Sorry if I am boring you!

[Matthew1990]

Hey everyone.

I know i've posted alot lately and your probably thinking oh no not him again. I do apologise.

Being honest and truthful, I am finding being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes is hard to digest. I got diagnosed in december and since being diagnosed its hit me hard. Before diagnosed I enjoyed my life, no health worries/concerns and I lead a normal happy life. Since diagnosis though, it's hard, I am 20 years of age so it's difficult for me because I eat normally before diabetes, could have a mcdonalds whenever and crisps/sweets etc (Never ate these in huge extremes) but since having type 1 I can't seem to enjoy myself anymore.

Way to stressful, I've yet to gain confident with my diabetes, I feel ashamed and sad. No one in my family has history of diabetes so how can I have it? It hurts me knowing this because it has shocked me how I can have it.

Also eating wise, I'm scared to eat these days due to the chance of having a high sugar level reading 2-3 hours after a meal. Also the amount I eat, trying to cut down on carbs etc and when feeling like a snack not being able to eat anything because it will raise my sugar level. I'm constantly worried about my sugar level going to high and going to low. Scared of driving, going to the gym, going to uni, out with my friends, football etc. I feel like an outsider to the world and everyone.

I feel different in my family, parents being healthy and fine and the rest of my family being free from diabetes and happy.

At the moment, the diabetic nurse has told me to inject short-term insulin (humalog) 3 times a day before meals (2 units of insulin) and 1 24 injection of lantus 6 units.

Ive yet to attend a carbo counting course yet, will be in february but I doubt it very much if that will change my view on diabetes . Also I have yet to be check over since being diagnosed, (eye check, feet, blood pressure etc etc so this is also another dark concern. I just want to live a long healthy complication free life but I just feel no matter what I do i'm going to end up with something bad .

I miss my old life alot being able to do what I want when I want without thinking of such things as injecting, meal size, sugar level, complications, stress etc

I know not many of you will know what to do to help/advice me but can you all some how help me?

Sorry and thanks

 

[carty]

M att.
Hi again you are not boring me I feel for you it must be awful getting the dreaded DB so young but I am afraid that you can not turn the clock back .If you could I would be 20 again and you wouldnt be born :!: You can live with this thing or you can let it beat you Please try to be a little more positive there are things you can do to get a grip on this lousy disease Lots of people on this forum have good advice to give.Iam not type 1 and not on insulin so I cant advise on these things but there are lots of good things you can eat and you dont need to be hungry Have a look at the other threads on the forum
CAROL

 

[anniep]

Hi Matt

You are not boring us, you are somebody who has had a big shock in their life and is adjusting to it. Doing the best you can talking to those who have been there too.

I think partly what you are feeling is a reaction to this change in your life, it is a big change and needs some adjusting to. Any change in our lives takes time to get used to, even if it is a change you want eg getting married or moving house, but this is a change you didn't ask for, but one that was foisted on you. In a sense you are grieving your old life and body.

It affects us all to a greater or lesser degree at some stage. Because of family history I knew I was going to be T2 sooner or later and went looking for it, so finding out I had it was not a shcock as such. But I know that many people do find it hard when diagnosis comes as a shock and it does take time to adjust, I have a T2 friend who had a hard time accepting it.

BUT there are times I have just got so damm fed up of the whole business. This summer on holiday, my family enjoyed ice cream on the beach and I couldn't and I just felt so betrayed by my body. That I couldn't automatically have the things that others take for granted. And again this Christmas, although I am on tablets and not injections, I got so fed up of the whole medication malarky that I just wanted to throw them all away and be normal (whatever that is).

But you will adjust to the change in your life as time goes on. everything will become second nature to you and before you know it you will be here helping others who are in the shock stage af diagnosis

 

[jillybean465]

hi, dont get urself all work up about this, beleive me u will led a normal life think all ur pals, am 23 and be a diabete for 11 years and has never held me back, a still go partying with friends and drive the same as every one else! a had down days just like every1 but never stops me, u can still have ur mcds crisps and junk but just watch what ur doing, allways take a couple units of insluin if u do!
hope all these msgs help u best of luck

 

[ebony321]

Hey everyone.

I know i've posted alot lately and your probably thinking oh no not him again. I do apologise.

Being honest and truthful, I am finding being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes is hard to digest. I got diagnosed in december and since being diagnosed its hit me hard. Before diagnosed I enjoyed my life, no health worries/concerns and I lead a normal happy life. Since diagnosis though, it's hard, I am 20 years of age so it's difficult for me because I eat normally before diabetes, could have a mcdonalds whenever and crisps/sweets etc (Never ate these in huge extremes) but since having type 1 I can't seem to enjoy myself anymore.

Way to stressful, I've yet to gain confident with my diabetes, I feel ashamed and sad. No one in my family has history of diabetes so how can I have it? It hurts me knowing this because it has shocked me how I can have it.

Also eating wise, I'm scared to eat these days due to the chance of having a high sugar level reading 2-3 hours after a meal. Also the amount I eat, trying to cut down on carbs etc and when feeling like a snack not being able to eat anything because it will raise my sugar level. I'm constantly worried about my sugar level going to high and going to low. Scared of driving, going to the gym, going to uni, out with my friends, football etc. I feel like an outsider to the world and everyone.

I feel different in my family, parents being healthy and fine and the rest of my family being free from diabetes and happy.

At the moment, the diabetic nurse has told me to inject short-term insulin (humalog) 3 times a day before meals (2 units of insulin) and 1 24 injection of lantus 6 units.

Ive yet to attend a carbo counting course yet, will be in february but I doubt it very much if that will change my view on diabetes . Also I have yet to be check over since being diagnosed, (eye check, feet, blood pressure etc etc so this is also another dark concern. I just want to live a long healthy complication free life but I just feel no matter what I do i'm going to end up with something bad .

I miss my old life alot being able to do what I want when I want without thinking of such things as injecting, meal size, sugar level, complications, stress etc

I know not many of you will know what to do to help/advice me but can you all some how help me?

Sorry and thanks

Hi matthew,

i was also 20 when i was diagnosed back in 2009, so i know how you feel. before diagnosis i played football, i ate what i like, and was pretty care free like you also describe!

My biological father had type 1 diabetes but wasn't really in my life so i had nobody in the family with diabetes either, felt very alone, confused and angry that i'd developed diabetes so suddenly! it was hard to see friends family eat and do what they like without worrying about highs and lows, injections etc.

i was in and out of hospital with DKA because i didnt listen and regularly 'forgot' to take my insulin and continued to eat what i liked. clearly in denial!!

I was really horribly skinny from weight loss and had really bad mood swings and i musn't have been very nice to be around.

Then literally one day i had a epiphany, i wanted to start a fresh, to confront my diabetes and get it under control, i wanted to be healthy and happy.

I made an agreement with my diabetes nurse that is i could get my HBA1c bloodtes below 12% from 16.1% she would put me onthe DAFNE course. she gave me tips and called me everyday and gave me alot of support, she wasnt angry at me she understood and was happy id asked for help, in 4 weeks it got down to 12% and a month later i was on the DAFNE course,

The DAFNE course is the BEST thing i ever did for my diabetes, and so mny people here will agree im sure!! its nice to meet 7 other people that are in the same boat, have the same worries problems! you all learn together and become close quite quickly!

Justfour weeks after DAFNE i had another HBA1c, it was down to 8.7%!!!

(HBA1c test measures you average glucose levels over 3 months, so a huge drop in one month is pretty good if ido say so myself)

With the knowledge that i can control my diabetes, comes the confidence that i can now play football with my team who dont have diabetes, sometimes i have a hypo whilst playing, or going for a run or just playing on the Wii with my kid sister, thats no problem now, easily fixed!

I can also have a dessert like anyone else! and if anything i feel diabetes has made me healthier i my choice of food and i do enjoy treats ALOT more, im also thankful even though treated my body SO SObadly in the first year, i have all mylimbs, i have no kidney damage and my eyes are pretty much perfect!!

I wanted to share this with you so you can see that it does get better, but it takes effort at first, but it is definately worth it,

This site has helped me alot, theres some real lovely people who dont care how much you post and will help you best they can, everyone understands how it feels to be dianosed with something like diabetes and will offer advice and support whenever you need it.

Make sure you do go on that ourse in february, i promise if you let it it will help you

and also, there are many people with diabetes who live very very long lives, with no complications, if you look after your diabetes you will be fine. its normal to be worried about all these things!

 

[Catherine_h]

You are not boring us at all, thats the reason for the forum to ask questions!

People will understand, I have to be honest eating can become a chore! you can think what's the point of eating when its only going to put my blood up and make me feel rough! but when you get your insulin right and it does take time, you will find you can eat what you want (within reason) and you can control it!

I do find myself eating better than I ever did cos I think if its going to put my sugar up its got to be worth eating!

As for snacking trying low/no carb stuff, I love hartleys no sugar jellies, ready made in pots from the fridge, or some chicken or a slice of ham!

You will be sat in Mcdonalds again with your big mac and enjoying it but like non-diabetics, not too often!

Being diabetic can be very lonely, I have my off days, as much as I have a very supportive family, they will never really understand! is there a support group near you? might be worth a try?

Take care

Catherine xx

 

[jopar]

Matthew

Part of coming to terms with diabetes is grieving for you past life and the percieved future you had before diagonses, just like losing somebody close to you.. You go through the 5 stages of grief...

But you are doing the right thing with asking a lot of question about the disease the more you ask, the quicker you start to sort out your tactics for living with the condition and controlling it to your best advantage...

Humans deal better with situations if they know the reason why they occured! Hence we bound around the 'why me' question I struggled with this one for many years, as I'm also the only diabetic in the family (still am after 20+ years, new generations have been added and I'm due to be a great-great Aunty any day now) Ieven have a twin sister who isn't diabetic!!! I just except now that I will never know this answer to this question...

It does get better, as you start to learn how to take control work with your insulin and food, to prevent the hypo and highs... After a while you will start to see if you take care of yourself, control your diabetes there is little actual effect on your life you can still do the things that you want, just got to put a little more thought into some things to achieve them.. But as time goes on even doing this becomes a natural thing and the non-diabetics start to be the abnormal ones!

So never be afriad of seeeming boring, nor asking question even if you may feel it's a silly one, there no such thing as a silly question if you don't know the answer, and we've probably asked the exact same question in the past hence that's how we know the answer..

 

[noblehead]

Matthew,

Diabetes shouldn't stop you doing all the things you wish to do in life and in time things will become more clearer in time. As I said in a earlier reply to one of your threads, when you enroll on the DAFNE course this will help you understand insulin/carb ratios and thus improve your control greatly, there is a questions and answers session during the week on DAFNE where you can ask the diabetes consultant as many questions as you like, so it may be a good idea to jot-down a few questions over the coming weeks which you would like answered.

Best wishes

Nigel

 

[jameshallam]

I was diagnosed last year at 24 and no one in my family had T1 (or T2) either...

I still have all the treats I used to have, just have to work out how much insulin to take. If you take control, do DAFNE and manage your diabetes there's nothing you can't do (except become an airline pilot!)

 

[totsy]

not boring us no...
i told u in an earlier post that i was the only type 1 in my family(well only any type lol) everyone comes to terms with things differently and we are here whenever u need a chat

 

[princessgeorge25]

Hello,
I've had Diabetes coming up 16 years and I still struggle with it. I can't carb count to save my life and I guess a lot of my injections. But it doesn't stop me from doing what i want and eating what i want. I do think when you get a grasp on the carbs side you'll see you can eat what you want just in smaller portions.

I doubt anyone likes having diabetes, its just a fact of life I suppose. A lot of my family have type 2 diabetes and a great aunt has type one, but its still not great being the only young one with type one. I felt like it stopped me doing everything and I constantly worry about being too low as it kills my Dad to see me that way.

Honestly though, you'll sharp realise it doesn't stop you living and it doesn't control you. You control it

 

[scoots]

Hi Matthew,

Just a quick note to say that I understand how hard the diagnosis can hit, and it's bl**dy hard. I was aged 35 when I was diagnosed, but I still found the psychological aspect of it the most difficult to deal with. OK, I could do all the things I knew I had to do to get it sorted - injections, food etc - but I felt so bl**dy angry at it. And I so didn't want to keep going on about it to friends and family etc, I had to be seen to be dealing with it and that's that.

I do think that when you are diagnosed the main focus is on controlling blood sugars, and very little attention paid to the massive psychological impact such a diagnosis and treatment will have on someone who has previously been absolutely 'normal'.

I do feeel for you, and can only reassure you that it does get easier, you will start to feel a lot more in control rather than at the minute feeling that the diabetes controls you. You will be able to get back to doing everything you've done before, albeit with a bit more planning.

I did the carb-counting course a year after diagnoisis, and did think that if I had done it before things might have been a little easier - certainly fewer hypos - although for me it would have to have been after my honeymoon period as it was all so unpredictable at the time.

Great to see you on the forum, don't ever worry about posting or asking questions. I didn't find the forum until a long time after I was diagnosed, and can assure you that if I had had it at the time would have completely expanded the bandwidth!

Jen x

 

[the_anticarb]

Hi Matthew

I'm sorry you're having such a rough time. I was diagnosed as a teenager and was in denial for many years. Eventually my DSN referred me to a psychologist, I believe most diabetes centres have one, who was really good as she helped me to come to terms with it all and look at the reasons why I was finding it hard to accept my condition. Just a thought, but woudl this be an option for you?
I agree with the other poster that the medical profession focus on just treating the symptoms and getting your hba1c down and don't focus on the psychological impact - diabetes is a difficult thing to have as it places so much responsibility on the patient to manage it - and you can get away with not managing it for a while but it will catch up with you in the end. I guess it is much easier for the docs to just focus on the symptoms rather than the psychological side but motivation is very much an important part of successful diabetes management.

It was not until I found this forum that I really came to terms with it all - nothing like speaking to other people in the same boat. Hang on in there and best of luck.

 

[KazV1]

I was diagnosed with type 1 a week after my 18th birthday, I couldnt celebrate because I was so ill at the time. You may experience severe depression like I did, and it took me a while to get over, I stopped going out with friends for a long time because, I had to make sure I ate, had my injections, always was going low, I thought it was going to stop everything. But it gets better. Spend time with friends, talk to them about it, and how they can help you, talk to your diabetic nurse about your concerns whenever you feel down, keep your chin up.

 

[unicorn]

Hi Matt - I wish you could come to my buddy group, there are some young people there who were diagnosed only a short time ago but we are keeping it for local uni students. Are you at uni ? if yes see if the uni health centre has a buddy group. Living away from home and having T1 is very challenging.

hope you find something/one