How do others control their diabetes?

Hi @Pepe1895, welcome to the forum. I think the first step is accepting that you need to do something, and not everyone with type 1 reaches that point. By coming on to the forum like this and posting, you are making that adjustment, and that's probably the most difficult thing to do.

You mention that you are feeling depressed - are you seeing a hospital diabetes clinic? If not, ask your GP to refer you and that's the ideal place to raise your issues, especially in relation to any mental health issues you consider yourself to be facing. In recent years there has been much more focus on that side of living with chronic conditions.

But the best way to look at it is small steps. You've made the first. Now you need to determine what are the next ones you want to make. Maybe that's testing a bit more frequently, or deciding to learn a bit more. I realise they all seem like mountains, but slowly and surely you'll start to see, and more importantly, feel, the benefits of doing so.

Good luck as you stand at the beginning of your journey!

No matter what, you must inject and test your blood daily regardless of circumstances.
Good or bad results, you must test and inject so that there is some degree of control.
I've been type 1 since your age, thats almost 29 years now.
My doc when i was a teenager tried shock tactics with me, telling me if i didn't look after my diabetes then my organs would fail. As depressed as i used to leave the surgery, it has kept me in check.
If you want to take it seriously, look at what will happen if you neglect it for 10, 20, 30 years
I read up a lot on mortality statistics with type 1, if that doesn't work then nothing will.

Go do all the things you should do at 21, but don't turn a blind eye to maintaining this ***** of a condition. When health goes badly wrong we don't really get second chances.

RESPECT DIABETES

if you don't, I need say no more

Back to your question, keep a diary. Using an electronic one, it is a good monitoring tool.

It makes it easier to manage but the real issue here same when i was growing up with diabetes is that you got to be on it all the time. As soon as you accept that notion then you can get on with life knowing that it's part of it, part of you.

You'll be fine, acknowledging it is the first step, so very well done.

... Asking for help like you have done from this group is spot on. As someone who is 3 times your age its helped me, there are some people here who will share important info. Best thoughts

Pepe1895 said:

Thank you tim2000s

️
I've booked in to see my gp this week so hopefully I can open up to them which I also find really hard to do. I know no one apart from me can help myself but any bit of support is a huge help

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Way to go, baby steps and keep going slowly steadily x the biggest change for me was going on a DAFNE course,your GP will be able to book you on if you think it will help? There were a few of us who had been diabetic for many years and were not sure whether we wanted to be there. By the end we all agreed it had been life changing. Hope this helps x

I guess

Pepe1895 said:

Hi
I'm 21 years old and have been a type 1 diabetic since I was 11. I struggle so much with my diabetes and have never been able to come to grips with the fact this is my way of living if I want to live a healthy life. I've come to the point where monitoring my blood glucose levels is scary as I don't want to see the result. I'm so ashamed of how I treat my body that Im too embarrassed to go and see doctors now. I've tried living a normal life, by working, keeping a social life and traveling but nothing ever makes me want to take my diabetes seriously. It's like my brain shuts off until I feel unwell and I know I have to take some insulin. But that's about as good as my control of my diabetes gets. I know I am depressed and that could be a reason for this. Im not wanting sympathy im just purely asking for any type of advice from people who may also understand what I'm going through as I want to live my life to the best I can for as long as I can

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I remember when I was 21 - had already been living with type 1 for 17 years - I was in University, taking one shot a day (Lente - made from Beef and Pork) gave the same dosage every morning and never tested myself - this went on for years. I was also touring with a Rock Band during part of the year. Like my non diabetic peers I went out almost every night and drank foolishly. and exposed myself to other intoxicants, Somehow I survived ...

Coming from that perspective: Try having some fun and don't get stressed if your BGs run high - from the 51 years of living with this thing I've learned to have as much fun as possible and to live life to the fullest - I'm still doing that and I've already out lived many of my non diabetic friends and I'm only 55 years young. I could die tomorrow or die 30 years from now - I have no idea - but one thing for sure - I have no regrets and I wouldn't do anything differently if I had to do it again.

So in spite of your challenges - you gotta make the most of life - if your BGs run high try to get them down but if you have placed expectations on yourself or if your health team has - (such as staying in the normal Blood glucose range all the time - being perfect etc) .... sure maybe in an ideal world - but we don't live is such a place.

Good Luck and all the best!

fletchweb said:

I guess


I remember when I was 21 - had already been living with type 1 for 17 years - I was in University, taking one shot a day (Lente - made from Beef and Pork) gave the same dosage every morning and never tested myself - this went on for years. I was also touring with a Rock Band during part of the year. Like my non diabetic peers I went out almost every night and drank foolishly. and exposed myself to other intoxicants, Somehow I survived ...

Coming from that perspective: Try having some fun and don't get stressed if your BGs run high - from the 51 years of living with this thing I've learned to have as much fun as possible and to live life to the fullest - I'm still doing that and I've already out lived many of my non diabetic friends and I'm only 55 years young. I could die tomorrow or die 30 years from now - I have no idea - but one thing for sure - I have no regrets and I wouldn't do anything differently if I had to do it again.

So in spite of your challenges - you gotta make the most of life - if your BGs run high try to get them down but if you have placed expectations on yourself or if your health team has - (such as staying in the normal Blood glucose range all the time - being perfect etc) .... sure maybe in an ideal world - but we don't live is such a place.

Good Luck and all the best!

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I remember Lente, and glass syringes in meths..I think I prefer my little pen and 4mm needles ...once a day jabs sounds good though x

Grumpy ole thing said:

I remember Lente, and glass syringes in meths..I think I prefer my little pen and 4mm needles ...once a day jabs sounds good though x

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It was easy for me as all I had to do was jab myself once a day - but my poor mother -- I used glass syringes and a needle that looked like a spear LOL and my mum had to sterilize the glass syringe often and there was an elaborate process to follow - or at least it seemed elaborate to me.
I like my pens too - it sure simplifies things doesn't it.

That was it for me too,glass syringes and long,thick needles that had to be re used over and over.No blood testing kits.A colour chart to check your blood sugar from urine.Prehistoric stuff compared to today.
Ive had diabetes for 42 years,diagnosed at age 6.I still feel like a novice at times though.

I remember when I was diagnosed and it was on a valentines day stuck in a hospital bed with a couple of pumps on me to get my sugars down and the ketones out of my system and I was 17 when it happened and I was placed on insulin straight away and on it for 10 weeks before the honeymoon period and then I was on insulin again and tablets after being diagnosed with the wrong diabetes they said I had type 1 when I was diagnosed but in fact I have type 2 diabetes and now I am on insulin for life and over the 22 years I have had diabetes I have been on insulin and tablets and the only treatment that works is insulin and I get resistant to insulin and my doses go up and down but mainly up and I know how you feel as that is how I was when I was diagnosed and just couldn't be bothered with it all and the same when I was doing night work just wasn't bothered about the diabetes as long as I was able to get to work and home again and that went on for a few years until I broke my knee and I couldn't do anything much so I just wanted to sort myself out and the diabetes and I have up to now and I hope that you will eventually

Like you I was diagnosed at 10 3/4 eight months after sweets came off ration for the Queens Coronation!Things were very different in those days,all we had to do was keep our urine results reasonably low and follow a pretty strict diet.I enjoyed myself as a teenager but we didn't drink alcohol as much as young people do now.We saw the diabetic doctor probably every month and he decided any increases in insulin or extra "lines"of food.We had to eat a certain number of black lines (carbohydrates) and red lines (proteins)every day.We had to cope with all the restrictions or face an angry doctor! I have now been a type 1 diabetic for 63 years and still going strong.You have to accept the diabetes and take care during the early years. Good luck.

Pepe1895 said:

Hi
I'm 21 years old and have been a type 1 diabetic since I was 11. I struggle so much with my diabetes and have never been able to come to grips with the fact this is my way of living if I want to live a healthy life. I've come to the point where monitoring my blood glucose levels is scary as I don't want to see the result. I'm so ashamed of how I treat my body that Im too embarrassed to go and see doctors now. I've tried living a normal life, by working, keeping a social life and traveling but nothing ever makes me want to take my diabetes seriously. It's like my brain shuts off until I feel unwell and I know I have to take some insulin. But that's about as good as my control of my diabetes gets. I know I am depressed and that could be a reason for this. Im not wanting sympathy im just purely asking for any type of advice from people who may also understand what I'm going through as I want to live my life to the best I can for as long as I can

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I'm 20, (21 in a few months) and I've been diabetic since I was 15. For the first year my control wasn't perfect but it was ok you know as it was all new to me. Then when I was 16/17 I just didn't give a **** at all and since then have struggled. Struggling right now. Developed BG retinopathy, had to leave my job cause I was always sick and so tired. Even though I've always been told I'll develop complications if I'm not careful, now I'm older and slightly wiser it's kind of hit me, if you know what I mean, that I need to start looking after myself. I'm trying really hard and I get frustrated but you are not alone. Just try your best. if you ever wanna talk to someone just message me
Amy

@Pepe1895 try to change the way you see a result on a meter. It's so easy to see an out of range result as a dig at you with your meter saying 'you got it wrong (again)'. Try to see it as a piece of information that you can use. Keeping a diary can help. I am **** at that so found that downloading results onto a computer helped. Also getting someone else to look at them helps. My husband could spot patterns where I could only see 'you're ****, you got it wrong'. Unfortunately you have to learn to cope with this. Your life will be different from other 21 y olds but different doesn't have to be boring or restricted. Take control of diabetes. Don't let it control you.

Hi @Pepe1895

Thank you for sharing your post and being so open. I definitely don't think that you are alone. I also suffered from depression and anxiety, the latter of which I still have but I have significantly improved on the former and recently stopped taking anti depressants, as I found a much better and healthier alternative - exercise and a better diet (not skinny twig ***** but just an improvement). This actually has helped so much, and I know it sounds cliché but it really really does help. And if you are a person who dislikes exercise, I think try and be open about it because the serotonin released from exercising actually makes you feel happier and more energized so you actually start to enjoy it once you get into the habit of doing it.

For example I do a mix of yoga, strength, cardio and kick boxing - all using YouTube workout channels for 20 - 60 minutes five days a week. It has helped boost my confidence and self worth, and it has also helped regulate my sugar levels because of the matabollic boost.

I totally understand your experiences, because I was diagnosed as type 1 a few years ago, not too far off the age that uou are now. Like you, I wanted to go out and enjoy my time with friends. But this came at a price. The type of friends I had back then we're really ignorant about my condition, and I wanted so badly to fit in that I went out and drank a lot, didn't pay much attention to my diet or checking my BG.

Worst scenario, I was left in the girls bathroom (friends said "leave her she will be fine") and the club was closing, so finally two cops came in and I was slurring and puking up all over myself. They called my dad to take me to hospital and they found my BG at 29 with high ketones- that's very bad. I was ill for take days in hospital, being sick everywhere. It was horrible. The same "friends" only texted to feign concern and ask if I was ok. Only my best friend and a close friend came to see me and check if I was alright.

For years I suffered with depression and still only ever wanted to fit in with that group. It wasn't until I matured a bit more that I realised nobody needs friends like that, who can't be bothered to learn the signs and warnings and look out for you in emergencies but expect you to do everything to be one of them. It was then I started taking care of me.

So my point is, don't worry so much about the social stuff. Real friends will stick by you and look after you. Lucky for me I now have a very caring and loving oher half who reminds me to look after myself.

Last point, if you are on the implant have it removed. This caused me so many mood problems for years. I had mine removed a couple months ago and wow I feel so so much better! Not as down and also noticed a bit of weight loss from it.

If you need to talk then holla at me all the best x