- Messages
- 6
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
Hello everyone,
I posted an introduction in the appropriate forum, but I wanted to talk about what brought me here in the first place.
I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when I was 16, so I have lived with the condition for 15+ plus years. Generally speaking, I believe I am taking care of the things that are within my control. I exercise regularly (25-30 minutes per day on stationary bike and resistance band training), don't smoke and hardly drink, and my weight is within normal parameters for someone my age and height. My cholesterol is normal, and my blood pressure is exactly where it should be.
However, my hemoglobin A1C has always seemed to fluxuate between 6.6 and 7.6. My most recent test was 7.2, and that was about three weeks ago.
I have found that over the past few years, the effects of high blood sugars seem to be much worse than they were before. I get very nauseous and light headed, with headaches. I am now also not feeling low blood sugars as well as I used to. Up until a year or two ago, I would start to sweat, get very hungry, and it was obvious my sugar was dropping. Now, it is completely different. For example, last night I was watching tv, when all of sudden I was hit with sudden nausea and light headedness. I checked my sugar, and low and behold it was 2.1. This was obviously scary.
Unfortunately, I have also begun reading online more and more about long term complications of Type 1 diabetes. Especially as it relates to nerve damage and cardiovascular disease. If I feel off at all, it seems I now automatically assume the worst. I am especially worried about stroke. My mom had carotid artery stroke when she was in her earlier 30s. In my paranoid mind set, I set out to be screened for such things about 2 years ago. I had an MRI done which showed no issues in my brain, and even went as far as to have a Doppler ultrasound on my carotid, which showed normal blood flow. Even after knowing these things, I still get worried when I am having an off day, such as which I am having now (headaches, etc).
I guess the point of this post is to ask if anyone else deals with anxiety around this disease, and ask how you find comfort. I am trying to do what I can to control the factors within my power, but I still struggle with consistent blood sugars. I have lower ones and high ones as well as ones in between and they all seem to average in the 7s when it comes to the H1C test.
I feel the anxiety is starting to control my life, and that is not what I want, or my family wants. I am just not sure what to do. Should I be really concerned about the times I had headaches even after tests were done? What strategies do you use to combat anxiety about your health?
Looking forward to the discussion.
I posted an introduction in the appropriate forum, but I wanted to talk about what brought me here in the first place.
I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when I was 16, so I have lived with the condition for 15+ plus years. Generally speaking, I believe I am taking care of the things that are within my control. I exercise regularly (25-30 minutes per day on stationary bike and resistance band training), don't smoke and hardly drink, and my weight is within normal parameters for someone my age and height. My cholesterol is normal, and my blood pressure is exactly where it should be.
However, my hemoglobin A1C has always seemed to fluxuate between 6.6 and 7.6. My most recent test was 7.2, and that was about three weeks ago.
I have found that over the past few years, the effects of high blood sugars seem to be much worse than they were before. I get very nauseous and light headed, with headaches. I am now also not feeling low blood sugars as well as I used to. Up until a year or two ago, I would start to sweat, get very hungry, and it was obvious my sugar was dropping. Now, it is completely different. For example, last night I was watching tv, when all of sudden I was hit with sudden nausea and light headedness. I checked my sugar, and low and behold it was 2.1. This was obviously scary.
Unfortunately, I have also begun reading online more and more about long term complications of Type 1 diabetes. Especially as it relates to nerve damage and cardiovascular disease. If I feel off at all, it seems I now automatically assume the worst. I am especially worried about stroke. My mom had carotid artery stroke when she was in her earlier 30s. In my paranoid mind set, I set out to be screened for such things about 2 years ago. I had an MRI done which showed no issues in my brain, and even went as far as to have a Doppler ultrasound on my carotid, which showed normal blood flow. Even after knowing these things, I still get worried when I am having an off day, such as which I am having now (headaches, etc).
I guess the point of this post is to ask if anyone else deals with anxiety around this disease, and ask how you find comfort. I am trying to do what I can to control the factors within my power, but I still struggle with consistent blood sugars. I have lower ones and high ones as well as ones in between and they all seem to average in the 7s when it comes to the H1C test.
I feel the anxiety is starting to control my life, and that is not what I want, or my family wants. I am just not sure what to do. Should I be really concerned about the times I had headaches even after tests were done? What strategies do you use to combat anxiety about your health?
Looking forward to the discussion.