Just venting but crikey has it just hit me

[dannybgoode]

I know this is entirely normal and feel free to ignore however I have a tendency to bottle stuff to and writing stuff semi anonymously on forums of is a good release for me.

I'm sure Luke most people my diagnosis has come completely out of the blue. Was even running a marathon end of September so otherwise fit and well and then on Friday bam.

Think it's delayed shock, there was just so much to take in in Friday. Hats off to the DSN who saw me. She really did go through everything someone with a new diagnosis needs to know. Not only the whole how to inject insulin and the blood monitoring but telling work, covered off the DVLA, a bit about travelling, basic starter diet advice etc.

However after 2 hours my brain was ready to explode!

It's now hit me just what the diagnosis means. I know I don't have to stop doing so the stuff I enjoy but the whole management of the condition is pretty daunting right now.

Got to go through everything with work tomorrow too. My boss is brilliant and they already know about the diagnosis but I know they'll fret about things like hypos. Only out of concern for me but it makes it a little more challenging for me.

As I say, just venting. I'll be reyt in a few days and will feel better once I've had my follow up appts and I know for sure whether it's T1 or T2 etc.

For now I'm treating myself to a nice bath and then a shave with one of my favourite straight razors (straight razors and making them impossibly sharp is one of my hobbies). Hopefully that'll bring me round a bit. Can't beat shaving therapy 🙂

 

[Tdm]

You missed an excellent opportunty to pick a sweeny todd related boardname.

I think the right way to deal with it is your way.

I kinda knew it was diabetes, but still cried in the surgery when they said it was, then sent to a&e to check i wouldn't die...i fed the cats, cos priorities, then found no taxis ( friday eve) so walked to hospital with my high blood sugars, kept in-waiting room til early hours, pretty much the last they dealt with, then walked back again. Worked sat.
Couple of weeks on glycocide and metformin. Then i got my diagnosis, was put on insulin, and the fun began. Took a couple of weeks off work cos i felt bad. Got cgm which was good, took control of my dose after about a month, and then control got so much better.
Took ages to be able to do a decent length walk without plummetting. Did low carb for a bit, before realising i could get just as good control normal carb. Plus, bread, and cake. A chronic condition is bad enough, you need the occasional cake for morale

It takes time. You get used to it.

And it does get better.

How you feel, however that is, is valid

 

[pjgtech]

Hi mate and welcome, yes, its a lot to take in, So give yourself some time and space to absorb it all, if you can.
Lots of people on here with real world experience of living with T1 and T2 and other diabetes types, so feel free to ask away any questions you have, and someone will be along to give you answers, cheers

 

[Satan’s little helper]

I know this is entirely normal and feel free to ignore however I have a tendency to bottle stuff to and writing stuff semi anonymously on forums of is a good release for me.

I'm sure Luke most people my diagnosis has come completely out of the blue. Was even running a marathon end of September so otherwise fit and well and then on Friday bam.

Think it's delayed shock, there was just so much to take in in Friday. Hats off to the DSN who saw me. She really did go through everything someone with a new diagnosis needs to know. Not only the whole how to inject insulin and the blood monitoring but telling work, covered off the DVLA, a bit about travelling, basic starter diet advice etc.

However after 2 hours my brain was ready to explode!

It's now hit me just what the diagnosis means. I know I don't have to stop doing so the stuff I enjoy but the whole management of the condition is pretty daunting right now.

Got to go through everything with work tomorrow too. My boss is brilliant and they already know about the diagnosis but I know they'll fret about things like hypos. Only out of concern for me but it makes it a little more challenging for me.

As I say, just venting. I'll be reyt in a few days and will feel better once I've had my follow up appts and I know for sure whether it's T1 or T2 etc.

For now I'm treating myself to a nice bath and then a shave with one of my favourite straight razors (straight razors and making them impossibly sharp is one of my hobbies). Hopefully that'll bring me round a bit. Can't beat shaving therapy 🙂

Hello & welcome. You can never hurry a good shave. & the blade can never be sharp enough. Loads to take in. I’ll leave that at your pace. Good will to you.

 

[dannybgoode]

Hello & welcome. You can never hurry a good shave. & the blade can never be sharp enough. Loads to take in. I’ll leave that at your pace. Good will to you.

Absolutely. I've been under the wing of a master honer these last few months learning how to do it really properly 🙂

And the shave has helped...

 

[mashedupmatt]

It's ok to vent every now and again, and I know from my own experience that is is a very difficult time, so soon after diagnosis - there is SO much to take in and learn - there will be times you think you've sussed it before the fickle nature of Diabetes throws in a curveball - if it is a T1 diagnosis you will be in the (dreadfully called) "Honeymoon Period" which also throws in its own challenges (Don't know if that has been mentioned to you?) - so don't beat yourself up if it doesn't go so well sometimes, and your BG is going up and down like a rollercoaster, and if you have any questions at all, please don't be afraid to ask - we are ultimately all on this forum to achieve a common goal which is to provide fantastic peer support to help everyone manage their condition - you are not alone

 

[dannybgoode]

Yes, the nurse did such upon the early days of a T1 diagnosis. It's partly why I want to know for sure so I can at least get properly started either way.

I've already begun to adjust my diet as I'll need to do that whatever. I absolutely adore chocolate and anything else sweet and I've done really well just to cut that out already.

I've also been trying to get into the routine of BG tests and insulin at the correct times etc.

I'm not on enough right now to cause hypos the nurse doesn't think she neither does she want my BG to come down that quick anyway.

I'll get there and yes, I'm expecting a potentially bumpy few weeks if it is T1 but hopefully I'll get through it quickly and get a nice stable regime in place.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thanks for sharing @dannybgoode

I hope you found it helpful to pour it out.

I'm sure others (both lurkers and members) will really connect with the feelings you've expressed, and it'll strike a chord with lots of newly diagnosed people.

And yes, it really IS overwhelming to begin with and there's something like grieving to work through, with the jumble of emotions (anger, denial, bargaining, depression) that can involve.

Most people find it does get easier with time (most of the time). And actually at various points I have found myself thinking that if someone had taken me to a side-room in my 20s and said that my number had come up and that I now had to have a long-term condition for the rest of my life, with no chance of a cure, and laid out all the options on a table and asked me to pick one. Actually T1 wouldn't have been a bad option. I can eat pretty much what I want (within reason). I can still work, travel, get married, raise a family, go to festivals, perform in a band... And modern treatment tech and gadgets make better levels easier to achieve than ever.

Yes T1 is relentless. You never get a day off. And it is incredibly annoying. But for most of the time I can keep it in its box. And live my life around it.

 

[dannybgoode]

Thanks so for your replies.

I've dealt with similar before - ulcerative colitis at age 34 lead to a permanent ileostomy age 36 so a lot in common. Being told I'd had to have the operation was a big shock too and then coming to grips with the bags etc.

Now being kicked a second time hasn't helped for sure but I also know I'll bounce back as I have before.

I know I'll feel better once there's a more concrete plan on place too as it'll give me something to work with. And I'm stubborn enough to stick to any plan to the letter 🙂

 

[Carlos]

I was in your shoes about a month (and 30 years on top) ago. I was in DKA so spent about 10 days in hospital, during which I got used to testing and insulin and whatnot, but it was still a bewildering moment when I was first back home and it was just up to me handle everything.

You do get the hang of the routine and you get on with it until it is such a part of your life that that's just what you do. As others have said it is frustrating at times, but that's our lot and we just have to make it work the best we can.

I remember that the first couple of days in hospital I slept most of the time, and as I had an IV line I wasn't injecting, so the diagnosis was just an intellectual fact which I had understood, but hadn't really sunk in. My brother had bought me a Helloween CD they had recently released with their new singer, their last two CDs had been a bit of a disappointment. As I sat listening to this new CD on the third or fourth day in hospital, just hearing the first few notes of the first song I could tell they were back in top form, but as I listened the reality of what the diagnosis meant started to sink in. I did have a bit of a cry in that chair listening to Weiki's guitar, but the music was so optimistic that I could not let myself wallow in self pity, and by the time the CD reached the last song I was smiling and headbanging. BTW, the last song was called Still we go, and I thought that was a brilliant pick me up that evening.

So, I guess what am saying is that it is a shock, your life unexpectedly changing this way, and it is OK to feel lost and confused, but you will be fine.

 

[dannybgoode]

Well the good news in my BG was 12.5 just now down from the > 28 it was on Friday so the insulin is working it's magic. As I say the DSN didn't want it coming down too quickly!

Should be having a follow up call with my DSN to confirm type and take it from there.

Feeling better mentally today, yesterday wasn't fun but that bath and shave together with a good night's sleep have helped.

Going to work is a positive for me too. I'm compartmentalise quite a lot so once I'm at work I'll be focused on that much of the day.

 

[Inka]

I've already begun to adjust my diet as I'll need to do that whatever. I absolutely adore chocolate and anything else sweet and I've done really well just to cut that out already.

If you do turn out to be Type 1, your diet shouldn’t need adjusting as the recommended diet for Type 1 is the same healthy diet recommended for everyone. Type 1 is nothing to do with diet and everything to do with insulin. Type 1s can eat chocolate, cake, desserts, etc @dannybgoode

 

[dannybgoode]

Thanks Inka

Yeah I've not gone mad but my diet could have done with a little tweaking also.

And I'm conscious that it still just might be T2 so may as well hedge my bets!

But good to know I can still enjoy chocolate. I love chocolate

 

[silver minion]

It's ok to vent every now and again, and I know from my own experience that is is a very difficult time, so soon after diagnosis - there is SO much to take in and learn - there will be times you think you've sussed it before the fickle nature of Diabetes throws in a curveball - if it is a T1 diagnosis you will be in the (dreadfully called) "Honeymoon Period" which also throws in its own challenges (Don't know if that has been mentioned to you?) - so don't beat yourself up if it doesn't go so well sometimes, and your BG is going up and down like a rollercoaster, and if you have any questions at all, please don't be afraid to ask - we are ultimately all on this forum to achieve a common goal which is to provide fantastic peer support to help everyone manage their condition - you are not alone

Maybe the honeymoon period should be renamed the Rollercoaster period.

 

[SimonP]

But good to know I can still enjoy chocolate. I love chocolate

A sub-optimal hypo treatment, but if I don't require an immediate fix (i.e. am driving, riding or about to go out), chocolate (or similar treats) are my treatment of choice - no point in wasting the free consumption on something like Skittles (which are otherwise very effective and perfectly palatable.)

Edit: This is not a recommended hypo treatment!

 

[trophywench]

@SimonP - Er - we don't actually recommend chocolate to cure a hypo since choc has far too much fat for the cabs to be quickly absorbed.

 

[dannybgoode]

Just a small update. One of the DSN's called me this morning as promised to check in with how I was getting on.

No results yet from the pancreatic function test so still not sure in type but hopefully that'll be back in the next couple of days max.

They are also running some test that involves antibodies in case the function test is marginal and then they'll use that to make the final call. Apparently the results for that can take a couple of weeks though. No doubt someone in here can tell me what it's proper name is.

For now dose increased to 8 units for everything as BG still high and now that want to bring it down to more normal levels.

Reading some of the posts on here too it seems I've landing on my feet with the at the Northern General too. They've been brilliant so far - long may that continue 🙂

 

[Leadinglights]

Just a small update. One of the DSN's called me this morning as promised to check in with how I was getting on.

No results yet from the pancreatic function test so still not sure in type but hopefully that'll be back in the next couple of days max.

They are also running some test that involves antibodies in case the function test is marginal and then they'll use that to make the final call. Apparently the results for that can take a couple of weeks though. No doubt someone in here can tell me what it's proper name is.

For now dose increased to 8 units for everything as BG still high and now that want to bring it down to more normal levels.

Reading some of the posts on here too it seems I've landing on my feet with the at the Northern General too. They've been brilliant so far - long may that continue 🙂

The C-peptide tests for how much insulin your pancreas is producing and as Type 1 is an autoimmune condition the antibody tests are to determine if you have antibodies GAD and usually some others as well if they do a complete panel and it is those that take a while to come back as not many labs actually do them.

 

[mashedupmatt]

Great that they have been in touch - great healthcare team - the test they are waiting for is a C-Peptide test, which measures how much insulin your pancreas is producing (in laymans terms) and the antibody test is the main one where they usually make an exact diagnosis - there are a number of antibodies that are present in your blood, when your pancreas is essentially being attacked - from memory they are GAD, IA2, Zn I think (there may be more) - depending on which one(s) are present, they would give a T1 diagnosis (that's what happened with me, anyway) - that test does take a couple of weeks to come back though

My first guess wasn't too bad - I've just looked it up - these are the anitbodies they would look for:


Let us know how you get on 🙂

 

[Lucyr]

They wouldn’t always test for all of those antibodies but may test for some of them, then use it in conjunction with your Cpeptide test to make the decision. I’d expect it to be at least a month realistically before all the results are back and decision made, so hopefully early next year.