Newbie

[Bullet]

Hi folks

Had T1 for 27 years. Have no friends with it, gets lonely at times. Like the idea of this community

 

[Jenny65]

Hello Bullet

My first day in this forum too, I have suspect T2 but awaiting further test to confirm average.

I would love to hear how you have managed it over the years, and whether the treatment/diet for T1 is different to T2. Also how does the GP know which type it is?

 

[Bullet]

Hello Bullet

My first day in this forum too, I have suspect T2 but awaiting further test to confirm average.

I would love to hear how you have managed it over the years, and whether the treatment/diet for T1 is different to T2. Also how does the GP know which type it is?

Hi Jenny

i believe the difference is that in type 2 the pancreas still produces some insulin, hence the tablets and diet can help control. My pancreas stopped altogether and quickly when I was 29. it was hard at first on insulin and still is but treatments have advanced so much these days. I have the Free Style Libre which helps me enormously. I’m sure you’re concerned but it is a condition that can be managed

 

[Jenny65]

Thanks for the quick response, its reassuring to read a lot of these posts and see people have managed to keep their life as normal as possible. I have my sons wedding next month in Ireland and I asked the GP if I am allowed to eat the meal that has already been planned for and drink a glass of champagne for the toast, she advised I can but just not to get drunk as it could make my sugar spike. I wasnt planning on getting drunk, but just wanted to be part of the celebrations if that makes sense.

I dont know anyone in real life who is diabetic so it does feel lonely and I have only known for a day, but I feel a bit like they cant understand as they can choose anything from a menu without a thought and just get on with life, whereas I found myself panic stricken today by realising I had had too much soup! Its absurd as compared to what I ate previously butternut squash soup whatever the amount in your bowl is better than a cheese and pickle baguette etc.

I will read lots of posts on here to get myself as educated as I can and prepare questions for my GP for the follow up consoltation.

 

[MikeyBikey]

Hello @Bullet and @Jenny65,

As a Diamond Type 1 I still only have one Type 1 friend and she is only 20. Also a friend who was diagnosed Type 2 at retirement was actually found to be Type 1.5 after Metformin did nothing but act as a laxative! At 80 he still goes down the gym and swims. Despite being 6' and 12 stone he was initially diagnosed Type 2 by default. Because of age many doctors default me to Type 2 which is dey frustrating!

The good news for you Jenny your stats suggest there is every chance of you sending it into remission.I will be honest and say your total and LDL cholesterol worry me. If statins are suggested I persona feel you should take them as the dose can be reduced as things improve. You may have to try a couple to find the nest one for you. For losing weight my personal suggestion is a Mediterranean diet limiting carbs to 80 - 100gm per day together with lean protein and plenty of salad and veggies. Be wary of the sugars in fruits as this is an area that WW and many others overlook. Your GP should be able too refer you to a dietician. Exercise is also important and again your GP can advise. Good luck.

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @Bullet

It is great to have your experience added to the mix on here.
it is not uncommon for those with T1 to never meet another person with T1, so it can be a lonely affair finding your way through. I have certainly learnt most of what I know from others on here, and have found it good to tap into other people’s experience of the newer technology available. When I first asked about the Libre my DSN had not heard of it!!

It is great to hear that you have the Libre. what impact have you found it has had on your management?
For me it was the direction of change in glucose levels that helped to head off hypos and hypere.

What insulin(s) are you using?
Are you using MDI or a pump?
Sorry to batter you with questions. It helps people to adjust their responses.

I hope that you find the forum as useful as I do, and I look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[SB2015]

Hi @Jenny65 Glad that you have found the forum.

Diabetes is a manageable condition and it does not need to stop you from doing anything.
You are right that when we eat out we need to consider the choices and portion sizes that we eat, but I know that many of us feel a lot healthier with these new choices.

With T2 the body is still making some insulin but there Is not enough or it does not work well enough to balance the amount of glucose in the blood. Adjustments to the amount of carbs (which will all become glucose once inside), increases in activity as well as medications where necessary help people to get that balance back. T1 is an autoimmune condition in which the beta cells (that make our insulin) are gradually destroyed, so we need to inject the insulin that we need to match the carbs that we choose to eat.

I had no idea about carbs when I was diagnosed, but you soon become able to estimate the number of carbs in a meal. At home we weigh ingredients with carbs in. I chose to reduce our carbs in order to decrease the spikes that I was getting after meals. This is especially true when I eat out. At the wedding enjoy the food you eat, but be aware of the portion sizes.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Bullet - glad you have found us! Yes before I started comparing notes with others online I didn’t know anyone else with diabetes (of any type) and the few people I had met with T1 in passing seemed to have a very different experience to mine.

But then through various online communities I quickly had lots of lightbulb moments and loads of shared experiences that really helped me understand my diabetes better. It was almost like a crash course in relearning, and I think I picked up more tips in 2 years than I had in the previous 15!

That was a good few years back now, and I’m still learning every day 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thanks for the quick response, its reassuring to read a lot of these posts and see people have managed to keep their life as normal as possible. I have my sons wedding next month in Ireland and I asked the GP if I am allowed to eat the meal that has already been planned for and drink a glass of champagne for the toast, she advised I can but just not to get drunk as it could make my sugar spike. I wasnt planning on getting drunk, but just wanted to be part of the celebrations if that makes sense.

I dont know anyone in real life who is diabetic so it does feel lonely and I have only known for a day, but I feel a bit like they cant understand as they can choose anything from a menu without a thought and just get on with life, whereas I found myself panic stricken today by realising I had had too much soup! Its absurd as compared to what I ate previously butternut squash soup whatever the amount in your bowl is better than a cheese and pickle baguette etc.

I will read lots of posts on here to get myself as educated as I can and prepare questions for my GP for the follow up consoltation.

Welcome to the forum @Jenny65

Sorry to hear about your sudden diagnosis. It’s easier said than done, but do try to be kind to yourself, and give yourself time to gradually adjust and adapt. You will most likely feel like you are in a washing machine of worry, confusion, conflicting information, horror stories, and health anxiety right now, but take time, and breathe. Diabetes is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can usually be managed well with a few changes and adaptations - it’s something that you can learn to live well with, and it shouldn’t stop you doing things you enjoy.

Try not to be disheartened about your diagnosis as and when it gets confirmed. Many people on the forum later reflect that their diagnosis became a catalyst which prompted them to make positive changes towards a healthier and more active life. Perhaps changes that they had been intending to make for years.

You’ve already made the biggest single positive change to improve your long term health prospects by giving up smoking, so well done for that!

If you would like a good overview of T2 diabetes, to add to the knowledge you’ve already picked up, members here frequently recommend Maggie Davey’s Letter and Gretchen Becker’s book T2 Diabetes, the first year, which you can work through gradually and will give you a solid starting point.

There is also the Learning Zone, with heaps of bite-sized modules you can work through to give you a solid grounding in all things diabetes 🙂

Good luck, and let us know how you get on 🙂

 

[trophywench]

@Bullet - the only T1 people I have ever met sufficiently to call 'friends' I've met via diabetes forums on the internet. No history whatever of any diabetes in either side of my family as far as anyone knows. (But there again since it was a death sentence prior to the 1920s, and you'd have died of heart failure rather than them knowing that D had caused it and saying that on the death certificate. My husband's mom died in hospital of pneumonia as No 1 on the death cert - however she'd been riddled with bowel cancer for a decade prior to that and had had shedloads of chemo over the years to try and give her a bit longer which it did, but eventually her body and her brain had had more than enough - and refused any more sessions.

Hence - who knows what folk years ago really died of. See what I mean?