your dick.” You rolled your eyes and chuckled lightly. “No, I just want you to sleep here. I’ll keep my hands to myself.” Now his brow drew inward, skeptically.

“Why?”

“Because I’m not sure I could even have sex right now—-”

“Not that.” He snorted and shook his head. “Why d’ya want me ta sleep there?”

Did he just assume you didn’t want him near you because of everything? He never questioned any time you had wanted him buried inside you but looked honestly confused that you’d want him near you otherwise. “Because you need to rest too. It’s been crazy out there. But we’re safe right now—-”

“Ain’t never safe.”

“Thanks, captain optimistic.” You deadpanned, releasing the sheets be keeping your hand splayed out on the mattress. “Seriously, whether or not it’s safe out there doesn’t matter. You make me feel safe. And I’d really like it if you’d sleep here.” When he didn’t answer immediately, you added a quiet ‘please’ that seemed to break his resolve.

“Yer ridiculous.” You were sure that was just the Daryl method of diffusing a situation that had become too uncomfortable for him to handle. Regardless, he sat down and began taking off his boots. You gave up the second pillow and snuggled back into your own, watching the soft light from the bedside lamp cause shadows to dance across him while he got comfortable. Of course, he opted to lie on his back on top of the blanket.

“Better than the chair?” You were smiling smugly when he rolled his head toward you. He scoffed and returned his gaze to the ceiling. In seconds, his eyelids were drooping, along with your own. You took a deep, content breath and allowed yourself to relax and begin to give in to the call of sleep.

Just as the last dregs of consciousness began to release their hold, you could have sworn you heard him say “much better than the chair.”

Taglist:

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Divider by @benkeibear

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octoberclidan · 1 year

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Talk to Me

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader, Sam Winchester x Reader (Platonic)

Request: Reader is living with the both brother in the bunker. Unfortunately she is not able to hunt anymore, so she's there to help with research. Her last hunt went terribly wrong and she was captured and held in an cold and damp cellar. She was tortured and seriously hurt. So nowadays she has some bad health issues because of her injuries. She has often problems with her lungs, like lung infections, often struggles with fever and nightmares. She has problems with her kidneys because they were damaged during her captivity (her capturers didn't give her enough water or food) The two brothers are super protective and always trying to help her. Dean is also in love with her, but keeps it hidden. She's also in love with dean but she's not aware that he feels the same. Dean tries to bury his deep feelings for her and starts to date a girl, just to distract himself. His new girl is a real bitch and she hates the reader. Always trying to talk her down and insult her, the boys are at first not aware of this bad situation. One evening the reader overhears a conversation with the bitch and the boys in which the bitch is telling the boys that the reader is a useless burden and that the reader is only using the boys as her personal nurses. Reader shuts herself out, her nightmares and her health are getting worse. The boys are going to hunt a monster down and she stays at the bunker, with no energy to look after herself too devastated by the words of deans girlfriend. After the hunt the brothers come back to the bunker, only to find the reader in a very bad condition. In her fevered state she tells them, what the bitch had said to her. That she doesn't want their help, that she doesn't want to be a burden. Well some fluffy end with the sweet brothers und maybe dean and the reader finally admitting their feelings?!

Note: This was requested anonymously, I hope you like it! Sorry it's quite long!

Masterlist

Story:

[Y/N] was curled up in an armchair in the bunker's library, a book on 19th century witchcraft in her hands, and a blanket on her lap. It was the evening, and the boys were due to head off on a hunt the next morning so she was trying to do as much research for them as she could. She used to hunt with them, but the last hunt had left her traumatised and physically unable to join them on cases anymore. She refused to talk about it with anyone, so although Sam and Dean knew that she had been held captive for over six months and tortured before they found her, they didn't know exactly what the demons had done to her while she was there. They had tried to get her to open up but she shot them down every time. Both of them were worried about her. She had bags under her eyes even though she swore that she was sleeping fine, she was constantly coughing, struggled to walk any meaningful distance, and both of them had caught her wincing in pain when standing up or sitting down. She would hide in her room for days at a time, not letting either of them in and only answering through a closed door to let them know she was alive.

"Hey, what's up?" Sam walked into the library and sat down on the chair beside [Y/N]'s.

"Just reading up for your case". She smiled at him.

"Our case, you're still part of this team even if you're not coming with us tomorrow". Sam studied her face, noting that she looked exhausted. Sam and Dean hadn't stopped looking for her the entire six months that she was gone, Dean especially refusing to sleep any longer than he needed to to find her. He had even given up drinking alcohol while they were searching so he could stay as focused as possible. [Y/N] had been back in the bunker for two months now, and tomorrow would be the first time that the boys were going to leave her alone. For the first month after her return neither of them hunted, only leaving for supply runs. During the last month, they had taken on smaller cases, but one of them would stay in the bunker with [Y/N], the other hunting with Jody or Garth instead.

"You had dinner yet today?" He asked her. Sam and Dean had started asking her if she'd eaten every few hours, since they noticed she had lost a lot of weight during her captivity and hadn't really put any on since being back.

"Yeah, I'm all good Sam".

"What did you have?"

"You don't have to baby me, I ate okay?"

Sam held up his hands in defence "Okay, okay, I'm not trying to get under your skin. Just looking out for you". [Y/N] immediately felt guilty for snapping at him, she had been feeling irritable for awhile now, probably because she wasn't really eating much at all. She didn't have much of an appetite anymore, she was in a constant state of nausea, not quite able to get the images of torture out of her mind. She hadn't told either of them yet, but she also had issues keeping food down. She had barely been given any food while she was tied in chains in the dark, damp cellar. She hadn't even been given water on a daily basis, often drinking rain water from the leaking window that had been on the ceiling. She had played down her injuries at the time, refusing to go to the hospital and just wanting to get to the safely warded bunker.

"I'm sorry... I think I'll have an early night". She stood up, trying to hide the pain she felt in her lower back, but very obviously failing when Sam hopped up to grab her waist and steady her.

"[Y/N], please, just let us take care of you while you recover. You have nothing to prove to me or Dean okay? You've been through a lot and barely talked about it, you're holding it all in like Dean. What do you do when he keeps everything to himself?" She just shrugged. "You let him know that you're there and you try to get him to open up. We're just doing the same for you". He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and took the book from her, and started to lead her to her room. "It's okay to not be okay". He helped her get settled in bed and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "We're gonna be leaving pretty early in the morning, do you want me to wake you before we go?"

"No it's okay, just text me when you get to the motel".

"Okay, but if you need anything at all just call. One of us will answer you".

***

"Please, why are you doing this?" [Y/N]'s face was covered with tears, a demon had spent the morning carving into her skin while her wrists were being rubbed raw from the rope holding her down.

"For some reason you're important to the Winchesters, think the shorter one even has a little crush on you. We want to hurt them. Now, torture doesn't do anything to them anymore, and we've learned to not underestimate their ability to escape. But you, you're pathetic, you were an easy target and there is no way you're getting out of this before we're finished with you. So, we're using you to hurt them. A little bit of payback for all those exorcisms and stabbings of my kind. So stop squirming". The demon slapped her in the face and plunged the knife into her thigh.

[Y/N] shot up in her bed screaming, covered in sweat and struggling to breath. Dean burst into the room with his gun at the ready searching for the threat, but he quickly realised that [Y/N] had just had a nightmare. She'd had a nightmare pretty much every night since she'd got back, but this was the first time she had woken up screaming. Usually, she would wake up from a nightmare after a couple of hours of sleep and would just lay there in silence until the morning. This time, the nightmare was too vivid, too real; it was an exact memory of being held captive.

"Hey, hey you're okay, it was just a nightmare". He sat down on the bed beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. "You've got to breathe [Y/N], come on, match your breathing to mine". He pulled her close to his chest and held her tightly until he felt her breathing even out. He felt a wave of shock at how thin she had become. He suspected that she wasn't eating as much as she should be, but she hadn't let him be close to her since the day they'd found her. "You're okay, you're safe here, nothing's gonna hurt you. Let's lie back and try get some more sleep". He was relieved when she didn't argue or try to stop him from getting under the covers and wrapping his arms around her. She was too tired and she needed to be held.

***

[Y/N]'s door had been left ajar, and in the morning Sam poked his head in to see [Y/N] asleep on Dean's chest. Dean must have already been awake, because the soft creak of the door was enough for him to open his eyes and catch Sam's.

"Is everything okay?" Sam whispered.

"Can you call Jody and ask her to go with you? I'm staying here". Sam simply nodded in understanding and gestured to his phone, silently letting Dean know that he could just call him. Dean looked down at [Y/N], he hasn't seen her look this relaxed since before the demons got her. He tried not to move, he didn't want her to wake up too early. Her slow and gentle breathing was calming to Dean, as well as knowing that she was safe in his arms.

After another hour, [Y/N] began to stir. Dean ran his fingers up and down her arm softly while she woke up. "Dean?" She looked up at him, her eyes still focusing.

"Morning Sweetheart". He reached up to brush her hair out of her face before returning his hand to her arm.

"What are you doing in here?"

"You woke up screaming last night, I think you were having a panic attack. I managed to calm you down and you fell asleep".

"I'm sorry". She whispered, and started to fidget with a button on Dean's flannel. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head and starting trailing is fingers up and down her arm again.

"Talk to me. Sam and I are worried about you. You hardly talk, you barely eat, you seem sad all the time. You lock yourself away in this room and you won't let us in. So talk to me, what are you struggling with? How can we help you? We miss you".

"I... I'm scared Dean. God it sounds so pathetic, but I'm scared. They got me so easily, and I couldn't escape. I tried every single day for six months and I couldn't escape. I can't leave the bunker, every time I think of leaving I just see their black eyes and I feel the pain all over again. Everywhere hurts. It hurts when I stand up, it hurts when I sit down, it hurts when I breathe. I don't like you guys seeing me like this".

"I am so sorry we didn't find you sooner. I promise you [Y/N], Sam and I didn't go on any hunts the entire time you were gone. We spent every moment that we were awake looking for you."

"It's okay".

"No it's not, so can you please let us take care of you? Let us help you get back on your feet, get your confidence back".

***

[Y/N] had agreed to let Sam and Dean help her recover better. Over the next few weeks she would eat her meals with them, not quite finishing them but managing to eat more as time went on. When she couldn't keep something down, Dean was right there with her holding her hair back and rubbing her back. Sam would sit with her when they were reading for a case, and he would make sure that she was drinking enough water. She would join the boys for movie nights, and she would let them take her temperature when she was feeling sick. They had decided to not leave her alone at the bunker until she felt safe again. One of them would always stay behind. They were being very sweet to her, especially Dean, who would check up on her every night and stay with her in her bed if she was having a nightmare. The only issue with this was that [Y/N]'s feelings for Dean were growing stronger, and she knew he only saw her as a friend, maybe even as a little sister.

The three of them were sitting down to breakfast one morning when Dean mentioned that one of his old hunter friends from several states over had called and asked him for help with what looked like a vampire case. Recently Sam had been the one to take on the cases while Dean stayed behind, but [Y/N] told him he should take it. It would take him several days to get there, and several days to get back, so the case was definitely going to take longer than a week and [Y/N] hoped that she could get her feelings for him under control during his time away.

[Y/N] had to admit that for the two weeks that Dean was away on the case, she struggled. Sam was great, he got her anything she needed, made sure she ate, and comforted her when she felt sick. He even carried her to bed several times when she fell asleep while they were researching for Dean. No one was there when she woke up from nightmares though. For the first few days, Dean would call her or text her every couple of hours to check up on her or ask her to search something in the lore for him. She tried not to talk for too long, wanting to put some space between them, hoping that her feelings would fade. Gradually Dean's texts and calls would be farther apart and shorter, and during the second week that he was gone, he was only texting her once or twice a day with a quick 'you good?' [Y/N] tried to convince herself that she was okay with this transition, but it was hurting her. It felt like Dean didn't really care how she was anymore, and it felt like a fast change from when he was there in the bunker with her.

***

[Y/N] and Sam were sitting at the map table looking through some lore for Jody on djinn when they heard the bunker door open. They were expecting Dean back since he had sent a text three days ago to say the case was finished and that he would be heading back. [Y/N] looked up the steps to see Dean walking down them, and was surprised to see a woman walking down after him. She was extremely pretty, and [Y/N] felt a twang of jealously when she noticed that the girl was definitely Dean's type, the sort of girl he flirted with and hooked up with in the past.

"Hey!" He said as he reached the bottom of the stairs. The girl stood beside him and he wrapped his arm around her waist, an action that drained the blood from [Y/N]'s face. "You remember Penny from a few years back Sam?"

"Oh, yeah sure, hey". Sam smiled at her and stood up to shake her hand. [Y/N] forced herself to stand up too, and managed to half-smile at them.

"Oh, and this is [Y/N], she's a hunter too, she's lived here with us for awhile". Dean nodded towards [Y/N] and Penny looked her up and down. Although [Y/N] had gained a bit of weight over the last few weeks she was still a lot thinner than she used to be, and she had lost pretty much all of her muscle. She really didn't look like much of a hunter anymore. Penny was tall and lean, the muscle definition in her arms was very apparent, and [Y/N] could see that she had a toned stomach due to the short top she was wearing.

"You're a hunter?" Penny asked with one eyebrow raised.

"Uh, yeah, well I guess I'm more into research at the moment". [Y/N]'s voice was quiet as she tried to keep the jealously out of it.

"Oh, well that makes more sense". Penny giggled. "Dean was such a great help on our hunt last week, we ended up taking down a nest of eight vampires in just two days". She put her hand on his chest and smiled up at him.

"Two days huh? So you must have finished up over a week ago?" Sam asked him.

"Oh yeah, Penny asked me to stick around for a bit, catch up properly, so I hung around for a couple extra days before heading back. She was looking for a new case so I thought why not bring her back here? We have plenty of room and she's an awesome hunter, we can hunt together".

"Well, welcome to the bunker! We have plenty of rooms you can crash in while you're here". Sam smiled at her and she laughed.

"I think I'll just stay in Dean's, we uh, reconnected". She smiled and glanced at [Y/N] as if to check for a reaction, but [Y/N] was only looking at the blush on Dean's face and thinking about how she'd never made him blush. Dean's grip on Penny's waist tightened and he started to pull her towards the bedrooms.

"We'll catch up with you two later, it was a long drive so we're gonna catch up on some sleep". Dean winked at Sam before disappearing down the hall. [Y/N] was frozen on the spot.

"I haven't seen her in years, she looks good and seems nice!" Sam smiled at [Y/N] but frowned when she didn't say anything and was just staring at the corridor where Dean and Penny had walked down. "You okay [Y/N]? You look like you've seen a ghost" Sam chuckled knowing ghosts didn't phase [Y/N] in the slightest. Now she knew why Dean hadn't been texting or calling so much over the last week, he had 'reconnected' with a hunter he must have history with.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Let's continue reading so we can find what Jody's looking for".

***

The next morning Sam knocked on [Y/N]'s bedroom door. "Hey, it's pretty late in the morning and I haven't seen you yet, so I brought you breakfast". He walked over to her bed and set a tray down on her bedside table before sitting down on her bed and pulling her covers back from her face. "You okay?"

[Y/N] had been lying in bed awake for a few hours now, she hadn't slept well during the night. Every time she managed to fall asleep she would wake up from a nightmare. She had wanted nothing more than to text Dean and ask for him to come and comfort her like he had been doing, but she couldn't do that now with Penny there. When she thought about getting up and going to the kitchen, she thought of Dean and Penny cooking together and Penny giggling at some stupid joke Dean made and him putting his arms around her. The image caused her anxiety, which made her feel nauseous. So, she hadn't left her bed that morning.

"Yeah, thanks for the breakfast".

"Want some company while you eat?" Sam asked and rubbed [Y/N]'s lower leg through the covers.

"No, no that's okay".

"Okay cool, well I'm going to head out on a supply run then, do you need anything?"

[Y/N] shook her head and sat up in the bed and pulled the tray onto her lap. Sam smiled at her and patted her leg before getting up and leaving. She forced herself to eat some of the food Sam had brought her, but she found it difficult. After thirty minutes she had eaten what she could, and she stood up to bring the tray out to the kitchen, telling herself that Dean and Penny would most likely be finished with the kitchen at this time and she would probably be able to avoid them.

She brought her tray over to the sink and began washing her dishes when she heard footsteps behind her. "[Y/N], right?" It was Penny's voice. [Y/N] closed her eyes and took a breath before turning her head to look at her.

"Yeah that's right". She gave a small smile.

"I didn't see you make breakfast earlier, you must be super quiet". Penny was now sitting down at the table in the kitchen.

"Oh I didn't make it, Sam made it for me".

"Oh yeah, Dean mentioned something about how they have to make your food for you".

"They don't have to, they do it sometimes because I'm sick at the moment and they're my friends, they want to help".

"So you just hang around in their bunker and they look after you? You don't go on hunts or anything anymore? I'm just saying if that was me I'd feel really awkward about it".

"It's my bunker too, I live here".

"Would you ever consider, I don't know, working out or something? Maybe if you were fitter you could pull your weight around here and not leave everything to the boys". Penny shrugged and gestured at [Y/N]'s body.

"E-excuse me?" [Y/N] stuttered.

Penny rolled her eyes "You just seem like dead weight is all. Dean said you just mope around the place and stay in bed all day while they do everything for you".

"He said that?"

"Yeah" Penny giggled. "He said you're like the annoying little sister neither of them asked for".

[Y/N] didn't respond, she just stood frozen at the sink.

"Right... well enjoy your day, Dean's bringing me out to a little cafe in town for a date, so I guess I'll see you later". Penny stood up and looked [Y/N] up and down again before leaving. So Sam was out on a supply run and Dean was going to take Penny out, meaning [Y/N] would be alone at the bunker for the first time since she had been captured. She could feel her anxiety bubble up and she thought about texting Sam to see how much longer he would be, but then she told herself that the bunker was warded, she didn't need Sam or Dean here to feel safe. She felt like she was lying to herself. She decided to go back to her room and try to get some sleep, hoping that when she woke up she wouldn't be alone anymore.

***

"[Y/N], hey, wake up... [Y/N]". [Y/N] gasped as she opened her eyes and saw Sam's face right in front of hers, his eyebrows furrowed in concern and his hands gripping her shoulders. "Breathe, you're okay, you were having a nightmare". She swallowed and tried to focus on Sam's eyes, slowly steadying her breathing. "Where's Dean? I came back and no one was around, I knocked in your door but you didn't answer. I opened it just to take a look and you were crying and sweating in your sleep". Sam held the back of his hand to her forehead. "You're burning up [Y/N], where's Dean?"

"H-he went out w-with Penny" [Y/N] was crying now, she couldn't help it.

"Come here". Sam opened his arms and pulled [Y/N] close to him. He rubbed her back with one hand and held the back of her head with the other. "Did Dean check that you were cool with being left alone before he went?" [Y/N] sniffed and shook her head. "Okay, I'm gonna talk to him".

"No, don't. You guys should be able to leave me here and come and go as you please, it's your home".

"It's your home too. You're our family, we're supposed to take care of each other. Lie back down, I'll get a cold cloth to put on your forehead".

***

[Y/N] had managed to fall into a dreamless sleep once Sam had calmed her down. She slept for several hours, well into the evening. She took a shower to wake herself up more, and when she got out and dressed she realised that she was hungry. She rarely felt hunger due to her nausea and anxiety, so she took this as a good sign. She made her way to the kitchen but stopped outside when she heard hushed voices. She didn't want to spy or anything, but the sound of Penny's voice saying her name made her freeze yet again.

"I'm just saying, I don't know why you keep her here. She treats you like personal nurses, you do literally everything for her. It's so weird. Bringing her food in bed and like, carrying her places when she randomly falls asleep? And she does nothing for you guys, she doesn't even hunt. She looks like a gentle wind would knock her over. She doesn't even seem that smart so she can't be much of an asset when it comes to research".

[Y/N] waited for one of the boys to defend her, but she was met with silence.

"I think she's using you to be honest. Both of you. I know you said she was kidnapped or whatever but like we're hunters, we don't let that shit affect us. I think she's milking it and pretending to be traumatised when she's really just lazy".

"Okay that's not-" Sam started but Dean cut him off immediately.

"Let's go to bed Sweetheart". [Y/N] heard the kitchen chairs scrape across the floor and she knew Dean and Penny were about to get up and head to Dean's room. She quickly and quietly ran down the hall back to her room and closed the door behind her. She got into bed, no longer feeling hungry. She lasted about ten seconds before the tears came. She covered her mouth, trying to dampen the noise of her sobs as she took in what she had heard. Neither of the boys had stood up for her, did they agree with what Penny said? She shook her head, from now on she wasn't going to accept any help from them. She was going to stay out of their way, especially Dean's.

***

Over the next couple of weeks [Y/N] kept to herself. Sam had knocked on her door a few times to check in on her, and he'd brought her food one one occasion but she told him to stop doing that, and that she would get food herself. She rarely saw Dean, and when she did, Penny was always there. She often heard them laughing, or Penny giggling. She had accidentally found them wrapped up in each other's arms, mouths latched to each other's in the library one afternoon, so she decided any research she was going to do from now on would be from her bedroom. Not that she felt she was needed for research anymore; Dean and Penny had gone off together on a case and hadn't asked for any help. Sam had also gone on a case for a few days and hadn't asked [Y/N] to help with anything. She was starting to believe that she was useless, and that the boys probably wouldn't even notice if she wasn't in the bunker anymore. She had run into Penny on her own a few times too before they'd all gone on their hunts, each time met with insults and condescending remarks about her appearance or how useless she was to have around, which further cemented [Y/N]'s belief that maybe she should just take off on her own.

Dean and Penny had been gone for a week, and Sam had been gone for five days when [Y/N] woke up screaming from a nightmare. They had been getting progressively worse over the last few nights. She had lost pretty much all the weight that she had put on, and she had just been staying in bed all day. She was seriously struggling. Panting and trying to catch her breath, she brought her hand up to her forehead and felt that she was covered in sweat; she knew she was dehydrated. She swung her legs off the bed and pushed herself up, wincing at the pain in her lower back. Using the wall as a support, she slowly started to make her way to the kitchen to get a glass of water. However, she only made it half way when her vision started to get blurry, and her legs started to feel too heavy to lift. She leaned against the wall, her breathing becoming more and more laboured, and eventually she slipped down the wall and ended up lying on her side.

***

Dean had killed a werewolf that had been terrorising a small town, but Penny had been more of a hindrance than a help the entire case. On the first day of the hunt she had tried to convince him to stay in bed instead of going to meet the coroner to see the bodies. She clung to him the entire time, spoke down to the victim's families, and told him not to call [Y/N] to ask for lore help when they'd hit a dead end, accusing him of having a crush on [Y/N] and threatening to leave him if he contacted her. Dean had become more and more irritated with Penny the entire hunt, but snapped when she had pulled an innocent man in front of her a shield when the werewolf attacked her. Dean had managed to get to it before it killed the man, but he couldn't pretend to like her anymore. He had [Y/N] on his mind the entire time. She had been pulling away from him recently, and he had assumed that she was trying to hint at the fact that she didn't have feelings for him. He thought she was weirded out that night she woke up in his arms, so when Penny called him and asked for his help on a case, he decided to turn her into a distraction.

Dean and Penny got into the impala to make their way back to the bunker when Dean pulled out his phone and put it up to his ear. "Who are you calling?" Penny asked, folding her arms and staring at him.

"[Y/N], I haven't heard from her in a week and I want to check in on her".

"What did I say would happen if you contacted her?"

"That you'd leave me. Please, by all means, go ahead". Penny scoffed and mustered up a hurt expression on her face. Dean pulled the phone away from his ear when he didn't get an answer and shoved it back into his pocket angrily.

"No answer? She's probably hoping that by not answering you'll get all worried about her. You know she's just an attention whore don't you?"

"Look Penny, here's how it's gonna go. You're gonna keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut the entire way back to the bunker, then you're gonna collect your things, and you're gonna get the fuck out of my life". Not waiting for a reaction, Dean started the car and began the drive back to the bunker.

***

It was dark when Dean and Penny got back to the bunker. Sam had texted to say he was also on his way back, but Dean had beat him to it. "Right, straight to my room to get your stuff and then you can call a cab or something to get out of town". Penny rolled her eyes but didn't argue, she knew she'd lost. They made their way down the bunker's stairs and through to the hall with the bedrooms. Dean stopped in his tracks when he saw a figure lying on the floor. "[Y/N]? Hey, what happened?" Dean knelt down beside her and shook her shoulder, but she didn't wake up. "Wake up [Y/N], come on, you're okay". Dean was trying to ignore how sunken in [Y/N]'s face was, how skeletal she had become, how sick she looked, but it was hard to ignore when it was staring him in the face.

"Slap her in the face or something, she's just pretending". Penny's voice was grating behind him, and he quickly stood up to look down at her.

"Get. The fuck. Out. Leave your stuff, forget about it, just get out now." Dean spat in her face. Penny glared at him and scoffed, but she turned around to leave and Dean turned his attention back to [Y/N]. "Please Sweetheart, open your eyes for me". He cupped her cheek with one hand and stroked it with his thumb, his other hand reached for her hand to squeeze it. He felt a very weak squeeze back. "[Y/N]? Are you awake?"

"D-dean?"

"Yeah it's me, I'm here. Can you sit up for me?" [Y/N] shook her head, but managed to open her eyes. "Okay, that's okay. Come on, we need to get you to bed". He slipped his arms under her knees and around her shoulders and pulled her close to his chest before standing up with her. She gripped his flannel weakly with her hand, just checking that he was real. He walked to her room and set her down on her bed, not missing her groan when she curled up with the blanket. Dean felt her forehead and the heat coming from it, and left to quickly get a cold cloth to lay on her, and a glass of water. "Lift your head for me Sweetheart, I need to get some water into you, come on, drink". He held the water to her lips and she took a few sips.

"Dean? [Y/N]? What's going on? I passed by Penny coming into the bunker and she looked pissed". Sam was standing in the doorway, still holding the duffle bag he'd taken with him on his trip.

"She's sick Sam, I don't know what to do". [Y/N] only just realised that there were tears coming from Dean's eyes. Sam dropped his bag and rushed over to them.

"[Y/N] when was the last time you ate?" Sam asked once he got a proper look at her. "What happened? You were doing better before we left".

"I heard her". [Y/N] mumbled.

Sam and Dean exchanged a confused expression. "Heard who?" Sam asked.

"Penny... I heard her say I was useless, that you do everything for me and I don't do anything. You didn't disagree. I'm a burden, I don't hunt, I don't do anything, I know I'm a waste of space".

"Sweetheart". Dean sighed. "I'm so sorry. She's gone okay? I kicked her out, you don't have to worry about her anymore. She was wrong, you're not useless, you're not a burden. You're just in a dark place at the moment. Sam and I... we shouldn't have left you alone." He was stroking her hair now. "You mean the world to me. I love you, I-I'm in love with you [Y/N]". She finally looked up to meet his eyes. "Penny was a distraction, I thought you were trying to push me away. I promise you, if I'd known you felt useless I wouldn't have stopped spending time with you. I'm an idiot. I can never be sorry enough for not shutting her up when she said that. You are not useless".

"No hunts for awhile, Dean and I are going to get you back on your feet. No pushing us away, no refusing help, okay? We're all gonna fix this together". Sam smiled sadly at her. "You're my family just as much as Dean is, you're like a little sister and I need you". [Y/N] swallowed, not quite believing the love both of the brothers were showing her right now. It seemed too good to be true.

"Will you let me stay with you tonight [Y/N]? I can sit by your bed, I just need to make sure you're okay". Dean pleaded with her.

"You're in love with me?" [Y/N]'s voice was hoarse.

"Yes, I'm sorry, I don't want to make you uncomfortable. I promise I won't try anything, I just want to be here for you tonight". Dean wiped the tears that were falling from his eyes.

"I'm in love with you". [Y/N] whispered. Dean sniffed and couldn't help but smile at her and let out a laugh. [Y/N] also started to laugh quietly, and a grin broke out on Sam's face.

"Alright, I'm gonna leave you two alone - try to get some sleep, both of you. If you need anything just call me". Sam walked over and pressed a kiss to the top of [Y/N]'s head, and patted Dean on the shoulder before leaving the room.

"Could you hold me?" [Y/N] looked to Dean. He stood up and pulled his flannel, shoes, and jeans off, leaving him in a t-shirt and boxers. He crawled into [Y/N]'s bed and pulled her to his chest. He ran his fingers up and down her arm and she relaxed, listening to his heartbeat.

"We're gonna get you better. You talk to me, I'll listen. Me and Sam. Anything you need, we're here." She looked up at him and he looked down at her.

"Can you kiss me?" She asked, forcing a smile onto his lips. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, letting her set the pace. She licked his lower lip and he opened his mouth, letting her in. His hand slipped under her shirt and gripped her waist while her hand reached behind his neck. The kiss was needy, but full of love. After a few minutes [Y/N] pulled back and lay her head back on Dean's chest, too tired to continue. "I think I'll need a lot of kisses". Dean chuckled.

"Anything you need Sweetheart". Both of them drifted off to sleep. [Y/N] wouldn't have any nightmares that night.

The end

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yurimage · 2 months

Text

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week - Diabulimia

CW // Disordered eating

(click for better quality)

Transcript Below

Diabulimia- Diabulimia is the informal term for an eating disorder specific to type 1 diabetics in which someone with the disorder intentionally restricts their insulin in order to lose weight. Although not listed as an official diagnosis in the DSM-V, it is an incredibly prevalent and dangerous eating disorder.

Type 1 Diabetes- Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disorder of the pancreas. Typically, the pancreas secretes insulin, a hormone that takes glucose from the blood and moves it into cells in order to be used as energy. However, in T1D, the body attacks itself and destroys the cells that secrete insulin. Without insulin, glucose from food sits around in the blood and builds up– causing a condition called hyperglycemia.¹ There’s currently no cure for T1D, so patients with the condition need to take insulin as injections or delivered through an insulin pump. T1D is irreversible, and life long, so patients need to take insulin for the rest of their lives.¹ T1D and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are not the same. In T2D, the pancreas still has insulin secreting cells; however, the body can’t properly use the insulin due to a high level of insulin resistance.² Because of the differences between T1D and T2D, diabulimia can only occur in those with T1D.

Insulin Restriction- In the absence of insulin, glucose can’t enter cells and instead stays in the bloodstream. Eventually, the body attempts to flush out excess glucose through urine– leading to severe dehydration. Since cells can’t get energy from glucose in this scenario, they instead try to get it from other sources– the body’s muscles and fat stores begin to be broken down for energy. This state is biologically the same as starvation as calories from food in the form of glucose are leaving the body before being used. The loss of calories and breakdown of fat and muscle, coupled with the loss of water weight from dehydration, lead to rapid weight loss.³ In diabulimia, insulin is restricted intentionally with the goal to lose weight.

DKA- In the short term, diabulimia leads to frequent urination and severe dehydration, immense fatigue and nausea and vomiting.³ If left untreated, these high blood sugars will eventually lead to a condition called Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA occurs when fat is broken down in the body. The breakdown of fat releases acidic compounds called ketones. Eventually, with enough build up of ketones, the blood itself becomes acidic and may eventually lead to coma or death.⁴ DKA must be treated in a hospital setting; and as such, is often the way that diabulimics are first treated for their eating disorders.

Health Consequences- Consistently high blood sugars will eventually lead to severe diabetic complications such as neuropathy (nerve damage), retinopathy (damage to the retinas in the eyes) or kidney disease.³ While long term health effects like eye damage and kidney disease are already common complications for those with T1D, diabulimia significantly increases the risk for these complications. A Japanese study found that insulin restriction was the most significant factor in developing retinopathy and kidney disease; meaning that these complications were more strongly correlated with insulin restriction than other factors such as how long someone had been diagnosed with T1D.⁵

Prevalence and Risk- When compared to girls without T1D, those in the same age range that were diagnosed with T1D were around 2.4 times more likely to have an eating disorder ⁶ One study that surveyed 112 teens with T1D found that around 27% restricted insulin dosages ⁷ An 11-year study found that those with T1D who restricted insulin had a risk of death 3.2 times higher than diabetics who did not ⁸

Why I'm Making This- Accessing treatment for diabulimia is incredibly difficult. When I first began to look for inpatient eating disorder treatment, I was turned down from every residential and inpatient facility in my state. The only reason I got into a residential that time was because my mom is a very determined and very convincing woman (she threatened to sue them). And that isn’t even accounting for the lack of diabulimia specific treatment. My last time in treatment, the hospital I was at recommended I enter inpatient; however, there ended up being only a few inpatient centers with diabulimia experience in my country-- the closest one rejected me because they couldn’t find an endocrinologist to oversee my diabetes care. This lack of treatment is especially dangerous with how severe the health consequences of diabulimia are. In fact, since beginning work on this infographic, I found out I may have kidney damage. Yes, as a result of diabulimia. I also have permanent eye damage, neuropathy, and I’m finally (3 months after leaving the hospital) recovering from the short term health consequences of my disorder. And even I am luckier than a lot of other diabulimics. With a disease so prevalent, and so, so dangerous, you’d think there would be enough support in treating it. But there isn’t. Largely I think, because most people simply don’t know that it exists. My only hope with making this infographic is that we can change that.

Sources:

1- “What is Type 1 Diabetes?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed January 31, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/what-is-type-1-diabetes.html.

2- “Type 2 Diabetes.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed January 31, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/type2.html.

3- “Diabulimia.” Cleveland Clinic. Accessed January 31, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22658-diabulimia.

4- “Diabetic Ketoacidosis.” Mayo Clinic. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20371551

5- Takii, Masato, et. al.. “The Duration of Severe Insulin Omission Is the Factor Most Closely Associated with the Microvascular Complications of Type 1 Diabetic Females with Clinical Eating Disorders.” International Journal of Eating Disorders 41, no. 3 (April 2008): 259–64. doi:10.1002/eat.20498.

6- Jones, Jennifer M. “Eating Disorders in Adolescent Females with and without Type 1 Diabetes: Cross Sectional Study.” BMJ: British Medical Journal (International Edition) 320, no. 7249 (June 10, 2000): 1563. doi:10.1136/bmj.320.7249.1563.

7- Markowitz JT, et. al.. “Brief Screening Tool for Disordered Eating in Diabetes: Internal Consistency and External Validity in a Contemporary Sample of Pediatric Patients with Type 1 Diabetes.” Diabetes Care 33, no. 3 (March 2010): 495–500. doi:10.2337/dc09-1890.

8- Goebel-Fabbri, Ann E., et. al.. “Insulin Restriction and Associated Morbidity and Mortality in Women with Type 1 Diabetes.” Diabetes Care 31, no. 3 (March 2008): 415–19. doi:10.2337/dc07-2026.

#type 1 diabetes #type 1 diabetic #diabulimia #national eating disorder awareness week #neda #eating disorder recovery #diabulimia recovery #mental health #mental health awareness #national eating disorder awareness #diabetes #i tried to make it like an infographic but i write too much and so it's more like a powerpoint... oops...#anyways idk i just wanted more info about this to be out here so i made this #please reblog it would mean a lot <3 #zelle.txt

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spiritboxxhoe · 10 months

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General Tips for people with EDs

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Water :

We absolutely must drink water to survive, and it has zero calories, so there's no excuse to not drink it. As we typically get much of our water content through foods, when we reduce food intake we begin to dehydrate ourselves, which is dangerous. Also, cold water chills the body and may raise metabolism to get warm again.

Reasons to drink water:

It lubricates the joints

It forms saliva and mucus

If delivers oxygen throughout your entire body

It boosts skin health and beauty

It cushions the brain, spinal cord, and other sensitive tissue

It regulates body temperature

Your digestive system depends on it

It flushes body waste

It maintains your blood pressure

Your airways need it

Prevents kidney damage

Weight loss

Finally, it reduces the chance of a hungover

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Vitamins and Minerals:

We must have these, too, to survive and so again there is no excuse to not take at least a basic daily multivitamin (which may help reduce some cravings as well). Vitamins are vital in keeping our bodies functioning and our skin / hair / teeth nice. Particularly be aware of electrolytes (potassium, magnesium, salt, along with water balance) and calcium.

Reasons to take to help with weightloss....

Vitamin C: it has been proven that people with low vitamin C status tend to burn less fat when exercising

Vitamin B12: Faster metabolism

Omega 3: Increases fat breakdown, decreases muscle inflammation, large amounts are usually taken by big time athletes

Ashwagandha: Increases muscle mass which results in a faster metabolism, improves sleeping patterns(Lack of sleep = High blood sugar = weight gain)

Vitamin B2: Helps your body break down fats, carbs, and proteins

Fenugreek: it’s an herb that works as an appetite supressant, just be careful with it and do research

Vitamin D: Helps with hairloss, dry skin, and depression

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Protein:

Protein is necessary, particularly if you're exercising. It maintains and repairs our muscles, including heart muscle, which is (last I heard) kind of a requisite for continued survival.

Reduces appetite and hunger levels

Increases muscle mass and strength

Good for your bones

Reduces cravings and late night binging

Boosts metabolism and increases fat burning

Lowers blood pressure

Helps maintain weight loss

Helps your body repair itself after injury

Helps you stay fit as you age

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Fat Intake:

Fat has, per gram, more calories than any other source of energy and is stored more easily. Switch to low fat everything, then progress to nonfat. Nonfat food tends to taste like crap (in my opinion) and you may end up eating less because of that.

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Caffeine:

While caffeine can be an appetite suppressant and can increase your metabolism, it will also act as a diuretic. Drink a glass of water for each cup of tea, coffee, or diet soda you have. Again, dehydration is a potentially serious problem.

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Tips:

Always read labels to avoid nasty surprises. This happens to me all the time and makes for some panicky stress-moments. Also, look up food charts and be aware of the caloric / nutritional content of everything you eat.

Understand yourself. Learn what you need, and when, and why. Everyone is unique and there are no hard-and-fast universally applicable laws. Our bodies are very good at telling us what we need, and knowing what you need gives control over how you choose to satisfy those needs.

Find your binge triggers, be they food or places or people or feelings. Avoid them at all costs. Figure out more acceptable ways of dealing with those triggers than stuffing yourself silly.

Learn when you tend to eat and why you eat then in particular. Plan to be doing something unrelated to food at those times. Many of us find night to be the hardest time to avoid food.

Get plenty of sleep. Steal naps whenever you can and rest when you need to rest. Sleep deprivation increases appetite and makes you age faster.

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The end! Thank you for reading <3

#tw edd #tw disordered eating #ed di3t #ed twt #threads #ed #tips and tricks

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kangals · 1 year

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long post with lots of discussion about dog urine for ppl interested in vetmed or who need time to kill this morning:

so the reason boone had a Vet Day yesterday is that about a week ago, seemingly without warning, he suddenly developed urinary incontinence. specifically if it’s been more than ~5-6 hours and he has a full bladder, he just kind of starts… overflowing. it’s not just a little trickle but he also doesn’t seem to be aware that it’s happening, and it’s happened at least once while he was sleeping/lying down. so for the past week almost every morning he’s just been trailing urine all over my house on the way to the yard. this did happen last year for 2-3 days but then spontaneously resolved, so when it seemed like it wasn’t fixing itself this time I brought him in for a workup.

good findings: no bladder tumors, no blood in urine, no drinking more than normal, no UTI (culture is still pending but no growth yet), prostate is normal, blood values are within range

bad findings: urine is low concentration - not “holy shit this is just water” level, but at the very low end of the acceptable range, even when water has been withheld. conversely, his kidney values on blood work are at the high end of normal, and compared to previous tests have been slowly increasing over time. appetite hasn’t been great lately. he’s also showing progressive neurological deficits in his hind legs/lumbar area

so right now the potential problems are:

UTI: would be the easiest solution, but is unlikely to be the case. will know for certain next week once the culture is finished.

early kidney disease: more likely given the urine dilution and increasing blood values. not curable, but can be managed with a rx diet (expensive, but he doesn’t like his current food anyway so not a huge hardship).

nerve damage: possible due to his long history of neuro problems and current degradation in his hind legs. only definitively diagnosable via MRI which is a big hassle and very expensive. the treatment for that would likely be steroids which have the unfortunate side effect of making you pee fucking everywhere, which is the same problem we’re trying to fix in the first place.

so assuming the culture comes back clear, which seems likely, it’s down to either kidneys or neuro (or possibly both). im trying to take things one step at a time and not get too overwhelmed, which I’m having varying levels of success with. I put him in a belly band last night and woke up early to take him out which did at least save my house from getting covered in pee, so hopefully we get some answers soon and can trial some things to get him feeling better.

#trial and error my beloathed #anyway boone seems to otherwise be acting normal so I’m trying not to stress #fingers crossed we can get a solution and get the Endless PeePee under control

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cymbaltawithdrawals · 1 year

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What Is NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) Supplement?

N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a synthetic form of cysteine, which is a semi-essential amino acid. Once consumed, NAC breaks down into cysteine, which is then metabolized to glutathione. Glutathione is an important antioxidant for the immune system functioning, detoxification, tissue building and repair.

NAC Benefits Health

There are several health claims surrounding the use of NAC supplements. Some of these claims suggest improved mental health, protection against certain viruses, and relief from respiratory symptoms, although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved many of them.

Low levels of glutathione are linked to numerous health conditions, such as aging-related issues, diabetes, and heart disease. Therefore, glutathione supplementation is often recommended to prevent or treat diseases. NAC is frequently used as a precursor to glutathione as it can help achieve higher glutathione levels. However, while NAC is associated with numerous health benefits, many of these claims lack sufficient evidence from human-based research.

NAC is a commonly used, and FDA-approved drug for treating acetaminophen poisoning. Large doses of acetaminophen can cause liver damage, and prompt administration of NAC is essential as it can reduce the extent of liver damage by increasing glutathione levels, which is a powerful detoxifier in the liver.

There is evidence to suggest that NAC may help treat certain respiratory conditions, such as chronic bronchitis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This is because NAC can break apart and thin mucus secretions in the airways, which makes it easier to clear the airway through coughing.

Preliminary evidence also suggests that NAC may improve certain mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, substance use disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, more research is required to determine the effectiveness of NAC in treating these conditions.

Some research suggests that NAC may improve brain health and help reduce symptoms associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. It may also help relieve neuropathic pain caused by central nervous system damage.

NAC supplements may also offer some benefits for people struggling with viral infections. Research suggests NAC works against viral infections by boosting the immune system, reducing inflammation, and preventing the replication of viruses.

Some studies suggest that NAC may help improve sperm quality and reduce oxidative stress in infertile men. It may also have the potential to help slow the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Potential Adverse Effects of N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)

N-Acetylcysteine, commonly known as NAC, is generally considered a safe supplement. However, some individuals may experience side effects when taking NAC.

The most common adverse effects of NAC include gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, low blood pressure, anaphylactic reactions such as a rash, swelling, tightness in the chest, or difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, dizziness, or lightheadedness.

Although most of the side effects of NAC are mild, the supplement may not be suitable for everyone. People with specific medical conditions should avoid taking NAC. Individuals with cystinuria, a rare kidney stone condition, or a bleeding disorder should not take NAC. If you are aware of being allergic to NAC, you should also avoid taking it.

Furthermore, high doses of NAC can potentially elevate the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid linked to heart disease, warns Dr. Liu. Therefore, it is essential to speak with your doctor before taking NAC, especially if you have any underlying health concerns or are taking other medications.

According to Dr. Johnson-Arbor, you should tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, including over-the-counter products, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements. Your doctor can evaluate your medication regimen for potential side effects and check your medication list to ensure that you are not at risk of experiencing drug-to-drug interactions.

It's also important to choose a reputable brand when purchasing NAC supplements. As dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA for safety or effectiveness, it's essential to conduct research and choose a brand that includes high-quality ingredients. One way to ensure the quality of the supplement is to opt for a brand that has been verified through the US Pharmacopoeial (USP) Convention Dietary Supplement Verification Program, indicating that the supplement has undergone third-party testing.

In conclusion, N-Acetylcysteine may provide numerous health benefits, but it's crucial to talk with your doctor before adding NAC to your regimen to ensure that the potential benefits outweigh the risks.

#NAC #antidepressant

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staymirthy · 1 year

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Does CBD work for pets? Ok for those not interested in the details. YES! CBD can be great for our four legged friends! A lot of you have likely heard a little about CBD for pets but there are still a lot of questions we need to ask. How can CBD help my pet? How should I administer it? What dosage is recommended? Why does it work? Can it be harmful?We have introduced our new pet line with 2 tinctures seperate flavors for Dogs & Cats: PET CBDAll great questions so let’s touch on each one. What are the benefits of CBD for pets?Promote General HealthReduce InflammationReduce PainIncrease appetiteReduce Anxiety (Social anxiety; Car anxiety; Veterinary fears; Thunderstorms; Separation anxiety)Alleviate Cancer related health problemsAlleviate OsteoarthritisAnticonvulsive effectsPalliative careNo toxicity or negative side effects *Unlike the damage incurred on the liver and kidneys with prescription medsHow Should I Administer CBD To My Pet?So this is a neat little fact that you may or may not be aware of. An animal’s biological system shares a 70% similarity to ours. Pretty cool! Also that endocannabinoid system that we all have and naturally produce cannabinoids in our brain…yes that’s part of the 70% and our furry friends have them too. So they can benefit from CBD just as much as we can. And administration is pretty similar to how we would take it. If your giving your pet a tincture you can either put the dropper directly into the dog’s mouth under his/her tongue (which could get a little hairy dependent on your dog) or you can just place it on your dog’s food just prior to consumption *That’s my personally preferred method but to each his own. The only thing you want to keep in mind if you have one of those dogs that’s just a grazer you’ll want to time putting the oil on his food around when she’s going to eat it because it will degrade if left on food for more than 30 minutes. It’s not the end of the world but if you planned on given him 10mg he could be getting only half of that or less.What is the correct dosage for my pets?So just like people there is no one size fits all. And there are some differences in pets as well. The way that a pet metabolizes CBD is a little bit different then people (it stays in their system longer). Also there has been some research showing negative side effects from THC in pets. No research has shown negative side effects from CBD. So why is THC potentially bad and CBD ok? Personally I don’t think either are bad it’s just a matter of proper dosing and the differences in metabolism. However, the psychoactive properties of THC can confuse and cause anxiety. Animals are more receptive to the cannabinoids and they can last longer in their system.Step 1: Make sure that any CBD pet product you get is whole hemp processed (so all phytocannabinoids are in there), grown domestically in the good old USA (so we can be sure it’s free of pesticides), is 3rd party tested, and has less than .3% THC.Step 2: Weigh your dog and convert that weight to kg. Easier said than done for some. If you’re not sure and your German Sheppard doesn’t feel like getting on your scale today, make your best guess. All we are doing is getting a baseline to start with and you will adjust based on the effects. It works faster on animals than people so you’ll know quickly!Step 3: You want to start off giving your pet .3mg of active CBD for every kilogram of weight. So if your dog weighs 20lbs just convert that to Kg (20/2.2 = 9.09kg) Then multiply by .3 (9.09 x .3 = 2.7mg) So 3mg of CBD would be a good daily starting point.Pets Weight (In Lbs)Weight (In Kg) Conversion (weight in kg x .3)Recommended Daily Dose5 lbs2.2720.6811mg CBD10 lbs4.5451.3631.5mg CBD15 lbs6.8182.0452mg CBD20 lbs9.092.7273mg CBD25 lbs11.3633.4093.5mg CBD30 lbs13.6364.094mg CBD35 lbs15.9094.7725mg CBD40 lbs18.1815.4545.5mg CBD45 lbs20.4546.1366mg CBD50 lbs22.7276.8187mg CBD55 lbs257.57.5mg CBD60 lbs27.2728.1818mg CBD65 lbs29.5458.8639mg CBD70 lbs31.8189.5459.5mg CBD75 lbs34.

0910.22710mg CBD80 lbs36.36310.90911mg CBD85 lbs38.63611.5911.5mg CBD90 lbs40.90912.27212mg CBD95 lbs43.18112.95413mg CBD100 lbs45.45413.63613.5mg CBDHere’s a chart up to 100lbs *For those of you with dogs over 100lbs god bless you!Ok so you have a starting point and although more research needs to be conducted in this area thankfully there have been a number of studies looking into the pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of CBD in animals.Step 4: Finalize Dosing. After about 3-5 days, increase or decrease as necessary (lets say it makes your dog more sleepy during the day for example reduce dosage and give with dinner). Or perhaps your dog shows some improvement but not enough. Just increase the dosage by giving twice a day and repeat the 3-5 day assessment period.Why does CBD Work On My Pet?The same reasons CBD works for us. We all already create cannabinoids it’s part of your and your pets biological system. CBD triggers the release of cannabinoids into the endocannabinoid system in animals which then attach to the same CB1 and CB2 receptors we have, but for a longer period of time which likely accounts for the increased effectiveness we hear about in individual reports.Can it be harmful? The great thing about CBD is that there are no toxicity levels found to date. Your dog could accidently get into your CBD stash and while she may poop it out or take a long nap no research has shown negative side effects to date and I have not been able to find any case studies that didn’t involve THC. No liver damage and no kidney damage unlike what is currently being promoted and pushed.Promotes Overall Animal Health:CBD taken at low levels on a daily basis can certainly promote your Pets’ overall health and have a positive impact on his or her day to day life. From reducing inflammation to aiding in social anxiety situations CBD can benefit your pet. We would certainly recommend a daily dose.And as always with anything we read or review there is more knowledge that we need to seek and more research conducted! https://mirthemp.com/does-cbd-work-for-pets/?feed_id=15175&_unique_id=6393bffcc09a0 #CBDforPets

#CBDforPets #CBDforCats #CBDforDogs #CBDforHorses #CBDforpets

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pestland30 · 2 years

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Walmart Reinforces Commitment To Reasonably Priced Diabetes Care With Personal Label Insulin Choice Throughout Diabetes Awareness Month

"Because of this actuality, way of life modifications must be permanent and not short-term so as to keep away from the potential long-term problems of diabetes," Salas-Whalen says. How to inject insulin correctly Insulin is injected within the fats underneath your pores and skin utilizing a syringe, insulin pen, or pump. It should be injected in the identical space of the body, however not the identical place each day. It's best to inject insulin at mealtime so it's more successfully processed in your body. Foods with a excessive fiber content material are difficult to digest, so the sugar is absorbed more slowly into your blood. Eating foods excessive in fiber, such as fruits, greens, beans, and complete grains might help regulate your blood sugar. Latent autoimmune diabetes of adults is the diagnostic time period utilized when sort 1 diabetes develops in adults; it has a slower onset than the same condition in children. Given this difference, some use the unofficial term "type 1.5 diabetes" for this situation. Adults with LADA are incessantly initially misdiagnosed as having sort 2 diabetes, based on age rather than a cause. All types of diabetes enhance the risk of long-term problems. Adults ought to aim for moderate to vigorous physical exercise lasting a minimum of half-hour daily. The extra educated you and your family are about your diabetes, the better your health is likely to be. Diabetes can contribute to numerous acute medical problems. Acute means coming on abruptly rather than developing slowly over time . Damage to the kidneys from diabetes is the main cause of acquired kidney failure. The well being care staff will encounter the affected person at appropriate intervals to watch progress and consider targets. People with IGT or IFG are at high risk of progressing to kind 2 diabetes, though this isn't inevitable. Sugar Balance Review may be treated and its penalties averted or delayed with diet, bodily exercise, treatment and common screening and treatment for complications. If you’re in danger, have your blood sugar tested and comply with your doctor’s recommendation for managing your blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes was once referred to as “juvenile diabetes” as a result of sort 2 was so rare in children. Now that extra youngsters are obese or overweight, type 2 diabetes is turning into extra common on this age group. If you’re identified with pre-gestational or gestational diabetes, you’ll need special monitoring to prevent problems. Prediabetes can be a rising problem within the United States, and medical professionals say that recognizing it earlier rather than later is greatest to prevent additional issues down the line. November marks National Diabetes Awareness Month, and local medical specialists are urging people to watch for the signs of this illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discovered that over 34 million Americans had diabetes back in 2018, which is simply over 10 % of the population. Here's why sugary cereal and milk is in all probability not your greatest breakfast choice, and for extra healthy consuming tips, make sure to examine out Eating Habits to Avoid If You Don't Want Diabetes. Children underneath 6 can be enrolled in the research so long as they're presently going to Sanford Health for annual checkups and never recognized with sort 1 diabetes, based on Sanford's website. To their shock, the research found no indicators of diabetes, however instead, a diagnosis of celiac disease of their 5-year-old daughter, Kemper.

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blepworld2 · 6 days

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What Foods Can Dogs Not Eat? Understanding Canine Dietary Restrictions

As responsible pet owners, ensuring the well-being and health of our furry companions is paramount. While dogs may be known for their hearty appetites and willingness to sample various foods, it's essential to be aware that not all human foods are safe for canine consumption. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the foods that dogs should avoid and explore the reasons behind their dietary restrictions.

· Chocolate and Caffeine: One of the most well-known toxic foods for dogs is chocolate, which contains theobromine and caffeine. These compounds can cause adverse reactions in dogs, ranging from vomiting and diarrhea to more severe symptoms such as seizures and even death. It's crucial to keep chocolate and caffeinated products out of reach of dogs to prevent accidental ingestion.

· Grapes and Raisins: While the exact toxic component in grapes and raisins remains unidentified, these fruits have been associated with kidney failure in dogs. Even small amounts can lead to severe health issues, including vomiting, lethargy, and loss of appetite. As such, it's best to avoid feeding grapes and raisins to dogs altogether.

· Onions and Garlic: Onions, garlic, and other members of the allium family contain compounds thatcan cause damage to a dog's red blood cells, leading to anemia. Symptoms of onion or garlic toxicity in dogs may include weakness, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. It's essential to be cautious when cooking with these ingredients and ensure they are kept away from pets.

· Xylitol: Xylitol, a sugar substitute commonly found in sugar-free gum, candy, and baked goods, is highly toxic to dogs. Ingestion of xylitol can lead to a rapid release of insulin, causing a dangerous drop in blood sugar levels. Symptoms of xylitol poisoning in dogs include vomiting, lethargy, and seizures. Even small amounts of xylitol can be fatal, so it's crucial to keep products containing this ingredient away from dogs.

· Alcohol: Alcohol consumption can have severe consequences for dogs, including intoxication, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, and even death. Dogs are much more sensitive to alcohol than humans, and even small amounts can cause significant harm. It's essential to keep alcoholic beverages and products containing alcohol out of reach of pets at all times.

· Bones and Fat Trimmings: While bones may seem like a natural treat for dogs, they can pose several risks, including choking, dental injuries, and intestinal blockages. Cooked bones, in particular, are prone to splintering, which can cause internal injuries when ingested. Similarly, fat trimmings and fatty foods can lead to pancreatitis, a painful and potentially life-threatening condition in dogs.

As pet owners, it's our responsibility to provide our dogs with a safe and balanced diet that meets their nutritional needs. By being aware of the foods that dogs should not eat and taking steps to prevent access to these items, we can help ensure the health and well-being of our canine companions. When in doubt about whether a particular food is safe for your dog, it's always best to consult with your veterinarian for guidance. There is no other brand better than BLEP World as all their pet foods are carefully consulted by veterinarians before it is made. And if you are looking for a fresh dog trail pack in India then you can visit their website at BLEP World for more details. If you wish to get a brief info about their product then you explore below for your reference:

Exploring Blep World's Nutritious Dog Food Collection

Below are the reasons why BLEP’s pet food helps in providing wholesome nutrition with optimal health benefits for your pets:

· Nourishment Tailored to Canine Needs: At BLEP World, we understand that every dog is unique, with specific dietary requirements and preferences. That's why our dog food collection offers a diverse range of options, catering to dogs of all breeds, sizes, and life stages. Whether you have a playful pup, a mature senior, or a furry friend with special dietary needs, we have the perfect meal to meet their nutritional needs and satisfy their taste buds. And if you are still worried in terms of finding the right food for your dogs then BLEP is a one stop solution for all kind of pet food solution. And if you wish to try their dog food trail pack available in india. Then it’s a must try for your dogs daily food intake. If you wish to purchase these pet food then you can find it at fresh dog food trial pack in India.

· Premium Ingredients for Optimal Health: We believe that the key to a happy and healthy dog starts with wholesome, high-quality ingredients. That's why our dog foods are made with premium ingredients sourced from trusted suppliers. From real meat to nutrient-packed fruits and vegetables, each ingredient is carefully selected to provide essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that support your dog's overall health and well-being. And if you are still worried in terms of finding the right food for your dogs then BLEP is a one stop solution for all kind of pet food solution. And if you wish to try their dog food trail pack available in india. Then it’s a must try for your dogs daily food intake. If you wish to purchase these pet food then you can find it at fresh dog food trial pack in India.

· Delicious Flavors That Dogs Love: At BLEP World, we believe that mealtime should be a delightful experience for your furry friend. That's why our dog food collection features a variety of delicious flavors and textures that dogs simply can't resist. From succulent chicken to tender lamb and wholesome fish, our mouthwatering recipes are sure to tempt even the pickiest eaters and leave them licking their bowls clean. And if you are still worried in terms of finding the right food for your dogs then BLEP is a one stop solution for all kind of pet food solution. And if you wish to try their dog food trail pack available in india. Then it’s a must try for your dogs daily food intake. If you wish to purchase these pet food then you can find it at fresh dog food trial pack in India.

Apart from the best dog food avaliable in india, there are many other options in terms of pet food like fresh dog food trial packs. Then either it is chicken broths for dogs or paneer dog food there is no other brand better than BLEP to cater your pet food demands in a right way. As it is known for providing the best dog food in india or the best pet food available online which that you can explore on their website

To know more: https://blepworld.com/

#BLEP World

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drsanjaykumar · 16 days

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Heart Failure in Young Adults

A decade ago, it was a rare sight to see young adults being rushed to the hospital for heart attacks, usually reserved for older individuals. However, times have changed drastically. There has been a concerning increase in heart failure cases among young adults worldwide. The days when heart attacks were primarily associated with older age groups are long gone, as even individuals in their 20s are now susceptible to heart attacks.

Causes of Increasing Heart Failure in Young Adults

The recent surge in heart attacks among young adults can be attributed to various factors, including lifestyle choices, environmental influences, genetics, and underlying health conditions. Heart specialists have identified several common causes contributing to the rise in heart issues among young adults:

Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices

Many young adults lead sedentary lives, spend prolonged periods sitting, and consume diets high in processed foods, added sugars, and unhealthy fats. These habits can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes, all of which are significant risk factors for heart failure. Substance Abuse Excessive alcohol consumption and illicit drug use, especially stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine, can have detrimental effects on the heart, leading to conditions such as cardiomyopathy, where the heart muscle weakens, increasing the risk of heart attacks. Smoking Despite increased awareness of the risks, many young adults continue to smoke or use e-cigarettes, which are major risk factors for heart disease and can accelerate the development of heart failure.

Stress and Mental Health Chronic stress, anxiety, and depression can activate the body’s stress response, resulting in elevated blood pressure and inflammation, which can contribute to heart disease and heart failure.

Undiagnosed Conditions Undetected congenital heart defects, valvular abnormalities, and arrhythmias may progress undetected in young adults, gradually weakening the heart and eventually leading to heart failure if left untreated.

Delayed Medical Care Many young adults may fail to recognize the symptoms of heart disease or delay seeking medical attention, allowing underlying heart conditions to progress unchecked.

Environmental Factors Exposure to environmental pollutants such as air pollution and toxins can increase the risk of heart disease and heart failure, particularly in urban areas with poor air quality.

Lack of Awareness Many young adults underestimate their risk of heart disease, assuming it primarily affects older individuals. This lack of awareness can lead to a lack of preventive measures and regular check-ups.

Factors Increasing the Risk of a Heart Attack

While some risk factors are uncontrollable and require medical intervention, others can be managed through lifestyle changes. These risk factors include:

High Blood Pressure High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the force of blood against the walls of the arteries remains consistently elevated. Prolonged high blood pressure can damage the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks, even in young adults.

Obesity Excess weight places additional strain on the heart and can contribute to conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, both of which elevate the risk of heart attacks among young adults.

Blood Vessel Tears Tears or ruptures in blood vessels can trigger the formation of blood clots, which can lead to heart attacks.

Recognizing the importance of preventive measures and seeking medical attention promptly upon observing any symptoms of a heart attack is crucial.

High Cholesterol Elevated levels of cholesterol, particularly LDL cholesterol, can accumulate on the walls of arteries, leading to the formation of plaques that narrow and obstruct blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attacks among young adults.

Kidney Disease Impaired kidney function can lead to high blood pressure, placing strain on the heart. Kidney disease can also disrupt the balance of minerals in the blood, affecting heart health. Diabetes

Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart failure, as it increases the likelihood of a silent heart attack and damage to the heart muscles. Therefore, managing diabetes is crucial for overall heart health.

Sleep Apnea Sleep apnea, characterized by interrupted breathing during sleep, can lead to low blood oxygen levels and an increased risk of heart attacks and heart failure, especially in individuals who are overweight.

Genetic Factors Some young adults may have a genetic predisposition to heart conditions, including cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias, which can lead to heart failure even in the absence of traditional risk factors. It is essential for individuals of all ages to prioritize their heart health and undergo regular check-ups with a heart specialist to identify and manage heart problems at an early stage.

Symptoms of a Heart Attack

The symptoms of a heart attack are similar across age groups but can be challenging to recognize, as they may be subtle and easily overlooked. Early identification is crucial for timely intervention and management. Common symptoms include:

Fatigue Shortness of breath Rapid or irregular heartbeat Swelling Persistent cough or wheezing Reduced exercise tolerance Chest pain or discomfort Weight gain Preventing Heart Attack in Young Adults

Preventing heart failure in young adults requires adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle and addressing risk factors that contribute to heart problems. Here are some steps to reduce the risk of heart failure:

Maintain a Healthy Diet Consume a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products. Limit intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars. Pay attention to portion sizes to avoid overeating.

Maintain an Active Lifestyle Engage in regular physical activity, aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week. Physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight, lower blood pressure, and improve overall heart health.

Maintain a Healthy Weight Achieve and maintain a healthy weight to reduce strain on the heart. Collaborate with a healthcare provider to develop a personalized weight loss plan if needed.

Avoid Smoking and Second-hand Smoke Quit smoking and avoid exposure to second-hand smoke, as smoking is a significant risk factor for heart disease.

Limit Alcohol Consumption If you consume alcohol, do so in moderation, as excessive alcohol consumption can harm the heart.

Manage Stress Practice stress-reduction techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises to reduce stress levels.

Control Underlying Conditions Effectively manage chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure with medications as prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Get Regular Check-ups Visit a heart specialist for regular check-ups, even if you feel healthy, and discuss any concerns about heart health or family history of heart disease.

The Role of Friends and Family in Heart Attack Recovery

Friends and family play a crucial role in supporting a loved one's recovery from a heart attack. Here are some ways they can provide assistance and emotional support:

Encourage Medication Adherence Promote a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle Offer Emotional Support Assist with Daily Tasks Encourage Stress Reduction Promote Social Interaction Healthy Heart Tips

Maintaining a healthy heart is essential for overall well-being. Here are some tips for keeping your heart healthy:

Consume a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Incorporate strength training exercises into your routine. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep per night to support overall health. Advancements in Heart Health Management

In recent years, significant advancements have been made in the management of heart attacks, valvular heart disease, and congenital heart disease. There has also been progress in managing hypertension, diabetes, and cholesterol disorders, which are major risk factors for heart disease.

Patients with heart issues should remain hopeful, as treatment for heart failure continues to advance, offering improved outcomes. With proper education, lifestyle modification, compliance, discipline, regular check-ups, and support from family and healthcare systems, patients with heart failure can lead normal lives.

The need of the hour is to raise awareness about the risk factors and symptoms of heart failure and encourage individuals to seek timely medical attention. Consulting a heart specialist like Dr. Sanjay Kumar, one of the best Heart Specialists in Faridabad, can provide personalized guidance and care for heart health. For queries or appointments, contact us at 9818403954, 0129-7116000, or visit: www.drsanjaykumar.co.in

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