Does it get easier? or more difficult?

[sleepster]

Hello, just interested in other people's experiences/opinions really.

I was diagnosed 23 years ago and although technology etc has made control and living with diabetes easier, I have found that the longer I have diabetes the more difficult it gets. I mentioned this to my DSN and she said that's normal, the longer you have it, the harder it is to maintain good control.

I used to be able to eat whatever I wanted, count the carbs, do the insulin and BGs were good, my hba1c was always good.
I changed hospitals last year because my consultant made me cry more than once, telling me my hba1c was too high, that I needed to try harder and that funding for my pump would be withdrawn, but I was trying, really trying to have good control and it just wasn't happening, hypos and highs all over the place and so many things I wouldn't eat because counting the carbs and doing the insulin was not straightforward like it used to be.
Things haven't improved much with my control but the new hospital is good, they can see I am trying and they're giving me tools to help

Anyway, that's me, do you think it's true that the longer you have diabetes the more difficult it is?

 

[ROE100]

Sorry to hear about the consultant issue a possible 'I'll take this away if you don't behave - Parent to child attitude' but they just may think this threat will get you to change however as we all now it (life) is not that simple.

I think of it this way - my body has changed (thus a change in requirements to treat diabetes) which may be down to a different work life balance, different view point of life and proirities or just sorry to say we are getting older (even people with no issues people get changes later).

 

[sleepster]

Thanks @ROE100, my new consultant is lovely and I've just started a new pump so the decision to move hospitals was a good one.
You make some good points and what you said definitely makes sense, I guess I just haven't asked the right questions of my diabetes team before.

 

[kvetiny]

I've changed hospitals 3 times. Glad I changed to my current hospital. Consultant is really nice and helpful. I changed to my current hospital as they have funding for the libre and I got a libre straight away. Last hospital I went to I would always get a locum doctor to see and they would just look at their computer and give me website addresses to look at or tell me to download an app.

 

[StewM]

The thing about it getting more difficult is true, sadly*. Like there’s things I could do without a second thought in my twenties that I just can’t without major planning now. However on the flip side, with ten years of experience of doing things, I’m way better at controlling things to. I’m sure you’ll get better as times go on. I’m sure we all do (particularly as tech keeps giving us helping hands).

*There’s a number of reasons for that. Like the longer you have the condition the more of a toll even good control takes on your body. And just naturally as you age the body gets worse at doing everything.

 

[Lulu9101112]

I agree I was diagnosed around 7 Years old, I’m now 22 and still find it hard to get the right balance.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

My heart goes out to you @sleepster and I am very new, Type 2 diabetic. I read a lot because I suppose I am curious, and I don't, never have, believed everything someone says (teachers, doctors, scientists). For me personally, I want to do my own research, as far as someone with my limited education can go that is. Learning from others that have the disease is crucial for me, and articles, of late, studies, and video information has helped me a lot. I have years ahead of me, well, I don't know how many at 68

I am sorry you have to deal with a rude physician that obviously has issues of their own to say something like that to you. They have no clue how hard you are trying, they aren't walking in your shoes.

You'll get wonderful support here, just keep sharing, and listening. If you can, find another provider, I did that myself. Went for a 2nd opinion to some doctor that was new in town, heard they were brilliant. Not so, she wanted me to do all these things, which I did pay attention, but what really got my attention was the fact she had no clue what my records from before that appt with her were!

 

[sleepster]

Thanks for the responses, it's nice to hear other people's thoughts and it's reassuring to know that I'm not alone in my experiences

 

[Jaylee]

Hi,

It's a sort of "yes & no" answer from me.. I seem to be doing better now than I did in my youth.

But having said that. It's a little like owning a older vehicle? Having experience & the tools to service fix & do running repairs gets called upon more frequent..

 

[Rokaab]

I'm now finding it much easier than when I was younger, but then I now have 24-hour data rather than a blood test once in a blue moon - yes I hated blood tests from the day they were introduced to me when I was about 9 or 10 I think, admittedly they were more like torture devices back then, consequently I never did even vaguely near enough of them and had always 'forgotten' my blood test diary when I went to the diabetic clinic.

Tech has turned my control around completely, age may have thrown some spanners in the works, but hey, thats life