dundee234
Newbie
- Messages
- 2
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
- Dislikes
- Stupid people and there are a lot out there
Hi there Ed and am pleased that your coping as well as you can do having had Type 1 for 27 years and I am still coping with it too and have had it for 52 yrs and still ongoing. It was a lot to deal with but having had it since childhood it is easier to accept and to get used to. But I still have my ups and downs and at times suffer from what the Doctors call Diabetes burnout and am on anti depressants too and take same insulin as you but not so lucky to have a Livre as here it costs over £250 which I simply cannot afford to spend. But I use my Freestyle Insulinx blood machine and just suffer with hard finger tips that at times will not belled as have used them far too much over the years. There are worse things than Diabetes for sure but having had it for so very long now I just live from day to day and eat as well as I can and do the correct things and feel that this is why I have done so well up to now. But I only found out into my 40's that long term Diabetes causes other problems to us that we only find out about when we get older. I have had carpel Tunnel in both hands and got operations on both hands and then I got what they call trigger finger when the fingers lock and it has happened to mine but not all at the same time and so far have had 7 fingers operated on and then am told that my hands will not be as strong as they were and that it may or could return but so far "Touch Wood" have been lucky and they have been good and my ops were about 8yrs ago now and hands are weaker but fine so far.Currently, life as a type 1 for me is scanning my arm with my Libre every half hour or so and taking a series of small injections (typically around 10 a day at present) through the day.
Injections and Libre scanning is the relatively easy part.
Needing to sometimes wait to eat until your sugar comes down so that you don't spike your sugar levels super-high from an already high level is one of the annoyances.
Having to make dozens of not easy decisions about how much to inject and when, what to eat, how and when. Taking into account a range of different factors every single can be mentally tiring some days.
Never being able to go much more than 500-yards without taking kit and glucose with you just in case your levels start dropping (or sometimes rising -depending how far you're going).
Having your emotions and ability to cope (physically and mentally) tied to your sugar levels. Low sugar levels making you slow and unable to cope with usual tasks that would be a doddle. High sugar levels making you irritable and/or lethargic plus can also initiate short term depressive symptoms. Both low and high sugar levels amplify emotions making it that bit harder to keep one's head together under some situations.
Having to delay or interrupt sex because of low blood sugar.
Urinary tract infections being more likely if sugar levels have been high for several hours or over a number of days -particularly if stressed at the same time.
Occasionally having to battle off feeling depressed about the risk of developing long-term complications if sugar levels having been high for longer than I'd like.
Mostly for me, type 1 diabetes is fine to deal with when control is good. But, when control goes a bit skewiff, the little persistent things can add up to the short term difficulties and that's when things get tough and you want to scream a bit inside or out.
Type 1 can amplify things. When life is tough, the type 1 makes everything that bit harder. However, perhaps the dealing with the tough stuff makes us a bit sunnier and brighter when the good times do happen?
Ed
I wish and hope that I live to see a CURE in my Lifetime but will not hold my breath but hope that it will happen for all of us with Type 1 as we have to have all the shots daily and blood tests and the rest that foes with it. I wish you all the very Best Ed with your Type 1 and keep positive as you seem to be doing and look after yourself and things will glide along just fine. And I am 58 yrs old now and got it at 6 yrs old and was also Diagnosed in Africa Kenya to be exact as I was living there when I was a youngster. I still work and eat as well and as good as I can and I go out too and as long as I keep my insulin and bloods okay we can live just as good as a Normal person. Take care now and nice to read about your Diabetes and I wish you well for a Good Futrue and Stay well and Stay safe and just keep taking the Insulin and bloods too. Good Luck to you xx