Why So Few?

SueJB

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Just been wondering why there are so few T1D people around? I post my fasting BG and on other threads and it seems there are lots of posting from T2 but not so many T1.
 
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therower

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There are a lot fewer of us as already pointed out. I also think that we have different priorities in our lives.
I've often spoken to T2's away from the forum and it's clear when just having a general chat about " diabetes " that as different diabetics we have differing outlooks and priorities in everyday life.
 

Scott-C

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It's because we're special, @SueJB !

As Helen points out, numerically, T1 is about 10% of the total T community and that's probably reflected in the forum membership too.

Still, got to look on the bright side! When the Triffids or aliens invade, or a pandemic breaks out, or David Icke's predictions of the Royal Family unzipping their human skins to release their inner lizards come true, it'll probably turn out T1s are immune from all that stuff because they're only going to go after people with working beta cells....

I think that many T1s have joined and contributed in good faith but have left after getting overwhelmed with the low carbing messaging. It's not so much the case now, but there's still instances of newly dx'd T1s posting about things totally unrelated to diet, only to be met with a slew of posts from people telling them they are going to die if they don't follow the dictates of Bernstein.
 

SueJB

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A couple of reasons come to my mind
- 90% of people with diabetes have type 2
- fasting BG, for type 1, signifies how good your insulin dose is; not the same as type 2
Why not? don't T1s want to share fbg and their successes and tips for getting flat? @helensaramay
 
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SueJB

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There are a lot fewer of us as already pointed out. I also think that we have different priorities in our lives.
I've often spoken to T2's away from the forum and it's clear when just having a general chat about " diabetes " that as different diabetics we have differing outlooks and priorities in everyday life.
@therower aren't we all interested in low BG?
 

SueJB

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It's because we're special, @SueJB !

As Helen points out, numerically, T1 is about 10% of the total T community and that's probably reflected in the forum membership too.

Still, got to look on the bright side! When the Triffids or aliens invade, or a pandemic breaks out, or David Icke's predictions of the Royal Family unzipping their human skins to release their inner lizards come true, it'll probably turn out T1s are immune from all that stuff because they're only going to go after people with working beta cells....

I think that many T1s have joined and contributed in good faith but have left after getting overwhelmed with the low carbing messaging. It's not so much the case now, but there's still instances of newly dx'd T1s posting about things totally unrelated to diet, only to be met with a slew of posts from people telling them they are going to die if they don't follow the dictates of Bernstein.
@Scott-C I just think it'd be good and reassuring for newish T1s like me to hear a bigger voice from those who have done the biz for far longer. I'm not saying that friendly advice isn't given, it's just seems like we're hiding.
 

Diakat

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A lot of (ahem) younger T1s seem to use Twitter and Facebook more. Also if diagnosed in childhood they build different support networks through diabetes camps etc.
I agree that sometimes the low carb angle of this site can be seen as the be all and end all - there appears to be a better balance now but in the past it has been too much.
Yes we all want good numbers but as T1 and 2 have fundamentally different treatments low carb will never be the full answer for T1s.
Fasting numbers for T1 mostly depends on having basal right - unless there is illness, a wrong bolus the night before, or dawn phenomenon.
But yes, there are fewer of us in general.
 

NicoleC1971

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I cannot beat you Type 2s so I am not joining in that competition! Type 1s need s fasting bg parolympic event because its a lot trickier with busted beta cells.
Hoping to get fsl soon and bore the pants off everyone with snapshots of flat lines through the night.
 

Scott-C

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Hoping to get fsl soon and bore the pants off everyone with snapshots of flat lines through the night.

Ooh, competitive flat-lining, Nicole, I like it, should be an Olympic sport!

I've got a bluetooth transmitter on top of libre, so I get cgm graphs. Most of them are a rollercoaster mess, but I really liked these two.

In the first one, I thought, nah, it can't be that flat, maybe the sensor is glitched but there's a small delta change between each reading and evening and morning calibration bore it out. But still can't rule out the possibility that I was just leaning on the sensor all night!

In the second, shows how a bit of careful pre-bolusing helps a lot: downward gentle curve and rise for tea and supper instead of savage spike.

Screenshot_2017-10-23-09-48-37.png


Screenshot_2017-12-01-00-06-27.png
 

Diakat

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Ooh, competitive flat-lining, Nicole, I like it, should be an Olympic sport!

I've got a bluetooth transmitter on top of libre, so I get cgm graphs. Most of them are a rollercoaster mess, but I really liked these two.

In the first one, I thought, nah, it can't be that flat, maybe the sensor is glitched but there's a small delta change between each reading and evening and morning calibration bore it out. But still can't rule out the possibility that I was just leaning on the sensor all night!

In the second, shows how a bit of careful pre-bolusing helps a lot: downward gentle curve and rise for tea and supper instead of savage spike.

View attachment 26969

View attachment 26970
Show off!
 
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therower

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@therower aren't we all interested in low BG?
It's a difficult question to answer. Personally it isn't top of my list. I struggle to understand the need to publish BG levels whether it be daily, monthly or yearly. A BG level is in all essence a single moment, snap shot.
I can understand people's needs to relay BG levels to others and I assume it can provide motivation , goals and inspiration not only to the individual but to others as well.
For me as a T1 of 27 yrs, posting BG levels, good or bad, bears no relevance on the forum.
 

Scott-C

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Show off!

Not at all! Those were two good ones - most are a lot more messy. Was just trying to get across the point that with a blinged libre, we can see what's happening, do things about it in real time, reduce a1c and save the NHS money on treating complications through us being more motivated.
 
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kaylz91

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I find that some folk on here can be quite judgmental and rude, when I was first diagnosed I daren't post a fbg anywhere as seeing everyone elses great numbers was embarrassing and I felt ashamed that I'd woken up high, I realise it wasn't my fault, I was newly diagnosed and it takes time for things to work out/settle etc but it still didn't make me feel any better, I also find there aren't many here up for a bit of banter xx
 

KC67

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Just been wondering why there are so few T1D people around? I post my fasting BG and on other threads and it seems there are lots of posting from T2 but not so many T1.

I’m t1 but fairly newly diagnosed (Easter). I’m now on insulin but still in honeymoon phase. There is so much to learn and I’m such a newbie to this that I often don’t feel qualified to make a comment, although I do like to hover in the background and read the posts.