Student nurse wishing to understand more about diabetes

[leslie10152]

To understand a concept, first you must confront it. To understand the nature of diabetes, go to the people who live with it. It effects no two people exactly the same way, but all the symptoms point back to the same place. No textbook in the world can explain this better than a diabetic.

 

[JamesC1]

As most people here have said already, it affects no two people the same. I am 14 and was diagnosed 2 years ago (may 13th), I went completely off the rails after diagnosis. It's a massive thing to come to terms with and the stress can be very bad from it.

Physical effects:

I find myself not being able to concentrate if my sugars are high or low.

My chest hurts if my sugars are high.

I want to sleep really badly if I'm having a hypo.

Injection & testing effects:

Injections always made my sites lump up and bruise quickly.

The blood tests have made the ends of my fingers swollen and I can't seem to fix it.

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Overall, diabetes can be a pain. It can have bad physical side effects and some mental ones too. These are just some of the effects I have experienced, and of course it's different for everyone. I just listed mine so you would be able to trend the most common effects in this thread.

Wishing you all the best on your essay. James.

Please note that I was using my mobile to write this, so I apologise for my reply being badly composed.

 

[ickihun]

Big thank you for your reply, all very useful information. May I ask, as I am part of the new generation of the NHS and wish to work alongside people to involve them in decision making and ensuring the best quality of life for my patients, do you feel nurses work positively with you in managing your diabetes or feel there is room for improvement in areas of care?

My dn attached to my hospital diabetic unit is fantastic. We always work together and she keeps me right too. I feel very confident working with her as she is straight with me, well as much as she can be. I can see her experience in how she keeps me right. A steady firm hand on the steering, for sure!
I need that confidence and experience or I starting doubting the workload ahead.
There is always room for improvement, i feel. No one diabetic has plain sailing!
Too much can interfer with it management but reconfirming we are only human it wont end up, computer says no.

 

[ickihun]

I too feel my recent chest pains maybe too huge the serum load in my insulin injections. Hence no longer on 90, 90, 80 units of humulin m3.
I'll let you know. Just started toujeo300 basal with novarapid for food support.
Chest pains may be from huge abdomen water retention which has been given a med. Putting pressure on chest and lungs. Using inhalers now too. I'm still not convinced its newly diagnosed asthma as my activity levels have only changed since aquiring bulging disc/scatica affecting my legs. It could be insulin serum fluid related.
The more a type2 injects the more fluid to be absorbed. More injection sites to face possible lipo problems.
I'm pleased to say I'm hoping mine will resolve very soon.
Otherwise my gp might think I'm nuts.

 

[Janet_rabbit]

Thanks for taking an interest. I have been T1 for 41 years and it has been very difficult to control, but I have been lucky to have had great care and understanding from family and from my DSNs and doctors. It was very difficult when I was young because I didn't see the same hospital doctor twice in a row and had to keep retelling the story. I have had a successful pregnancy (which was hard work with so many tests and worry about sugar levels) and a healthy daughter. I love sport, and find it easier to run and cycle now I have an insulin pump, but sugar levels still often stop me being able to run or cycle when I want to and often stress (including pre-race adrenaline) sends sugars sky-high and means I can't compete! No 2 days are the same, so it is hard to see patterns and work out how things will be. I always need to think about whether I have the right stuff with me - blood testing, insulin, spare kit, glucose tablet, identify bracelet, - as well as the usual things like glasses, phone and keys. I have recently struggled with anxiety and even more erratic blood sugars, partly due to the menopause and perhaps a bit of diabetes related anxiety. This has had an impact on my work and I have had to change from being a full time primary teacher to only working part-time. The insulin pump allows a lot more freedom with regard to meal times and extra snacks. I find it hard to find advice about diet - high-fat low-carb seems best for diabetes management, but low-fat, high carb seems better for endurance running - so it's hard to know how to balance the two. When I was first diagnosed - aged 8 - I had a poster from the BDA (predecessor of Diabetes UK) with a picture of a person balancing on a tight-rope crossing the Niagara falls. Trying to balance everything does seem a bit like that quite often - it needs constant concentration because if you get it wrong and things can go badly wrong! I have had so many hypos over the years that I am not scared of them - but at the time they can be very upsetting and make you feel out of control and physically shaky and sweaty and sometimes lose control of arms and legs - that is quite scary. I am no longer able to drive because of lack of warnings for hypos. So far I don't have any other serious complications, just some early eye damage but nothing to worry about as yet, and no neuropathy or kidney problems. Losing my sight is my main worry! One other issue for me is lumps on my skin from frequent insulin injections - these are unsightly. I am not very big so ran out of spaces to inject, especially when I was on 5 injections a day, because I would bruise or bleed if I used my legs for injections.. This is one of the main reasons I moved to a pump. Hope this is helpful.

 

[Grumpy ole thing]

I would love to hear some feedback from people who actually have real life experiences of diabetes and I feel this information is most valuable. All information will be confidential and no names etc will be used in my assignment its more to just give me more of an insight into coping with diabetes.
Many thanks!
Issy -student nurse

Hi @IsabellaWhite94

For me I think its about having respect for your patient. They may not have had the same clinical training as qualified nurses, but (for me) having lived with this for 40 years clinicians need to understand that I may know more about me than any text book can tell them. It also becomes more second nature (for me). People don’t attend a hospital for check-ups because they have a left leg, they don’t have to ask anyone else before they make decisions etc, yet we are often summoned to clinics, messed around by receptionists and pharmacists, and given poor advice. Having a long term condition is very different from a short term specific illness. When ill I will attend every appointment however inconvenient so that the road to recovery can begin, but with a chronic condition appointments etc have to be managed more to fit in around my life. Not that it isn’t important to attend appointments but that diabetes cannot be allowed to take over my life.

More recently I find the blame culture which exists around Diabetes is becoming increasingly uncomfortable. This is an over simplification and a generalisation which is both untrue and unfair.

If you would like specific information or examples please feel free to contact me. Good luck with your essay. x

 

[Juicyj]

It's good to hear of your interest. My DSN is superb, as I'm on a pump I have regular email contact with her and she reviews my pump data and we check every 2-3 weeks if ratios and pump settings need adjusting. She is very supportive and understands that 'we' are the experts as we live with it 24 hours a day. Having type 1 is a constant condition, I was diagnosed 5 years ago and went through a painful 6 months getting used to the diagnosis and coming to terms with it, it has changed my life, I had to change jobs due to hypos, which are now 2-3 per week but as I'm on a pump now they aren't severe and my blood glucose levels are much better controlled. Support is vital and recognising when individuals are struggling and need extra support, there is a lack of psychological support for struggling type 1's and mental anxiety issues are closely linked with having type 1.

I applaud you for wanting to find out more and wish you luck in your role, if you have any more questions please ask away

 

[OrsonKartt]

Hello everyone my name is Issy and I am student nurse coming to the end of my second year of training. I am currently writing an essay about long term conditions and the affect this has on the individual and I decided to choose to write mine about Type 1 diabetes, however this is open and welcome to feedback from both type 1 and type 2 diabetic individuals as I would love to understand more about both. I was just wondering if anyone would be willing to share any information about how the physical effects of diabetes effect your life e.g. neuropathy, daily insulin injections, retinopathy, tiredness, hypo anxiety etc etc as this is one the of sections of my assignment and I would love to hear some feedback from people who actually have real life experiences of diabetes and I feel this information is most valuable. All information will be confidential and no names etc will be used in my assignment its more to just give me more of an insight into coping with diabetes.
Many thanks!
Issy -student nurse

Hi I was diagnosed as type 2 a year ago. The NHS I have found to be disempowering - Being sent for blood tests without any explaination of what is being tested or why. It all seems a tick box culture where you submit yourself into a sausage factory for the sick . I was advised against following the newcastle diet, which after a few weeks got my blood sugars down to normal. I am advised that I should only be testing my own sugar levels infrequently, I test 5-10 times a day . There is a personal and very real stress in ignoring NHS guidance, which I need to do to stay well. This forum acts as an antidote , you have done well to get here.

 

[fletchweb]

Hello everyone my name is Issy and I am student nurse coming to the end of my second year of training. I am currently writing an essay about long term conditions and the affect this has on the individual and I decided to choose to write mine about Type 1 diabetes, however this is open and welcome to feedback from both type 1 and type 2 diabetic individuals as I would love to understand more about both. I was just wondering if anyone would be willing to share any information about how the physical effects of diabetes effect your life e.g. neuropathy, daily insulin injections, retinopathy, tiredness, hypo anxiety etc etc as this is one the of sections of my assignment and I would love to hear some feedback from people who actually have real life experiences of diabetes and I feel this information is most valuable. All information will be confidential and no names etc will be used in my assignment its more to just give me more of an insight into coping with diabetes.
Many thanks!
Issy -student nurse

For me it's not a big deal - I'm 55 and have been living with type 1 for 51 years. On average I take 4 shots per day sometimes more, sometimes less depending on my BG levels.

No complications, I'm very physically active and fit and look about 10 to 15 years younger than my actual age. For approximately 35 of those 51 years of living with Type I had very poor control - A1Cs of 8 or higher was the norm. The last 15 or 16 years I've been in better control of my Type 1 with average A1Cs in the low 7s. I manage my condition myself and try to avoid health professionals as much as I can as I have discovered they are generally behind the times when it comes to diabetes care.

I have been on a low carb high protein diet for 10 years, I fast every weekend and one of my vices - which kind of runs contradictory to my low carb diet - I have a glass of red dry wine before I go to bed - been doing this for past 10 years too.

Worse part of diabetes for me are hypos - I haven;t loss consciousness in 35 years but do feel really ****** once my BG levels drop below 3.5.

That's about it. I don;t think I'm your typical type 1 diabetic. I feel bad for those who struggle with it - it's hard for me to relate as I have never seen it as much of a problem and I can't remember a time that I wasn't living with type 1.

Good luck with your research - I hope you become a "GOOD" Health Professional We certainly need more of them.

 

[Crystalwand]

Hi, I'm type 1, only 23 and been diagnosed for 16 years. Similar to one of the above posts I've now signed up to attend a DAFNE course because 16 years ago it was "here's a needle and pen, take the same amount each day and eat healthy" now it's carb counting and correcting and knowing what to do when you're ill and to keep it under control so you don't get ill. Adults seem to get very little support and my nurses have said "you'll figure it out"! This forum has helped massively.

I'm very lucky I don't suffer from stress or anxiety or any mental issues from diabetes.

I don't exercise so can't feedback on that.

Injecting is painful and a hassle in itself.

I've developed slight retinopathy from poor control I went 3/4 years without checking my blood sugar no idea how I am alive and apparently it's reversible if I get it under control now - very lucky.

Tired if sugars aren't controlled, I find myself sleeping more than my partner even though he has longer shifts at work.

Doesn't affect my social life or family or anything. Don't get much support but I'm thankful I don't need support from others when some people do.

Only thing I would say is it's not as simple as calculating a meal and injecting and waiting for the next meal it's constantly on your mind; where are my levels going to be at, what can I eat, don't have anything to eat cause insulin doesn't work as fast as food etc. It's a lot but I guess we get stronger mentally by having it.

Also got to be a mathematician for calculating carbs haha

Hi I know we're you are coming from, the record keeping, the numbers, food, units to take for everything, then there's life it self, I was told at 13, I cannot have children, ( I am now 53 ) two adult kids so from me to you, keep your BG good as possible if they are not, well sort them out, you can't change what was pass move on and start again for forty years now and I am still here, just be happy