Confused newly diagnosed type 1

[gemma22]

Hi everyone,
I'm 22 years old and just been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in August 2016. I found out that I was a diabetic as I was admitted to hospital due to a DKA and blood sugar of 40mmol/L. Ever since the diagnosis, I have taken my diabetes very seriously, testing regular and recording all of my blood sugars. At first I was on 4x injections of insulin daily however, I was having a hypo daily (sometimes 2 of more hypos) my insulin has been reduced down to 1 unit at tea time now, I'm just confused?!? Feel like my diabetes is being really cruel to me! I'm constantly low all the time. I'm at breaking point, do things get any easier?

 

[urbanracer]

Hi @gemma22 ,

It is a life changing event so give yourself time to get used it, you will learn to cope with it.

Have a look around the forums and ask about anything you want help with.

Welcome.

 

[azure]

Yes they do @gemma22 Your sugars are probably erratic due to what's called the honeymoon period where your pancreas makes a temporary recovery and makes some of its own insulin.

Check out the Type 1 section here - and welcome to the forum

 

[himtoo]

Hi @gemma22
welcome to the forum
just reading through your post and it is really early days -- you can only figure things out in real time -- so try not to worry too much.
hopefully you are speaking with your DSN all the time. ( diabetic specialist nurse)
with all the records you are keeping she should be looking at making more adjustments to your insulin doses.

As @azure says, you will also still be producing some of your own insulin , which doesn't help to make things smooth.

you should ask your DSN about your basal insulin doses as well ( lantus or levemir )

It would be a really good idea if you bought the book -- Think Like A Pancreas.
that would help you to understand more of what is happening and to discuss adjustments going forward with your care team.

there is a good group of us here and we really do know what you are going through -- try to hang in there -- it will get easier
all the best !!

 

[CapnGrumpy]

I think it gets easier as you start to understand more, so ask your DSN and the forum if something doesn't make sense. It's still really early days for you, but regular testing and recording are a great start - lots of people don't (I didn't for ages and it did me no favours at all).

The other thing I've only more recently found makes dealing with a duff pancreas easier is talking to other people in the same boat, and I really wish it had occurred to me years ago. The forum's good for that - in person is better, so get yourself to diabetes events. If you put a bunch of us in a room, you suddenly have hundreds of years of first hand experience in managing diabetes, but also there's an emotional support that doesn't come on prescription.

 

[hollieb]

Hi Gemma

I am also a type 1 diabetic and have been for 9 years now. You will find out through this journey that your diabetes will always fluctuate, what works for you one week will not necessarily work for controlling your diabetes in 2 months time, thinks is due to your diabetes being influenced by multiple factors, such as work, physical activity, hobbies and diet.

I found when I was diagnosed that initially to begin with the management of it was challenging, but after a while you will know what to and will become easier. You will have days where you feel down and you will have days where you feel 'normal' again.

An option to consider is an insulin pump - I use this and it's incredible for flexibility and lifestyle.

I wish you all the best

 

[totsy]

hi and welcome, it will get easier i had a good few yrs of it being quite easy but sadly im at that age now lol so its like being newly diagnosed, have a good look around and ask questions

 

[gemma22]

Thanks for the replies everyone. My consultant thought i could have had Addison's disease aswell as but I don't. She said they found the diabetes early therefore, I don't require any insulin at the minute, but my diabetes will come back is a few years. Is this normal?