Struggling with my diabetes.

[alishaaa]

Hi,
i've been diabetic for 8years now since i was 9 and i have coped well with it up to recently, im finding it very difficult to cope with doing all the fingerpricks and with my pump, feeling like i want to give up doing them completely but no-one my age understands as they dont have it?
anyone else feel like this sometimes?

 

[Hebe]

Hiya
I know what you mean! I've also got a pump and it's not what you'd call good atm .I find that friends ect can be like "why don't you just test" but it's not that simple
Hebe

 

[alishaaa]

yeah excatly! mines not good at the moment i go through stages but no-one seems to understand its harder than they think, telling someone to just test is easier than if you are upset and struggling people are like your being ridiciolous but its just hard to cope as nothing seems to be going right
Alisha

 

[Hebe]

Yh exactly but I spose they can't understand as they don't live with it 24/7

 

[Jessicahib]

I also get what u mean as my mum always mones when I don't inject in my stomach as I only use my leg

 

[donnellysdogs]

I also get what u mean as my mum always mones when I don't inject in my stomach as I only use my leg

Much older than you,, but I injected in my bum cheeks for nigh on 28 years before putting pump cannulas in them... I size 10 so not huge. I cannot inject in stomach or put cannulas in there either... Rarely have, and never will with cannulas....

Ask ur mum to just put a needle in every time for a day to her stomach and to just realise what it feels like... Tell het that it is you injecting not her...and politely ask her to back off...

When I have used other sites (rarely).. Legs were my preferred sites..

 

[jack412]

Here's my Grandpar lecture..

your mum's had the easy pre-puberty years, from what I've read on the forum and as you know. your BG goes stupid when the hormones hit and nothing seems to work. what was ok last week, doesn't work this week.
also the meter is just a number to help you adjust your insulin, there is no pass fail, if your happy/sad feelings hangs on a meter number. it will end in tears, who in their right mind wants to self-judge 10 times a day?

just take it one test at a time and one meal at a time. work out your current I:C, CF and do a basal check now and then

Ask to go on a course or if you've been...as a refresher there is an online course and workbooks and of course the anonymous diabetic careline, to help with stuff.

There is an online course for background and an idea to it. Free to register
http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

This set of workbooks are worth reading and practising working examples of carbs and doses and corrections. Don't change dose without nurse approval
Workbook 1
http://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications/9225 Carbohydrate Counting.pdf

Workbook 2, 100 rule, I:C CF etc.
http://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications/9226 Carbohydrate Counting the Next Steps.pdf

Carb list
http://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications/9227 Carbohydrate Tables A6.pdf

Diary
http://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications/9228 Free Diary Portrait A4.pdf

Basal testing
http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=120

Sick day rules
http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=141
http://www.diabetes-healthnet.ac.uk...flet_-_Sick_Day_Rules_for_Type_1_-_Nov_13.pdf

Sick day rules flowchart
http://www.leicestershirediabetes.org.uk/uploads//documents/Type1 Sick_day_rules_InsulinV3.pdf

for your nurse, Splitting background insulin recommended
http://www.dafne.uk.com/uploads/223/documents/PU04.009, Version 1 - September 2013 - Insulin statement.pdf

for your mum
http://behavioraldiabetesinstitute.org/print-preview/BDITeenEtiquette.pdf

for you
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Teens/Help-and-support/We-can-help/Careline/

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/careline

 

[Lily06]

Hiya
I know what you mean! I've also got a pump and it's not what you'd call good atm .I find that friends ect can be like "why don't you just test" but it's not that simple
Hebe

Hi a pump is the best thing that has happened to u not the worst!
Need any information text me or I can tell u now

 

[Woollyfuller]

Slightly related - if you have trouble injecting needles into any part of your body - I know I did, to the point where I refused point blank to do it! - Ask your doctor / consultants about the Insujet Pen, this is a pump pen that fires the insulin through your skin with no needle! Hurts a lot less and leaves hardly any marks..

see: http://insujet.com/

I was told hardly anyone had this device - I was the second person to have one in my catchment area!! But, I will say they are brilliant and a million times easier to use than needles and it is a crime not many of us have them..

 

[tim2000s]

I know why no-one is given it. The cost of the device and consumables is significantly higher than pens and needles....

 

[Woollyfuller]

Yes - I was told they are more expensive hence why they aren't offered that much, but having researched it they aren't stupidly expensive.. But this shouldn't stop you asking for one! I have 2 one for the fast and another for the slow.. I cannot see why anyone would continue with needles, for me they were painful nasty little things! The Jet pen is so much easier and much more comfortable to use!

Anyway - I hope some of you read this and ask about them!

 

[tim2000s]

Yes - I was told they are more expensive hence why they aren't offered that much, but having researched it they aren't stupidly expensive.. But this shouldn't stop you asking for one! I have 2 one for the fast and another for the slow.. I cannot see why anyone would continue with needles, for me they were painful nasty little things! The Jet pen is so much easier and much more comfortable to use!

Anyway - I hope some of you read this and ask about them!

@Woollyfuller Agreed that they aren't stupidly expensive, but they are 4x the upfront cost of a pen (to retail). The consumables for me would probably be no dearer so it might be worth me asking for it!

Having spoken to the lady on the phone, it certainly sounds like it does less damage to the skin and subcutaneous layer. What's your experience been?

 

[Woollyfuller]

Tim2000s - There isn't too much to say really other than they hurt less and leave less marks on your body. Some say they can be harder to get an exact dose in but I seem to have tight control of my bloods so I'm not struggling there (you do need to over compensate on smaller dosages, but you learn this quickly)..
Sometimes you get a slightly more painful shot than usual, but this is probably because I hit nerve endings or something.. That said even at its worst it is still less painful than the needles and you don't need to hold it there for 10seconds which seriously helps reduce the discomfort and scarring.

I assume you are UK based so the NHS won't charge you for it, mine were completely free on prescription. I just made it clear the needles were a problem and the hospital did the rest - I didn't have to ask or push to get them.

Seriously - I think they are very good and more people who have them the better.

 

[tim2000s]

Tim2000s - There isn't too much to say really other than they hurt less and leave less marks on your body. Some say they can be harder to get an exact dose in but I seem to have tight control of my bloods so I'm not struggling there (you do need to over compensate on smaller dosages, but you learn this quickly)..
Sometimes you get a slightly more painful shot than usual, but this is probably because I hit nerve endings or something.. That said even at its worst it is still less painful than the needles and you don't need to hold it there for 10seconds which seriously helps reduce the discomfort and scarring.

I assume you are UK based so the NHS won't charge you for it, mine were completely free on prescription. I just made it clear the needles were a problem and the hospital did the rest - I didn't have to ask or push to get them.

Seriously - I think they are very good and more people who have them the better.

Thanks for the update. Will add this to the discussion at the clinic next week.