ffiffiffoffum
Newbie
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- 1
I was diagnosed with type 1 when I was 11 years old. After about 4 years of finding it completely impossible to control and having hard, red and itchy lumps every single time I injected (four times a day using long acting and fast acting) I finally got my paediatric consultant to give me an insulin allergy test. It turns out I'm allergic to Zinc, Protamine and Metacresol. We tried every single insulin available on the British market then resorted to importing various insulins to try - to no avail. To reduce the amount of insulin I was having to inject - to essentially lessen the allergic reaction - I was put on an insulin pump after another 3 years of struggle controlling my sugar levels.
At the age of 16, I was still getting reactions from the (homolog) insulin in my pump and became increasingly demoralised with constantly inconsistent blood sugar levels so stopped testing. At the age of 21 I was diagnosed with depression which was linked to my diabetes and the feeling of failure I got every time my blood sugars were unpredictable i.e. every time. I was put on Citalopram by my GP but this didn't really help. After a severe DKA (one of many over the years) and a week in intensive care in July 2011 (aged 22) I began to feel dizzy every time I stand up, my heart rate went crazy and I had to quit my job. Over a year later, I've finally been diagnosed by a Neurologist with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardic Syndrome (POTS) and Autonomic Neuropathy. I have been referred to a Cardiologist so I can be given more medication. I still have allergic reactions to my insulin injections, I still have a lot of anxiety and depression and see a Clinical Psychologist. I am on Sertraline (which helps a small bit with my dizziness) and Fludrocortisone (which does not). I have approached the topic of Islet Cell Transplants countless times only to be shot down because I have my hypo awareness still. I have also asked if I have what I've seen on here called 'Brittle Diabetes' and this was also simply dismissed.
I'm at a loss as to what to do...I'm a 23 year old graduate who can't keep a job yet also isn't ill enough to qualify for income support or DLA (despite having appealed their decision countless times over the last 10 months. I'm not getting anywhere with my doctors who are supposed to be up there with the best and I feel like, what life I might have to live (bearing in mind the inevitable complications and risky DKAs that I'm prone to), I'm not able to live fully.
If anybody has any knowledge on any of the matters I've covered, I would be so grateful as I'm completely lost here.
Thanks, Ffi
At the age of 16, I was still getting reactions from the (homolog) insulin in my pump and became increasingly demoralised with constantly inconsistent blood sugar levels so stopped testing. At the age of 21 I was diagnosed with depression which was linked to my diabetes and the feeling of failure I got every time my blood sugars were unpredictable i.e. every time. I was put on Citalopram by my GP but this didn't really help. After a severe DKA (one of many over the years) and a week in intensive care in July 2011 (aged 22) I began to feel dizzy every time I stand up, my heart rate went crazy and I had to quit my job. Over a year later, I've finally been diagnosed by a Neurologist with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardic Syndrome (POTS) and Autonomic Neuropathy. I have been referred to a Cardiologist so I can be given more medication. I still have allergic reactions to my insulin injections, I still have a lot of anxiety and depression and see a Clinical Psychologist. I am on Sertraline (which helps a small bit with my dizziness) and Fludrocortisone (which does not). I have approached the topic of Islet Cell Transplants countless times only to be shot down because I have my hypo awareness still. I have also asked if I have what I've seen on here called 'Brittle Diabetes' and this was also simply dismissed.
I'm at a loss as to what to do...I'm a 23 year old graduate who can't keep a job yet also isn't ill enough to qualify for income support or DLA (despite having appealed their decision countless times over the last 10 months. I'm not getting anywhere with my doctors who are supposed to be up there with the best and I feel like, what life I might have to live (bearing in mind the inevitable complications and risky DKAs that I'm prone to), I'm not able to live fully.
If anybody has any knowledge on any of the matters I've covered, I would be so grateful as I'm completely lost here.
Thanks, Ffi
