Geordie lass
Well-Known Member
Hello, my name is Michelle and I have had Type 1 diabetes since 2004. Can I share my story? I have only just found this brilliant forum and wanted to be a part of it, along with all you lovely people.
In February 2004 my husband died when I was 7 weeks pregnant with our first child. I was 31 years old at the time and it was a very traumatic time for me. In July I started to become very thirsty, drinking hot coffee like it was iced pop! I was going to the toilet a lot and feeling generally tired and unwell. I thought it was part of being 6 months pregnant so didn't bother going to my GP. So, in August during my regular antenatal checkup I was told I had sugar in my urine. Well, I didn't know what the midwife was talking about so didn't really take in what she was telling me. So, I continued my daily life as normal, going to work...then, I received a call from the midwife stating I had to return to the hospital that day as they had discovered I had gestational diabetes. Well, I didn't understand the urgency so I told them I couldn't make that day as I had meetings with work but could see them the following week during my next antenatal appointment. The poor midwife nearly had a heart attack on the phone and of course I didn't understand the urgency. So after having my lunch of a chunky kit Kat, I cancelled my afternoon meeting and headed to the hospital. On arrival I was taken to the consultation room and was given the full explanation and seriousness of gestational diabetes, met my consultant and had my BS levels taken. This was 18 at that time. Oops shouldn't have had that chunky kit Kat!
Fast forward to October 2004, after having to inject insulin for the last two months of my pregnancy, I was told by my consultant that she didn't think the diabetes would leave me when my baby was born. And, she was right...I still suffered from diabetes after my beautiful daughter was born. I was given a GTT in December 2004 to test the level of my diabetes. The test came back at a level of 10.2 - this at the time didn't mean anything to me but I was told that I had diabetes and that was that. So for the next few months after that I was told to follow a specific diet and they would review in February 2005.
February 2005 arrived and my BS levels were still running high, so I was placed on Metformin. Fast forward to October 2005 and my consultant decided to put me on insulin and my BS levels were increasing. It was this point that my consultant didn't really know if I was type 2 or type 1 diabetic. So, not really understanding the difference between the two types I just continued with my life on insulin, unsure of how I got diabetes or which type I was.
It took me nearly five years to find out after being under a new consultant (as I moved areas) to actually have a GAD test which confirmed that I was actually Type 1 diabetic. I just assumed that I had brought this on myself with my bad eating habits, although I was a normal weight at that time. I asked my consultant what had triggered this condition and for my body to react in this way and he said it could have been underlying for some time and triggered due to the trauma I experienced in Feb 2004 when my husband died!
So now 10 years later my control hasn't been great, but I have been on a pump since November 2012 and my control is so much better. Since I have been on insulin though my weight has increased to a point when it has really been getting me down. So in April this year I decided to have a sleeve gastrectomy to help with my portion control and my diabetes. So far, 6 weeks post surgery and I have lost 3 stone and I have my next diabetes check next week so will update you all on that progress.
My last diabetes check was 2 months ago and my Hba1C was 8.3 (67) which is a slight increase from my December appointment 8.0 (64).
I hope you have enjoyed reading my story and I look forward to being a part of this forum and learning from you all as well as offering any advice I can. Thank you all so much for reading. M x
In February 2004 my husband died when I was 7 weeks pregnant with our first child. I was 31 years old at the time and it was a very traumatic time for me. In July I started to become very thirsty, drinking hot coffee like it was iced pop! I was going to the toilet a lot and feeling generally tired and unwell. I thought it was part of being 6 months pregnant so didn't bother going to my GP. So, in August during my regular antenatal checkup I was told I had sugar in my urine. Well, I didn't know what the midwife was talking about so didn't really take in what she was telling me. So, I continued my daily life as normal, going to work...then, I received a call from the midwife stating I had to return to the hospital that day as they had discovered I had gestational diabetes. Well, I didn't understand the urgency so I told them I couldn't make that day as I had meetings with work but could see them the following week during my next antenatal appointment. The poor midwife nearly had a heart attack on the phone and of course I didn't understand the urgency. So after having my lunch of a chunky kit Kat, I cancelled my afternoon meeting and headed to the hospital. On arrival I was taken to the consultation room and was given the full explanation and seriousness of gestational diabetes, met my consultant and had my BS levels taken. This was 18 at that time. Oops shouldn't have had that chunky kit Kat!
Fast forward to October 2004, after having to inject insulin for the last two months of my pregnancy, I was told by my consultant that she didn't think the diabetes would leave me when my baby was born. And, she was right...I still suffered from diabetes after my beautiful daughter was born. I was given a GTT in December 2004 to test the level of my diabetes. The test came back at a level of 10.2 - this at the time didn't mean anything to me but I was told that I had diabetes and that was that. So for the next few months after that I was told to follow a specific diet and they would review in February 2005.
February 2005 arrived and my BS levels were still running high, so I was placed on Metformin. Fast forward to October 2005 and my consultant decided to put me on insulin and my BS levels were increasing. It was this point that my consultant didn't really know if I was type 2 or type 1 diabetic. So, not really understanding the difference between the two types I just continued with my life on insulin, unsure of how I got diabetes or which type I was.
It took me nearly five years to find out after being under a new consultant (as I moved areas) to actually have a GAD test which confirmed that I was actually Type 1 diabetic. I just assumed that I had brought this on myself with my bad eating habits, although I was a normal weight at that time. I asked my consultant what had triggered this condition and for my body to react in this way and he said it could have been underlying for some time and triggered due to the trauma I experienced in Feb 2004 when my husband died!
So now 10 years later my control hasn't been great, but I have been on a pump since November 2012 and my control is so much better. Since I have been on insulin though my weight has increased to a point when it has really been getting me down. So in April this year I decided to have a sleeve gastrectomy to help with my portion control and my diabetes. So far, 6 weeks post surgery and I have lost 3 stone and I have my next diabetes check next week so will update you all on that progress.
My last diabetes check was 2 months ago and my Hba1C was 8.3 (67) which is a slight increase from my December appointment 8.0 (64).
I hope you have enjoyed reading my story and I look forward to being a part of this forum and learning from you all as well as offering any advice I can. Thank you all so much for reading. M x