Type 1 diabetes

[EllieM]

By the way, people have said that it's easier now, they have also said that it was easier years ago when you weren't testing a dozen times a day and worrying about it constantly. Back then they probably had worse control, but people have told it both ways.

Well, it was easier then in the sense that you didn't do all the testing, but unfortunately that went with increased complications and shortened lifespans. And T1 pregnancies with no blood testing were definitely no walk in the park.... (My mum had 3 pregnancies in late 1950s/early 60s, all with planned Caesarians and general anaesthetics at a London teaching hospital. First was stillborn, second was OK, third was weeks in intensive care with breathing issues. That was me, and I'm OK now, but that was the experience that put them off having any more!)

 

[kev-w]

1984 aged 17, some ups, downs, successes and failures

Easier then or now? There's more support now and insulin doesn't seem as harsh but it can still be a draining illness when it wants to be, I've lived longer than I was told I was likely to back then, and for my first 10 diabetic years didn't expect to reach the age of 50 so I've no complaints. Well that's a lie but it could be worse, I've come across some stupid people over the years and there's no treatment for stupidity....

 

[Robinredbreast]

Diagnosed in 1989, aged 31, a couple of hundred of miles away from home ,North Tees general hospital and my two children were with their father and his 'girlfriend' in a caravan, my Ex had left the same year. So, it will be my 30 year anniversary next year. Hope you are all doing okay

 

[Fairygodmother]

[QUOTE="NoKindOfSusie, post: 1736233,

By the way, people have said that it's easier now, they have also said that it was easier years ago when you weren't testing a dozen times a day and worrying about it constantly. Back then they probably had worse control, but people have told it both ways.[/QUOTE]

 

[Fairygodmother]

It was psychologically easier before so much testing and so many targets, and I think that T1’s not the only area that’s found that to be so, but it was also harder, as @EllieM says, to maintain control, sometimes with unhappy outcomes. So yes, it worked both ways.

 

[NoKindOfSusie]

That was me, and I'm OK now, but that was the experience that put them off having any more!)

Well I hate to say it but you're not really "ok" are you.

 

[isjoberg]

Diagnosed as a 1 year old in 1997! Parents had a fun time with a newborn and a new diabetic that year ! I've not known life not being diabetic which I think has made it maybe a little easier for me (although that is not to say I haven't had my ups and downs....). If you feel like you are struggling keep two things in mind: first, your bg results are just a number that you need to react to and not a judgment on who you are as a person (sometimes your bg will just be haywire for no discernible reason no matter how hard you try and you just have to accept that) and secondly, allow yourself to have your down days - even if you weren't diabetic you'd still have good and bad days!

 

[Fairygodmother]

Well I hate to say it but you're not really "ok" are you.

Happy Monday Morning @NoKindOfSusie.

 

[porl69]

`1st April 1972 at the tender age of 6
Yeah T1D is hard BUT you just have to get on with life and not let it beat you

 

[selfie_king1990]

Thank you all for your comments, I really appreciate all of your support. I'm sure it will get easier in time x

 

[NoKindOfSusie]

I've not known life not being diabetic

You have my envy.

 

[Dodo]

When were you diagnosed? JustxJust out of interest. I was diagnosed in May 2017. x

October 1966. When England won the World Cup (not that I was interested at the age of 12).

 

[Madmaureen]

So many memories from gillkin oh yes things are a hundred times better these days such hardship then.
It is manageable too and it wont go away but it will never beat me..
Type 1 48 yrs !

 

[Tony337]

Just before easter 1974.
I was aged just 6 and I remember not being able to eat easter eggs which left me very disappointed indeed.
These things are important to an unenlightened 6 year old.
44 years on and a lot of easter eggs have passed me by...................

Tony

 

[jlarsson]

Diagnosed aged 14 in 2004 a couple of weeks before my 15th birthday if I remember my own timeline correctly. At the time I knew basically nothing and I remember crying thinking I could never have sugary stuff again. Being a lazy and generally miserable ******* I've never even today really had any control over it in terms of following a diet or doing loads of finger pricking etc, though it's got better since getting a Libre last year.
Impossible to tell really but I wonder how I would've turned out without it in terms of education and such as it has undoubtedly affected studies and work ethic, I've had huge problems getting work done over the years due to all of a sudden just not feeling any motivation, turning down invitations and so on.

 

[**shell**]

May 1999 for me. Age 11. The week after my year 6 SATs on holiday in Marmaris, Turkey.
More importantly I received my first 'stupid' comment less than two months later when someone said "my dad said you have it because you eat too much sugar." Granted we were 11 but goes to show ignorance hasn't changed. X

 

[jlarsson]

May 1999 for me. Age 11. The week after my year 6 SATs on holiday in Marmaris, Turkey.
More importantly I received my first 'stupid' comment less than two months later when someone said "my dad said you have it because you eat too much sugar." Granted we were 11 but goes to show ignorance hasn't changed. X

I was asked at school a few weeks after being back whether I would die if I had a can of coke.

 

[Bluey1]

I'm okay you? I still struggle everyday. The thing is people who don't have diabetes don't really understand what I go through daily. x

Your still a noob, you eventually get into a routine and for periods of time it won't bother you, then all of a sudden out of the blue - it gives you a good kick, this can by physical, psychological or both. It took me over a year for me to settle down, May is my 12th anniversary of diagnosis. That is where this forum is so important, when you are down, there are many really good people here who will give you a hand and lift you back up. The medical profession preaches it, we live it. I must be a pretty dumb person as I have a sweet tooth and it has taken years for me to finally learn that having a generous portion of a sweet = that horrible high sick feeling. Now walking past a cake shop is my Beethoven's 9th, you will need to watch "A Clockwork Orange" to get that analogy, I'm still silly enough to give it the occasional try it with always the same result. Rice has the same effect / result. We are so lucky though, there are many more diseases / illnesses out there that are so much worse, I think MND would be the worst with many cancers in hot pursuit and the list keeps going.

Just don't let D take over your life, you will need to make small adjustments, but with a few rare exceptions you will eventually find a drive like you never had before as if you can conquer D you can conquer anything and it's a big world out there with plenty of challenges just waiting for you to grab.

 

[NoKindOfSusie]

MND would be the worst with many cancers in hot pursuit and the list keeps going.

I think it is very very weird when people say this sort of thing.

Being set on fire is worse than having one of your fingers cut off, I still don't want my fingers cut off. And er, you can't "conquer" it, it wins always. Like someone said, the best you can get is a lot of no score draws until finally it catches up with you.

 

[NicoleC1971]

Oh so a long time then? How do you manage?

How do I manage? How are you managing?! Well until 2003 (first baby) I did not take it seriously because in spite of diabetes I had that immortality complex thing. Kudos to you for being on here and being anxious/curious/switched on enough to want to find out more....Do not believe all you read here nor what doctors/consultants say without some healthy scepticism though.
I veer between some days of despair/guilt/anger due to the fact I cannot achieve normal blood sugars and don't think I ever will not even if I devote my time to studying all my diab data and become a pro at it , but more days of dong 'well enough' by eating very low carb and fine tuning my pump as best I can. We can't know what lives we might have lived if not diagnosed with this and there are some bright spots that I hope you will also find.