Diabetic for nearly 20 years

[Lazymike]

Hi all only found this site a little while ago I have been diabetic since I was 15 and will soon be 35 as you might guess from my name I have been struggling with my diabetes for the last 6 months or so I have never had great control of it as I have always hated the fact that I was diabetic and always thought why me. The reason why I am writing this is that I need help as I have been diagnosed with depression and have lost all get up and go I am married and she has been amazing through my troubles but she can't understand why I can't pull myself out of this rut I am in as we have 2 amazing children who I love with all my heart.
I am just beginning to notice things like putting on weight now as I'm not working at the min and Always forgetting things which is so frustrating even the date every day I have to keep checking anyway I just wanted to see if any of you had been through something similar and what you did to get out of it I like the idea of the daphne course but it is about a year wait where I am to get on it and it is a five day course which is hard to sort out time off although it would be easy at the min.
Have been thinking about asking about the pump but I understand you have to do the daphne course first before u can be put on it so to bring my story to an end before u fall asleep reading I am looking for advice on how to get healthy again and get my life back on track
Many thanks for reading this
Michael x


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[Lazymike]

Forgot to say I was a T1 diabetic and my last h test was 8.5 which isn't hugely bad but still bad enough to want to change its
Thanks again
Michael x


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[Thundercat]

Hi Lazymike. So sorry to hear you are struggling but hats off to you for wanting to push through to the otherside of this. I have gone through periods of very bad depression and eventually caved to the idea of antidepressants (I hate the idea of taking tablets of any sort). It was the best decision I ever made. about 2 weeks after starting I felt 'lighter'. prior to tablets the sentence "I can't be bothered" rang like a mantra in my head all day and then bit by bit I got my mojo back. It was a new lease of life. Also, exercise is a huge mood lifter and will help with any excess weight you want to see the back of. A1C of 8.5 is not a bad place to be starting from. You will get so much help and support on this forum. It has helped me more than I could begin to explain. Sometimes, just knowing that others have been where you are is of profound importance. Everyone here is on your side.

 

[Lazymike]

Thanks for your reply thundercat I'm glad there are people out there that have gone through what I am at the min and I know what you mean about tablets I'm the same and I do feel a bit better since starting them it now more the forgetting side along with the motivation that I need to do otherwise I am just making empty promises to my wife as I do want to eat better and look after myself as I want to be around for my kids growing up and be healthy so I can do things with them and not be the pathetic giver up that I am now I am going to try and find out about the low gi diet and hopefully start to eat better and feel and be a better person all round

Michael x


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[Thundercat]

Thanks for your reply thundercat I'm glad there are people out there that have gone through what I am at the min and I know what you mean about tablets I'm the same and I do feel a bit better since starting them it now more the forgetting side along with the motivation that I need to do otherwise I am just making empty promises to my wife as I do want to eat better and look after myself as I want to be around for my kids growing up and be healthy so I can do things with them and not be the pathetic giver up that I am now I am going to try and find out about the low gi diet and hopefully start to eat better and feel and be a better person all round

Michael x


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Low carb low gi works for a lot of people. Before I started carb counting and working out my carb/insulin ratio my bs readings were all over the place. Try to be patient and kind with yourself. Treat yourself with the same compassion you would have with a close friend if they were going through this. Take one step at a time, one day at a time. Try not to focus on tomorrow's outcomes just this test at this moment. I wish you all of the best. You CAN do this

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[sharonValerie]

Hi Mike, it seems like you're chasing your tail. You need to go and talk to your Doctors, they will want you well as much as you do. You should tell them everything you've said here and that you think the pimp will help. I was diagnosed with type 1 25 years ago and I still hate it, but it will never go away so we have to get on with it and enjoy life. I have not been on a Dafne course as you don't have then here in Belgium but I do have a pump and it really did transform my life. It didn't solve all the problems butt it's great not having to do multiple injection. Please mention that this will make a great difference to you as you will feel better. Hopefully they will listen to you and put your needs into a priority. It sounds like you have a great family, they will keep you sane through all this. Good luck.


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[madelinedownham]

Hi
just joined and hope I can help with this info. I have been type 1 for 20 years too and have had bouts of depression with various pill treatments. I am 47, married, no kids and have a troubled past so the depression was often blamed on that. I am currently on citalopram 20mg. Previous meds have actually created further diabetic control issues so be careful to do your own research and ask as many questions as poss.
I did the DAPHNE course about 6 years ago and although most people attending found it helped with they're probs I didn't. The information is great and sharing with others is also good, but my instability continued and actually worsened for a while. Unfortunately I found that the help I received became quite condescending and condemning, adding to my other problems. I have since met others who have found that 'failing' at DAPHNE has produced the same response from the care team. The care team you have will vary and perhaps I was unlucky.
Finally, only last year I had a private consult with a nutritionist who looked at food intolerances. I have since cut gluten (and other stuff) out of my diet and my control has improved bit. Allergies affect control a lot and if they are mild you may have no other symptoms. Despite eating as much carb in other forms I have lost 8lbs.
Re the pump-read the NICE guidelines online. If I had done this I'd have been on the list 6 years ago as I am now. The criteria to be fitted alters slightly but its basically this-3 consecutive Hba1c's at 8.5, control affecting lifestyle, fear of hypo's! In a consult you must state that you fear hypo's, do not be brave about it. The NHS are hanging on to funding so docs will try every tactic to discourage you, don't let your mood affect your entitlement, push for a Pump!

 

[JontyW]

the motivation that I need to do otherwise I am just making empty promises to my wife as I do want to eat better and look after myself as I want to be around for my kids growing up and be healthy so I can do things with them and not be the pathetic giver up that I am now I am going to try and find out about the low gi diet and hopefully start to eat better and feel and be a better person all round
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Mike,

The main thing is to get "better control" of your diabetes, so that you get HbA1c < 7.0% to avoid those chronic complications that could make you even more depressed, and stop making empty promises to your wife. The good starting point is that you recognise that you need to change but it will take time. I have been a T1 for 43 years now and have been happily married with two grown-up children and now also four young grandchildren. So when first diagnosed I was determined to make sure that diabetes would not control my life .. I would control it.

The key to getting better BG control is carb counting and using the Insulin-Carb ratio to tell you how much bolus to inject for each meal. Plus detailed recording of all the relevant data so you can make adjustments. Even though I have many years of experience, and have achieved good control, about 8 months ago I decided to find out more using this and other web forums and also buying two books from Amazon. And it has been a real eye opener and am now fully up-to-speed on accurate carb counting, tuning my basal (Lantus), and finding out my IC ratio for each meal. Knowledge is power for diabetics and so I would strongly recommend that you download and read carefully the following two documents, and ensure your wife reads them as well so you can discuss any issues together (two heads are better than ..) ..

"An introduction to carbohydrate counting and insulin dose adjustment"
https://shop.diabetes.org.uk/usr/downlo ... educed.pdf
The content of this is basically the same as a DAFNE course, and if you concentrate on Chapter 2: Carbohydrates and Chapter 3: Insulin, then you have all you need, since having been a T1 for 20 yrs I'm sure you know all the rest by now!

​Adjusting your Insulin when results are too high or too low:
An excellent detailed document, with plenty of examples, to assist you in making required insulin adjustments. Download it and print it out so it is readily at hand after blood sugars have been made & recorded.

http://www.diabetes-scotland.org/ggc/do ... Change.pdf

Since diabetes is for life we all have no choice other than to take control. And once you start getting control I'm sure you will start to feel better about yourself.

Best of luck .. I'm sure you can do it .....

 

[donnellysdogs]

Mike

I got a pump. I have never been on a dafne course, my hba1c was under 7. I had a hypo whilst driving. Pulled over and treated myself... And as many people on this site know, my driving licence was then under threat..

I had a fantastic DSN in a South Wales hospital who got me a pump within a month. No courses, no hba1c...

I admit I was so very lucky. Since then I have moved back to England, in the Midlands and have also been so lucky to get a funded cgm too.

I want you to know that if circumstances and scenarios are awful for a T1 diabetic then some HCP's are absolutely fantastic.

Dont be afraid to ask. When I went to hospital the day after my driving incident, I must have bawled and sobbed my heart out to the DSN for an hour...the first consultant shouted merryhell at me, didnt listen and just passed mt to the DSN to handle (poor woman). However, it was the best result, I could ever have had.

Dont be afraid to state your case if you are considering a pump... You do not have to be dafne educated... BUT you do have to be able to show that you can carb count... Well theres books on this and internet courses..
You do have to show that you now care, and are trying...

 

[accucheck]

4-9 servings from the bread, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles group.

An example of one serve is 2 slices of bread; 1 medium bread roll; 1 cup of cooked rice, pasta or noodles; or 1 1/3 cup of breakfast cereal flakes.

There is an allowance of about 30g a day for poly or monounsaturated fats and oils that can be used to spread on breads or rolls or used elsewhere in the diet.

5 servings from the vegetables, legumes group.

An example of one serve is 75 grams or 1/2 cup cooked vegetables; 1/2 cup cooked dried beans, peas, lentils or canned beans; 1 cup of salad vegetables; or 1 small potato.

2 servings of fruit.

An example of one serve is 1 medium apple; 2 small pieces (150g) of fruit (apricots, kiwi fruit, plums); 1 cup of diced fruit pieces or canned fruit; 1/2 cup of fruit juice; or 1 1/2 tablespoons of sultanas.

2 servings from the milk, yoghurt, cheese group.

An example of one serve is 250 ml of milk; 250ml of calcium fortified soy beverage; 40 grams (2 slices) of cheese; or 200g (1 small carton of yoghurt).