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Steveh1970

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Sanctimonious, patronising people, antivaxxers and brexiteers.
Why do I find it so hard to take my diabetes seriously? I have 2 other chronic conditions which were instrumental in me developing diabetes, I'm insulin dependent mainly because of hyperglycaemia, I've been diagnosed over 3 years and I don't think of taking my insulin or checking my BM, I'm well versed in the long term health implications, but it doesn't seem as important as my other chronic illnesses, I don't know how to take it seriously.
 

JoKalsbeek

Expert
Messages
5,937
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Why do I find it so hard to take my diabetes seriously? I have 2 other chronic conditions which were instrumental in me developing diabetes, I'm insulin dependent mainly because of hyperglycaemia, I've been diagnosed over 3 years and I don't think of taking my insulin or checking my BM, I'm well versed in the long term health implications, but it doesn't seem as important as my other chronic illnesses, I don't know how to take it seriously.
Hi @Steveh1970 ,

Let's start at the beginning: what type are you? Because being insulin dependent doesn't tell us much. I'm a Type 2, so I'm going from the perspective of one, and maybe that'll help. If you're a T1 however, ignore me entirely, and wait until someone actually useful comes along.

Being insulin dependent due to hyperglycemia is a bit, well... Yeah. Okay. Being a diabetic means your have hyperglycemia, otherwise you wouldn't be diabetic. The way you tackle it though is through insulin. If you know, however, that you aren't exactly trustworthy when it comes to taking enough of it, and on time, it may be an option to look to other methods. If you're a T2, then changing your diet could make a world of difference. As in, you might not need insulin at all if you cut down on, or cut out carbs completely. Because you know.... I have a bunch of conditions too. Rheumatism, hypothyroidism, migraines, PCOS, clinical depression, penchant for kidney stones, just to name a few... And guess what...? Diabetes is the ONLY condition I managed to get in control of right quick. Mind you, when there's a lot of physical stuff going on that can cause depression, if it's not present already (in my case, it was), and that makes self-care rather hard. But with T2, it was so easy to get my blood sugars back under control.. And with that, fix my non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, I got my cholesterol down, and my moodswings are a thing of the past. (I was a right dragon sometimes!). Not only that, it improved other conditions as well. Carbs are inflammatory by nature, so my rheumatism improved loads! Same with my irritable bowel issues and whatnot... Going low carb, well, it's not a cure-all, but it sure made a difference across the board. And not just for me either, many here have felt those effects.

The thing is, T2 doesn't seem like much. Until you don't do anything about it for too long. Then your kidneys fail. Your veins, your heart, they get damaged. Blindness is no fun. I don't usually use scare tactics, but T2 IS something to take seriously. My nan's aorta was torn from her heart, there was no saving her. My best friend's mum's heart ruptured. My uncle lost both his legs up to the knee. The phantom pain was one thing, but he had to sit on massive haemorrhoids all day. And then, of course, his heart gave out too, eventually. I know you're aware of the long-term implications, but have you looked at those in combination with what you're already dealing with? Can you afford to add all that onto what is already going on? Isn't it all enough, or too much even, as it is? So if T2 is do-able, why not tackle that so you can focus on other things?

Like I said, I have clinical depression. So self-care is an issue. But, I saw how my aunt had to lift my uncle in and out of bed, help him take a ****, and while she moved mountains on her own, they still needed a nurse about the house. I'll be damned if I put my husband through that. And make him an early widower? I lost my partner when I was 18. I'll never, ever put him through that kind of grief, if I can, at all, help it. Find your motivation, inside or outside of yourself, because diabetes really is no joke... And like I said, if T2, there's such an easy fix. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ might help. And keep in mind that if you do make changes in your diet, you absolutely HAVE TO test... Because you can and likely will hypo if you start cutting carbs blind. And the idea if that you get better, not comatose or dead. ;)

Also.... You don't have to do this alone. There's a whole forum here that can support, help, or just listen.

Good luck eh.
Jo
 
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Steveh1970

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Sanctimonious, patronising people, antivaxxers and brexiteers.
I'm possibly LADA diabetic as I have Addisons disease, I've been on certain steroids for over 35 years and because of that I have steroid induced hyperglycaemia, I have to take Metformin when I take the steroids to counter the BM spike.
 

Steveh1970

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Sanctimonious, patronising people, antivaxxers and brexiteers.
I don't eat many carbs as they are my least favourite food stuffs.
 

xfieldok

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,182
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I am on steroids. I take humulin I at the same time as the steroids and then novorapid to try to control the spikes after 4 hours. I hate steroids.
 

Steveh1970

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Sanctimonious, patronising people, antivaxxers and brexiteers.
I am on steroids. I take humulin I at the same time as the steroids and then novorapid to try to control the spikes after 4 hours. I hate steroids.
Without them I would die, I was 15 when I first started taking them.
 

xfieldok

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,182
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
My neuro said better fat than dead. It's all the other side effects I object to.

I use a libre to track my glucose. I find it helpful if I can keep it in my arm.
 

JoKalsbeek

Expert
Messages
5,937
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I'm possibly LADA diabetic as I have Addisons disease, I've been on certain steroids for over 35 years and because of that I have steroid induced hyperglycaemia, I have to take Metformin when I take the steroids to counter the BM spike.
That's one heck of a tough break, I'm sorry. If you fill out more of your profile, so it shows what type you are under your avatar, you won't get asked what type you are every time you post something. Lada is an entirely different animal from T2, as is steroid induced hyperglycemia, and a lot of the members here are T2, as that's a lot more common. So there's a lot of dietary advice that is likely not applicable to your situation, which you might want to avoid. (Like my long bla bla).

I hope you'll be feeling better soon. And start tracking what your numbers are doing. Maybe consider getting a CGM to keep on top of things, so you know exactly what's happening at all times. Gives a clearer picture and possibly would help you find a way forward.

Good luck eh.
Jo
 

coby

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,083
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Social mixing most sport, Soaps!
Hi @Steveh1970 ,

Let's start at the beginning: what type are you? Because being insulin dependent doesn't tell us much. I'm a Type 2, so I'm going from the perspective of one, and maybe that'll help. If you're a T1 however, ignore me entirely, and wait until someone actually useful comes along.

Being insulin dependent due to hyperglycemia is a bit, well... Yeah. Okay. Being a diabetic means your have hyperglycemia, otherwise you wouldn't be diabetic. The way you tackle it though is through insulin. If you know, however, that you aren't exactly trustworthy when it comes to taking enough of it, and on time, it may be an option to look to other methods. If you're a T2, then changing your diet could make a world of difference. As in, you might not need insulin at all if you cut down on, or cut out carbs completely. Because you know.... I have a bunch of conditions too. Rheumatism, hypothyroidism, migraines, PCOS, clinical depression, penchant for kidney stones, just to name a few... And guess what...? Diabetes is the ONLY condition I managed to get in control of right quick. Mind you, when there's a lot of physical stuff going on that can cause depression, if it's not present already (in my case, it was), and that makes self-care rather hard. But with T2, it was so easy to get my blood sugars back under control.. And with that, fix my non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, I got my cholesterol down, and my moodswings are a thing of the past. (I was a right dragon sometimes!). Not only that, it improved other conditions as well. Carbs are inflammatory by nature, so my rheumatism improved loads! Same with my irritable bowel issues and whatnot... Going low carb, well, it's not a cure-all, but it sure made a difference across the board. And not just for me either, many here have felt those effects.

The thing is, T2 doesn't seem like much. Until you don't do anything about it for too long. Then your kidneys fail. Your veins, your heart, they get damaged. Blindness is no fun. I don't usually use scare tactics, but T2 IS something to take seriously. My nan's aorta was torn from her heart, there was no saving her. My best friend's mum's heart ruptured. My uncle lost both his legs up to the knee. The phantom pain was one thing, but he had to sit on massive haemorrhoids all day. And then, of course, his heart gave out too, eventually. I know you're aware of the long-term implications, but have you looked at those in combination with what you're already dealing with? Can you afford to add all that onto what is already going on? Isn't it all enough, or too much even, as it is? So if T2 is do-able, why not tackle that so you can focus on other things?

Like I said, I have clinical depression. So self-care is an issue. But, I saw how my aunt had to lift my uncle in and out of bed, help him take a ****, and while she moved mountains on her own, they still needed a nurse about the house. I'll be damned if I put my husband through that. And make him an early widower? I lost my partner when I was 18. I'll never, ever put him through that kind of grief, if I can, at all, help it. Find your motivation, inside or outside of yourself, because diabetes really is no joke... And like I said, if T2, there's such an easy fix. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ might help. And keep in mind that if you do make changes in your diet, you absolutely HAVE TO test... Because you can and likely will hypo if you start cutting carbs blind. And the idea if that you get better, not comatose or dead. ;)

Also.... You don't have to do this alone. There's a whole forum here that can support, help, or just listen.

Good luck eh.
Jo
It may be the case that your other health issues have overwhelmed you too much, so that you try to ignore the potential threats of diabetes? But burying your head in the sand, 'sleeping' it off in life or telling yourself it is nothing to be concerned about are all warning signs that you have tried to mentally dismiss it. If you have Addisons, then from what I recall this affects somewhere near to the kidneys? Sorry if I got that wrong, but anyway surely the more you are determined to fight the sugar enemy which invades EVERY part of you, then the more it may help with other health issues and the further it will take you from Kidney problems, limb loss, eye problems and a whole host of other conditions. You are worth it!
 

Steveh1970

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Sanctimonious, patronising people, antivaxxers and brexiteers.
It may be the case that your other health issues have overwhelmed you too much, so that you try to ignore the potential threats of diabetes? But burying your head in the sand, 'sleeping' it off in life or telling yourself it is nothing to be concerned about are all warning signs that you have tried to mentally dismiss it. If you have Addisons, then from what I recall this affects somewhere near to the kidneys? Sorry if I got that wrong, but anyway surely the more you are determined to fight the sugar enemy which invades EVERY part of you, then the more it may help with other health issues and the further it will take you from Kidney problems, limb loss, eye problems and a whole host of other conditions. You are worth it!
I had my adrenal glands removed which caused the Addisons, you are right these glands sit on the kidneys, I have something known as Von Hippel Lindau (VHL) syndrome which caused adrenal tumours. This condition can also blind you as retinal tumours can cause retina detachment, I've recently had major brain surgery to remove an egg size tumour in my cerebellum, during this time I had multiple health issues (not diabetes related), to say I'm headshot (no pun intended) is an understatement.
 

coby

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,083
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Social mixing most sport, Soaps!
I had my adrenal glands removed which caused the Addisons, you are right these glands sit on the kidneys, I have something known as Von Hippel Lindau (VHL) syndrome which caused adrenal tumours. This condition can also blind you as retinal tumours can cause retina detachment, I've recently had major brain surgery to remove an egg size tumour in my cerebellum, during this time I had multiple health issues (not diabetes related), to say I'm headshot (no pun intended) is an understatement.
Well no wonder you cannot face up to diabetes with so much going on!