How did you feel about your diagnosis?

benedict

Well-Known Member
Administrator
Messages
304
Our last Diabetes Week question is about being newly diagnosed. How did you feel about your diagnosis?

Did certain emotions come through?
Was your diagnosis handled well by your health team?
How did your family react to your diagnosis and how did that you make you feel?
Did your diagnosis make you feel different in any way?
Has your diagnosis affected your work in any way?

Please let us know recently you were diagnosed too.

For those that were diagnosed some time ago, please feel welcome to join so people can compare their experiences with your own.

With many thanks
Benedict
 

AntLockyer

Well-Known Member
Messages
62
Did certain emotions come through?
I was relieved it was diabetes and not prostate cancer. Once I'd done a little research I thought it was well manageable and could have a positive effect on my life forcing me to eat well and excercise well and also gave me a kick up the bum to get on with my life and live everyday to it's fullest.

Was your diagnosis handled well by your health team?
It's taken 6 weeks for me to be correctly diagnosed as type 1 and given insulin. Tehre were bungles and guesses along the way that weren't handled well and contributed to making me a little anxious at times. Once at the diabetic centre things have been superb.

How did your family react to your diagnosis and how did that you make you feel?
My mum tried to educate me and it made me angry, I'd done my own research and knew what I wanted to do about my condition. She has been very supportive though and offered to pay for private medical if I wanted it.
My wife has been wonderful, learning all she can, cooking what I needed, embracing teh low carbness of it all and being an absolute rock. You can see why I married her.

Did your diagnosis make you feel different in any way?

Made me embrace life more.
Has your diagnosis affected your work in any way?
Eyesight has been blurry at times which hasn't helped. Visits to the nurse has cost me time and I'm trying to catch up on that. The first couple of weeks I was thinking about diabetes more than my job.
 

shop

Well-Known Member
Messages
665
TBH it was like someone switching a light on as everything made sense. Tiredness not just from being a Mum ( thought this is what life is going to be now!) Muscle wastage and probs with knee. It all made sense. I had been warned as it was detected by my optition when I suddenly couldnt see clearly from not far away, ridiculously thirsty and constantly peeing!

I had a 11 month old to look after and we were having major building work done on the house and we were busy on the farm haymaking so I just had to get on with it! I dont really think the seriousness of it sunk in properly. I just wanted to feel better. I cried a little once when I got back from hosp having had diagnosis. I had to quickly pull myself together as I had builders and a baby to see to. Not to mention planning his 1st birthday.

Seems weird looking back now!

Although I complain that I wasnt shown carb counting then, I dont know how easy it would have been with everything else going on.

Lucy.
 

wiflib

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,966
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
It was not a surprise AT ALL and quite frankly, a blessed relief. I remember walking home from the GP thinking 'this is it mate, you can't ignore it now get on with it'

The info I found here made total and complete sense, within 24hours I was low-carbing and the rest is history. I have been set free and as the time moves on, I can't help feeling annoyed at being fed bogus science about a 'heathly diet' and even more miffed at myself for believing it!

I shall say it again; I have been set free.

Libby
 

BlindFaith

Well-Known Member
Messages
260
How did you feel about your diagnosis?
I was angry at first, mainly at myself because I placed blame 100% at my feet.
I've accepted it now, but I'm still a bit annoyed about it all.

Did certain emotions come through?
Anger, guilt, sadness. I withdrew for a while and my depression worsened for a bit.
I felt anxious and scared and just really down about it.

Was your diagnosis handled well by your health team?
Not hugely well, no. It took a while before I was given a meter to test myself; despite asking if I would need one.
I was just told "no you won't need that, you're only a type II".
I was given loads of conflicting information and some information that was just downright wrong.
I wasn't given any help regarding diet so I've had to research that myself.
I've had to prod my doctor and the nurse at my surgery to help me and even then I was just brushed off with no help.
It took being in hospital for someone to actually do anything; so now I'm hoping that my doctors surgery will actually be useful now.

How did your family react to your diagnosis and how did that you make you feel?
My mom-in-law was a bit sad to hear about it; although she did make a bit of a joke by saying that it's just one more thing to add to the list, lol
My husband has been brilliant. He just took everything in his stride, accepted it and helped me accept it.
He's honestly an absolute godsend; he's never tried telling me how to deal with it, he just listens when I rant or when I have an idea about how to control my blood sugar levels and he's always honest with me.
I don't really know what I'd do without him.

Did your diagnosis make you feel different in any way?
Yes. It made me more aware of what I'm doing, what I'm eating, etc... It's been pretty life-changing.

Has your diagnosis affected your work in any way?
I'm disabled and unable to work so no :lol:
It has affected my other medical conditions though, so dealing with that has been difficult.

ETA:- forgot to put how long I've been diabetic. About 8-10 weeks.
 

Scardoc

Well-Known Member
Messages
494
How did you feel about your diagnosis?

Relieved - I thought my weight loss and thirst was due to running lots but when I stopped through injury I wasn't drinking as much but needed to pee all the time. I was so certain I had a urine infection or something else going on down there. The actual words coming out of the docs mouth meant little to me as I was pretty ignorant of diabetes. I was just relieved it had been caught.

Did certain emotions come through?

Aside from the relief I was naturally very anxious, mostly for my Wife and kids and how they would react.

Was your diagnosis handled well by your health team?

Brilliantly. 15mins with the doc and half an hour later I was in hospital. My consultant stopped me in a corridor and said "you must be Stuart the new diabetic, I can always tell with skinny body and worried face". I was gobsmacked but he put me right at ease within mins. I then rewarded him by passing out when they took blood :) A pretty intense day followed of information, advice and support but I had contact with the DSN daily for the next month. The only bad thing I can think of was when the doc looked at the strip that he'd just dipped into my urine and went "ooohhhh" - nothing like telling you you're in trouble without words!!

How did your family react to your diagnosis and how did that you make you feel?

All very supportive and concerned which was reassuring. My Wife was, and still is, a rock. She was as interested in knowing everything to do with diabetes as me and has always been the one to make sure I am looking after myself. I know I would be doing so if she wasn't there but it's great to have support like that.

Did your diagnosis make you feel different in any way?

Yes and no. It's business as usual in my eyes and from day one I wanted the diabetes to live with me as opposed to me living with it. However, it really made me realise that health, even when you are healthy, is fragile and your life can change in an instant. I sometimes worry about the future and whether I'll be in an early grave but use this as an incentive to keep looking after myself.

Has your diagnosis affected your work in any way?

It gets me out of work every now and then for appointments :) I'm lucky, however, as I don't suffer financially and my employer has always been very understanding. Other than that, no, but I don't have a physical job. I think the biggest thing is that it influences what jobs you can apply for - for some reason I couldn't apply to be an air traffic controller?

All in all, I was gutted to be diagnosed with T1 but I consider myself supremely lucky to have an illness that can be controlled, and can be controlled by me. I attented the funeral the other year of a 21yr old who fought terminal cancer for 7 years and relied on being a guinea pig for new treatments to extend her life. If me being diabetic is the bad luck for my family, and my Wife and kids continue to be fit and healthy then I'll never complain, not even if I don't last as long as I should.
 

abs

Well-Known Member
Messages
261
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Did certain emotions come through?
Wanted to die, hated the idea of needles still do - very needle phobic and was angry as i knew for a year something was wrong and given the fact that the HB1ac count came back as 12.5% showed that i was right. Wanted to blame GP's and everyone else telling me it was in my head when in fact it was real that no it was not stress causing me to show up positive a year before for a test. That i had gone there at the start of the week to be told i only wanted to be there for a chat no it was because i knew i had every single symptom of type 1 and enough was enough.

Was your diagnosis handled well by your health team?
My Gp said i was the worst person to get diabetes and there was a lot of stress for everyone into how i would deal with it and at one stage they had to inject me everyday and i would not have insulin at weekends. It meant that the crisis team took me more seriously as i really took the news badly. But the hospital were great, got to try tablets for a week to get me used to it, can ring the nurse or email her and have seen her 4 times now since end of march. They understand that there is some other issues going on in my life and that until its all sorted out i cant have certain treatments and work with that fact to help me.


How did your family react to your diagnosis and how did that you make you feel?
They were concerned that i would harm myself or not ever be able to inject myself. What made me angry was that not so much my family as parent used to be a nurse but friends and my support network for something else assumed i had done this to myself via my issues i had with food and that i had made things worse and done it on purpose.


Did your diagnosis make you feel different in any way?
It made me angry for why i had a fear of needles which i think is a positive thing and can try to deal with it. Im not sure if i have even accepted it all now months later.


Has your diagnosis affected your work in any way?
It means i find it hard to concentrate sometimes when levels up or low. That i needed to take time off to get it under control especially after having a hypo at work and not being able to treat it as no one to cover me which in hindsight was stupid of me especially considering i work in the health care sector.
 

RoyG

Well-Known Member
Messages
350
Dislikes
To many to mention.
Did certain emotions come through?
Initially I was shocked, and thought they have got it wrong, but as I have started testing myself I see they have not, I was and still am to some extent fearful of the what if's that Diabetes can throw at you. I still get angry but not for very long now, I also miss some of the things I used to eat and the fact that every day I am thinking about diet and diabetes, it sometimes feels like its taken over my life.

Was your diagnosis handled well by your health team?
I thought my DSN was Blasé of the fact, gave poor advice, my GP is uninterested, and I have received no other support from the health practice apart from being sent for normal medical checks associated with diabetes.


How did your family react to your diagnosis and how did that you make you feel?
The Lads did not seem bothered, I think because I deal with everything without much fuss, they just look at me and think ah well that's Dad he will sort it the way he always does. The wife is trying her best to do food that is best for me, but sometimes does not understand why I get a little tetchy if she gets a bit liberal with what she is putting in things as her mother has type1 and has managed her diabetes dreadfully over the years, I think she sometimes wonders why I am making such a fuss and so particular now about food.

Did your diagnosis make you feel different in any way?
Yes I am not Indestructible any more, and it hurts.

Has your diagnosis affected your work in any way?
No not in the least, I am still rushing around and fighting the good fight.

Please let us know recently you were diagnosed too.
Beginning of may 2012.
 

Truffle

Well-Known Member
Messages
195
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Someone who knows it all.
When I was first diagnosed my initial reaction was "what have I done to deserve this?" I had just had two years of hell, dealing with illness and death of close family members and this felt like the final straw.

My doctor did not really go into detail - he handed me a perscription for Metformin, said take 3 a day, eat like the Greeks and I will see you in three months. After 9 months he just said - whatever you are doing works so just carry on and I will see you in a year!
I have been doing LCHF with 40 mins exercise a day - I would like to do more but find it hard to fit it in with working full time)

I didn't tell my family straight away. I wanted to have time to let it sink in, decide how I was going to tackle it and move forward. I wanted to be able to grieve in peace for what I saw as my 'lost' life which I hadn't been able to do for my mother who had only just died. I didn't want to tell my children as they had just lost 3 close relatives including their wonderful Grandmother and felt they would not cope. The first my husband knew was when I told him I had bought a treadmill and rowing machine on his credit card!

When I did tell them all I made quite light of it - said I would have to take a few pills and stop eating carbs. Our discussions were more about carbs than the disease itself and they have been fine about it all. They laugh about me having to be close to a loo (because of the Metformin) although that is alot better now that I have cut it down to 2 a day.

I had no issues at work at all. When I finally decided to mention it they just said 'bad luck - take any time you need.' They don't see me as any different and I don't take any extra time off because of it. I have found another two people here who are also diabetic and have to stop myself from preaching too much as they don't seem to want to give up any carbs for the sake of their health but are of the thought that meds can deal with it. Each to their own!

I have suffered from thinking 'why me' and raging at the injustice of it all - but only to myself! I know that there are alot of people worse off than me and I am lucky that I have been able to change my diet etc.. to cope with it all. I am also very lucky with my family and friends and this website has been a godsend.

:thumbup:
 

glenmoray

Well-Known Member
Messages
81
I was 17 when I was diagnosed with diabetes. At first I starting drinking more then going to the loo just after drinking. Then just walking a few steps use to exhaust me. I woke up on the afternoon on a day in February in 1977 after becoming unconcsious. My family had called a ambulance when they were unable to wake me in the morning. My family were told I only had hours to live when they found me.Another thing that happened to me was loosing loads of weight.I went from 13 stone to 61/2 stone. Being 17 and being told you were a diabetic was distressing. No more sweets, no sugar in tea, coffee or on your cereal.No heavy drinking with your friends. No doing the job I wanted to do which was drive a class 1 HGV. When coming out of hospital I was given 3 glass Syringes and 6 metal needles,which I had to boil after use and store in methylated spirits,a wee testing kit and a sugar recoreding book.It was horrible at first.putting everything you eat and drink converting it into a portioned diet. Even when your not hungry I had to eat.Now diabetes is part of my every day life.it never bothers me and restricts me very little.Without insulin I would have been dead now and not have had a lovely wife and 3 lovely children.
 

DavideB

Well-Known Member
Messages
149
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diabetes
Did certain emotions come through?
Scared did not know what to do, then found this website.. :clap: Mind you I was FAT, my mum is diabetic (20 years) so I knew deep down I was going to get it at some stage

Was your diagnosis handled well by your health team?
:lol: :lol: :lol: Doctor (in Italy) said "you are FAT you have Diabetes, Lose weight and take two of these a day" Thats it no clinic no dietitian, I have now found out that there is a good Clinic near by and I am thinking of going.

How did your family react to your diagnosis and how did that you make you feel?
They where brilliant, made me feel good, and very supportive..

Did your diagnosis make you feel different in any way?
At first Sad...can not eat what I love anymore...BUT then It gave me a kick up the backside....I was fat and did not want to believe it. Now I have lost weight eat low carb and walk..and feel so so good..

Has your diagnosis affected your work in any way?
Well yes and no..No in the sense I do the same job and Yes I am more alert and not so tiered all the time...

Please let us know recently you were diagnosed too.

May 2012
 

didie

Well-Known Member
Messages
729
Dislikes
People who think they are always right and ram their opinions down your throat. No-one knows everything. Those who shout loudest are usually the ones who actually know the least.
Did certain emotions come through?

It was a relief to be diagnosed as the neurologist at the hospital read out my blood results wrong and initially told me that my high sugar results were a very high cholesterol level, so I spent a rather nasty weekend waiting to drop dead from another more major stroke with cholesterol levels through the roof. Once I knew I was diabetic I was pleased to know I had a condition into which I could have a lot of input myself. I felt I'd been given a second chance and a challenge and decided to hit it head-on.

Was your diagnosis handled well by your health team?

The hospital was a bit of a guddle, but to be fair I was being seen for a stroke diagnosis as an emergency, not a diabetic diagnosis. My GP has been fantastic and supportive all along the line. I am very lucky that she has a special interest in diabetes. She didn't fling tablets at me straight away, but told me she was convinced I could take control of the situation myself which I did. I was lucky enough to be given a monitor and strips because I'd had a stroke. I was a bit taken aback to be phoned by the DSN to be told that I was most definitely diabetic and given an appointment for the next week. She did not offer me any advice to get me through until then, but I'd already found this board and was making my plans to tackle the situation. At our appointment I was handed the leaflets about food and initially thought great! This is food I have been eating already, but then thought about it and wondered why they wanted me to eat food that had helped get me into this mess in the first place, so I cut out bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. My GP is aware of what I eat and is quite happy. The DSN when she saw I had lost 5 stone was also quite happy. I have been very happy and very lucky with my medical care. My GP quite literally saved my life by realising I had had a stroke and I can never thank her enough for that.

How did your family react to your diagnosis and how did that you make you feel?

My family were all very relieved that my stroke was not caused by high cholesterol and I wasn't going to drop dead there and then. My daughter's reaction to my having had a stroke made me determined to get myself fit so that I'd never have to see the look on her face when she saw me for the first time after my stroke.

Did your diagnosis make you feel different in any way?

It made me determined to take control and wrestle my diabetes into submission. I like a challenge :D

Has your diagnosis affected your work in any way?

After my stroke I had 2 months off work. When I went back everyone was and still are very supportive, to the extent that 45 minutes to an hour after I've eaten I go out for a walk to get my levels down as it is understood that is what I need to do. I have rethought my priorities and do not allow myself to get stressed up over work issues as that puts my sugar levels up.

eta: stroke 13 June 2011. Diabetes diagnosed July 2011.
 

Unbeliever

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,551
I was diagnosed 5 years and a few months ago. I collapsed with gastric problems the day after moving house. I had inadvertently
eaten red pepees o which i thought I had a slight intolerance. That was an understatement.
The paramedics spent over 30 mins rying o sabilise me before I was taken to A & E. The tests ahowed that my bgs were in the 30s and they didnt come dowmn much although the other symptoms sunbsided. A urine est some hours later seemed to prove the Drs
diagnosis as did the family history. That was Saturday night and I was olsd to go to my GP's pracice for an urgen blood test first hing on Manday morning. The sister in the hospital tried o reassure me by telling me no o worry - it would not mean a major lifesyle change - just taking a few pills. The verdict was that I wasn' overweight and had 2 close family mebers with T2 it was largely genetic.
The lood tes confirmed the diagnosis and i was informed by a phone call from the practice diabetes Doctor. I think they must have wanted me to recover from the rauma because i didn't see anyone for a few weeks.
Then I saw the Dr , who seemed a little put out that i was such a little puny creature , that I was already aware of GI load , diet cookiery and that I had never been a smoker. No easy fixes. he remarjked that it was going to be difficult to ensure that
I got enough to eat. An enigmatic remark which puzzled me at the time but which i now think may have been a reference to
starchy carbs.
My net encounter was with the hurse who saw diabetic patients as a sideline to her Nurse Practictioner training. That was fairly obvious. She kept shaking her head and saying "It's serious but....." She gave me a meter and test strips and a diary to recor my results but told me it was for the doctor's use. To enable him to calculate my medication
She then handed me a "starter pack".
I couldn' believe the contents! Recommendations for "Healthy Shopping" All stodge . cakes and biscuits even sweets, food high in sugar and fat The point seemed to be that they were just slightly less awful than some alternatives.
It was a few years later I discovered hat this information had been copied from informaion given o non-compliant patients in an adjoining area. Someone had just copied the information sheet given o his special group and assumed it was suitable for all diabetics.
Jus a few weeks laer i was forced to have an annual review for the convenience of the Practice.and shortly before i was duet o go on a very special holiday with my family to mark my reirement . It was the first ime i had been able to holiday abroad for many years because of caring responsibilities. This was shortly before annual retinal screening was brough in. The nurse dropped pracically a whole vial of the dilating drops into my eye accidentally I actually went completely blind as the doctor called me in.
In all my present vast experience of eye drops his has never happened to me since. The doctor then examined my eyes through a small hand held lens. he thought he could see something on the macula so kept forcing me to look in one direction.
This is something that no optician or opthalmologist would do. It resulted in my eye muscle being strained.
He then diictated a letter to the eye hospital asking them for a second opinion in erms which terrified me. I mentioned the
dizziness and problems with my speech and coordination caused by metformin. he offerd me gaviscon! he also put me on rosiglitazone in spite of my reservations {before the general publicity about its dangers.}

So I went on my dream holisday sicjk and dizzy from the standard metformin , suffering headaches from the strained eye muscle and terrified at the prospect of the eye clinic on my return.! Gee thanks , Doc.

Actually when i returned and needed o see him he was on holiday and I was directed o another docto r with a great deal of experience with diabetes. I never saw the firt chap again. The second doctor although constrained by protocols believed
in reating people as individuals. The eye clinic found nothing wrong with my eyes =ecept the srained muscle] my problems came later with my reaction to drugs.
I wa s raumatised in one way by my diagnosis although not surprised. Ten year earlier in my fifties I had suddenly begun
suffering with thrush and cystitis ogether for the first time in my life.Aware of the genetic link I suggested to the doctors hat i might be diabetic. They assured me categorically that i was not. The thrush never cleared up but alhough i kept mentioning it I was
told there was nohing they could do.
That was at a different practice. When I was finally diagnosed i was somewhat put out because i had been assuresd so often I was not diabetic By the ime of my diagnosis too I had seen my father suffer a major stroke and vascular dementia because of incorrect treament of his diabetes. In the circumstances the diagnosis depressed me a great deal and my treatment has dome nothing to make me feel less depressed. It has changed my personality in many ways as I have become more assertive . i feel I engaged in an onging battle - not agains he disease but agins hose entrusted wih the task of treating it. Some are excellent and caring , others.... aren't. My family do no understand I think hey preferred the "Old " me.
Fortunately in some ways, I was diagnosed just before retirement. I was so ill with the medication I would have been unable to work anyhow.
Perseverance and this forum and the invaluable help of my opthalmologist have enabled me to conrol my levels. I am also very
graeful to the "alternative " docor in the practice where I waa sdiagnosed. He dd is level best o help me and was obvousluy in total disagreement with the "one -size -fits -all attitude .
I am delighed to read that things are changing albeit slowly , and always glad to help anyone by telling them of my experience
and hus give something back to the forum which helped me.
 

smcc

Well-Known Member
Messages
62
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I was not surprised by the diagnosis, as I made it myself. 44 years ago I was 25 and nearing the end of my year's pre-registration resident jobs in hospital. I was a junior house officer in a very busy surgical unit and worked very long hours including overnight sessions. May was very warm that year and I was physically very active, looking after patients and chasing up results from x-ray department and labs. I found myself continuously thirsty and drinking more than usual. but put this down to the weather and physical activity. When I discovered that my weight had dropped from 10 1/2 stones to under 10 stone in less than 2 weeks I decided to test my urine with Clinitest tablets and found it loaded with sugar. I was very upset by this but I realised that I had to accept it and get on with life. My family were shocked as there had never been anyone with diabetes in the family and diabetes was not nearly as common then as it is today. Type 2 diabetes was still relatively infrequent and usually found in a much older age group than it is today.

I went to see the consultant in charge of the unit where I had done my medical residency who arranged for a GTT to be carried out to confirm the diagnosis. I was then admitted to hospital for 4 or 5 days in order to get stabilised on insulin(Mixtard) and to discuss diet. I sill remember the glass syringes and relatively wide bore re-usable steel needles, both of which had to be boiled after use and stored in methylated spirits. Dietary measures were focused on reducing CHO. At that time physicians specialising in diabetes were relatively rare and I was referred to the diabetologist in the hospital in which I was working. I had one interview with him during which he told me to keep an eye on my urine sugar levels (blood glucose testing strips - in the form of Dextrostix - were a relatively recent development and only available in hospitals).

Over the years things gradually became easier with the introduction of disposable syringes and needles and, eventually blood glucose strips and meters. I am afraid to say that for a period of around 10 years I was not too careful about keeping control of my blood glucose, but fortunately seem no to have suffered as the result of this. My diabetes did not prevent me playing football for many years and squash for fewer years. I was also the doctor for our local professional football team for 27 years before I retired. I am now nearly 70, have a low LDL and high HDL, have good circulation and no retinopathy nor neuropathy. All things considered I count myself as being very lucky.
 

CathyN

Well-Known Member
Messages
248
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
prejudice, racism, complacency, ignorance
Did certain emotions come through

Not initially, as it's been a slow burn for me, and I was unaware really of what was approaching. First diagnosed with Impaired fasting Glycaemia, then borderline and now Type 2. My emotions did get engaged when I had a high reading for my BG one day - fear was the main one. My emotions have become more engaged now that I am fully taking charge of things. I don't think it sunk in initially. Now I keep realising that this isn't some clinical trial that'll be coming to an end shortly. I'll be monitoring and managing this for the rest of my life. Occasionally feeling sorry for myself - but mostly realising that this is, thankfully, a manageable disease. Could be a lot worse. I think I do feel shocked and a bit angry that I have had slightly raised levels for years - and there's been no advice or action taken until I reached diabetic levels. I am worried that damage has already occurred. I was always told, not to worry - that the raised levels would not be damaging me. Now I'm not so sure - and feel a bit gullible. I should have taken this seriously much sooner and I feel that I should have been advised to do so by my GP.

Was diagnosis handled well by your health care team?

I'm in the process of finding out. My GP who is usually excellent, was a little business-like about it - no reassurance that there is help available, or that it is manageable. He said I would probably 'end up' on Metformin eventually. I'm 48, so I would like to have heard something like " with the right approach, you may never have to have medication". I felt that the future looked a bit bleak.
I had been having blurry vision - and he really was dismissive about my question as to whether that could be linked to my BG levels. He said that my BG levels would not be doing me any harm........ as if I was becoming a bit of a hypochondriac.

The referral to the Diabetic Education Clinic was very efficient. I have already had my Optician's appointment and the results from that came swiftly. Only attended the initial education clinic up to now. Explanation of what Type 2 is, and why people get it was very clear and well presented. The lack of advice about self testing was , in my opinion, alarming. We were handed urine sticks to use. A urine stick shows negative up to 10mmol/l. Diabetic is, I believe, now diagnosed at 7mmol/l or above - so the people who are having raised BG up to 10 would not be aware that they are living with results that could lead to complications. We were told that, if we gained negative results on the urine test sticks , our diabetes was being controlled. I was appalled. I should have said something but wondered if we'd get better advice next time, and whether the idea of meter testing for greater accuracy and awareness would be introduced later so as not to frighten people.

The diet advice at this initial session was so soft. And the dietician said it was ok to have white bread - which surely can't be true for anybody, let alone someone whose body can't cope with the sugar from it. There was an atmosphere of appeasement. A myth - busting, 'thought you can't have any more chocolate??? Well- you CAN" scenario. Of course, the dietician went down a storm , because it didn't look like anyone would have to do anything much to change their diet. But maybe a more one to one, personal approach will be applied next time.

How did your family react and how did this make you feel.

My husband has been interested, supportive, comforting, encouraging and even had his BG tested to see how it felt. My Dad and sister have Type 2, but don't manage it actively. I feel like a bit of a diabetes bore ! A bit upset too, if nobody asks how it's going. Friends have been initially sympathetic but don't seem to grasp how seriously it will affect my life and how hard I'm working to control it.

Did your diagnosis make you feel different in any way.

Not initially. Again, until I started testing and becoming aware that I have a disease, I didn't realise how it would impact my life. Now I feel that I have to tell people if they are cooking for me etc and so yes, I feel different - and I'm not liking that at the moment. I don't know anyone else who is diabetic in my peer group. I think that would make all the difference! Being on the forum here is the only time I feel relatively ok about having Type 2.

Has your diagnosis affected your work in any way?

No. I am self employed as a Yoga and Meditation teacher. I have measured my BG before and after Yoga...... it always comes down. So my job is very good for me!

I was officially diagnosed Type 2 in March 2012. Found this forum in June and started to take action!
 

viviennem

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,140
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
Football. Bad manners.
I was diagnosed Type 2 in April 2010, at a routine check, just after the most stressful house move of my entire life! My HbA1C was 6.5 then. Looking back at my fasting blood glucose readings taken at the surgery in the previous 9 months, they should have done an HbA1c earlier; one fasting was on 7.

My immediate reaction, straight out to my GP, was "No I'm NOT!"

At that time I was still under the impression that obesity caused diabetes, and I was so angry! How could I have done this to myself?! I knew what would work, though. I refused to let them register me and went straight back on to Atkins. I also got on to the computer and began to learn as much as I could.

Anyway, I got my HbA1c down to 5.6 by September 2010, and then discovered that metformin could help with weight loss. I managed to persuade my doctor to prescribe some for me; the specialist GP found out, and called me in immediately. By this time I had a meter and had worked out that high morning fasting readings meant that my insulin response wasn't working properly, so I gave in and let them register me. Got a little lecture outlining what I was going to die of, and was told I could eat low carb if I wanted but I must eat low fat too! :roll:

I went to see the practice nurse, who gave me a full check, a meter and strips, agreed with me about my diet (she saw me through my first go with Atkins) and sent me on my way rejoicing. I run my diabetes now, with her support.

The specialist GP's attitude made me change the focus of my residual anger; I was just going to show them it didn't have to be that way! I've had pretty good control ever since, and no "complications" as yet.

I don't feel any different, and I don't let it get in the way of my life. Now I'm in control I can relax my diet occasionally, but to be quite honest I don't often want to.

Because I don't let it get in my way my family seem just to let me get on with it, whatever they may think privately. One lives 100 miles south of me, my brother is in Berkshire, so they're used to me being independent, and I'm doing nothing different to when I was first on Atkins. My niece has MS - why should they worry about me?

I was literally on the point of retiring from employment, and it doesn't affect my self-employed work in any way - it's my spinal problems that do that!

I am quite open about having diabetes, and can bore for England on the subject if anyone gives me a chance. It's not going to beat me if I can help it. It's meant learning lots of new things, it's been a new challenge, but I need something to keep me out of mischief! :lol:

I found this forum in January 2011. I've met many great people, and learned such a lot from eveyone on here. Many thanks to you all!

Viv 8)
 

fairylights

Well-Known Member
Messages
185
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
How did you feel about your diagnosis?
When I went to my GP I had already researched my symptoms on google so I was sort of expecting it.

Did certain emotions come through?
I was a bit panicked and worried - but felt pretty ill so hopeful that I would soon feel better.

Was your diagnosis handled well by your health team?
I was pretty impressed with the NHS. My GP took a BGL reading which was 32 and tested my urine which had ketones. Then she took blood and asked me to take it to the hospital and hand it in so it got seen to quicker. She also told me to stop drinking orange juice! I got a phone call from the DSN at the hospital and a phone call from my GP that afternoon and I went in to see the DSN the next morning. She said she couldn't be sure if I had type 1 or 2 and after explaining everything to me she put me on insulin and metformin and gave me a blood meter and told me to phone her in a couple of days. I also saw a dietician the same day - but she told me to eat starchy carbs with every meal. I have been in regular phone contact and have been back to see both the dietician and the DSN several times (they're still tesing my thyroid function). After a couple of weeks she told me I have LADA and she took me off insulin and put me on byetta. I also got my first retinopathy check after a couple of weeks. So - so far so good and I am just ignoring the advice of the dietician. I will expect to get an appointment with the consultant in a few months.


How did your family react to your diagnosis and how did that you make you feel?
My mother told me it was own fault for being overweight - made me hope I am not like her when my children have problems! Husband and daughters were great. Although as I started having a few hypos when I was on the insulin my husband kept buying me chocolate and full fat coke - think he's getting the idea now! My youngest daughter does most of our cooking as she is home first and she's been really good about that and about looking at my feet and taking me swimming.

Did your diagnosis make you feel different in any way?
I have become obsessed with food and trying to keep control and how low can you go and all that stuff! Also started exercising more.

Has your diagnosis affected your work in any way?
No not really - just carrying on and haven't even told them yet.

Please let us know recently you were diagnosed too.
10 May 2012
 

xAoifex

Well-Known Member
Messages
199
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
How did you feel about your diagnosis?
At the time I was too ill to care. I had been taken to A&E after constantly vomiting and becoming barely conscious. I was told my blood sugars were high, in the early 40's but I didn't really think much of it. It's all pretty hazy now. When I was well enough I was gutted

Did certain emotions come through?
I thought it was the end of the world! I didn't know how I was going to cope. I am a nurse and the only experience I had really had with diabetes was negative. Certain images kept flashing through my head.

Was your diagnosis handled well by your health team?
They were really good from diagnosis to home. After a little stay in high dependency I was in a diabetic ward recovering for a week as I was quite poorly, I met the consultant who is quite a formidable woman, the DSN who was a little kooky but very knowledgable and I had community support when I went home. My GP is just a prescribing monkey for me, but he does whatever I want :)

How did your family react to your diagnosis and how did that you make you feel?
My mum is a paediatric nurse, she has the "pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get on with it" mentality, could never get a day of school sick as a child! My sister is a born worrier and is sure something dramatic is going to happen. My 83yr old grandmother has recently been diagnosed T2 and apparently knows "exactly how I feel"!

Did your diagnosis make you feel different in any way?
Yes and it still does, for example last weekend was a close friends hen night, part of the days activities was a cocktail making class. Whilst everyone is sipping their fabulous fruit, juice and syrup laden cocktails, I'm having to swap mine for a vodka and diet coke. Not the biggest deal I know but....

Has your diagnosis affected your work in any way?
Shift work is a bit of a nightmare. I am paranoid of hypos, as such I have had ropey control, I tend to run high to minimise the risks of hypos but this is to change! On the plus side, no one minds my needles, injecting or blood tests!

Please let us know recently you were diagnosed too.
27/03/2004 (age 24)