How long until I’m healthy!

Welcome to the club.
One thing you will read a lot is “we are all different”. We start at different levels, we need different doses, we have different fears, we have different diabetes teams, we take different lengths of time to start to feel “normal”.

That said, it is usual to be put on small doses and slowly bring these up. This is to avoid sudden drop of BG and avoid hypos as much as possible.
In addition, stress can make BG control more difficult and, for some, during the honeymoon period our body’s ability to create insulin can be a little unpredictable.

I know it all sounds pretty scary but I would recommend talking to your diabetes team and trying to relax.
There is a lot to take on board but many people have done it.
I can’t begin to imagine the BG for a prime minister with type 1 diabetes who has just presented a Brexit proposal and watched a load of her cabinet resign.

Hi @Lydiagoodman93 . Welcome to the forum.
Try not to worry, things will become easier and make more sense in the coming weeks and months.
As you are already aware the emotional side of being diagnosed can be challenging.
We’ve all been there, in different ways but we all know how it feels.
Once you accept your diagnosis it will take a lot of pressure off yourself.
Everyone accepts and sees there diabetes in different ways.
Me...well I embraced it as best I knew how at the time. I’ve made it my friend, it’s my purpose and reason to be who I am.
Diabetes, as a condition isn’t just about sugar levels as you’ll realise. Try not to get stressed by it all, that’s what it wants you to do, it gains strength if you are not in control. You will most definitely get control as time goes by and before you know it things will be so much easier.
There are lots of experienced and really helpful T1’s on the forum who will always be happy to help you should you need it.
3 days is nothing, 3 months will feel better, 3 years you’ll be giving advice to newly diagnosed T1’s

@Lydiagoodman93 - welcome to the club nobody wants to join, the Shonky Pancreas Society...

Don’t be hard on yourself, it’s been less than a week. They’ll bring you down slowly to normal levels because you were probably running high for a while before diagnosis and the drop to normal would make you feel shocking if it happened at once.

There’s quite a few of us T1s here, all ages and walks of life. Some have been at it since the dawn of time (@Knikki & @porl69 - looking at you here!) and some for just a few months. I’m twenty years in. Ask all you want, no such thing as a stupid question. Big hugs, lovely x

@Mel dCP Dawn of time?

Hello @Lydiagoodman93 Welcome to the club from "The Dawn Of Time" early days are hard and there is lots to get your head around as the others have said, but mooch around the forum there is lots of info around the place.

Also don't be afraid to ask questions there is usually some around that can answer or be tagged in that has some idea what's going on

@Mel dCP Dawn of time!! **coughs** Mels
Well its has been a while
Newly diagnosed is a very difficult time. Loads of things to get into your head in a very short time. Your levels will get down to "normal" before you know it. Have a look around the forum and if there is anything you want to know, just ask. There will be someone along to answer any questions you may have (bound to be a lot )

It's very early days for you so take your time. Theres a couple of sayings that repeatedly get said which are so true:

"It's a marathon not a sprint" & "We are all different (what works for some might not work for others)"

Have your diabetes team ask you to keep a diary? (time, food, BG test, dosages etc) the more info you can 'log' the better - it will help your team help you to get carb ratios and correction factors and basal 'rates' tuned to you and your diabetes easier - this might not mean anything to you now but in the coming months it will.

Oh yeah and define 'normal' please!

Agree with the rest of the comments in here.
You will soon master your T1 !

"Dawn of Time"? That was a bit exaggerated, but I still remember the mammoths clearly - that was about at the same time as some of us got their T1

Lydiagoodman93 said:

Im a newly diagnosed t1 (3 days on levamir and novarapid), I test myself before every injection and my levels are all over the place. I started at 24, then went down to 18, then went down to 10, now this evening I’m up to 28 is this normal for your first few days? How long does it take for my sugars to level out? Help!

Click to expand...

Hi Lydia! First of all, welcome. Second - be kind to yourself! Diabetes is a huge upheaval in our lives, and it will take a little while to settle into a rhythm. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

I was diagnosed 10 years ago, and the same happened to me. I was in hospital for a week or so, and then when I got home and had to manage things myself, I was all over the place! I remember having a cry in the kitchen because my blood sugar was swinging from 19 to 4 and back up to 20. This is completely normal. Things will level out in time. I assume you are on basal/bolus? How many times are you injecting?

BTW will tag @daisy1 for her invaluable info pack. Well worth a read

@Lydiagoodman93
Hello Lydia and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it helpful. Ask as many questions you need to and someone will help.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.

• Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
  
  
• Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
  

There’s no reason why you should pile on the pounds just because you’re on insulin. If you’ve lost weight during pre-diagnosis then you’ll quickly regain it now your body can process the sugars again but it’ll all balance out in the end, in fact you’ll be more aware of what you’re putting in your body and probably healthier for it TBH,

Don’t worry too much about carb counting just yet, over 20yrs and I can still mess it up sometime! But like your original post you said you got down to a 10(?) and then after tea err up in the 20’s having a good idea of what that tea was and how much will help when your team get you adjusting dosages.

The people on this forum aren’t a bad bunch!

Hi Lydia. As others have said it is very early days. I am sure you are still getting over the shock. Also, I suspect you have not been feeling your best prior to diagnosis. As you start to feel better and get into the routine of Type 1 I am sure things will become easier.
As regards the weight. If you lost lots prior to diagnosis then you will put some back on as you will also have also lost muscle. It does not follow however that you will put it all back if there was an excess lost. That will be individual. I never did and have remained at a constant weight for 5 years now. The thing is if you eat to excess, particularly very high carb foods like cakes etc, then you will need to have more insulin and ultimately will put on weight. However, it is not the insulin it is the food that you are having to match. Eat healthily and the right amount you require to maintain your weight. You will be fine. Bolus insulin just matches what you eat. In fact mentally I found having to inject for meals made me think far more about what I was putting in my mouth. Also, I no longer snack or have the odd biscuit here and there just because I fancy it.
Good luck, be kind to yourself and keep asking questions.

helensaramay said:

Welcome to the club.
One thing you will read a lot is “we are all different”. We start at different levels, we need different doses, we have different fears, we have different diabetes teams, we take different lengths of time to start to feel “normal”.

That said, it is usual to be put on small doses and slowly bring these up. This is to avoid sudden drop of BG and avoid hypos as much as possible.
In addition, stress can make BG control more difficult and, for some, during the honeymoon period our body’s ability to create insulin can be a little unpredictable.

I know it all sounds pretty scary but I would recommend talking to your diabetes team and trying to relax.
There is a lot to take on board but many people have done it.
I can’t begin to imagine the BG for a prime minister with type 1 diabetes who has just presented a Brexit proposal and watched a load of her cabinet resign.

Click to expand...

Yes I too can't imagine how she does it but lets.face it we all don't have a team behind.us like she has all the time I'm sure!
When do her hypos exist or even happen??
We wi never.know.I believe.she is on a pump but cannot be sure maybe.you can control things a bit easier but.I do admire her for the way she does adjust.

Lydiagoodman93 said:

Im a newly diagnosed t1 (3 days on levamir and novarapid), I test myself before every injection and my levels are all over the place. I started at 24, then went down to 18, then went down to 10, now this evening I’m up to 28 is this normal for your first few days? How long does it take for my sugars to level out? Help!

Click to expand...

Like others have said WELCOME. There are some pretty big hitters that have welcomed you earlier on don't hesitate to ask anything and they will give you great advice. Things will be crazy and unpredictable for a while. I can promise you it does get much easier. In 12 months you will look back and wonder what all the fuss and anxiety was about, however all of us T1's here were in very similar shoes to you some time ago and have a very good idea what you are going through and by and large we are now doing great. It takes time and unfortunately you have to work things out for yourself, but remember you team of professionals to support you and the real experts that live here as we practice it every day. Your BGL will be brought down slowly and it will bounce all over the place for a while, this is nothing to worry about and don't feel as if you have to be between 2 numbers, it will happen, but it will take time.

welcome her Lydiagoodman93