1,000,000 messages: how has the forum helped you?

Administrator

Well-Known Member
Staff Member
Administrator
Messages
1,593
Type of diabetes
Family member
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
About 2 hours ago, the forum reached a milestone of 1,000,000 messages. That's pretty amazing.

To mark the occasion, we wanted to ask: how the forum has helped you?
 
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Pipp

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
10,622
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Wow! Was there a prize for the lucky 1,000,000th poster? :D

I was helped by the info provided from members about what to eat after completing the first phase of Newcastle diet.
Since then, I find that quite a few members are very knowledgeable, have read widely, and are willing to share that knowledge. I am grateful to them for their generousity and support.
 
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13lizanne

Expert
Messages
8,262
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
The Gym, + unkindness and rudeness
Where do I start? The facts are that I have become meds free after almost 10yrs through finding the forum and reading posts on LCHF diet. To "speak" with others who understand the trials and triumphs of living with diabetes is both emotionally and educationally supportive. I enjoy my life, type 2 diabetes does not define who I am but I feel encouraged every time another poster shares their life successes
 
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Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,793
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Since, I've told my story, in my blog and have continually contributed on our forum.
I've done all this as a thank you, to the posters that have helped me become fit and healthy again when I needed it most. Without the dietary advice, I dread to think what would have happened to me.
I've thanked the most important ones many times.

I also enjoy the banter on the other non diabetic forums.

Having close to 7000 posts myself, I think I've done my fair share of the million!
 
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donnellysdogs

Master
Messages
13,233
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
People that can't listen to other people's opinions.
People that can't say sorry.
It's helped me enormously.

Crikey, a long time ago now I almost lost my licence. Support here was the best anybody could get. A few people thought I should have lost it but the vast majority saw me through some very bleak times with the happenings. The support was fantastic because non diabetic's never face these times of hypo's etc so personally the forum provided much needed help.

Then I was given a pump within 2 weeks of my incident. I didn't even know what a pump was back then!! The support and help I got through finding friends here was the best ever. The advice was superior to that of NHS staff with their pump instructions. There is one lady in particular on this forum that phoned consistently to ensure I knew everything and she helped me so much through enormous problems.

I met a wonderful gentleman called Ray through this forum. He was dying from pancreatic cancer. I offered him a holiday in Wales. He came to stay with us. He became a lovely friend, and I was so glad that I could help him. Sadly he died 4 months later.

I have made wonderful friends around the country and very special lady and daughter and family in Northern Ireland. We've never met but stay in touch constantly by phone or text.

There are immense opportunity so to make friends with people. I have some wonderful friends that I speak to or stay in touch with or remember very, very fondly.

Advice on FODMAP and adding more fat has been invaluable from folk here.

Two gentlemen were fantastic with their advice when I could no longer use my pump and went back to MDI. Their advice even after 30!years + of being a T1 was better than NHS....

I found my knowledge of T2's, RH, LADA's etc and this has totally transformed my thinking and knowledge and learning.

It's a beautiful thing to have such friendship and support from fellow humans....I have had the best help from this forum that anybody could ever have. I think you all are beautiful people.
 
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bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hey guys this forum has been completely amazing and has helped me control my diabetes better than I could have hoped. I'm loosing weight and feeling great .. med free and want to stay that way. Blood pressure down too. I really can't thank you all enough for your support and information. I am so glad I spent the afternoon after my diagnosis reading what was written here and not other supposedly helpful sites. With a bit of help from diet doctor and Jason Fung I feel in control of my health. Anyway enough gushing from me over to someone else.
Thanks again
Mark
 
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Type1Bri

Well-Known Member
Messages
881
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Highs and lows
@ewelina arranging the type 1 meet ups in London, great to meet others in the same boat, and can honestly say I feel I have made at least 6 friends from them so far, great resource
 
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Mrsass

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,188
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Aw man I love this forum!

Everyone - apart from an oddball here n there - is so helpful and supportive of each other!

With help from various people I've managed to lower my a1c, gain knowledge about pumps and then get one, have endless support when I got said pump n had absolutely no clue what i was doing when it came to set changes, cannula types, changing rates.. Etc

I hadn't even heard of carb counting when I first joined!!!!

I've gained some really special friends!

The support I've had so far through my pregnancy has been immense, plus the things I've picked up reading posts from the other girls that have already been through it gives so much reassurance!

I love the humour!

I dare say I also love when the odd spat occurs, better than watching Jeremy Kyle!

The way that newbies are greeted is also pretty amazing, the way everyone rally's round someone that often feels totally alone really warms my cockles



Edit; sorry think i went off on one a little bit there
 
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S

Shar67

Guest
Well the site probably has more information in one place, so rather than having to scroll through Google, coming in here has everything you need to know.
The biggest reason, not being in isolation, there is always someone on here even just to say hi.
 
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Pipp

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
10,622
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Well the site probably has more information in one place, so rather than having to scroll through Google, coming in here has everything you need to know.
The biggest reason, not being in isolation, there is always someone on here even just to say hi.
Hi @Shar67
Just had to prove you were right.:D
 
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tim2000s

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
8,934
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other
For me the biggest thing I've got out of the forum is getting involved in the online community and how it has lead to the offline community.

Up until 2014 I was a lurker. Somewhere aim round the middle of that year I got properly involved and since then have become a fully paid up member of the Diabetes Online Community.

I've made some great friends, been helped by some great people and been given great advice in relation to sorting out a pump (you all know who you are).

Even better, for the first time in my life I met more than three other T1 diabetics, and they were all in the same room together.

As a result I took an interest in participating in a number of activities outside the forum and have become involved in some of the work going on relating to changing DAFNE and the Health Innovation Network in South East London.

I'm also investigating other opportunities that I wouldn't have considered before.

So thank you to DCUK. It's given me the opportunity to participate and the realisation that I had something to put back in.
 
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Redsnapper

Well-Known Member
Messages
257
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
In a word life changing! Ok that's two words.Seriously my life changed dramatically with a diagnosis out of the blue.Then changed again when I found this community, for that is what we are.I feel lucky that I found this site almost immediatley,and I visit every day.
I try to be supportive of newbies and veterans alike,whilst being aware of my limited experience.I have learned a lot not just about my type 2 but of all types of diabetes.
But mainly I try to repay the support I recieved here.The American's have a phrase for it " paying it forward " So I will gently try to share my experience if I meet someone with diabetes,or someone who is a relative of a diabetic.Not all are receptive, but I ALWAYS encourage have a look at the website "just check it out"
Many times I have said knowledge is power.Group knowledge is great power.
 
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AndBreathe

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
11,320
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
It's helped me enormously.

Crikey, a long time ago now I almost lost my licence. Support here was the best anybody could get. A few people thought I should have lost it but the vast majority saw me through some very bleak times with the happenings. The support was fantastic because non diabetic's never face these times of hypo's etc so personally the forum provided much needed help.

Then I was given a pump within 2 weeks of my incident. I didn't even know what a pump was back then!! The support and help I got through finding friends here was the best ever. The advice was superior to that of NHS staff with their pump instructions. There is one lady in particular on this forum that phoned consistently to ensure I knew everything and she helped me so much through enormous problems.

I met a wonderful gentleman called Ray through this forum. He was dying from pancreatic cancer. I offered him a holiday in Wales. He came to stay with us. He became a lovely friend, and I was so glad that I could help him. Sadly he died 4 months later.

I have made wonderful friends around the country and very special lady and daughter and family in Northern Ireland. We've never met but stay in touch constantly by phone or text.

There are immense opportunity so to make friends with people. I have some wonderful friends that I speak to or stay in touch with or remember very, very fondly.

Advice on FODMAP and adding more fat has been invaluable from folk here.

Two gentlemen were fantastic with their advice when I could no longer use my pump and went back to MDI. Their advice even after 30!years + of being a T1 was better than NHS....

I found my knowledge of T2's, RH, LADA's etc and this has totally transformed my thinking and knowledge and learning.

It's a beautiful thing to have such friendship and support from fellow humans....I have had the best help from this forum that anybody could ever have. I think you all are beautiful people.
Lovely heartfelt post DD.
 

AndBreathe

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
11,320
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Me? I had my learning about Diabetes broadened and deepened to a level I would never have achieved on my own, and most importantly I read for my own eyes success, hope, positivity and normality from (most of) my fellow travellers along the diabetes way.

Without the quantum of belief on here, I doubt I would have fully believed what a difference I could make to my own diabetic wellbeing and now I hope I am doing something to pay back even a portion of my learning.

This forum can tend to appear like it has a revolving door, as members come, rest awhile, then leave, sometimes never to be seen or heard of again, but that refreshing of members, their ideas, characters and experiences are critical to how this place runs.

I find it staggering to consider how many lives this place has touched, because it's not only ourselves but our friends and loved ones who observe our journeys and live parts of it alongside us.

@Administrator - do you know who made the 1,000,000th post, and was it on a serious thread? It could be fun to know the 1,000,000thh point made on DCUK.

(Oh the irony if it were a word game or someone being banned......... Sorry if the latter, I would have to laugh!)
 
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Prem51

Expert
Messages
7,393
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
*
I am SO glad I found this forum. I think it has literally been a lifesaver for me, and I am sure for many others. When I was diagnosed I experienced all the usual emotions, but the main one was fear. My mother was T2 and developed problems with her eyes, and went on to have two strokes, not surviving the second. I thought that was going to be my path too.
Thanks to this forum I have taken control of my condition and feel optimistic that I can lead a healthy life. My only regret is that I didn't find this forum when I was pre-diabetic, as I am sure I could have avoided crossing the diabetic threshold.
 
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muzza3

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,789
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Cauliflower pretending to be rice and any vegetable pretending to be pasta
I found this forum while researching DR Google for information about the Newcastle Diet. I have found nothing in Aussie that comes close to the amount of information and experience and debate around the issues of diabetes where I can ask a question and get multiple responses and options to consider. It is amazing how helpful and supportive this community is. You even let an Aussie crash the party.

I might add I found heaps of information re the ND here and have just completed it with the support of this community

Life changing for me!!!!

I hope I am around for 2,000,000
 
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amgrundy

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,333
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Being bored
Hi Like others would not have achieved what I have in 7 weeks without this site and all the support of all you lovely and friendly people. Yes as to the Lidl rolls!!!! :oops: would never have heard of them, also I love the recipes people give out. I love the forum "What have you eaten today " this is so inspiring for us diabetics as we can try other peoples meals out, as it can get boring, so trying new foods is so uplifting to us. Giving out our BG readings and other info is very beneficial to us. Love all the forums come on here every day just love it, and I suspect it helps with people who are depressed or low or are just having a bad day. :):)
 
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