Midnightcatpatrol
Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi.
Newly diagnosed T1 at the ripe old age of 35.
I was otherwise fit and well but caught COVID in march. After that I lost 15kg iof weight in 3 months. Started to pee all the time and following each pee with another glass of water.. I couldn't get through a night unbroken in the weeks leading up to diagnosis. The hunger, oh my. Iid eat dinner and 20 minutes later have to eat again. But I still kept losing weight.
Finally went to the gp who sent me for some bloods. Phlebotomist mentioned my blood looked strange.
2 am that night my wife and I are awoken my banging on the door. I look out of the window and see an ambulance. I could not fathom it was for me. I honestly thought , "oh, they must have broken down and need to use the phone", like it's still the 1950s.
Anyway they were sent by the hospital as my lab results were flagged although they didn't have the results. The paperwork said ™dka™. So, I get in the ambulance. Honestly when I got in the back, all the anxiety about actually finding out what was wrong with me melted away. It was out of my hands now. The paramedic pricked my finger - unrecordable.
Arrived at the hospital and popped into majors, lines go in, more blood comes out. Someone manages to find my blood results from that afternoon. Blood glucose 37, ketones 1.5, sodium 125, hba1c 170. So not quite dka thankfully although o was starting to smell sweet in the day leading up to all this. My wife thought I was sneaking chocolate and hiding it so I didn't have to share! This made me laugh.
So, some big bags of fluid and a short insulin infusion over night got my BM down to below 15. My first basal dose of lantus was given and I was allowed home for breakfast. "Oh god what do I eat?' I thought. I also noticed I didn't feel tired. My cells for the first time in weeks were able to use glucose, I felt buzzed.
Later that day I meet my diabetes nurse for the first time. Lots of chat, lots of explanation. I'm so impressed with how quickly it was all sorted. I am given my big bag of kit and I toddle home again. My third journey to and from the hospital in 24 hours. My nurse will call in a couple of days to check in on me.
The next 48 hours begin to show me how this disease plays with your mind. I feel elated as my bms start to fall. I get excited. Do I need insukin? Is this actually type 2? But then I don't want it to be type 2 because then I'll feel guilt. But I don't want it to be type 1 because this insulin business is going to interfere with life big time.
Gradually the enormity of the situation dawn's like the sun rises. Add in a couple of hypos after walking in the hot weather, a ghastly punishment for trying to reduce my cardiovascular risk factors, and its unsurprising I had a few wobbles.
But,. Best to be open because otherwise others won't understand it, not even closest friends. My diabetes team are so accessible too. We aren't alone.
Newly diagnosed T1 at the ripe old age of 35.
I was otherwise fit and well but caught COVID in march. After that I lost 15kg iof weight in 3 months. Started to pee all the time and following each pee with another glass of water.. I couldn't get through a night unbroken in the weeks leading up to diagnosis. The hunger, oh my. Iid eat dinner and 20 minutes later have to eat again. But I still kept losing weight.
Finally went to the gp who sent me for some bloods. Phlebotomist mentioned my blood looked strange.
2 am that night my wife and I are awoken my banging on the door. I look out of the window and see an ambulance. I could not fathom it was for me. I honestly thought , "oh, they must have broken down and need to use the phone", like it's still the 1950s.
Anyway they were sent by the hospital as my lab results were flagged although they didn't have the results. The paperwork said ™dka™. So, I get in the ambulance. Honestly when I got in the back, all the anxiety about actually finding out what was wrong with me melted away. It was out of my hands now. The paramedic pricked my finger - unrecordable.
Arrived at the hospital and popped into majors, lines go in, more blood comes out. Someone manages to find my blood results from that afternoon. Blood glucose 37, ketones 1.5, sodium 125, hba1c 170. So not quite dka thankfully although o was starting to smell sweet in the day leading up to all this. My wife thought I was sneaking chocolate and hiding it so I didn't have to share! This made me laugh.
So, some big bags of fluid and a short insulin infusion over night got my BM down to below 15. My first basal dose of lantus was given and I was allowed home for breakfast. "Oh god what do I eat?' I thought. I also noticed I didn't feel tired. My cells for the first time in weeks were able to use glucose, I felt buzzed.
Later that day I meet my diabetes nurse for the first time. Lots of chat, lots of explanation. I'm so impressed with how quickly it was all sorted. I am given my big bag of kit and I toddle home again. My third journey to and from the hospital in 24 hours. My nurse will call in a couple of days to check in on me.
The next 48 hours begin to show me how this disease plays with your mind. I feel elated as my bms start to fall. I get excited. Do I need insukin? Is this actually type 2? But then I don't want it to be type 2 because then I'll feel guilt. But I don't want it to be type 1 because this insulin business is going to interfere with life big time.
Gradually the enormity of the situation dawn's like the sun rises. Add in a couple of hypos after walking in the hot weather, a ghastly punishment for trying to reduce my cardiovascular risk factors, and its unsurprising I had a few wobbles.
But,. Best to be open because otherwise others won't understand it, not even closest friends. My diabetes team are so accessible too. We aren't alone.
