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Fed up now, need some advice...

livitridge

Active Member
Messages
30
Location
Seaford
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Does anyone have any advice, just on diabetes in general.. (Type 1)
I've been diabetic since I was 11, I'm 18 this august. At the start I had really good control, but as I've gotten older it's getting worse. I seem to have no motivation, even though at the back of my mind I think about the consequences all the time and it puts me in some deep depression EVERY day. I'm training to be a tattooist and I also have my own portrait business, so I need my eyes. My hba1c is 12-13. The problem is 100% me, and my fear of weight gain. I am a small girl of 5ft and I'm quite skinny, but I can't get past the fact that to stay skinny, I gotta eat next to nothing all day (1000 calories) just would like some help!
Also, I've been doing my research and I want an Omnipod. How do I get one as my hospital doesn't 'do them' and won't help me. Ridiculous.


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Hi,

I'm small and skinny. And my weight stays absolutely stable because I always take the same insulin (always at the same time, too) and I cover that insulin with what I eat.

That's the reverse of the way you'll have been instructed, in which one has to try to anticipate what one will eat (and the exercise one will do, or whatever), and adjust the insulin accordingly.

What I do is called 'feeding the insulin'. And I mostly feed it with rye bread, and pear & apple spread! - 220g per day, eaten steadily from first thing until 4.00pm. (I don't eat any after that, or my blood sugar would rise in the evening and overnight.) This keeps my blood sugar stable. And I never need to 'count carbs'. (That's just as well, because I wouldn't know how to.)

Crucially, moreover, I don't take any significant amount of slow-acting insulin; and the fast-acting insulin I take during the day is all but exhausted by the time I go to bed. So I always know I will sleep safely.

My long-term blood sugar (HbA1c) is usually 27mmol/mol - that's normal for a non-diabetic. I achieve this safely on account of what I eat, and on account of testing my blood sugar frequently. (I mostly use visually read strips, rather than a meter.)

If I can be diabetic and keep beautiful, you can too.
 
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Unless you can get your hba1c down I know that my hospital for example would not consider you suitable fir a pump. The reason being is two fold - you can go in to serious dka a lot quicker on a pump and you need to be showing to the medical people that you have done everything possible to get good control.

On a pump you have to put in a lot of hard work and the HCP's will want to see that you are committed to use one.

With an hba1c of 12-13... That is just an average of what your bloods have been in the past 90 days, so your bloods could be swinging much higher.

Eating 1000 calories a day is not good. There is a difference between skinny and slim and healthy. It is not calories that a diabetic should be counting but carbs.. Do you do this?

Most type 1's will have slack times in their control, that isnt too much to worry about at present, as you seem to recognise that you need to do something about it.

With high hba1c's what help are your health care team giving you?


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Hello
If you don't already, try to write down your blood sugar and insulin along side the things you eat, you will soon spot patterns where it is high or low.
You could add an extra unit or two to your fast acting insulin, remember to count carbs not sugar or calories, increase your background insulin by a unit.
Hope this helps, I know it's difficult, I'm 18 this year too. X



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Might be worth doing some basal testing, if your basal is wrong then it's near enough impossible for everything else to be right.

Also, I would stop being so body conscious and be more health conscious.

Indiana x


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I
I understand what your saying completely, yes I do count carbs, but struggle to keep the amount I eat in a day low enough. It's also about calories though, as weight gain happens when you eat more calories than your body needs, and with controlled blood sugars, all these calories are accounted for, where as they wouldn't be if blood levels were high. That's my problem need a low carb and low calorie diet, I also walk about 40/50 mins a day, not a lot but I'm active at least.
 
Hi Jess, thanks for your advice my basil is correct atm as me and my doctor have sorted it after much testing lol, it's just the diet in general that's a problem for me. I do count carbs yes but I love carbs and feel starving if i go a day without eating pasta/potato/bread. I try and eat a lot of fruit too which is the only thing that seems to be helping x
 

Hi there livitridge,

Sorry you're having such a tough time.

I wonder if you're not finding cutting out carbs difficult because you're yo-yoing - 'starving' yourself, then craving a carb fest (your body will be screaming at you to take on board a quick fix of energy) Your bloods rocket up, then later you come back down again only to have the same cycle repeated.

It would be well worth trying to persevere with your diet and make some changes. Lean chicken, loads of green veg, salad, avocado, seafood etc. There is so much to eat that will make you feel full without you gaining weight. Really you are far better changing your focus to carbs over calories and consider that not all calories are equal. Unfortunately fruit won't really be doing you any favours; it will be spiking your BG, so be careful with that.

How about trying to modify your diet, even for just one week to include more protein and fats. Remember eating fat doesn't make you fat, but eating carbs when your body doesn't need the energy will. One week - your body will thank you for it, and hey, if you haven't put on weight (and I bet you won't) it could be the kick start you need to get your health back to where it needs to be.

If you think you would struggle even to do that, then I would suggest that you ask to see your doctor - explain your concerns and enquire if there is somebody who can give you some more direct support.

Wishing you well, and wishing you an iron will to help yourself get better control of your diabetes.
 
Thankyou so much! Great advice. Yeah I do starve myself of carbs, then when I get in I feel like I'm going to pass out if I don't have any, but thankyou very much I will try a change of diet etc and see how it goes


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