My doctor told me over four decades ago, “The more you know about your diabetes the longer you will live”. I still remember those words fresh as yesterday. You are in the right place for all the information and support. Wishing you all the best
I’m 17 and type 1 for almost 3 years ,It’s my first time writing on here lol , I never really talk about diabetes to people as they don’t understand so I feel like there’s no point and I feel like if I try to explain my feelings about diabetes ,its just difficult cause there’s so much to say I can’t say it as weird as it sounds and I’m scared it just doesn’t make sense at all just like this paragraph️
I’m 17 and type 1 for almost 3 years ,It’s my first time writing on here lol , I never really talk about diabetes to people as they don’t understand so I feel like there’s no point and I feel like if I try to explain my feelings about diabetes ,its just difficult cause there’s so much to say I can’t say it as weird as it sounds and I’m scared it just doesn’t make sense at all just like this paragraph
Being 17 and a type 1 isn't the best combo. I am 19 in a month so we are both same age and I totally understand what you are saying. Even the toughest diabetic is challenged by diabetes. My motto for diabetes is: "Patience is the key for all good things. Don't rush it." It is totally okay to take a break and sometimes just scream. The journey continues and if you find a good company, the journey is 17 thousand times better. My DMs are always open
Exactly! Emotions are sadly viewed as good or bad as if there is a moral ground where being sad means something bad. Whenever I see someone who is on the verge of crying I do not attempt to stop them. They will feel better. Emotions are just a part of our contract to life and pushing what is viewed as bad emotions just makes us less adaptive to the struggles of life. It is a coping mechanism afterall!
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You are an inspiring example of true strength. Thank you for posting. Knowing what you have endured makes the comparatively small problems of my life easier to deal with.Hi Pancreas problems! I was diagnosed type 1 insulin dependent at the age of 11 so I know how tough it is with diabetes from a young age. I am sorry to have to tell you this but in my experience - I want to just point this out this has happened to me but won't necessarily happen to you! - it may not get easier for you.
Let me explain my story - I will try and be brief.
In 1997 I was 11 years old (just) and suffered from a bad case of tonsilitis. Weeks later I still felt unwell at the start of the school holidays when I went to visit my Dad in Scotland. My Mum was going to take me to the GP but I insisted I was fine and begged her to go.
On the journey there I slept the entire way and was pretty much out of it and when we eventually arrived in Glasgow we went for dinner which is when I began to be sick. I ended up at my Dad's GP and then transferred to Glasgow hospital and then blue flashing lights to Yorkhill Childrens Hospital.
To cut a long story short - I was started on insulin but the glucose in my blood was so strong it turned to acid and started attacking the surface of my brain. A specialist Doctor put me on a ECMO machine which is a heart and lung bypass machine designed for babies - at that time I was the eldest child to have been on ECMO and survived (this was 1997 by the way might and probably is different now!) this was to ease the pressure on my body to enable it to fight the diabetes rather than have my heart and lungs working at the same time as well. However during my time on ECMO my body went to bits.
My kidneys shut down and I was on kidney dialysis, my body was fighting 13 different infections all at the same time...... I had holes in my lungs and nothing the Doctors and Specialists were doing was working. My body was having seizures and numerous strokes and after 6 weeks my parents had to make a decision to turn off life support - even if I survived I would be completely brain dead as my brain was in holes after all that time.
They made that decision - the same weekend Princess Diana died my family said they can still remember watching the news in my hospital room - and they turned off the life support and stopped all other treatment but kept me on the insulin and they waited for me to pass away.
While they waited further tests were done. They thought I was blind and had little or no control over my kidneys and bowels etc....
Then all of a sudden, I was in the room with my Step-mother and Grandfather and all this "gunk" yellow, green and brown flooded out of me and covered the bed. The nurses changed me and then my Step-mother said to my Grandfather she thought I could see. He grabbed a soft toy of mine and asked me who it was and I replied.
And that was the start of my recovery journey. I still ended up at my local hospital for another 6 weeks recovering there. I had lost about 3 or 4 stone in weight, I couldn't use my legs and needed a wheelchair I was having daily physiotherapy for my legs let alone all the numerous blood tests and testing and injections. I eventually got better - almost. I have had 3 or 4 surgeries since on my ankles / lower legs & feet etc. I have had a severe diabetic foot ulcer and needed further surgery on that and in the process of waiting for the ulcer to heal contracted MRSA then had to have a Piic line inserted and flushed with Teicoplanin 3 times a week etc. I have done the DAFNE course with a view to getting an insulin pump - 5 years ago!!!! And I am STILL waiting.
I have tried; M1, M2, M3 insulin, Novorapid, Levemir and numerous isophane insulins including Lantus and my current insulin - Humulin i. I have tried every insulin available on the NHS market with little success.
I am unable to have the insulin pump as my levels aren't stable and are too high. I am not able to have continuous glucose monitoring either as it's only offered to paediatric patients at my hospital. My husband and I are desperate to try to start a family but the risks to myself and (future) child are too high to even consider it.
BUT I doubt myself fortunate to have survived diabetes. And I will kick the NHS trust ass now trying to access the treatment that I feel I should be allowed to have! I see my diabetes specialist one a year. Once - it's a joke! But I am determined not to let my diabetes ruin me. I will defeat it and I will push and fight the NHS to help me do it.
You are young and yes diabetes sucks BIG time! Depend on your family - friends wont 100% understand it I'm sorry to say unless of course they themselves are diabetic. No one without diabetes truly understands it unfortunately - they think they do but they don't not really. But most of all know that you can live with it and you will be 100% stronger than the person you were before. I've had my trials with diabetes and I'm still going through them but I won't allow myself to give up. And neither should you. Know that there are people on this forum to moan and complain to, and to seek help from if you feel your not getting the support from anywhere else. I'm sorry my story is not a super positive one about diabetes but I have achieved my BA (hons) degree and I have work as a Teaching Assistant when I want it so it's not all bad!
Hi Pancreas problems! I was diagnosed type 1 insulin dependent at the age of 11 so I know how tough it is with diabetes from a young age. I am sorry to have to tell you this but in my experience - I want to just point this out this has happened to me but won't necessarily happen to you! - it may not get easier for you.
Let me explain my story - I will try and be brief.
In 1997 I was 11 years old (just) and suffered from a bad case of tonsilitis. Weeks later I still felt unwell at the start of the school holidays when I went to visit my Dad in Scotland. My Mum was going to take me to the GP but I insisted I was fine and begged her to go.
On the journey there I slept the entire way and was pretty much out of it and when we eventually arrived in Glasgow we went for dinner which is when I began to be sick. I ended up at my Dad's GP and then transferred to Glasgow hospital and then blue flashing lights to Yorkhill Childrens Hospital.
To cut a long story short - I was started on insulin but the glucose in my blood was so strong it turned to acid and started attacking the surface of my brain. A specialist Doctor put me on a ECMO machine which is a heart and lung bypass machine designed for babies - at that time I was the eldest child to have been on ECMO and survived (this was 1997 by the way might and probably is different now!) this was to ease the pressure on my body to enable it to fight the diabetes rather than have my heart and lungs working at the same time as well. However during my time on ECMO my body went to bits.
My kidneys shut down and I was on kidney dialysis, my body was fighting 13 different infections all at the same time...... I had holes in my lungs and nothing the Doctors and Specialists were doing was working. My body was having seizures and numerous strokes and after 6 weeks my parents had to make a decision to turn off life support - even if I survived I would be completely brain dead as my brain was in holes after all that time.
They made that decision - the same weekend Princess Diana died my family said they can still remember watching the news in my hospital room - and they turned off the life support and stopped all other treatment but kept me on the insulin and they waited for me to pass away.
While they waited further tests were done. They thought I was blind and had little or no control over my kidneys and bowels etc....
Then all of a sudden, I was in the room with my Step-mother and Grandfather and all this "gunk" yellow, green and brown flooded out of me and covered the bed. The nurses changed me and then my Step-mother said to my Grandfather she thought I could see. He grabbed a soft toy of mine and asked me who it was and I replied.
And that was the start of my recovery journey. I still ended up at my local hospital for another 6 weeks recovering there. I had lost about 3 or 4 stone in weight, I couldn't use my legs and needed a wheelchair I was having daily physiotherapy for my legs let alone all the numerous blood tests and testing and injections. I eventually got better - almost. I have had 3 or 4 surgeries since on my ankles / lower legs & feet etc. I have had a severe diabetic foot ulcer and needed further surgery on that and in the process of waiting for the ulcer to heal contracted MRSA then had to have a Piic line inserted and flushed with Teicoplanin 3 times a week etc. I have done the DAFNE course with a view to getting an insulin pump - 5 years ago!!!! And I am STILL waiting.
I have tried; M1, M2, M3 insulin, Novorapid, Levemir and numerous isophane insulins including Lantus and my current insulin - Humulin i. I have tried every insulin available on the NHS market with little success.
I am unable to have the insulin pump as my levels aren't stable and are too high. I am not able to have continuous glucose monitoring either as it's only offered to paediatric patients at my hospital. My husband and I are desperate to try to start a family but the risks to myself and (future) child are too high to even consider it.
BUT I doubt myself fortunate to have survived diabetes. And I will kick the NHS trust ass now trying to access the treatment that I feel I should be allowed to have! I see my diabetes specialist one a year. Once - it's a joke! But I am determined not to let my diabetes ruin me. I will defeat it and I will push and fight the NHS to help me do it.
You are young and yes diabetes sucks BIG time! Depend on your family - friends wont 100% understand it I'm sorry to say unless of course they themselves are diabetic. No one without diabetes truly understands it unfortunately - they think they do but they don't not really. But most of all know that you can live with it and you will be 100% stronger than the person you were before. I've had my trials with diabetes and I'm still going through them but I won't allow myself to give up. And neither should you. Know that there are people on this forum to moan and complain to, and to seek help from if you feel your not getting the support from anywhere else. I'm sorry my story is not a super positive one about diabetes but I have achieved my BA (hons) degree and I have work as a Teaching Assistant when I want it so it's not all bad!
I’m glad your fighting fit tho doing what u like !
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