New to T1

[Marky74]

Hi All,

I am new to T1 and I have been on insulin since Friday. i am just awaiting a call form my DSN to review my dosage. My BS is still quite high 10.9 to about 18.

Is there any reading you can recommend for me to learn more about T1?

My main concern is my eysight has been blurry, and I am finding it hard to read my computer screen or printed reports. How long will my eyesight stay blurry as it is driving me potty.

 

[hanadr]

Get a copy of Bernstein's book ( Dr. Bernstein's complete Diabetes solution.) Try the library first It's not cheap. then look all through this site and dsolve and if you want more information go to David Mendosa's website too.
At the end of that you'll be wanting to submit a Phd thesis.
there's masses to learn and decisions to be made.
By NICE guidelines, you should be involved in the planning of your treatment. you may need to fight for that.

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi marky and welcome.
Your eyes will improve once you get your blood sugars under control. For most people it may take a few weeks. Do not despair and don't order new glasses or consider wearing some if you don't already. Things will improve.
This is the board for Type 1's and ask any questions after you have had a good read around the forum.

Catherine.

 

[janabelle]

Hi Marky, You must still be reeling after your diagnosis, but welcome to the club! Try not to feel overwhelmed, on the positive side type-1 is diagnosed pretty soon after ur blood sugars become abnormally high, so as long as u get things under control, you should avoid long term complications. At this early stage it's important you don't put too much pressure on yourself to get exact control, it takes time to get it right.
I had similar prob with my eyes at diagnosis in my teens 20 years ago, but other way round! I'm short sighted anyway, but I could see really clearly, it was great, didn't need glasses or lenses for couple of weeks, went back to normal when my blood sugars went from 17 to normal levels.
I recommend you look up the Insulin Dependent Diabetes Trust website-IDDT. Interesting reading and good advice. They also have a helpline number, it's on their website.
Never rated Diabetes UK much,they sit on the fence too often and give misleading advice to general public in my opinion-although I became a member recently, but only to get involved in our local group, which I am now a commitee member.
Hope u get to grips with your condition. The key is to control your condition and not let it or the professionals control you, easier said than done sometimes! Take care
Jus

 

[fergus]

Some good advice for you there already Mark. Drs Wolfgang Lutz and Christian Allan also have a book that's worth checking out called 'Life without bread'. Easily the worst book title of all time, but full of useful stuff all the same.
Come to think about it, this here forum has a lot of useful stuff too. Hope you stick around.

fergus

 

[jopar]

Hi mark

Your eyesight should settle back to normal (what they were before) as you settle your sugar levels back down, might be a week or so...

As to reading the books that have already been suggested to you are all based on extreme low carb methods, that restrict carbs to the very minium intake...

If you prefer to use a more normal type of diet, I would suggest either 'think like a pancreas' (author can't remeber) or using inslin by john walsh... Also consider collins little gem of carb counting book and a book from the G.I deit index... Very helpful

I don't follow the extreme low carb docterine myself, but work with a normal diet, and just restrict some foods to portion sizes that I can cover with my insulin... seems to work for me

 

[phoenix]

ditto to Jopars remarks

I would suggest either 'think like a pancreas' (author can't remeber)[/quote
]Think Like a Pancreas: A Practical Guide to Managing Diabetes with Insulin Gary Scheiner

 

[fergus]

The terms 'extreme low carb diet' and 'normal diet' are relative and assume that 'normal' diets include significant quantities of carbohydrate foods. As Mark is new to T1 and simply asked for recommended reading on the subject, let's not confuse 'normal' with 'healthy'.

fergus

 

[Jen&Khaleb]

Welcome aboard. You will find heaps of information here but I read "Diabetes for Dummies". Not a bad read as it had a few funny bits. I just skipped a fair bit of the Type 2 stuff. On the job training is by far the best. Like a few others have said, don't expect sudden fabulous control, it takes time.

All the best, Jen.

 

[nessa-lou]

hey marky and welcome!!
i have been diabetic for 5 years, i have had high blood sugars and do understand were you are coming from with your eyes as i get soo worried when mine go blurry but once your sugars have settled you will see (literally) an improvement in your eyes lol dont stress you self out, biggest tip, write down your sugars and test sum 2 hours after food, this will help you to work out your insulin doses. dont jump the gun and confuse your self with low carbs, i love my pasta, potatoes, rice the lot and recently i have woke up and sorted my sugars out after 4 years, i currently have a great controll and what have i been eating...pasta, rice, chips, potatoes, beans on toast lol im a student! but i am fine, and can control my sugars whilst eating carbs, as i always say diabetics are not ment to be different, we should have a healthy balanced diet like 'normal' people so dont over do it with carbs but have a reasonable amount of them to ensure your sugars are steady and brown carbs are better but i do stick to white rice and white pasta as brown is horrible!!! haha x

 

[leeebeling]

Im Currently serving in germany, and have been for 18 years my son has been diagnosed with t1 now for six weeks he is in one off the best hospitals in germany and also under one of the best if not they best consultant in Europe(Prof Med Dr thomas danne), his treamnet and care can not be faulted. the problem is im about to get posted to england (tidworth wiltshire), and i have heard alot of things of how bad it is in england for children aged 5 to 10 in schools ect with diabetes, any one no what the availability of treatment ect in and around tidworth ,

 

[Katharine]

I have noticed that the average blood sugars are indeed much better in Germany than in the UK.

Have you been on an educational course for diabetes in Germany? I understand that 75% of hospitals provide the course for newly diagnosed type ones and that it happens over a week as an inpatient. We have a similar thing called DAFNE in the UK but few children or parents get taught it and it is only delivered on an out patient basis here. This is due to cost.

When you are posted here, we can help you, even if help is patchy and even non existent on the NHS.

 

[yipster29]

Hi Mark
I was diagnosed type 1 5 weeks ago now and FINALLY managed to see my computer at work all day for the 1st time last Thursday!! WHOOP WHOOP
Had been driving me insane. From the advice these wonderful people gave me when I posted similar to you have the lenses in your eyes change shape from the amount of sugar in your blood and as the level drops they will keep adjusting. I was diagnosed with BG of 31.8 which is probably why it took me so long to return to normal (always was too stubborn to admit I was ill!) so don't despair... I'm sure in the next few weeks you'll be able to see again!!
Welcome to our exclusive and friendly club btw.
The people on here were absolute god sends to me, 5 weeks down the line I feel much more in control
Cath

 

[Marky74]

Hi,

A big thanks for all your replies.

I have bought a cheap pair of reading glasses from Tesco, these are helping me read at least so I can work .

I orderd two books, the diabetes athlete hand book and think liek a pancrias (spelling).

again thank you of all the kind words and good advice.

Mark