Diabetes lifestyle improvement project

[Northerner]

1 - Inconvenience, sometimes having to delay doing something whilst I treat/recover from a hypo, and the lack of sponteneity - having to plan insulin/food before exercise instead of 'just doing it' 🙂

2 - Type 1

 

[Paul Crowther]

Having to constantly be organised with spares of everything and hypo treatments
Lack of spontaneity when it comes to eating/drinking
Mood swings when high/low

Type 1.

Good luck with the research

Thank you grainger that's very helpful indeed.

 

[Paul Crowther]

Well no I don't have any problems except temporary ones whenever I happen to get one or another - eg I've lost my hypo symptoms at the mo at the 4 end - don't feel it at all until around 3 or lower. So I'm dealing with that cos I know how. When I first got diagnosed, of course I felt very sorry for myself - but it was just something I simply knew I had to accept - so that's what I did - and used the energy I might have ranting and raving - to sorting myself out and learning more. Far more productive in the finish - but there again having only just escaped the clutches and day to day influence of a control freak for a mother - I expect it was a jolly opportune moment for me to prove to ME I could cope, anyway!

Good for you trophywench, that's a very practical approach which is not easy to enforce in those circumstances.
Also, apologies I just re-read your very first post and realised I missed your first comment - I have obtained permission from the Admin team to conduct this survey, my degree studies have been verified via my tutor. I hope this puts people a bit more at ease. Thank you for pointing that out.

 

[Paul Crowther]

1 - Inconvenience, sometimes having to delay doing something whilst I treat/recover from a hypo, and the lack of sponteneity - having to plan insulin/food before exercise instead of 'just doing it' 🙂

2 - Type 1

Many thanks Northerner, that's very helpful indeed and also three things with which I can fully empathise!

 

[Andy HB]

I'm a little 'arse about face' with the first question because, for me, diabetes has had a positive effect on my lifestyle!
1. I eat more regularly and have a healthier diet.
2. I exercise more (a simple walk most days).
3. I am fitter and healthier than before diagnosis.

I am type 2.

Sorry if this puts a spanner in the works! But, it had to be said. 🙂

Andy

p.s. I was diagnosed in Oct 2009

 

[Northerner]

I'm a little 'arse about face' with the first question because, for me, diabetes has had a positive effect on my lifestyle!
1. I eat more regularly and have a healthier diet.
2. I exercise more (a simple walk most days).
3. I am fitter and healthier than before diagnosis.

I am type 2.

Sorry if this puts a spanner in the works! But, it had to be said. 🙂

Andy

p.s. I was diagnosed in Oct 2009

Yes, if we were to talk positives, my diagnosis has probably made me take better care of myself than I might otherwise have done - I've certainly learned a lot about how my body works! 😱 🙂 Apart from a slight niggle with one of my eyes (not sight affecting) my diabetes is well-controlled and I feel much healthier than I did 10 years ago! 🙂

 

[Paul Crowther]

Thank you both Andy HB and Northerner - very interesting points! I had not considered the positive effects of diabetes but that is why I am surveying: to get the thoughts and feelings of other people with diabetes outside of my own experience. I was diagnosed with type 1 when I was 2 (in 1986) so I've never really known life without it and therefore cannot make the lifestyle comparison. Thank you again for the observations, I will have to get some advice as to how I should process that!

 

[Northerner]

Thank you both Andy HB and Northerner - very interesting points! I had not considered the positive effects of diabetes but that is why I am surveying: to get the thoughts and feelings of other people with diabetes outside of my own experience. I was diagnosed with type 1 when I was 2 (in 1986) so I've never really known life without it and therefore cannot make the lifestyle comparison. Thank you again for the observations, I will have to get some advice as to how I should process that!

I was 49 when diagnosed Paul, so I had done a lot of living by the time it struck me! 😱 Totally out of the blue - I was supposed to be running a marathon the week I was diagnosed! 😱

 

[Paul Crowther]

I'm sorry that you got it at all Northerner but I'm glad you were able to experience life without it. Did you still run the marathon...?

 

[Northerner]

Did you still run the marathon...?

Haha! No, although the funny thing was that I was diagnosed on the Monday and due to fly out on Thursday (it was in Stockholm). I was at death's door when I got diagnosed - DKA, blood sugar of 38 mmol/, HbA1c 11.8%, 18 pounds lost in 3 days, suspected heart attack and close to multiple organ failure 😱 However, as soon as they started filling me up with insulin I felt on top of the world and actually thought I might still make my flight! I really did not realise how ill I had become 🙄 I was still in hospital the following Tuesday. I have run several half marathons since then though 🙂

 

[Lucy Honeychurch]

1: Spontaneous eating, anxiety around hypos when out, being out on my own with my 8 year old twins (who both have ASD and require lots of supervision when out).

2 Type 1

 

[Ditto]

1) Refused to accept diagnosis, blanked it for a year, didn't have any symptoms whatsoever, can hardly believe it now, the only drawback being I can't pig out on fish, chips and mushy peas.
2) My eyes used to get a bit blurry beginning of this year but that's gone now thankfully.
3) I now have to stick to the Atkins which I've been trying to do since 2004, but now I have to so that's good and also I walk as much as I can.

4) I'm Type 2 but I still don't believe it really, except I went up into double figures on Christmas Day 2016. 😱

 

[trophywench]

I think it's OK to find yourself thinking 'This is unbelievable to have happened to ME!!' (eg I'm Vit D deficient, even my Dr thinks it's unbelievable really bearing in mind we're naturists and have been as long as he's known us and don't ever go 'white' skinned even in deepest winter) - but with medical proof in front of both of us - nobody can DENY it.

So it's a proven FACT.

And truth absolutely can be stranger than fiction.

(Does the Flat Earth Society still exist? LOL)

 

[Paul Crowther]

Haha! No, although the funny thing was that I was diagnosed on the Monday and due to fly out on Thursday (it was in Stockholm). I was at death's door when I got diagnosed - DKA, blood sugar of 38 mmol/, HbA1c 11.8%, 18 pounds lost in 3 days, suspected heart attack and close to multiple organ failure 😱 However, as soon as they started filling me up with insulin I felt on top of the world and actually thought I might still make my flight! I really did not realise how ill I had become 🙄 I was still in hospital the following Tuesday. I have run several half marathons since then though 🙂

That's very inspiring Northerner! I struggle with the Parkrun!

 

[Paul Crowther]

1: Spontaneous eating, anxiety around hypos when out, being out on my own with my 8 year old twins (who both have ASD and require lots of supervision when out).

2 Type 1

That's great Lucy Honeychurch, very helpful indeed!

 

[Paul Crowther]

1) Refused to accept diagnosis, blanked it for a year, didn't have any symptoms whatsoever, can hardly believe it now, the only drawback being I can't pig out on fish, chips and mushy peas.
2) My eyes used to get a bit blurry beginning of this year but that's gone now thankfully.
3) I now have to stick to the Atkins which I've been trying to do since 2004, but now I have to so that's good and also I walk as much as I can.

4) I'm Type 2 but I still don't believe it really, except I went up into double figures on Christmas Day 2016. 😱

That's great, thanks Ditto.

 

[Hazel]

1, lack of carb training - T2s in Scotland cannot attend DAFNE

Issues around driving - DVLA, insurance etc

Spontaneity when out about.


2. T2 - although I hope to be insulin free soon


On a plus note - after my Dad died in July, I had been his full time carer, I decided to focus on me

Since then, I have lost 6 and a half stone to date. Hba1c is 40 (5.8%). Plus I hope to be insulin free soon. Alteady I no longer require Lantus at night.

Good luck with what you are doing

 

[Matt Cycle]

1. The spontaneity aspect for me too - this covers lots of things like exercise, eating out, going out, doing things with the family etc. Alright, can easily work with it but would be nice to just do something and not have to think about 'it'.
Driving - currently had my driving licence suspended due to an accident and hypo awareness. This has had a massive impact on my life.

2. Type 1.

Sorry, absolutely no positives for me. I've always tried to work hard at it and will always do my utmost to manage it to the best of my ability but as soon as that cure is announced I'll be at the front of the queue kicking the door down.

 

[Paul Crowther]

1, lack of carb training - T2s in Scotland cannot attend DAFNE

Issues around driving - DVLA, insurance etc

Spontaneity when out about.


2. T2 - although I hope to be insulin free soon


On a plus note - after my Dad died in July, I had been his full time carer, I decided to focus on me

Since then, I have lost 6 and a half stone to date. Hba1c is 40 (5.8%). Plus I hope to be insulin free soon. Alteady I no longer require Lantus at night.

Good luck with what you are doing

Many thanks Hazel and I'm sorry about your father. Great result for your lifestyle when it could easily go the other way! Thank you for the well wishes, I have been so pleased with the number of responses on this forum, I cannot thank everybody enough!

 

[Paul Crowther]

1. The spontaneity aspect for me too - this covers lots of things like exercise, eating out, going out, doing things with the family etc. Alright, can easily work with it but would be nice to just do something and not have to think about 'it'.
Driving - currently had my driving licence suspended due to an accident and hypo awareness. This has had a massive impact on my life.

2. Type 1.

Sorry, absolutely no positives for me. I've always tried to work hard at it and will always do my utmost to manage it to the best of my ability but as soon as that cure is announced I'll be at the front of the queue kicking the door down.

Many thanks Matt Cycle, I have to agree with the lack of positives in my own life also, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy but at least the assistance for controlling it is getting better.