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Newbe T1 at 32yrs-wasn't expecting that!

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Lou lou

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Type 1
This is all very new to me not just diabetes but on line forums (i dont even do social media lol!). But so far by just reading other posts and comments i feel much more positive and that I'm most certainly not alone and the anxieties and questions i have are normal! ☺

Sept last year i went for a routine Dr's appointment with no other symptoms but due to raised sugar levels i went back several times!! At first they thought I was T2 but i didn't really tick any other boxes, they started me on metformin for 3wks which didn't do anything (other than make me feel sick!). I saw the consultant 6wks ago and walked away 3hrs later with information overload and started insulin that night! !

Deep down i think i knew it was going to happen but I hadn't really expected this and still think it hasn't fully sunk in yet.

However I'm a very positive person with great family and friends and I'm determine diabetes is not going to rule my life (I have accepted things may have to change slightly but I'm going to stay in control) i remind myself that there are people out there far worse than me! ☺

I'm sure this is only the beginning of what is going to be a roller coaster ride and that i will be no stranger to this group!
 
Hi Lou lou and welcome 🙂
It must have come as quite a shock to be diagnosed T1 and suddenly be on insulin. You sound a positive person and I'm sure you'll do well. Ask away There are very knowledgeable people on here always ready with help when needed.
 
Hi lou lou a warm welcome to the forum . So pleased to hear you got such a positive outlook often people diagnosed think of all the negatives although never a nice thing we just gotta get on with it and give it all we got and keep the diabetes under control x
 
Lindarose said:
Hi Lou lou and welcome 🙂
It must have come as quite a shock to be diagnosed T1 and suddenly be on insulin. You sound a positive person and I'm sure you'll do well. Ask away There are very knowledgeable people on here always ready with help when needed.
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Thanks, i have so many questions but just learning every day at the moment. I have some great advice by just reading other comments.
 
Thank you everyone seems really nice and i already feel part of the group ☺

As you say you just have to get on with it and i aim to do so with as much body armour (well knowledge and understanding) as possible!
 
Hi Lou Lou - and welcome to the club no-one wanted to join!

This is a marathon - not a sprint - so don't expect to be able to run before you can walk - it does take time to work out what's what.

You might make a very good start by buying a certain book - if it isn't too expensive for you - Type 1 Diabetes in children, teens and young adults (or something very similar, it changed after one of the updates LOL) by Ragnar Hanas. No, honestly! It doesn't actually matter how old you are - 5 or 65 - it's relevant for all of us and very useful. Plus it's written in ordinary English - not like a medical textbook.
 
Hi Lou lou
Welcome aboard 🙂. There are a few of us here who were diagnosed as adults, quite a wide range of ages in fact I was 39, but we've got some folk who were diagnosed in their 40's, 50's and beyond. It's a very weird experience isn't it? I felt like there was this whole other dimension to life, the secret world of carbs 🙂. So what insulin did they put you on? Glad to see you're feeling positive about it, it's a change, it can be infuriating and exhausting at times but it doesn't have to change the fabric of your universe 🙂
 
Lou lou said:
This is all very new to me not just diabetes but on line forums (i dont even do social media lol!). But so far by just reading other posts and comments i feel much more positive and that I'm most certainly not alone and the anxieties and questions i have are normal! ☺

Sept last year i went for a routine Dr's appointment with no other symptoms but due to raised sugar levels i went back several times!! At first they thought I was T2 but i didn't really tick any other boxes, they started me on metformin for 3wks which didn't do anything (other than make me feel sick!). I saw the consultant 6wks ago and walked away 3hrs later with information overload and started insulin that night! !

Deep down i think i knew it was going to happen but I hadn't really expected this and still think it hasn't fully sunk in yet.

However I'm a very positive person with great family and friends and I'm determine diabetes is not going to rule my life (I have accepted things may have to change slightly but I'm going to stay in control) i remind myself that there are people out there far worse than me! ☺

I'm sure this is only the beginning of what is going to be a roller coaster ride and that i will be no stranger to this group!
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Hi Lou lou, welcome to the forum 🙂 Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but you do sound very positive, and I'm glad you found us so quickly as there are lots of people with a whole range of experiences here - from days to decades! - who will be more than happy to help with any questions you may have 🙂

Definitely get hold of a copy of Type 1 Diabetes in Children Adolescents and Young People by Ragnar Hanas, and as @trophywench says, don't be put off by the title, it's the definitive guide to living with Type 1, whatever your age 🙂

I know just how you must be feeling as I was in a similar position around 9 years ago when I was diagnosed T1 at the age of 49 😱 I was due to run a marathon that week! It's good that your surgery spotted that the Type 2 treatment wasn't working for you and got you onto the correct medication and diagnosis so quickly - some people here have had to battle for months, and sometimes even years to convince their GP/nurse that you don't have to be a child to be diagnosed with Type 1 (partly due to the fact that it used to be known as 'juvenile' diabetes).

There is an awful lot to take in at first, but the good news is that things do get easier and you will still be able to do all the things you enjoy. As I mentioned, I am a runner and managed to run in the Great South Run four months after diagnosis. Try not to become overwhelmed and take things at a pace you can absorb - just make sure you are doing the basics and get advice from your team should you feel that you are a bit lost or need help with things like insulin doses etc. - I had quite a bit of adjustment to do in the early months and my team were excellent in guiding me through things 🙂 What insulin have you been given, and how are you managing with the injections?

Basically, it's all about experience, so it's very useful in these early weeks to record everything you can think of - blood sugar levels on waking, before bed, and before and after meals. Record your meals and also the amount of carbs (in grams) in the meal, and if possible do a test an hour or two after eating - all this information will help you to build a picture of how you react to certain meals and how appropriate your insulin doses are. It can be a tedious and time-consuming business initially, but it really does help in the long run 🙂 I'd suggest keeping meals as simple as possible to begin with so there are fewer variables to consider 🙂

Please let us know if we can help in any way, and don't worry about making mistakes using the forum, we can always put things right for you - the main thing is getting support and answers to your questions 🙂
 
Thanks all for your lovely replies ☺

Yes taking small steps is definitely the way forward as you say its a whole new world, i feel like I'm studying for an extra qualification!

I've started recording readings and what I'm eating so it makes it easier to dicuss when i see the nurses but as you say this is how I'm learning about me.

Thanks for the book recommendation, i will be purchasing today!
 
Lou lou said:
Thanks for the book recommendation, i will be purchasing today!
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Good move 🙂 I'd just add that, although it can be tempting to get a second/hand edition as they tend to be a lot cheaper, it's worth getting the latest edition as things do move on quite quickly, and an old edition may only serve to confuse where things have changed 🙂
 
Welcome here and great you are so positive and have a supportive family and friends. I was so shocked at 58 to be diagnosed and have found this forum so helpful. Do ask and share anything as the experience here is wide reaching and everyone so kind and supportive.
 
Hi Lou Lou. Your story is similar to mine I was diagnosed in September at 36 years old. Was straight onto levemir and novo rapid. Learning all I needed was a headache at first and having to get my driving licence changed was also a nightmare. But still positive even if it does take 20 mins longer to eat my meals.
 
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