Newbie Diagnosed 3 weeks ago in need of some help!

[Robbieowen55]

Hi all
My Name is Robbie 29 years old and I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes about 3 weeks ago and I am still I guess in total shock!

Once I had the symptoms pointed out to me I guess I have been suffering for quite a while and didn't even know I am currently off work from quite a stressful Job and am seriously worried about going back I had my first known hypo today and my blood glucose levels are now all over the place and I have made a rookie mistake of running out of testing strips!

To say that this has knocked my confidence is an understatement I have also been suffering over the last 2 days with some foot and joint pain and some blurred vision which I have been told is normal?

Obviously I need to return to work but everybody is telling me to wait until I am ready some days I feel great like a million dollars and I can return and days like today I feel awful I am also suffering from poor sleep patterns does anybody else suffer from this in the beginning!

Guess I need some help from people in the know I am going to phone my nurse tomorrow but any advice would be great!

Thanks Robbie

 

[daisy1]

Hi Robbie and welcome to the forum Don't worry - it gets better as time goes on when you get in the routine of things. When you get your blood sugars under control your blurry eyesight will probably improve. Don't go back to work too soon but also don't let people tell you what to do! Do as you think is best - what you want to do depending on how you are feeling. You have really taken a major step finding this forum where you can find out anything you need to know about diabetes. Just ask a question and someone will have a reply for you.

To help get you started here is some general information about looking after your diabetes which was written for new members like you. I hope this will help 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.

 

[Robbieowen55]

Thanks Daisy,

Had another hypo tonight I think can't be sure because I ran out of testing strips daft or what!

 

[viviennem]

Hi Robbie, and welcome!

I've just popped in to say hello - I'm a Type 2 so can't be a lot of help to you right now. However, there are plenty of experienced Type 1s on the forum who I'm sure will be along soon to help you with some advice.

Get to the doctor/chemist first thing tomorrow! Get 2 pots of strips and then always remember to re-order when you open the second - make it a habit. And don't be afraid to call for help - NHS Direct or even 999 - if you feel really bad. Don't worry about 'being a bother' - under the circumstances they'd rather you bothered them! :wink:

I have a Type 1 friend who is now in her 90s and can run rings round me - and the longest lived Type 1, in the US, has had it for over 80 years. The future isn't as bleak as you may think, so don't let it get you down.

Viv 8)

 

[Jen&Khaleb]

Hi Robbie, I'm a parent of a T1 child. It does take some constant monitoring and planning to live a normal life with diabetes. Hope you have got some test strips? You will gain confidence and it is important to keep doing all the things you did before even though you need to fit in testing, insulin and possibly eating at different times and not skipping meals. Being newly diagnosed you may also be in the honeymoon phase and producing some of your own insulin intermittently so this might be something to watch out for if you are having hypos. Count the carbohydrates you are eating and keep records so you can match the amount of insulin you need to take. Once you see some patterns forming it will make life easier all around. You should expect in the early stages that your levels will be a bit all over the place and gradually settle down over months as you get into a routine and learn how food/insulin/exercise affects you. Just keep tackling it one day at a time. Only you will know when you can go back to work.
Stress can make levels unpredictable so maybe take up some yoga or other stress reliever before you go back. All the best.