Life with diabetes

Bridie9408

Well-Known Member
Messages
109
I would not call myself a happy diabetic although I have been type 1 for 31 years I am still learning something new everyday. I just hate the thought of it injections, food, every day wondering did I eat to much r not enough blood sugar high r low and family saying are you going low eat this r that . I just hate it everyday the same. Maybe it is the fact I have very bad relationship with food anything good for me I hate. But my son keeps me going. I guess I am just having a good old moan.
 

donnieboy

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
Other
Moan on - you've earned it. I've been battling this thing for about as long and get angry a lot, then think of my sis who wasted away with MS and died. I get over my troubles. I work with a man who has pacemaker, artificial hip and knees, and significant arthritis. My lot is not that bad. Fortunately I have little pain. Still, this thing we have isn't any fun at all and a constant struggle to manage. People just can't understand what we have to deal with on a constant basis.

I recently relented and got a pump. This is helping tremendously but I really don't like being wired up all the time. Still, I feel a LOT better on a daily basis and have fewer lows and high as a result. You might want to look into this.

Best to you. I get it.
 

LordReptilia

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hey, we’ve earned the right to moan and complain about our lovely disease. I’m 22 and have had Type 1 Diabetes for 20+ years. Everyday we struggle, we scream internally/externally, we fight a never-ending battle, and none of us can run from it or opt out of this lifestyle. I’ve tried the pump and ran with it for about 5 years but at the time, the technology and convenience of them wasn’t very great, so I’ve returned back to syringes. Unfortunately, Diabetes isn’t taken seriously by the public because of tv, movies, and everyone else who makes jokes about our disease. Which makes every day even harder to push through. But guess what? We still move. We progress. Whether our blood sugars are in line or not (mine never are), we still decide to wake up every day to try and trump this card we’ve been dealt. We Diabetics (mainly Type 1), have an incredible amount of willpower and perseverance. Nothing can stop us. Let’s complain until the world’s fed up with our voices and decides to finally do something about this hidden plague.
 

NinaB73

Well-Known Member
Messages
196
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I totally agree with you all! I've been going 37 years and yet still learning and moaning! @LordReptilia says it is the card we were dealt and I remember my partner (of 20 odd years) telling me the same thing when we first met and it is just right, unfortunately or fortunately...now I am older and have experienced what others go through with other conditions then it makes me determined to go with my 'card'. Not easy I know and there are times I could pull my hair out especially when it seems that the rest of the world are only worrying about the most trivial things. That bugs me from time to time, when I listen to friends moaning about the most ridiculous things! But hey we have all been in this game a while and I am sure we are winning some of the time!

Like you @Bridie9408 my son has kept me going through thick and thin, when you have someone else to consider it takes that need to dwell away.

The trouble with Diabetes is that it requires so much self maintenance which means you can never forget about it even for a day otherwise you face the consequences! I was recently asked at a dental appointment if all my medication was the same and am I still taking insulin, I must admit despite my friendly nature I did reply "I would be dead if I didn't!"
Lets carry on moaning :) I think it is good for the soul x
 

LordReptilia

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I totally agree with you all! I've been going 37 years and yet still learning and moaning! @LordReptilia says it is the card we were dealt and I remember my partner (of 20 odd years) telling me the same thing when we first met and it is just right, unfortunately or fortunately...now I am older and have experienced what others go through with other conditions then it makes me determined to go with my 'card'. Not easy I know and there are times I could pull my hair out especially when it seems that the rest of the world are only worrying about the most trivial things. That bugs me from time to time, when I listen to friends moaning about the most ridiculous things! But hey we have all been in this game a while and I am sure we are winning some of the time!

Like you @Bridie9408 my son has kept me going through thick and thin, when you have someone else to consider it takes that need to dwell away.

The trouble with Diabetes is that it requires so much self maintenance which means you can never forget about it even for a day otherwise you face the consequences! I was recently asked at a dental appointment if all my medication was the same and am I still taking insulin, I must admit despite my friendly nature I did reply "I would be dead if I didn't!"
Lets carry on moaning :) I think it is good for the soul x

Couldn’t have said it better:)
 

Bridie9408

Well-Known Member
Messages
109
I totally agree with you all! I've been going 37 years and yet still learning and moaning! @LordReptilia says it is the card we were dealt and I remember my partner (of 20 odd years) telling me the same thing when we first met and it is just right, unfortunately or fortunately...now I am older and have experienced what others go through with other conditions then it makes me determined to go with my 'card'. Not easy I know and there are times I could pull my hair out especially when it seems that the rest of the world are only worrying about the most trivial things. That bugs me from time to time, when I listen to friends moaning about the most ridiculous things! But hey we have all been in this game a while and I am sure we are winning some of the time!

Like you @Bridie9408 my son has kept me going through thick and thin, when you have someone else to consider it takes that need to dwell away.

The trouble with Diabetes is that it requires so much self maintenance which means you can never forget about it even for a day otherwise you face the consequences! I was recently asked at a dental appointment if all my medication was the same and am I still taking insulin, I must admit despite my friendly nature I did reply "I would be dead if I didn't!"
Lets carry on moaning :) I think it is good for the soul x
Good to know I am not the only one having a moan.
 

8bitkitty

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I would not call myself a happy diabetic although I have been type 1 for 31 years I am still learning something new everyday. I just hate the thought of it injections, food, every day wondering did I eat to much r not enough blood sugar high r low and family saying are you going low eat this r that . I just hate it everyday the same. Maybe it is the fact I have very bad relationship with food anything good for me I hate. But my son keeps me going. I guess I am just having a good old moan.
I feel for you! I’ve not had it as long (6+ years) and I’m 21, but it puts me down a lot! Especially because people just don’t understand it and have no idea how dangerous it is! I’ve had it when I’ve been low at work and someone asked me if I needed to go and have some insulin!!!
I’ve also had it where people assume that all diabetes is just like type 2!
Frustrates me.
 

LordReptilia

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I feel for you! I’ve not had it as long (6+ years) and I’m 21, but it puts me down a lot! Especially because people just don’t understand it and have no idea how dangerous it is! I’ve had it when I’ve been low at work and someone asked me if I needed to go and have some insulin!!!
I’ve also had it where people assume that all diabetes is just like type 2!
Frustrates me.

The absolute WORST for someone to say when I tell them I’m diabetic is “but you’re not fat?” Or when people try to tell me I can’t eat sugar or anything sweet. God, it’s annoying.
 

8bitkitty

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
The absolute WORST for someone to say when I tell them I’m diabetic is “but you’re not fat?” Or when people try to tell me I can’t eat sugar or anything sweet. God, it’s annoying.

Yeah like “oh but you don’t look diabetic??” What does having diabetes look like then?
We need more awareness of this draining disease.
 

LordReptilia

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Yeah like “oh but you don’t look diabetic??” What does having diabetes look like then?
We need more awareness of this draining disease.

Exactly! I blame old science/medicine and tv/movies/etc for feeding (pun definitely intended) the public the stereotypical overweight person who can’t eat anything with flavor or sweetness lol. We just need some new movement or something that just exposes people to the hard-hitting reality of Type-1 Diabetes and everything it brings with it.
 

therower

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,922
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Great thread guys:):):):).
No one understands T1 diabetes like a T1 diabetic no matter who they are, how much research they've done, studies undertaken and information gathered.
My mantra is ( apologies for repeating myself here:) ) Diabetes control.
80% mental/ emotional
15% medication
5% just winging it.
I've found on meeting and talking to fellow T1's that we don't necessarily have to complain about where we are at. We just know. You tell me that you're a T1 and I just know and understand your life.
Best medication............Positivity.:)
 

LordReptilia

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Great thread guys:):):):).
No one understands T1 diabetes like a T1 diabetic no matter who they are, how much research they've done, studies undertaken and information gathered.
My mantra is ( apologies for repeating myself here:) ) Diabetes control.
80% mental/ emotional
15% medication
5% just winging it.
I've found on meeting and talking to fellow T1's that we don't necessarily have to complain about where we are at. We just know. You tell me that you're a T1 and I just know and understand your life.
Best medication............Positivity.:)

Absolutely! It’s like we as Type-1’s have a subconscious form of communication where we’re all intertwined in a language built from counting carbs, insulin, seizures, heat hazards, social isolation, glucagon shots and showing off how massive their needles can be to friends, our unique diagnosis stories, and the unbearably ignorant populous trying to tell us about our own life-long copilot and how to work with them.
 
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8bitkitty

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Also a couple of weeks ago i started not getting symptoms for my hypos until I’m below 3mmol/l!
And today I woke up from my nap earlier and it read “LO” which is lower than 2mmol/l...
Don’t know if I should go to work tomorrow, I still feel awful and that happened at like 4:30pm (almost 4 hours ago!)
 

therower

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,922
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi @8bitkitty . Hypo unawareness is a real pain and can obviously be very dangerous for us.
I usually find my awareness diminishes if my control is really good. Just another way that diabetes finds to p*ss us off.
Have you considered running your blood sugars a little higher for a few weeks? This can help regain hypo awareness.
Apologies if this is something you are already aware of or actually doing.:)
 

8bitkitty

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi @8bitkitty . Hypo unawareness is a real pain and can obviously be very dangerous for us.
I usually find my awareness diminishes if my control is really good. Just another way that diabetes finds to p*ss us off.
Have you considered running your blood sugars a little higher for a few weeks? This can help regain hypo awareness.
Apologies if this is something you are already aware of or actually doing.:)

That’s why it’s gone then, I did assume it was that! Last year my levels were almost always 15mmol/l+ so weren’t ever getting hypos!
Now my levels are almost always in single figures apart from after breakfast when they shoot up to around 16mmol/l then come shooting down or when I’ve been on a night out and turn into a rollercoaster!!
I just want to be in really good control now, my boyfriend is supporting me by buying me the libre freestyle sensors every time. My levels are great but I have about 3 hypos a day now! I’m on such high sets of insulin because they found out I’m very resistant to insulin so I’ve also been put on metformin on top of that, I just can’t wait for my DAFNE course to start in a couple of weeks time!
Don’t be sorry! I appreciate the help
 

LordReptilia

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Also a couple of weeks ago i started not getting symptoms for my hypos until I’m below 3mmol/l!
And today I woke up from my nap earlier and it read “LO” which is lower than 2mmol/l...
Don’t know if I should go to work tomorrow, I still feel awful and that happened at like 4:30pm (almost 4 hours ago!)

Sorry! In the U.S. (well, anywhere I’ve ever discussed blood sugars) we use mg/dL so I had to convert your sugars. But dang, those are scary! I think I’m starting to experience a shift in when I feel my lows too and it’s pretty scary to have something you’re so familiar with just change without warning!
 
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8bitkitty

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Sorry! In the U.S. (well, anywhere I’ve ever discussed blood sugars) we use mg/dL so I had to convert your sugars. But dang, those are scary! I think I’m starting to experience a shift in when I feel my lows too and it’s pretty scary to have something you’re so familiar with just change without warning!

Haha why do they have to make things more complicated for diabetics than they already are?
Yeah I’m having about 3 hypos a day at the moment, they have put me on such a high dose and it’s also making me put on so much weight!
 

Bridie9408

Well-Known Member
Messages
109
I agree with you.
This is the best I ever heard I was speaking to a lady one day and the conversation came up about diabetes and I said I'm diabetic .This was her reply oh it must be your hair colour there are two people living beside me same hair colour both are diabetics well I couldn't even be bothered to reply just thought you f...... idot. Must admit thought of something a lot worse to say.