Sick of being the only diabetic.

[Cowden]

Hiya im sixteen & from glasgow..

& I dunno if this is just me but im sick of being the only diabetic i know. not that diabetics should live in herds or anything, but if anyone wants to talk on msn or bebo or something. cause im sick of people saying they 'understand what im going through' while standing eating chocolate bar after chocolate bar and someone to moan about Hba1c or w.e there called would be fun.
Lol so let me know.

x

 

[malky]

hi i found this the case when i was first diagnosed 4 years ago but i was surprised at the amount of people that knew quite a bit about diabetes but other knew nothing with the old 'should you be eating that' or 'has that not got lots of sugar in it' comment from them also found it better if people just aked cause then i could explain to them what happens and why i have to do certain things but most people dont fully understand. You can allways just say how your feeling on here

 

[fergus]

Hiya Cowden,

Well, there's always the 13,500 of us on here! And if things get too desperate, nip on over to meet up Edinburgh, as long as you don't mind the lack of rain and the culture! :wink:

All the best,

fergus

 

[totsy]

hya cowden and welcome,
i know how u feel, before i joined the forum i had spent just under 4 yrs of being the only type 1 i knew :? now i get all the advice i need, just keep asking questions and visit the chatroom x

 

[Stuboy]

hello!

Yeh it's frustrating isn't it!?
I find forums like this does help the feeling like you're the only one. The chat room is good too.

You can ask us anything you like, vent as much as you like and share experiences as much as you like... all here. No question is a silly one an we all know we need to vent from time to time.

 

[IanD]

Hiya Cowden,

Well, there's always the 13,500 of us on here! And if things get too desperate, nip on over to meet up Edinburgh, as long as you don't mind the lack of rain and the culture! :wink:

All the best,

fergus

And I thought Edinburgh was supposed to be the culture capital, Paris of the north, or something like that :wink:

 

[alaska]

I've been on an info rampage lately :lol:

I think it's new so not got many members on it. I'd join up but I'm on facebook rather than bebo. The blog on it looks interesting.

This place is quite good for more discussion
http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/

There's an awful lot of us T1s out there. It's just finding eachother that can sometimes be like finding a needle in a haystack - excuse the accidental pun!

 

[Paul 2009 Marathon]

HI.
its my first post, so please be nice....
my 6 year old (steven) has been type 1 since he was 3. and through the nurses at our local hosptial have been put in touch with other type1s in the area one of which is only 100 meters down the road, and goes to the same school....my wifes also got to know some type1 adults and adults with type 1 children of different ages so shes got people to chat to and swap advice.
my sons said a few times as you can imagine that its not fair, its understandable really.
we've taken him to a couple of diabetes group meetings one of which was a christmas party up in coventry...there was dozens of children with pumps and loads of other like my son with pens etc. so it was nice for him to see others that also have type 1. (its was a nice evening with magic shows etc.)
.
paul

 

[Stod]

Hi Cowden,

You know we all (the elite type1 group) get these feelings. It is difficult living in a world where most people (and I would include type 2 'diabetics') simply cannot understand what it means to be insulin dependent. I am 50 and have had this condition since I was your age. I can still remember how isolated I felt then. I have to say Cowden that in some ways that feeling will probably never leave you. But don't take that in a bad way - we ARE different! You know, throughout my entire life, in all student & work situations, apart from once, I was the only diabetic. But our numbers are growing...

'Ordinary' people don't know the horror of a bad hypo and what it's like waking up in A&E with a glucose drip in your arm, or how ill you feel after as your sugar rockets. Nor can they understand how every minute of our lives we have to continually calculate / adjust. Or, it must be said, how **** you often feel - even when things are good. My only advice to you as a young person, other than don't let this hold you back is, keep those sugars under control. If you can manage to achieve an HBA1C of 6 or 7 then you are doing ok. I generally am about 6.something and consequently have no eye damage, or peripheral neuropathy, or feet damage or anything.

I know where you are now, because I was there 34 years ago when the net was not even a dream. In those days, when I was you age, I had to handle glass syringes and big metal needles. Disposable stuff didn't appear in Scotland until the early 80s. I'm not raising this in a 'you've got it good' way, because that's not the case. But, we all do have it good because of Banting & Best (Google them) and their marvellous discovery.

I have had a great life and this terrible condition (anyone who says otherwise is lying) has never stopped me from doing what I wanted to do. Chocolate and sweeties are not actually important. If you feel you need support I suggest using this board, because here we type 1s have our own place to discuss our own specific issues.

Always remember, you are not alone. You may be unique in your life but there are lots of us
type 1s.

(I am in Paisley, and lived in Glasgow for many years, so I know where you're coming from)

Stod

 

[sugarybibs]

That was a brilliant story off stod.I agree with everything he said.I am the only type 1 diabetic i know in my 38 years of insulin.Most of my family and friends dont really know about it or understand.But i always think well its my life you only get one be happy enjoy what youve got and do your best in life.Enjoy your job, your holidays,your social life just take that extra care.Of course we all have our off days{thats when i hate everyone whos non-diabetic!!ha!ha!),but i love my life and enjoy it as much as i can.I dont think now after all my years on insulin i would know what to do without injecting my insulin before i ate.!!!!!!

 

[Lfcrab]

I know what you mean its really annoying when i tell people "ive got diabetes" and they tell me about theyre great uncle and when people think its cool to know alot about it its real annoying especially when they think you have a "problem". also its hard to be a diabetic at 13 and not know anyone else who i can talk to about it to apart from my parents so i know what you mean and i hope you meet some other diabetics soon :wink:

 

[Lel]

Hi Cowden,

God i totally know where you're are coming from!!

I'm sick of explaining that I am not diabetic cos i ate to much sugar, I can have chocolate, I do not pass out all the time and I AM NOT THE SAME AS YOUR 90 YR OLD GRANDMA!!! :lol:

glad to get that out lol.

I hate my disease but it's mine and there's nothing I can do about it but I don't think anyone I know really gets it which really bugs me when they say 'you're not allowed that are you?' *slap*.
I like to educate them though, I gave my friend the biggest biology lesson she has ever had, the other day and it totally changed our friendship, she wasnt afraid to ask anymore which is what I think a lot of non-diabetics are like.

Bebo is a good idea my name is Lil_boo_baby if you wanna add me.

*hugs* to all.

xx

 

[yipster29]

God it's nice to realise how many of you are out there type 1 and feel the same!!! No I'm not on tablets and no my diet didn't cause this!! Yes I can have that choc ocassionally but can you hold off the white bread please!!!
You've all made me feel so much better!
Being newly diagnosed I'm still happy to being feeling so much better than I did before diagnosis (blood 31.8 so didn't feel too funky by time got to hospital!) and have kinda accepted the change. But I'm 34 and must be very difficult for those among our merry band who are disgnosed so much younger.
Glad we have each other to rant to!!

 

[**shell**]

Hi
I found out I was diabetic on a holiday in Turkey at the age of 11, and after a bit of drama when we landed I was driven straight to the RVI in Newcastle by ambulance from the airport with a nurse who had came over and met me out there. I then spent a week in hospital over here but wouldnt inject myself and I was in complete denial with what was happening. It wasnt until the hospital invited me on a adventure holiday to the Lakes that i met other T1's and realised I wasnt the only one who had this 'condition'. But not long after this holiday I was back to square one not knowing anyone, except seeing a few faces at clinics, now i dont know anyone but always knew they were out there.
Is there anything like organised holidays at your clinic Cowden because they really help you meet people and an help you feel alot less alone. If there isnt you might be able to suggest something; they are always looking for ways to make our lives easier (even if it means stealing our blood every now and then).
:lol:

Shell
xoxox

 

[kegstore]

Diagnosis is hard on anyone, but particularly tough for one group of individuals - teenagers. Any earlier or later and you just get used to it, but the last thing teenagers want to be told is do this do that eat this don't eat that test now go to clinic stand up sit down no not like that like this etc. I was 14 when diagnosed and the archetypal teenage monster. I sometimes wish I could talk to that person now and explain things (especially consequences) better, and get him involved with other T1s as I think that would have made a real difference. But on the other hand I was such a stroppy youth it would have been a real challenge!

 

[Lilybean]

hello you,

i hope all these posts have helped you. they've helped me. i came on this forum tonight feeling quite low and now i'm smiling and feeling part of a normal but different group of people.

i've been diagnosed 5 months and was 8 weeks pregnant when i was diagnosed with type 1. i feel exactly the same as you and although i'm not a teenager i'm more than happy to chat with you and share feelings and help where i can.

it's good to offload your feelings. don't shut yourself away.

ask your local hopsital if they run any courses for diabetes control. i know mine does and i'm on the waiting list and i'll meet people there who i will be able to keep in touch with and meet up with.

i did meet a girl in the pregnancy diabetes clinic and i've been out with her and about 8 other type 1's and it was the most comforting evening i've ever had. all ages, all ranges of blood sugar control but we're all in the same boat and can help each other.

you're not alone.

look forward to chatting to you!

Lisa