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New to the forum, T1.

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GenialJoe

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi all,

New here - type 1 diabetic since 2015(?) and just thought it might be useful to have some other people to discuss things with who aren't immediate family!
 
Welcome to the forum @GenialJoe

This is indeed a great place to get answers to questions, find out about new developments in managing T1, and also for the odd rant when you just need one. If you fancy telling us more about how you were diagnosed and how you manage your condition that would be great.
Are you using a Libre?
Are you on injections or a pump?
What insulin(s) do you use?

Glad you have found us.
 
Welcome @GenialJoe 🙂

Is there anything in particular you fancy discussing or just general diabetes stuff? 🙂 Questions, discussions, moans - all fine!
 
Welcome to the forum @GenialJoe

Yes! I completely agree with you. Friends and family are great, and can be really supportive, but there‘s nothing like the hive mind and broad sympathetic shoulders of a crowd of other T1s who instinctively ‘get it’.

Are there any frustrations you are currently facing? Or is there anything that you’d like to change about your diabetes management?
 
Hi and a massive welcome to the forum.

I have found peer support so important in my diabetes management. If you have any questions feel free to ask away and I am sure we can answer them for you.

Stay safe.
 
Thanks all for the warm welcome.

Diagnosis was quite sudden, had been experiencing extreme thirst for a week or so and once I'd Googled that I rang the doctors and was seen the next morning to be set up on insulin injections.

I'm using Novorapid and Lantus insulins and use a finger pricker test for testing blood sugars.

My main issue at the moment is worrying about long-term complications. They feel inevitable to me based on what I've heard/read and it just feels a lot like I'm just waiting for the first thing to go wrong.

I'm generally healthy and run 5k twice a week but am prone to some erratic eating, particularly in the evenings.

Had a very recent HBA1c come back as 63 which I'm disappointed with but understand. It's served as a motivator for me but hasn't done much to relieve the worry about what might go wrong with my body soon!

(Didn't think I had this much to say!)
 
My main issue at the moment is worrying about long-term complications. They feel inevitable to me based on what I've heard/read and it just feels a lot like I'm just waiting for the first thing to go wrong
The thing to remember is that the statics on complications (and life expectancy) for someone with Type 1 diabetes is based on historical data. In the last 10 years there have been huge advancements in diabetes management with things such as faster acting insulin, pumps and CGMs and the technology continues to evolve with closed looping.
All of these advancements make Type 1 easier to manage and the risk of complications less.
There are people with 70 years since diagnosis under their belt. They lived most of this without finger prick testing and fast acting insulin let along insulin pumps and CGMs.
i think if they can achieve it on old diabetes technology, those of us diagnosed more recently, have far better chances.

I was diagnosed 17 years ago. I have looked after myself but not wrapped myself up in cotton wool. I have travelled the world, worked in a stressful job, had fun, eaten what I want... and have no complications due to diabetes.

We are all different but the point is that long term complications are not inevitable and you don’t have to live a restricted life to avoid them.
You can live a full life with Type 1. I have to find other reasons why I have not played rugby for England, performed in a world famous band or run a country.
 
Hi welcome to the forums. The problem with long term complications is that if you weren't diabetic they would be old age complications. I have 5 problems that are classed as long term diabetic problems. Four of these run in my family so I would probably suffer from these even if not diabetic. Once you are diabetic that is the cause of everything. Even if you slipped off a pavement in icy weather and broke your leg there would be mention of diabetes and whether you were having a hypo!

So in summary I got through the first 50 years with no major problems so add that onto your age and I think by then you may have a few old age problems. Do your best to stick to the rules and best of luck. Any problems and you know there is advice here to go and see your specialists.🙂
 
Complications certainly aren’t inevitable - we have a number of members into their 4th or 5th decade of T1 diabetes with very little to show for it.

Partly if will come down to luck and genes, but however likely or otherwise complications are for you, the best thing you can do it try to reduce that risk by trying to keep your BGs as stable and in-range as you can for as much of the time as you can manage.

There will inevitably be more than a few wobbles and curve-balls your diabetes will throw at you from time to time, but it’s the general overall picture that seems to matter, rather than a few mis-steps. And however you are doing, you will always feel you could do a bit better, so be kind to yourself and recognise how well you are doing.
 
I'm 71 soon and was diagnosed aged 22. What 'diabetic' complications do I have?

Background retinopathy which first appeared in the mid 1990s when I'd been D for over 20 years. Had my retinopathy photos taken the other week which showed I had background retinopathy. Meanwhile, in the last 10 years I've had cataracts in both eyes (which did grow and get worse very quickly and that is a typical occurrence with cataracts when the person has diabetes) and had them both removed successfully.

Had more trouble with fibroids, a bunion and my left big toe nail after I damaged the nailbed, plus one knee gives me gyp since I broke it 4 years ago.

Never been lucky on the lottery however!
 
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