Diabetic sister struggling to accept!

[sarahwoo]

Natasha, my beautiful, normally outgoing and fun sister has suffered from diabetes (type 1) from the age of 2. She's struggled to control her blood sugar right from the beginning and relied on my mum all her life to remind her to take her insulin to take her blood sugar and to eat!!

Natashas now reached the age of 19 (20 in march) and is completely struggling to deal with the fact she has diabetes, she never does her blood sugars, never takes her insulin......I've lost count of how many times in 2015 she has been admitted to hospital and each time I hope it is the turning point for her......but unfortunately it isn't
Ive tried and tried to help her, to direct her, to give advise but each time she completely ignores it and carries on ignoring the fact she has diabetes.

Last night she was admitted again this time with diabetic boils - all stemming back to her high blood sugar! She's now had these drained and is on a strong course of antibiotics in the hospital. The past few months her moods have been getting lower - we are now at a point where she doesn't see the point in going any where or caring for her diabetes like she should.

The problem is myself and my mum have no idea what to do - the doctors wont help as Natasha wont tell them and her medical notes are private and confidential. We are at a complete dead end!

Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[azure]

Sorry to hear about your sister. It's very sad to read when someone so young doesn't see the point. It must be upsetting for you to watch.

Could she be depressed? Diabetes care day in day out can get you down. You said the doctors can't help and that her notes are confidential, but there's nothing to stop you and your mum telling the doctor about your sister's struggles. Do you think they realise how hard she's finding it?

Have you asked her why she doesn't test or take her insulin? Is this something recent or has she always neglected her diabetes like this?

 

[Jaxblu143]

I feel for ur sister. That's exactly the way I dealt with having diabetes. I was diagnosed at 12 and over the years have never taken care of it. It's like I was in complete denial for so long. I am now 33 and have had it for over 20 years. I am in stage 3 kidney failure, have gone blind (thank god was able to get sight back with surgery) suffer from terrible neuropathy, have heart issues, high blood pressure. I have been hospitalized probably 100+ times for dka. She hopefully will start to take care of herself before it is too late. I was blessed to get pregnant at 28, and even tho I was highly advised not to go thru with my pregnancy, I did and I now have a healthy 5 year old son. I am only now realizing how important ur health is, and trying to do all I can to add years to my life. My little boy needs me. Maybe take ur sister to a diabetic floor at a hospital and show her the horrors of blindness, amputees, dialysis? Those are the ends. No getting around it. I pray for u guys, and wish u the best.

 

[RuthW]

Most diabetics go through a denial phase. If they are diagnosed as children, the denial tends to come in the teens or early adult life. She probably feels it controls her, rather than that she controls it. That's miserable.nshe should be given a good diabetes education course to help her. Ask the hospital team about getting her a psychotherapist - cognitive behavioral therapy helps with these kind of control and hopelessness issues. And insist that she is put on a DAFNE course (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating course) as soon as possible. She will meet lots of other people with diabetes, and learn how to manage herself very quickly. Then buy her a copy of Think Like a Pancreas. But I think she should do the course first. It will change her life.
At the movement she is stuck in babyhood because your mother has looked after her, but not taught her how to manage. She needs to establish her independence but she can't do that by running to your mother now to learn from her.

Insist on the course for her.

 

[Little_Lucy]

I'm sorry to hear that.
I'm a kid diagnosed a few months ago I reached the point where I could go no further I almost died I don't even remember it all all I remember is that I felt sick went home from school didn't go back for two weeks during that time I was away I experienced horrible things I couldn't even walk across the hallway or up the stairs my hallway to the bathroom is about a ten steps then I started to throw up I felt horrible and I came to a point where I couldn't even walk my dad had taken me to the doctors on that day all I remember was my dad had to carry me in to the doctors some elderly man had moved out of the way for me and sitting in the chair talking to a doctor spin don't even remember what he said and then I was put in icu I was given a book it hurt my fingers to turn the page because they where sour and when my brother came to visit me I love him so much to this day it makes me cry when I think about it he went to hug me and I told him to go away it might not seem like much but to me I hate it tell your sister my story and remind her what could happen if she doesn't do what she needs to do it might see hard but she needs to be reminded about what could happen she needs to know.

 

[LauraGsy]

Maybe get her to do the minimum- -check sugar in the morning and last thing at night- and correct it then. Better than nothing and might just get her going again?!