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Newbie diagnosed with type 1 this week and have High levels

Jenny40

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi there,
I was diagnosed with Type 1 on Monday this week, great shock and completely unexpected as i'm 39 only 11 stone and work full time so am active all day.
I am currently on tablets to try and bring my levels down until my appointment tomorrow where I will find out my other test results.
So far I have not been able to get my levels under 10, I have cut out as much sugar as possible and also now watching my carbs but they just do not seem to want to come down. I keep feeling tired and lightheaded at times, is this because because I am currently in Hyper state or because my body is in shock mode from cutting things out??
I really don't know what to do and I am feeling quite down at the moment as I don't know what to expect or what I should do for the best.

If anyone has any advice they are willing to share with me then that would be great!

Jenny
 
There is some evidence that there is a correlation (but not necessarily cause) between lifestyle and type 2 diabetes.
There is no such evidence with Type 1 diabetes and more than 50% of people are diagnosed with type 1 as an adult ... it is not just something you get as a child.
For example, I was diagnosed with Type 1 in my mid 30s and weighed less than 9 stone and am not anything special.

I am surprised your type 1 is being treated with tablets but as this is only until tomorrow, I would not panic too much about your BG. Whilst 10 is high, it is not dangerously high for a few days. As type 1 usually comes on very quickly, you are unlikely to have experienced this for long. Unfortunately, it is likely to be the cause of your tiredness ... as well as possible thirst, blurred vision and an overfamiliarity with the toilet.

My advice would be to focus on your appointment for tomorrow and prepare a list of questions. Being on this forum, I assume you are getting yourself clued up so make the most of your knowledge and the time with a specialist.

I expect you will be introduced to insulin and taught how to inject. Although many news items about diabetes are often illustrated with huge syringes, you will not be using one of them: you will probably have a 4mm needle on the end of a pen. You will probably be told about hypos - these are not nice but should not be something you have to deal with every day.

You say you are active so I would be ready with questions about exercise and diabetes. There is no reason why you should not remain active but it adds an extra dimension to your diabetes management.

Remember, diabetes is not the end of your life. Whenever diabetes is getting me down, I remember the people in the public eye who manage to win Olympic medals, perform in bands and, even, run the country with diabetes.
 

Hi Jenny and sending you a virtual hug ((((((((( HUG)))))))))))
Did the hospital say why they have put you on tablets, what tablets are they, Metformin ? did they say you are definitely type 1 ? Having hyper's, high BS, can make you feel tired and a bit nausea's too. I hope you can get your levels under control soon, but maybe a chat with your diabetes team, via a phone call or your GP may be able to shed some light on what is going on.
All the best and take care x
 


Thanks for replying, my BG readings have been ranging from 13.8-25.6 I am reading up on a lot of things but it is a big information overload and I am quite nervous about tomorrow and the whole insulin area of it, but thanks for the re-assurance on the insulin pen.
I have a list of questions that I want to ask so far but if you have any that you felt when you were diagnosed or that you didn't ask on a first appointment but was relevant then it would be great to have that insight.
Thanks again, I appreciate your response too!

Jenny
 


Thanks so much for the hug at the moment they are most definitely needed.
The doctors have put me on Glicazide twice a day, when I went to the doctors on Monday my reading was 21, but as I was not feeling ill they said that they would put on the tablets until I could get a proper appointment with the diabetic nurse. The appointment on Monday was an emergency one as the doctors called me after my BG blood test came back a few hours after having it taken on Friday morning. They couldn't get me in until Monday morning and I was also away from home too a couple of hours away so I couldn't get back.
I have keytones in my wee and the high BG levels so she gave me the lovely news that I am type 1, since then my BG have ranged from 13.8 to 25.8 I can't seem to get them any lower at all and the tablets do not seem to be doing what they should be.
The nurse thought on Monday that I still have some insulin being produced which is why I was not feeling ill at the time, it just seems to be creeping up on me now.
Hopefully tomorrow I will get it sorted but I am quite nervous about the insulin side of it!

Thanks again for your support

jenny x
 

Good luck for tomorrow Jenny, could you let us know how you get on, take care x
 
There is a lot of information to take in but if I was to suggest any specific questions it would be to go through activities that I do regularly (things you have to do and things you enjoy doing) and ask how they would be impacted by having diabetes and how to manage them. Everything from driving to going to the gym to travel (especially important this time of year when we are all going on our summer holidays) to playing with your kids to sleeping to whatever your job is.

My other advice is, if possible, take someone else along with you. I am steadfastly independent to the extent that I would rather walk home in the rain that phone my partner to give me a lift home. However, my first diabetes appointment was one of the very few times I have asked for assistance and been incredibly grateful. At a time where I was feeling very emotional and getting loads of information thrown at me, there was someone else listening and taking it all in so I could discuss it with them later.
 

Hi @Jenny40

I do feel for you having to,wait to be seen. I hope you're feeling as ok as possible in the circumstances.

It's hard to,suggest questions without knowing what they're going to,say, but I'd ask and write down any results they give you. I'd also make copious notes about the insulin (presuming you'll be put on insulin). It's so easy to forget things in the stress of the moment, so don't feel bad writing down every tiny thing.

I'd ask about carb counting - or at least to be given a rough idea of how many carbs for the meal time insulin, if your prescribed this. Eg if they tell you to take 3 units for lunch, ask roughly what amount of carbs that covers. "Just eat normally" isn't an answer.

I'd also ask about practical things - eg if you're going to a hospital clinic will they be prescribing you enough insulin to,start with or will they be asking your GP to prescribe it? Have they put everything you need on their prescription list?

I'd ask what blood sugar results you're aiming for and if there was any level that was to high and meant you needed to contact someone.

If there's any uncertainty about what type of diabetes you have, I'd ask for further tests of necessary.

Good luck
 
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