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New to the Type 1 Diabetic Party

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NoThanksImSweetEnough

Newbie
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4
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi All,

I was recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, only days after my 24th birthday. I'm learning that this is kind of rare, as most are diagnosed in childhood.

It was quite a shock, to say the least. Before diagnosis, I never felt any symptoms. I went for regular bloodwork and was told to go to the ER for elevated glucose levels. I thought it would be considered Type 2 because my glucose levels went down immediately with only nightly insulin, but I just found out it's Type 1. The doctors say I'm in what they call "The Honeymoon Period." Yay?

I'm used to living with a controlled diet, I was born with PKU (a metabolic condition that limits the amount of protein you can eat). My PKU doctor says she knows of only one case of a PKU/Type 1 patient in her collective years as a doctor. It's pretty rare to have both. Amazingly enough, since the diagnosis of diabetes, I've been able to metabolize double the amount of protein I was before. Seriously, it's really weird -- going from 30 grams of protein to 60 grams of protein a day. But it's a huge silver lining. Low carb is a lot easier to do when you can eat enough protein. Basically, before Type 1, I ate a low protein, high carb diet. Now I'm switching to high fat/protein, low carb diet. Basically my whole way of living is being flipped on its head.

I'm still processing all of this and trying to cling on to feeling "normal." I'd appreciate any advice or encouragement from anyone who knows what this is like.
 
NoThanksImSweetEnough said:
I was recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, only days after my 24th birthday. I'm learning that this is kind of rare, as most are diagnosed in childhood.
Click to expand...

This is a common misconception, and is incorrect. Type 1 can strike at any age. It's really not "rare" to be diagnosed in your mid twenties, 20% of type 1s are over 40 when diagnosed - https://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/News/1-in-5-cases-of-diabetes-diagnosed-in-the-over-40s/

There is no requirement to low carb as a type 1 diabetic, so if other conditions prohibit that, that's fine. Ask to be taught carb counting, or teach yourself - https://www.bertieonline.org.uk

Have a read of the book "think like a pancreas" it's a good guide to what you need to know to manage type 1.
 
Thanks for your reply! Oh, I did not know that. It's all very new to me. Well, luckily, the condition won't be prohibiting low-carb any more.

So as a Type 1 you don't have to eat low carb? My doctors haven't explained that part yet apparently.

Yes, I will check that out thank you!
 
Diagnosed as T1 at 30 myself, 16 years in now.

As a T1 you don't have to eat low carb, but by going low carb you will reduce your insulin needs. As insulin is also a hormone involved in laying down fat in the body, low carb makes it a lot easier to lose weight or keep weight down. Sadly I fell off the carb wagon about 12 months ago and put on a lot of weight, and am now consciously trying to get my weight back down again through low carb'ing
 
Hi @NoThanksImSweetEnough

Diagnosed myself at the back end of last year a couple of months after I turned 27. I don't believe it is so rare to develop Type 1 in adulthood. I can draw parallels with showing few symptoms on presentation - mine was caught by a routine blood test when changing GPs and similarly called back in, tested for ketones and sent off to A&E.

You don't have to low carb, though carb counting is a good skill to have as you will need to adjust your bolus insulin to match what you're eating.

If you can get hold of a copy of Think Like A Pancreas and have a read (not everything will apply straight away) it is a great resource to learn about many aspects of diabetes.
 
welcome to the club !, all joking aside my brother wasdiagnosed as type 2 but possibly type 1 at the start of the year. After he got his blood results back he is type1 same as me BUT he is 50 and not on insulin yet as he is known as a slow burner I was diagnosed at the age of 2 1/2, meaning he is still producing insulin and on met and glic tablets for now buty his pancreas will stop producing insulin at any time. Weird I know but the tests etc have come such a long way from back in the day.

It sounds like you have good knowledge of diet requirements so I wish you good luck :)
 
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