Help 28yo single mum type 1 diabetic out of control
- Thread starter Emibee87
- Start Date
sp41700
Active Member
- Messages
- 25
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
Hey. I have been T1 for nearly 20 years. I was diagnosed with early stages retinopathy a few years ago. HbA1c has been a bit high over the years. Not sure if you have attended a DAFNE (dose adjustment for normal eating) or BERTIE (similar to dafne so I am told) course for T1s but it is well worth it. I attended one 6 years ago and made a massive difference.
Atalay
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 88
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
Reading about your hypos, I think you need to be very careful and concrete about your dieting. Your metabolism is either acting very different than most of us ( rapid change in blood glucose level ) or you are following a wrong dieting technique for yourself. You are a mom, have eye and some other health issues, very hard to follow a consistently levelled lifestyle, but feels like you need to keep a better track of your eating habbits and nutrition choices.
Consulted any dietitian?
Consulted any dietitian?
YorkshireAli
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 99
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
You sound like you're really struggling, and it can't be easy looking after a small and very active daughter. Especially if the people around you don't know much about diabetes. I've been T1 for 20 years and have been in a similar position at times, and though I did generally get more on top of it, there were always times I couldn't seem to get it right. What really helped me was finding a really good diabetic specialist (in an NHS teaching hospital, although I was so desperate I'd have been willing to go private if I'd had to) and getting a place on a DAFNE course (as an earlier poster has recommended). Previously, I'd seen a different doctor at the diabetic clinic every time I went, so there was no continuity of care, and many seemed to know very little, so I left each appointment no wiser than I'd arrived, and very frustrated.
However, I asked my doctor to refer me to a different hospital, where I was given an undertaking that I'd be put under the care of one particular doctor, who would (as far as possible) be the one I'd have my appointments with, and so far this has made a huge difference. It also helps that he's extremely knowledgeable, can explain things very clearly, and sets realistic targets to achieve between appointments. I actually look forward to seeing him now - an unheard of thing before!
I'd say the DAFNE course would be worth pushing to get on to. Even though I'd been diabetic for a long time (as had most of the others on the course I was on) it gave me a much more thorough understanding of what I was doing and why and that in turn has increased my confidence in dealing with everyday life. It's the same thing that virtually everyone who does the course says, and it means you feel you're in control of your diabetes, not that it's in control of you. Your doctor will be able to help you with this.
Other than that, since I've found these forums, I've picked up all sorts of help and advice, and it's really good to know that you're not on your own with this. Good luck!
However, I asked my doctor to refer me to a different hospital, where I was given an undertaking that I'd be put under the care of one particular doctor, who would (as far as possible) be the one I'd have my appointments with, and so far this has made a huge difference. It also helps that he's extremely knowledgeable, can explain things very clearly, and sets realistic targets to achieve between appointments. I actually look forward to seeing him now - an unheard of thing before!
I'd say the DAFNE course would be worth pushing to get on to. Even though I'd been diabetic for a long time (as had most of the others on the course I was on) it gave me a much more thorough understanding of what I was doing and why and that in turn has increased my confidence in dealing with everyday life. It's the same thing that virtually everyone who does the course says, and it means you feel you're in control of your diabetes, not that it's in control of you. Your doctor will be able to help you with this.
Other than that, since I've found these forums, I've picked up all sorts of help and advice, and it's really good to know that you're not on your own with this. Good luck!
