Hi all, I'm new to the group, or any other group like this actually. For a lifetime I've not let anything get in my way or felt a need to reach out, but I'd like to now. Possibly something I should have done a long time ago.
I'm not new however to living with type 1 diabetes. I was diagnosed at 11 nearly 29 years ago. I'll be 40 this year. It's still bloody exhausting, some complications along the way, some ups and downs, periods of not being in charge of it, but generally overall I think I do a good job, I think my health care team would agree too. For about 15 years I've been around 6-6.8 in Hba1c, this last year it's risen to 7.4-7.8, but I'm confident I can return to the 6s. I'm not perfect at all, but I do my best, some months better than others. I've always lived life to the fullest and been mindful of food and testing as much as I could. I've never moaned, perhaps I should have a bit more, it does grind you down sometimes eh?
I've recently started considering pregnancy, something which has been a worry for me, something I'd convinced myself I might not want to go through or even be able to.
So there are a few things here really, I guess firstly I'm saying hello, secondly keen to express my frustrations on the alarm stories and statistics I'm often presented and the targets set for me. Thirdly it would be brilliant to hear from other people who may have similar stories, a similar age, similar length of time with T1 and even similar levels of control before pregnancy. I'd welcome any sharing of stories, good and not so good, I want to be as prepared as possible. Thirdly and perhaps separately any experience of IVF? as this may also be a route we go down.
My frustration with the advice and case studies and statistics that I'm giving by pre-conception diabetic care is this... it seems to refer to all types of diabetes, when type 1 makes up only 10% of all diabetes, as we know it's different, also the large majority of pregnancy case studies I'm given are related to gestational diabetes or type 2, which apparently is the majority of pregnant diabetic women. I find it really hard to gain a true picture of T1s and pregnancy and wonder also whether my target hba1c of 5!! ( which I've never been in 29 years) is a target based on all diabetic pregnant women.
Sorry for the long post, my first and much to get through!
Good night for now
V
I'm not new however to living with type 1 diabetes. I was diagnosed at 11 nearly 29 years ago. I'll be 40 this year. It's still bloody exhausting, some complications along the way, some ups and downs, periods of not being in charge of it, but generally overall I think I do a good job, I think my health care team would agree too. For about 15 years I've been around 6-6.8 in Hba1c, this last year it's risen to 7.4-7.8, but I'm confident I can return to the 6s. I'm not perfect at all, but I do my best, some months better than others. I've always lived life to the fullest and been mindful of food and testing as much as I could. I've never moaned, perhaps I should have a bit more, it does grind you down sometimes eh?
I've recently started considering pregnancy, something which has been a worry for me, something I'd convinced myself I might not want to go through or even be able to.
So there are a few things here really, I guess firstly I'm saying hello, secondly keen to express my frustrations on the alarm stories and statistics I'm often presented and the targets set for me. Thirdly it would be brilliant to hear from other people who may have similar stories, a similar age, similar length of time with T1 and even similar levels of control before pregnancy. I'd welcome any sharing of stories, good and not so good, I want to be as prepared as possible. Thirdly and perhaps separately any experience of IVF? as this may also be a route we go down.
My frustration with the advice and case studies and statistics that I'm giving by pre-conception diabetic care is this... it seems to refer to all types of diabetes, when type 1 makes up only 10% of all diabetes, as we know it's different, also the large majority of pregnancy case studies I'm given are related to gestational diabetes or type 2, which apparently is the majority of pregnant diabetic women. I find it really hard to gain a true picture of T1s and pregnancy and wonder also whether my target hba1c of 5!! ( which I've never been in 29 years) is a target based on all diabetic pregnant women.
Sorry for the long post, my first and much to get through!
Good night for now
V