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Aliciaf

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Hi eveyone.

Am new to the forum but could really do with some advice. I am 27 and have been type 1 for almost 16 years. I suffer from quite severe depression which has had an awful effect on my ability and if I am honest my wantting to keep my diabetes under control. Basically for the last year or so I have done the bare minimum which is to have my insulin 5 times a day.

I've not always been like that I used to carb count and document everything and do at least 5-6 bg tests per day, this didn't help matters as I would either be extremely high and constantly having to take correction doses even though I was doing everything right or I was having severe hypos I would panic eat as it were to stop the effects which in turn would send my bp up. I would see the diabetes nurse on a monthly basis too and they couldn't understand it!!!

I struggle very much on a day to day basis with both depression and the diabetes and it is extremely hard for me to manage even one let alone both. Over the years I have used alcohol as an escape and on numerous occassions have ended up with ketoacidosis so you can imaging what my hba1c is like!!

I have also recently changed antidepressant which has given me an enormous appetite and caused me to gain at least a stone of weight I worked really hard to drop, which doesn't help.

Anyway I have rattled on enough now just wanted to give as much info as possible about myself. If anyone has any advice etc it would be greatly appreciated as I am now pretty much as low as I can get about things.

Thanks for reading
Alicia x
 
Hi Alicia

A few years ago I was in a similar position. I was testing my sugars and perhaps wasn't depressed but was struggling with control which allowed my mood to swing a fair bit. Type 1 as well.

My story is that this forum helped me.

I'd seen people keep saying how lowering carbs could help immeasurably, so after a while of ignoring this (and generally being jealous of them), I gave in and decided to give it a try.

I reduced my carbs down (gradually at first) and spent a lot more time than I had been doing tests and recording the numbers.

I decided to give things a month. The first week went great, then the second week went a bit dodgy again, but by the end of the month I was a changed person and felt in control for the first in well over a decade. I've not looked back.

Ed
 
Ed,

Thank you for your inspiring words i have read about cutting carbs down and have decided like you to give it a whirl!! I defo feel more more positive after reading your comments!

Alison,

Again thank you! I have felt very alone with this so am glad i have joined up to learn from people who have been in my position!

Alicia :-)
 
It was around being 27 or 28 that I decided to take some real action to get control of my diabetes.

Keep us posted Alicia and Allie on how the control's going :)
 
I suffered what the doctor called depression around the time of diagnosis. I was going through a legal battle about compensation for an accident and definately wasn't myself. But I turned my anger into a positive force "to prove none of this can beat me". My readings have been great and I've now lost 3& half stone. There must be someone you dislike enough to want to prove them wrong-it certainly worked for me!
 
I'm 17 and am kind of going through the "frustrated/hating" stage at the moment. I still test, but I could really empathise with what you said about testing, and the highs coming up on the screen. I try and avoid testing when I feel the high symptoms, as it is just so frustrating!

As far as the food thing goes. I know that by reducing insulin slightly you can actually get less highs. No it doesn't make much sense, but my doctor explained it to me a few months ago. Apparently highs can be caused as a result of lows, where your body kind of reacts by using sugar supplies. Something along those lines basically! Anyway, by reducing insulin levels, appetite will also decrease, and it allegedly helps to prevent weight gain.

I really hope everything works out. :)

Sophie
 
Congratulations there is a real sense of achievement when you get under control!!

It is definitely extremely hard to juggle diabetes with just life not to mention other issues! I'm glad things have worked for you and i think i am going to try to adopt the "nothing can beat me" approach!
 
Thanks Sophie!

One of my problems is i comfort eat which has become the norm for me i think i do tend to over compensate when it comes to doses. I will certainly try the using less insulin, and i have started on a low carb diet today which will be a struggle but hopefully worth it in the long run.

Thank you for your well wishes

Alicia
 
Aliciaf said:
and i think i am going to try to adopt the "nothing can beat me" approach!
Click to expand...

I started this as a result of a traffic accident, too many injuries to list but you wouldn't know it, 6 reasons I could of died 5 are very realistic-I wasn't going to let (better not swear) the clumsy driver ruin my life. Since then I channeled any anger towards this most foolish of people (god it's hard staying polite!) into getting better. I've been club champ at badminton and won local league titles as an ever present team player. With diabetes I wasn't given a meter but decided to eat healthy and lose weight as I can then prove I've made an effort if my weight is less, if sugars didn't go down I'd of asked for a meter saying i've proved I can change if I know what to change. My control is good and my weight loss is down to the levels I get nice young girls flirting with me! That never used to happen it still feels strange!

The key for me was to recognise when I was feeling down, shift the blame to someone I was going to beat then take immediate positive action-like having a walk when my foot was nerve damaged or if I want a bar of chocolate I remember people who said I was of a size to be at risk of diabetes so I don't give in to temptation to prove them I can beat this and their stupid preconceived ideas.

It works as motivation to keep me focussed, fingers crossed you find your motivation.
 
Flipping heck you've been through the mill by the sounds of it!!! Its really inspirational to me to see that you have come through it all fighting!

I find it really hard when i get knocked to stand up and fight as i feel i'm not strong enough, but surely i am thats one thing i need to come to terms with.

I'm really pleased after reading your story that you have cone through it all. I really want to take all your stories on board and try and take inspiration from you all.

Thanks for taking the time to write to me.

Alicia :-)
 
Thanks for the kind words, I was treated by great physios & nurses too so sort of feel I owe it to them too to succeed. Keep posting they're a good bunch here
 
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