Your Inspiring Experiences Living with Diabetes – Diabetes Week 2022

[Conor.DDM]

Diabetes Week starts on the 13th of June. To celebrate, we want you to get in touch with your own inspiring stories.

It could be anything from how you managed to get your diabetes under control, achieved the weight-loss goal of your dreams, or perhaps you’ve accomplished something else you never thought would be possible.

Nothing is too big or too small. What’s important is the challenge you faced and how you overcame it!

Our favourite submissions will be featured across the Diabetes.co.uk website.

We can’t wait to read about the fantastic things you’ve been up to.

 

[In Response]

I find everyone with Type 1 who can do the job of a human organ all day every day at the same time as living a full life inspirational. It is not considered a success, no weight is lost, there's no accomplishment ... apart from doing two jobs every day without a break. Ever.

 

[zand]

I find everyone with Type 1 who can do the job of a human organ all day every day at the same time as living a full life inspirational. It is not considered a success, no weight is lost, there's no accomplishment ... apart from doing two jobs every day without a break. Ever.

Well, I for one, do consider it a massive achievement. I have every respect for T1s who, unlike T2s, can't ever take their eye off the ball.
Well done to every one of you.

 

[Grant_Vicat]

2nd child to be registered Type 1 under the age of 2 in July 1959. I was 11 months, but have never found out if I was the youngest! Might be a clue in "under2"?!
Medical notes at the time state "Very ill child, pale and cold, slightly cyanosed, with depressed fontanelle. Breath - acidotic"
Almost exactly 7 years later I went into a 5 day coma.
Had my 54th Birthday 4 days after a kidney/pancreas transplant
Wrote a 40,000 word book to thank Addenbrooke's Hospital!
A headteacher said to me "You got a medal for surviving 50 years?" !!
That's enough!
Maybe I haven't answered this correctly. I managed by sticking to a strictly timed and measured carbohdrate diet and taking notice of 95% of medical advice. I owe it to the 95%.

 

[Lamont D]

Living with a condition that the doctors don't understand.
But I do, now!
Thanks to those who helped me so much on this incredible journey!
I am non diabetic!
There are many more that suffer with the same symptoms as diabetic but are not diabetic!
There are more types within the diabetic umbrella than just T1 & T2!

 

[Zhnyaka]

I was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 8. My parents took it very hard, they tried to do something so that I didn't have to inject insulin, but unfortunately, it almost cost me my life. But I had a wonderful doctor. She taught me how to cope with diabetes and always said that I can eat sweets if I want, but I need to correctly calculate the dose of insulin for it, so I learned to multiply and divide very early and generally fell in love with mathematics and now I work as a programmer.
As a teenager, I thought that sport was something obviously not for me, but a few years ago I became interested in boxing and it seems that physical activity has a positive effect on my diabetes. Surprisingly, I rarely have hypos in training, and after training I need less insulin for food.
I noticed that many people are afraid to talk about their diabetes, but I've never had this problem, and now it seems strange to me, because my parents still don't like it if I talk about myself as a diabetic. As a child, it always seemed cool to me that I could give injections, and even now the fact that I can provide medical care is a reason for pride All my friends know that I have diabetes and even know how to help if something happens. And quite recently, when the war broke out and medicines began to disappear from pharmacies, literally every friend of mine who was in another city asked if I needed to buy insulin if this medicine was in the pharmacy, and one guy (he's not even my friend, but a friend of my friend's husband) gave it to me, because someone of his friends had an extra one.
Another little inspiring fact: diabetes taught me English. My maximum was understanding short comics, but when I realized that Michael Bliss's wonderful books were only in English, I was able to read them (looking at every second word in the translator, but I was able to read a thick enough book). hahaha, I hope I didn't make too many mistakes in this text

 

[Grant_Vicat]

I was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 8. My parents took it very hard, they tried to do something so that I didn't have to inject insulin, but unfortunately, it almost cost me my life. But I had a wonderful doctor. She taught me how to cope with diabetes and always said that I can eat sweets if I want, but I need to correctly calculate the dose of insulin for it, so I learned to multiply and divide very early and generally fell in love with mathematics and now I work as a programmer.
As a teenager, I thought that sport was something obviously not for me, but a few years ago I became interested in boxing and it seems that physical activity has a positive effect on my diabetes. Surprisingly, I rarely have hypos in training, and after training I need less insulin for food.
I noticed that many people are afraid to talk about their diabetes, but I've never had this problem, and now it seems strange to me, because my parents still don't like it if I talk about myself as a diabetic. As a child, it always seemed cool to me that I could give injections, and even now the fact that I can provide medical care is a reason for pride All my friends know that I have diabetes and even know how to help if something happens. And quite recently, when the war broke out and medicines began to disappear from pharmacies, literally every friend of mine who was in another city asked if I needed to buy insulin if this medicine was in the pharmacy, and one guy (he's not even my friend, but a friend of my friend's husband) gave it to me, because someone of his friends had an extra one.
Another little inspiring fact: diabetes taught me English. My maximum was understanding short comics, but when I realized that Michael Bliss's wonderful books were only in English, I was able to read them (looking at every second word in the translator, but I was able to read a thick enough book). hahaha, I hope I didn't make too many mistakes in this text

People would never guess that English is not your first language - truly impressive!

 

[johnpol]

Diagnosed at 26yrs old after a Viral infection attacked my Pancreas. Worked in Forestry so a physically demanding job, hypo's galore as I tried to workout this wonderful condition. I've competed in Strongman, Bodybuilding and Powerlifting. Winning British Championships along the way, I've now got, as my Diabetic Consultant says, "Complicated Diabetes as I show Type 2 tendencies alongside my Type 1, only you Mr Pollard!" but I've found that you have to control diabetes and not the other way around, things never go the way that you want, but as long as you keep trying that's the main thing. I've seen big changes in how diabetes is managed in my 26yrs diagnosed, but also some interactions with some terrible doctors who really don't understand this condition. But I'm still here, still plodding along, and still trying, and that is the main thing.

 

[katereiki]

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in at the age of 53 with an HbA1c of 66. I had probably been diabetic for some time, not realising that my tiredness, difficulty losing weight and low immunity were due to the high blood sugar levels. I was offered the usual range of drugs but, being a natural healer, preferred to avoid drugs (with all their potential side effects) if possible. I was given 3 months to see if I could make a change. I followed nutritional advice from a book, found this forum which helped answer some of my questions and took action! 3 months later I had lost a lot of weight, and more importantly several inches around my waist, and my HbA1c was 49 - only just into the diabetic range. So I didn't need to have medication and continued with the healthier diet and lifestyle I had discovered. I felt amazing too: more energy, fewer colds and no flu, clearer thinking and generally enjoying life a whole lot more! I continued to lose weight and my next HbA1c was 40: into the pre-diabetic range.

My HbA1c remained in the pre-diabetic range for several years, until recently when a series of losses, Covid and nursing my mother up to her death with metastatic breast cancer caused a lot of stress. As a resule my HbA1c went up to 51. I was devastated to have slipped back, even though I'd been trying to stay on a low carb diet etc. I was again given 3 months to see if I could bring it back down again before medication was started. I was doubtful this would be possible, being 60 now and post menopausal, but I succeeded! It came down to 47!

My condition has given me a fascination for the complexities of type 2 diabetes, how people are unique individuals and how conventional medicine and media encourages the public to avoid it through guilt and shame, which I don't find helpful. During the lockdowns, I decided to use the time I was unable to do my usual work to train as a nutrition coach. I achieved a diploma in applied nutrition and have now set up my own business specifically to support people with blood sugar to balance. I am passionate about supporting people in a compassionate way to ideally avoid becoming diabetic or if already diagnosed to reverse it like I did.

I also continue to work on my own blood glucose levels to understand further how they can be balanced.

 

[Outlier]

Your experiences will be invaluable in your work with others.

 

[Deleted member 543160]

I have to agree with @In Response & @zand: as fairly well controlled diet only T2 I'm totally in awe of what our fellow T1 diabetics have deal with every day just to keep themselves alive. It certainly puts my daily juggling with carbs squarely in it place.

 

[becca59]

@Zhnyaka Truly inspiring. I love that you’re now working as a programmer as having to learn to do carb/insulin calculations you came to love maths.
Your English is also amazing.

 

[Rachox]

I'm 60 and now 5 years from being diagnosed type 2. I had no suspicion I had type 2, it was discovered on a routine blood test for another health condition. Once I was over the initial shock, I saw it as the proverbial kick up the bum to get healthier. I was started on Metformin tablets and tolerate them well now after a bit of stomach upset in the early days. I wasn't advised to eat low carb by my GP or Diabetes education course, but stumbled on diabetes.co.uk by chance and was advised to take up a low carb life style with self monitoring of my blood sugars. I started by eating less than 100g carbs/day and then after 6 weeks reduced it to 50-70g/day, now for the last three and a half years I stay between 30 - 40g/day. I have used loads of delicious recipes by searching for low carb websites, I’d have never believed that going so low in carbs didn’t mean a rabbit food diet! More recently in the last year I discovered companies that makes delicious low carb cakes, brownies and cookies too, so treats are possible even on low carb diets

I took on the low carb way of eating to control my blood sugars but weight loss has been an added bonus. I have tried various weight loss diets over the years but rarely lost much and never kept it off. On low carb I lost 6 stone and got my HbA1c (blood test for 2-3 month average blood sugar) consistently down to a non diabetic level, all due to the fantastic info and support found on diabetes.co.uk . My general health has improved, I was on two blood pressure meds but after the weight loss I take just one, my arthritic joints have benefited not just from the weight loss but also from the anti inflammatory effect of low carbing and my asthma causes me very little trouble these days.

My diabetes diagnosis really has been a blessing in disguise.

The last two years have been hard for us all, but despite the pandemic, personal bereavements and other health problems, I have still managed to keep my HbA1cs in the 30’s. Self testing, posting my fasting blood sugars and daily menu here on the forum helps me keep accountable.

Edit for typo

 

[Em16]

I'm 60 and now 5 years from being diagnosed type 2. I had no suspicion I had type 2, it was discovered on a routine blood test for another health condition. Once I was over the initial shock, I saw it as the proverbial kick up the bum to get healthier. I was started on Metformin tablets and tolerate them well now after a bit of stomach upset in the early days. I wasn't advised to eat low carb by my GP or Diabetes education course, but stumbled on diabetes.co.uk by chance and was advised to take up a low carb life style with self monitoring of my blood sugars. I started by eating less than 100g carbs/day and then after 6 weeks reduced it to 50-70g/day, now for the last three and a half years I stay between 30 - 40g/day. I have used loads of delicious recipes by searching g for low carb websites, I’d have never believed that going so low in carbs didn’t mean a rabbit food diet! More recently in the last year I discovered companies, a that makes delicious low carb cakes, brownies and cookies too, so treat are possible even on low carb diets

I took on the low carb way of eating to control my blood sugars but weight loss has been an added bonus. I have tried various weight loss diets over the years but rarely lost much and never kept it off. On low carb I lost 6 stone and got my HbA1c (blood test for 2-3 month average blood sugar) consistently down to a non diabetic level, all due to the fantastic info and support found on diabetes.co.uk . My general health has improved, I was on two blood pressure meds but after the weight loss I take just one, my arthritic joints have benefitted not just from the weight loss but also from the anti inflammatory effect of low carbing and my asthma causes me very little trouble these days.

My diabetes diagnosis really has been a blessing in disguise.

The last two years have been hard for us all, but despite the pandemic, personal bereavements and other health problems, I have still managed to keep my HbA1cs in the 30’s. Self testing, posting my fasting blood sugars and daily menu here on the forum helps me keep accountable.

Hi Rachox, that is a fantastic, sustained achievement - inspiring and lovely to read!!! Congratulations!!!

I wanted to post emojis too...but I can't find them??!!!!

 

[Antje77]

Hi Rachox, that is a fantastic, sustained achievement - inspiring and lovely to read!!! Congratulations!!!

I wanted to post emojis too...but I can't find them??!!!!

Here they are!