Another new one !!

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shirleyknott

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Hi. I'm a mum to a 14yr old boy who was diagnosed with type 1 when he was 11. I've registered on here to see if I can pick up any useful advice to help improve his levels. He has more HI readings than hot dinners and it doesn't seem to be any better now than when he was first diagnosed. He hasn't accepted his condition at all and I get really worried about future health.
 
Hi Shirley, welcome to the forum 🙂 Very sorry to hear that your son is having difficulties with accepting his diabetes. What insulin regime is he on? I'd highly recommend getting a copy of Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young People by Ragnar Hanas - a very good, positive book about all the different aspects of dealing with Type 1. Does he know anyone else with diabetes? It can be helpful if you don't have to deal with it all in isolation, and see how others deal with it (good or bad). Does his clinic offer any opportunity for other Type 1s to get to know each other? I'd also recommend having a look at the Children with Diabetes website, and browsing our Useful links thread. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have and we will do aour best to help! 🙂
 
Hi. Thanks for the quick reply! I've just ordered a copy of the book from Amazon. We will literally try anything at the moment.
His friends do know he has diabetes but he won't test in front of them, ever.
We have tried to encourage him to go to the local support group but he won't even consider it. I thought a chat to the psychologist at the hospital may help because I don't believe he has accepted his condition at all but he has refused to go to that too!

Will we just have to ride these teenage years out and hope he snaps out of it or is it something we should be dealing with head on now? I just don't know!
Every time we go to the hospital his HBA1C level is higher than the previous time and I think he's been really lucky not to be ill with other symptoms by now.
I don't want to have to ask him all the time to test and take insulin but unless we physically put the meter and insulin pen in his hand he would never do it.
 
I'm so sorry to hear this :( It's unfortunately a story we have heard many times here before. I'm sure others will be along with information about how they coped with the teenage years - I was well beyond that at my diagnosis, aged 49, so had an easier acceptance of things. One thing I would say is that, in my opinion, it is much easier to accept yu have it, and to deal with the fundamentals, than to stick your head in the sand and live with the horrible effects of not dealing with it and getting on with your life. I don't just mean the potential life-changing complications that threaten, but also the everyday, horrible effects of living with high blood sugars - it saps your energy, makes you unwell and lethargic, and is a poor trade off for avoiding a few minutes of tests and injections each day.

Does he worry about hypos? That can often be a reason why people worry less about their levels being high than low. What about his diet? Is there any way you could get him to reduce his carb intake, so at least his missing insulin will have a slightly lesser effect?
 
One mig problem is that the main visual effect of his high sugar is his mood.
He doesn't seem to get tired or lethargic, he very rarely goes to sleep before midnight.
He is really active and loves to play football.
Yes, you've made a good point - he is a bit scared of hypos, even though he hasn't even experienced one. He is really good at telling us when he's 4 or close to it but as I said before the high levels he simply ignores and is just very angry until we persuade him to test and take.
Thanks for your thoughts
 
Yep - loads of us get stroppy as a teenager (and they all are - notwithstanding diabetes, so he's no different!) (it's their 'ormones LOL) when we're high or low, and let's make no bones about it; you have it in spades with diabetes too.

You are only his mother, therefore you know absolutely nothing, obviously, and are probably the only mother who won't let him do whatever you won't let him do, because all his friends mother let them - yet funnily enough when he's 30 and talks to his friends he'll find out their mothers actually wouldn't let them do it either! - I know this cos I had a ma just like you, nag nag nag like a nun's drawers - always on!

And that is actually what 99% of all teenagers think about their mum though some are a bit better at not showing it !

Unfortunately I don't know what to suggest that helps, but know your place and be aware whatever you do or say - it will be wrong anyway - and don't take it personally!

Have you tried sarcasm or is he not sufficiently grown up yet to understand that? cos 11 now is about the equivalent of 14 when you and his dad were his age. Tell him you wonder whether he realises when he lands up in hospital when he collapses from abusing his body and gets carted off in an ambulance that they would put him on the childrens ward, stress that, he'll hate that idea! and you are only thinking of him every time you try and get him to test etc.

OR - would he be interested in a pump? - the Roche is good because the meter/remote Bluetooths instructions to the pump, and it can't do it's electronic wizardry and calculations UNLESS HE TESTS HIS BLOOD. Both the meter and pump can beep and grunt and vibrate - even plays tunes for certain things, but not like JayZ or whatever LOL - and anyone with the desire could make a most impressive display for their friends I'm sure, once they get their head round it ! Oh and the brand new version of it is out in July! Pictograms and stuff, not had one in my hand yet but it looks nice!
 
Thanks for your advice and pointers.
I think it probably is more than 75% of just being a teenager.
He doesn't seem to connect not taking insulin to becoming ill and being hospitalised. The DSN has suggested a stay in hospital and he agreed to that for all the wrong reasons - because he would be off school not to help improve his levels, so, it hasn't happened and I don't think it will just at the moment.
I'll keep you posted.
 
Hi and welcome ShirleyKnott. Sorry that no parents of teenagers have spotted this thread yet. You might want to try starting a thread in Parents section, where you are more likely to get replies.

As Northerner and Trophywench have said, being a teenager means being stroppy, even without diabetes. To a teenager, the future seems so far away that it's another world, plus there's no link between current behaviour and future health.

As well as diabetes, remember that other aspects of life, especially academic / education and social relationships have a very big effect on future health, so it's important to treat all aspects as important.

As you mention he likes playing football, it might help to give him this link about sports with type 1 diabetes - see http://www.runsweet.com/Football.html There's lots more on Runsweet website, but perhaps one page about something that really matters to him would help?
 
Copepod, Shirley did in fact post in the parents section, and we've all replied on there instead of here! 🙂
 
Hi Shirley. Have you considered a Duk week or weekend ? They give kids so much confidence & they don't feel they are by them selves. They do a good one for teenagers at ctr parks in the lakes with lots of out door stuff. I still don't test or inject in front of people I don't know after 48yrs. Good luck 🙂
 
Redkite said:
Copepod, Shirley did in fact post in the parents section, and we've all replied on there instead of here! 🙂
Click to expand...

Sorry, I did look in Parents, but must have missed Shirley's post. Anyway, important thing is that she got answers.
 
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