cws666
Newbie
- Messages
- 1
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Hi all,
My name is Charlie and I have had Type 1 diabetes for almost 50 years. At 14 I suffered from excessive tiredness and excessive thirst together with the problem that what goes in must come out - frequently! I spent three weeks in hospital and was sent home with a glass syringe, around six needles and surgical spirit to keep the syringe as clean as possible. In those days the needles were a lot bigger than today and had to last for months before being replaced. There were no user based blood tests so urine was tested. Of course this only demonstrated a raised blood sugar as if the blood sugar was low, there was no excessive sugar to get into the bladder so a urine test would not tell you if you were hypo.
Things have changed so much with the introduction of single use syringes and needles, then insulin cartrdge pens and now insulin pumps. Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating, or DAFNE (or varients) has also been introduced and this means that, today, a diabetic can live a much more "normal" lifestyle and, of course, finger prick testing is a real godsend.
I go to a gym, also attend excersise classes and adjust my insulin accordingly (I use a pump) and find that I am probably fitter now, at 63, than I have ever been (not that that is saying much as I have lived a mostly sedentary lifestyle!) which means I can chase my granddaughter around soft play areas without too much difficulty.
There were a long list of questions which I've mostly forgotten but here are some answers:
Male;
Charlie;
63;
Play guitar and piano - mostly in church but have gone to various "Open mic" nights as a performer.
Retired.
In short, although I'm no action man, taking T1 hasn't limited me in any way.
My name is Charlie and I have had Type 1 diabetes for almost 50 years. At 14 I suffered from excessive tiredness and excessive thirst together with the problem that what goes in must come out - frequently! I spent three weeks in hospital and was sent home with a glass syringe, around six needles and surgical spirit to keep the syringe as clean as possible. In those days the needles were a lot bigger than today and had to last for months before being replaced. There were no user based blood tests so urine was tested. Of course this only demonstrated a raised blood sugar as if the blood sugar was low, there was no excessive sugar to get into the bladder so a urine test would not tell you if you were hypo.
Things have changed so much with the introduction of single use syringes and needles, then insulin cartrdge pens and now insulin pumps. Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating, or DAFNE (or varients) has also been introduced and this means that, today, a diabetic can live a much more "normal" lifestyle and, of course, finger prick testing is a real godsend.
I go to a gym, also attend excersise classes and adjust my insulin accordingly (I use a pump) and find that I am probably fitter now, at 63, than I have ever been (not that that is saying much as I have lived a mostly sedentary lifestyle!) which means I can chase my granddaughter around soft play areas without too much difficulty.
There were a long list of questions which I've mostly forgotten but here are some answers:
Male;
Charlie;
63;
Play guitar and piano - mostly in church but have gone to various "Open mic" nights as a performer.
Retired.
In short, although I'm no action man, taking T1 hasn't limited me in any way.