New to Type 1.

Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
This is all so new to me, only recently been diagnosed with Type 1 Friday just gone and experienced possibly the worst way of being diagnosed with being in hospital. Finding it hard to get my sugars down, what to eat etc its all so confusing. Im only 17..help.

I went straight into doing my own injections, finding that easier now but i dont think my units are correct. Read through information booklets and it mentions being depressed, since ive been diagnosed all ive wanted to do is cry :( can anybody help me please x
 

donnellysdogs

Master
Messages
13,233
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
People that can't listen to other people's opinions.
People that can't say sorry.
Hi Charlieehill123

It is so scary to start off with...and your feelings will go up and down as you get used to the diabetes living with you in your life....

I term it like that 'diabetes lives with you'....because your life can still be everything that you want it to be (A few exceptions-I don't think you can pilot a passenger plane!!!).....but you can still do bungee jumps etc....

So, be patient, as you and your body have to get used to diabetes. you won't feel brilliant about it in a week...or even a month....it takes time to learn how your body works, and to do this you need regular check ups and help from your diabetic health care team.

I was diagnosed at 21, and I admit to crying myself to sleep every single night for 6 weeks. I was put on such a strict diet, that I just found everything so hard to cope with....until I learnt that with injections you can still have some normal living treats.......the most important word is some......and occasionally....when I lerant this, I felt normal again, and I knew that I didn't have to be different to my friends that I had who didn't have diabetes....BUT, and a big BUT....you do need to listen and learn what to do from your health care team and from people here with their advice and find out just what works for you......

It is very early days for you, so it will be very hard for you to think about at the moment and you will find some great help and support here from people that have all been through a diagnosis of either them, or a member of their family being diabetic. None of us are perfect...but we are all helping each other and support each other through our life's with diabetes....

Please let us know how you are getting on, whether you are getting low readings or high readings, and how often you are seeing your diabetes health care team etc....we will all want to know how you are doing and will want to support you through this.....

Best wishes Shax
 

Jgos

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
being dependent
I have been type 1 for 17 years - still cry and ask why me ! It does get better - i am new to this site stuff - the best is to understand that we are all different. But CM is good. :)
 

markerman

Newbie
Messages
2
Hi Charlieehill123,
I completely agree with Shax, it is still early days for you. I have been a diabetic for 15 years and I lead a perfectly normal life. I excercise regularly and look after myself, and although you have to get used to the diabetes management it gets easier as you learn to listen to your bodys' needs. I am type 1 and followed a course called DAFNE last year for a week. This has really helped me to improve my control over my diabetes. It showed me how to inject the right amount of insulin for the carbohydrates I consume. Its improved my control 100% and I now have very few hypos. I would definetely recommend it if you can get on it. Good luck for the future.
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
Hi Charlie and welcome to the forum :) As you see you are not alone in this and there are plenty of people here to talk to about your problems as you come across them. Ask as many questions as you want as there are lots of experienced Type 1s here who will be able to help you. A little basic information won't come amiss either. This was written by our friends Sue and Ken, former monitors, for new members and I think some of this advice will be helpful to you.

Here is the advice that Ken and I, as Forum Monitors, usually give to newly diagnosed Diabetics. We hope that these few ideas gained through experience help you to gain control and give you some understanding of Diabetes. This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different.

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

For more information on CARBOHYDRATE see here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20306

This is NOT a low carb diet suggestion, just a reduction in your intake of carbohydrate. You have to decide yourself how much of a reduction will keep your blood glucose levels in control.

The main carbs to avoid OR reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy root veg and also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

If you are on Insulin you may find that reducing the carb intake also means that you can reduce your dose of insulin. This can help you to keep weight gain down as Insulin tends to make you put on weight and eventually cause insulin resistance. This should be done slowly so as not to cause hypos.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating, then two hours after eating, you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels. Some foods, which are slow acting carbohydrates, are absorbed more slowly so you may need to test three or even four hours later to see the effect that these have on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.


As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try!!

For TIPS FOR STRIPS see here:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=19002#p173253

If you are an Insulin user in theory you should have no problem getting test strips.

The latest 2011 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking and before meals).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l...(Type 1 & 2)
2 hrs after meals........................no more than 8.5 mmol/l.....( Type 2)

2hrs after meals......................... no more than 9 mmol/l ......(Type 1)

If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do at least 30 minutes moderate exercise a day, it can be split into 10 min sessions to start with. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

The above is just general advice and it is recommended that you discuss with your HCP before making any changes. You can also ask questions on the forum on anything that is not clear.

Finally a few QUESTIONS TO ASK AT DIABETES CLINIC.

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=17091



Sue/Ken.
 

Spearmint

Well-Known Member
Messages
244
Hi Charlie

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, i can't imagine how you are feeling :(

I have had and am still getting loads of help from the lovely people on this forum regarding trying to get my daughters doses right so please use this place as much as you can.
Post your readings and your doses and some of the others might be able to point you in the right direction of what to change and how.

You are not alone in this x