Hi Everybody,
I actually signed up a few weeks ago and have been dipping in to visit the forums to see what I can learn - I have been very impressed how supportive people are on this forum as from my experience of other forums (not just ones related to diabetes) it can get quite heated from time-to-time.
Apologies for what will be a long introduction as my diagnosis came about by chance and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all.
I was admitted at the beginning of February to hospital with what was eventually diagnosed as severe COVID pneumonitis - was on oxygen for a fair while but thankfully was never quite bad enough to make it onto Intensive Care. On admission, it was noted that my blood sugar was very high and my initial HbA1C was 123 mmol/mol! My high glucose readings were partly blamed on the fact that I was taking fairly high dose steroids to treat my lung infection but I was commenced on treatment for Type 2 diabetes. TBH, my admission was all a bit of a haze and even now my memory of the whole thing is a bit sketchy at best. Initially on discharge, my main concern was the tiredness and breathlessness as well as getting hold of some decent quality food! During my admission, I did feel a little confused that I was told that I was diabetic but being offered predominantly things like apple/orange juice, sandwiches made from white bread, biscuits, tinned fruit to eat - most of the time I was so hungry isolated on the ward that I gratefully accepted whatever food was on offer.
After discharge, I had contact from my GP's surgery who told me that my antibody tests had come back negative and that I was indeed a Type 2 to be treated with insulin and Metformin initially. However, a few days later, I received a telephone call from a consultant diabetologist who having seen all of my blood test results stated that one of antibody tests had later come back as positive and after review of the rest of my results felt on balance that I was in fact a Type1.
So here I am now still trying to muddle through all of the information that I need to know to manage my diabetes - have seen the diabetes specialist nurses and dieticians who I have to say, have been excellent so far. I think they are trying to give me information in stages so that I am not overwhelmed with it all. I would be lying if I were to say that I found carb counting straightforward - I have the Carbs & Cals app and although it is helpful along with nutritional information on food packaging, they do not cover everything and then I find myself guessing (wrongly half the time!) or I deny myself food that I would like to eat. I had been quite pleased with myself initially as my BMs around meal before meal times has been pretty well controlled. However, I have now had a Libre 2 for the last couple of days and been very alarmed at some of the peak BMs after a meal that of course, I never saw when finger prick testing just before meal times. I'm also struggling to factor for food that has no carb content - can I really eat a big steak and not worry about insulin or do I have to factor in some insulin for the fat content later on? In addition to this as I am trying to rebuild some fitness up whilst recovering, exercise is having an unpredictable effect on my BMs too.
So, I finally plucked up to courage to post and get involved with this forum and hoping that I can learn from other members as I try to return to a normal life again. Thank you if you made it through my essay.
I actually signed up a few weeks ago and have been dipping in to visit the forums to see what I can learn - I have been very impressed how supportive people are on this forum as from my experience of other forums (not just ones related to diabetes) it can get quite heated from time-to-time.
Apologies for what will be a long introduction as my diagnosis came about by chance and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all.
I was admitted at the beginning of February to hospital with what was eventually diagnosed as severe COVID pneumonitis - was on oxygen for a fair while but thankfully was never quite bad enough to make it onto Intensive Care. On admission, it was noted that my blood sugar was very high and my initial HbA1C was 123 mmol/mol! My high glucose readings were partly blamed on the fact that I was taking fairly high dose steroids to treat my lung infection but I was commenced on treatment for Type 2 diabetes. TBH, my admission was all a bit of a haze and even now my memory of the whole thing is a bit sketchy at best. Initially on discharge, my main concern was the tiredness and breathlessness as well as getting hold of some decent quality food! During my admission, I did feel a little confused that I was told that I was diabetic but being offered predominantly things like apple/orange juice, sandwiches made from white bread, biscuits, tinned fruit to eat - most of the time I was so hungry isolated on the ward that I gratefully accepted whatever food was on offer.
After discharge, I had contact from my GP's surgery who told me that my antibody tests had come back negative and that I was indeed a Type 2 to be treated with insulin and Metformin initially. However, a few days later, I received a telephone call from a consultant diabetologist who having seen all of my blood test results stated that one of antibody tests had later come back as positive and after review of the rest of my results felt on balance that I was in fact a Type1.
So here I am now still trying to muddle through all of the information that I need to know to manage my diabetes - have seen the diabetes specialist nurses and dieticians who I have to say, have been excellent so far. I think they are trying to give me information in stages so that I am not overwhelmed with it all. I would be lying if I were to say that I found carb counting straightforward - I have the Carbs & Cals app and although it is helpful along with nutritional information on food packaging, they do not cover everything and then I find myself guessing (wrongly half the time!) or I deny myself food that I would like to eat. I had been quite pleased with myself initially as my BMs around meal before meal times has been pretty well controlled. However, I have now had a Libre 2 for the last couple of days and been very alarmed at some of the peak BMs after a meal that of course, I never saw when finger prick testing just before meal times. I'm also struggling to factor for food that has no carb content - can I really eat a big steak and not worry about insulin or do I have to factor in some insulin for the fat content later on? In addition to this as I am trying to rebuild some fitness up whilst recovering, exercise is having an unpredictable effect on my BMs too.
So, I finally plucked up to courage to post and get involved with this forum and hoping that I can learn from other members as I try to return to a normal life again. Thank you if you made it through my essay.
