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Type 1 Diabetes, a 2 Year Battle!

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greyhoundjoe

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3
Hello!
I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes whn I was 14, and spent my 15th birthday in the hospital. I'm now 17. No one in my family has diabetes, and I contracted it with having glandular fever and swine flu. 2 Years later diabetes came along. I had a terrible diabetic nurse who constantly pestered and humiliated me, which made me stop taking my insulin and having my blood tested every 3 months and it coming back as 13+, which is an average sugar of 20+. She made me feel terrible about myself and I have been batteling it ever since. I hate doing looking after it as I get embaressed, and I get upset if people go on about it to me. I think I have despression, as alot of the time I dont care. I was hiding it away from my family and friends that I wasnt taking insulin and started lying about it for months. Even repeated hospital stays and months off school I still lied. I walked out of my child diabetic clinic and joined the adult one, where I met an amazing diabetic nurse who listened and helped me. She gave me new needles from America where Im the only one in Cornwall who has them! I was using the Novofine needles with a penmate but it was worse for me as it hurt. I have a massive fear of needles and freak out and have hypo's when I go for blood tests or canulars for hospital. I'm constantly suffering with infections but it still doesn't encourage me to take care of it. My family have had enough and have given up on me slightly, my boyfriend is trying hard but we fall out over it constantly. Taking care of it has been a whole ot worse since I was told I have to go for a bowel cancer investigation appointment in February, and I think "Why me" "Why is it always me, why cant I have a break for once". Sorry for the long post, I just don't know what to do anymore. I asked to try out an insulin pump as it will help me an awful lot but they said no, Any help PLEASE!?!?!?!?!? Thanks!
 
Hi there,

You are young and I imagine it must be alot to deal with at such a young age. I was diagnosed 2 months ago at the age of 27 and initially I thought this was got to be a real struggle. But I quickly learnt through reading these forums, discussing with my DSN and consultant that it shouldn't and doesn't need to change my life. Yes I have to do a few extra things in the day but in general nothing has changed and over the past few weeks I haven't even noticed it really.

I think you need to come to terms with it yourself, you have the support there just try and understand this doesn't need to make you depressed, you can enjoy a long and happy life just like everyone else but firstly accept it. You have lots of support around you who want to help you but you need to try and not push them away but they also need to understand that this is something you have to deal with yourself first before you can really let anyone in.

Injecting yourself I can't comment on too much because it doesn't really affect me, but where do you inject yourself and how do you do it. Before a week ago I was injecting straight into my stomach which sometimes stung, but I now have learnt that if I pinch the skin out then insert the needle i don't feel anything. Also I believe the thigh, and bum are good places to inject because they are the most fleshy part. I don't think they will let you have a pump until you can prove that you want to control it yourself.

I know it is hard but stay strong, and just remember this doesn't have to change you or your life and the sooner you accept this the sooner you can start getting on and enjoying your life with your boyfriend and your family.

Thanks
Steven
 
Hello Greyhoundjoe!

Firstly let me say that although it can all seem bleak at times you can get your diabetes under control. Like you I was diagnosed in my teens and had a hard time accepting the fact that I had this life changing condition.. I did not look after myself properly and had a couple of trips to hospital.

The good news is that by coming on here you have admitted that you have a problem and that's the first step to resolving it. Unfortunately I can't give you any wonder cures or quick fixes as there is no silver bullet... good control is down to you and you alone.. you need to take control of the diabetes before you develop complications or worse..

The next piece of good news is that taking control although it may seem really daunting can be achieved in a few simple steps and if you undertake these even 80% of the time you will see a massive improvement in your blood sugars..

When I needed to take control I done the following:

1. I started to test... testing hurts, its not pleasant and none of us like it but it is essential if you are to take control. At a minimum test before a meal and two hours post meal..

2. Keep a record... Keeping a record of your tests and injections and carbs is not just to please the diabetic clinic or your GP... without it you can't see patterns and control your diabetes.. Make a note of all your blood readings.. the carbs you eat... the insulin you inject.. If your out an about and don't want to look odd writing things down do what I do take a quick look and then shove the packets in your bag for recording later. After only a few days I bet you will see trends in your sugars i.e. high at certain times or 2 hour post meals are high etc... you can then start to act on this..

3. Go on a carb counting course (or learn about it yourself!) I have never been on one.. I just measure the carbs from the packets and then I worked out my ratio's.. starting at 1 unit of rapid per 10g of carbs until I figured out what I needed..

Start by making small adjustments and work up to bigger changes and it wont feel so daunting..

Reference the pump... ironically to use a pump correctly you need to be able to count carbs and calculate insulin.. I suspect the hospital don't believe you have the commitment to do this (be that fair or not!).. so perhaps by starting your recording (say in a spreadsheet or what have you).. then next time you go you can demonstrate that you are trying to take control.. I suspect maybe they will be more receptive then..

At the end of the day the management of your diabetes is down to you.. people can try and help but it's something you need to get to grips with.. this forum is here to help you do that.. so please if you have questions / queries then do ask!

Good Luck
 
Hiya,
take a deep breth and breath. :wink: Many diabetics have been in the same situation and like you are going to do is turn it all around.
Take one day at a time, having a bad day? there's always tomorrow which will be better.
Remember also that your blood sugar results are just numbers to be corrected up or down or left the same with no intervention needed. Start afresh with testing and write all your numbers down and your insulin amounts. This way your correct dosage can be worked out easier. Your needle fear, have you a guard/shield to hide the needle? If not ask for one. Do you use the numbing cream as well? Many people use it and say it works very well.
Feeling depressed would be due to your high blood sugars. Once you have them down then you will feel better in yourself as well.
Being needle phobic does entitle you to a pump, but only if you look after yourself. If you wont or can't carb count or do your injections as you are suposed to then no you can not have a pump. This is due to having to be very dedicated to testing and adjusting your levels. DKA can come on very quickly when using a pump incorrectly.
Cornwall is well renowned for not dishing out pumps so you do have to fight hard for one. As things stand though you stand no chance. But once you have things sorted as in testing and injecting and carb counting then fight for it. I am happy to help as took on the PCT for my pump funding :evil:

Where abouts are you in Cornwall?
 
carbsrok...
gud for u that u have sorted things out i have no problems with injecting nor any fear of neddles as in covered in tattoos before i started taken insulin i was on metiformin and diet i dropped to about 12 stone from 13.5 stone a started the insulin in my 2011 and im about 14 stone my problem is blood sugars will no stableise i ran a full marathon just before i started insulin im due to satrt trianning again but my energy levels just dont hold out i was a fit person this time last year and going to start a no carbs diet plan as from monday any tips :think:
 
JACKIEC123 said:
carbsrok...
gud for u that u have sorted things out i have no problems with injecting nor any fear of neddles as in covered in tattoos before i started taken insulin i was on metiformin and diet i dropped to about 12 stone from 13.5 stone a started the insulin in my 2011 and im about 14 stone my problem is blood sugars will no stableise i ran a full marathon just before i started insulin im due to satrt trianning again but my energy levels just dont hold out i was a fit person this time last year and going to start a no carbs diet plan as from monday any tips :think:
Click to expand...

Hi Jackie,
I think either (more than likely) I didn't write my post to well or you misunderstood it.
I've never had problems with injecting or needles.

As you blood sugars are so unstable do you honestly think it's a wise thing to start running before you can walk? :crazy:
You need to sort out your basal insulin first then sort out your carb ratio.
There are a couple of good books available from Amazon, called using insulin and think like a pancreas, which will help you understand how to control your diabetes.
There's also a good web site called run sweet which you can google.
 
Hi guys,
Thanks for getting back to me,

Firstly: snapper84, I inject in my belly, leg and "Love handles" but I developed a fear and only did it in my stomach, causing a build up and a sagging stomach. :/ Joy...

Secondly: Pneu, that was really helpfull, I really want to get on top of it, its just that initial push, and as soon as I get a high blood, I think "Here we go again". Also, in regards to the pump, I would take a huge amount of care with my blood testing and carb counting as I know it would help me, at the moment I hate injections and dont see the point!

Lastly: CarbsRok, I have an american needle called BD AutoSheild and im the onlyone in Cornwall using them apparently, they re amazing, you use a normal Novopen, and screw the needle on, push slightly and it goes in without being seen, however I hesitate knowing its going to hurt and freak out, I feel like a complete baby having to be looked after. GRRRR! I get embaressed when people know about it. As I said above I would look after everything so much if I had a pump. I did sugars 6-7 times a day when my sugars were normal, but when I repeatedly got sick over and over, missed 2 years of GCSE's and 11 visits to the hospital, I gave up. I kept daily record sheets, and food diary's and taught mysef carb counting as that information never came to light untill I googled it, as Cornwall are 5 years behind the rest of the country (at least thats what a consultant from up country said) and sometimes I think we are 5000 years behind. Oh and I live Near Falmouth, Many thanks for your replies, any other help would be really appreciated. Any info on pumps would be good too!

Thanks
 
Just a quick thing about your needle phobia, have you tried holding an ice cube to the skin for a few seconds before injecting, this numbs the skin and should stop you feeling anything?

Steven
 
Joe,

I don't have the same issue with the injections as you do.. I didn't particularly like them at the start but then I think you would have to be odd in the head to like sticking needles into yourself!!

The problem with diabetes is that it is a silent killer.. if every time you had high blood sugar you had agonising pain or lost feelings in your hands or feet or what have you then it would be 100 times easier to get motived because hell the needles aren't nice but they are better than the alternative.. Unfortunately diabetes doesn't give us these warnings straight away and it can take many years for the problems to develop but they are developing like it or not.. I don't want to come across as harsh! or being horrid on purpose but the bottom line is that anyone with poor control is killing themselves.. that's the black and the white of it..

Hopefully by posting on here you have turned a corner and can find your motivation.. for some diabetics this comes easy for others we need a kick up the backside.. as I said before mine was a not so particularly nice stay in hospital and now later in life I have my partner and daughter that motivate me to keep well controlled.. you need to find your motivation.. you can and you will have a long and normal life... you can do anything that a normal person can do but you need to take control of your situation.

You need to sit down with your family and develop a plan.. the target being your long term goal of getting a pump.. you need to put together a structure that you can follow in regards to testing and injecting and recording.. and you need to share this daily with your family.. explain to them how you feel what you want to achieve and ask for their help.. at the end of the day your family love you and will support you but I suspect they are feeling as lost and out of control as you are.
 
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