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What's the worst experience you have experienced with type 1???

tomvonc said:
I had a nurse bring me a tub of ice cubes and a stick. To make little lollies if you like. I put the tub under my armpit until the ice melted. I was that desperate for a drink!

Tom
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I wouldn't have the patience to wait for it to melt back then!
 
When I was first diagnosed in 1986, my consultant told me that I could take insulin, or not; follow a diet, or not; eat chocolate or not; it wouldn't matter as I would be dead within 2 years! I was 13 at the time and scared out of my mind.


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Dougal said:
When I was first diagnosed in 1986, my consultant told me that I could take insulin, or not; follow a diet, or not; eat chocolate or not; it wouldn't matter as I would be dead within 2 years! I was 13 at the time and scared out of my mind.


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Please tell me you are joking? What an awful thing to tell a child!

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Unfortunately it is 100% true! He told me that there was nothing that he or I could do to control Diabetes, that I must have done something truly awful to be burdened with this, but at least I wouldn't have to suffer for too long.

It sent me into a severe depression, which I am still fighting today. I have proved him wrong, however, 28 years later I am still here with excellent BG control and only one tiny spot of background retinopathy to deal with.


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He also told me that I should accept the insulin, as it would make something exciting to show my school friends! I hope that he was prevented from practicing medicine shortly after. Sorry.


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Dougal said:
When I was first diagnosed in 1986, my consultant told me that I could take insulin, or not; follow a diet, or not; eat chocolate or not; it wouldn't matter as I would be dead within 2 years! I was 13 at the time and scared out of my mind.


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This sounds unreal! I hope it is unreal and that your consultant didn't actually say this to you, or that he/she has since been struck off!
 
Dougal said:
When I was first diagnosed in 1986, my consultant told me that I could take insulin, or not; follow a diet, or not; eat chocolate or not; it wouldn't matter as I would be dead within 2 years! I was 13 at the time and scared out of my mind.


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What a d!ck! I was diagnosed same year as you. Thankfully with a much more supportive team.
 
Hooked said:
What a d!ck! I was diagnosed same year as you. Thankfully with a much more supportive team.
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So glad you had I supportive team! I often sit, sob and wish that I had been in a position like yours. I have a fantastic team now, however, and I'm doing really well. It's just that every now and again I sink into extreme depression and find it difficult to see anything positive.

I am so glad I found this forum, I draw great support and advice from all of you. Although quite often I find myself biting my tongue so I don't jump in and depress everyone with my story.


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I was taken to a ward where people had amputations... And told I would get complications. It put the fear of god in to me.

That did affect me, i saw people getting awards with living with diabetes for 25 years and in my brain I then thought I would never get to 50.

Well, I am now 50 and I still don't actually think I will get to 51...but I go all out nowadays to try and change those thoughts because I havent got any complications at 30 years T1 and I'm still healthy.

Its nice to be able to prove people wrong. Be proud Dougal that you out did your 2 year life, and try and think that D is an illness but not a life sentence of doom and gloom. Having D does not make you any less of a person.


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Dougal said:
So glad you had I supportive team! I often sit, sob and wish that I had been in a position like yours. I have a fantastic team now, however, and I'm doing really well. It's just that every now and again I sink into extreme depression and find it difficult to see anything positive.

I am so glad I found this forum, I draw great support and advice from all of you. Although quite often I find myself biting my tongue so I don't jump in and depress everyone with my story.


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There's maybe no need to keep quiet for fear of depressing people. After all, what happened to you could happen to anyone: any one of us could come across a doctor or HCP who says the wrong thing - they're fallible like the rest of us - and we need to be wary and consider carefully what we're told by them. A young person, though, can't see this as easily as an adult can. You were only 13 and you've done so well to deal with that negative (understatement!) message from your consultant. I think I can understand what you're saying though. A lot of stuff:- deep-seated wounds and worries connected to diabetes - remains unsaid. A stiff upper lip, being 100% positive at all times, this is a kind of unwritten law.

I was 29 when diagnosed type 1 and already a mum, but I still felt vulnerable. I've met only kindness and high professional standards from the various teams that have treated me over 30 years. That's probably the case for the majority of us with diabetes, but that doesn't mean that we can't empathise with you and others who have had a bad deal at times. A forum like this provides a place to be heard.
 
Dougal said:
It's just that every now and again I sink into extreme depression and find it difficult to see anything positive.

I am so glad I found this forum, I draw great support and advice from all of you. Although quite often I find myself biting my tongue so I don't jump in and depress everyone with my story.
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Dougal, I am horrified about your story. That doctor should not be practising. - But again, there will be some doctors who have graduated at the very bottom of their class - and we do not know who they are, sadly ...

On another note, if you now have a doctor your are confident about, I think it is time you talk to him about your depression. (Have been there myself) - and a genuine depression should not be taken lightly.

annelise
 
Annelise, thank you for your concern. I have spoken to loads of medical professionals about my depression and now have several wonderful teams who support me in every way.

But, like everyone, I have some bad days.


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Dougal said:
When I was first diagnosed in 1986, my consultant told me that I could take insulin, or not; follow a diet, or not; eat chocolate or not; it wouldn't matter as I would be dead within 2 years! I was 13 at the time and scared out of my mind.
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At 13 years old you would have been accompanied by a parent or other family member, what did they say when the consultant said this? It's a horrible thing to say and totally unnecessary :(
 
noblehead said:
At 13 years old you would have been accompanied by a parent or other family member, what did they say when the consultant said this? It's a horrible thing to say and totally unnecessary :(
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At 39 years old, yet alone 13, I'd be horrified and scared if a doctor was so insensitive to me!

Tom
 
noblehead said:
At 13 years old you would have been accompanied by a parent or other family member, what did they say when the consultant said this? It's a horrible thing to say and totally unnecessary :(
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Noblehead, when I was diagnosed I was in hospital for 3 weeks. The consultant usually came around during the day and my family visited in the evening. When he telephoned my folks, he told them exactly the same thing. We didn't know anyone else who was Diabetic, apart from my paternal grandfather who was diagnosed about 8 months before he died of a heart attack. For all we knew, he could be right!

When I spoke to the nurses, they always said "you have to listen to the doctor, he knows what he is talking about!" My GP said that he had very little knowledge of Diabetes and that the consultant was the one who knew what he was talking about. My breakthrough came when my Mum met a woman who had a T2 diabetic friend living in the UK, who, when he heard about me, subscribed to Balance magazine for me. The first copy arrived shortly after my 15th birthday, and I was amazed.

I have just realised that I never mentioned that this happened in South Africa! Apologies! I live in the UK now.

My mother is still of the opinion that one should never question professionals! I think that they are just like me and put their trousers on one leg at a time! I question everything and everyone until I am satisfied that I have all the information that I need.


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Thanks for the explanation Dougal. Regardless of whether it was said in South Africa it was still an awful thing to say to a young child and their family, so pleased you've proved them wrong :)
 
I suffered from anorexia in my twenties and went to an eating disorders clinic for some"help". The psychologist on my first appointment gave me a blank sheet of paper and pen and asked me to write a list of all the diabetes related complications I could think of. When I had finished he numbered them and said that I had missed one off - death. He then asked me how far down the list I wanted to get. His approach did absolutely nothing to help apart from completely terrifying me, I can still hear him saying this to me and picture his face 25 years on.
 
In 16 years the only thing has been a hypo which I did not feel coming on and I ended up fitting and crashing out on the office floor in work. Came round some 15 mins later with paramedic by my side and very worried friends and colleagues. Totally scary and I've been terrified of hypos ever since.
 
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