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confused about type

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Kim.

Several things I'd like to say.

1. Levemir certainly never lasted me 24 hours. It wasn't at a useful level after 12 hours. So I had two jabs of it a day. Yes I am T1. No I don't and never did use as much insulin at 8.5 to 9 stone ish, as a heavier person would - nor as much as anyone T1 or T2 with any Insulin resistance.

2. The person who treats someones MY diabetes is ME, 24/7, 365 days a year, year in year out, for 40 years at the end of July. I take advice from HCPs. If it sounds sensible I'll try it. If it doesn't sound sensible I should ask WHY? How on earth is is that going to help me? - but often I don't. So then I have to decide what to do.

3. In the latter case, because I've been around diabetes and forums for quite some time, there are a number of people whose advice I trust. So I'd bounce it off them. If they pretty unanimously came up with a convincing argument in support of that advice I'd weigh that up against my own feelings and probably give it a go. If they didn't come up with any convincing arguments then I'd be satisfied I was right

4. In the past I have certainly accepted tablets from my GP and then subsequently decided I'd really rather not take them. I have my reasons for that. At the end of the day it's MY decision. If it causes me harm - then that's on my OWN head - and not on my GP's. But it had a LOT to do with MY quality of life - which was being badly affected by taking the tablets. And my quality of life and keeping a balance between that and doing the things I simply HAVE to do to stay alive, has won the argument for me, so far in my life. So I told him what I'd done and why I'd done it and that I wasn't asking him to approve of it, or to like it, but only to try and understand where I was coming from in reaching my decison.

5. It IS true that too much insulin can/does cause weight gain, it is also true that some people measure their daily intake in hundreds of units rather than tens or ones.

6. Each person is different. The only hard and fast rule is - there are no hard and fast rules.
 
Hi Kim - I agree that 30 is too high. I am wondering whether the DN you spoke to is a pratcise nurse with responsibility for diabetes at your Dr's surgery rather than a DSN. A DSN will specialise in diabetes where as a practise nurse's knowledge will in many cases be a lot less.

I seem to remember being told by a DSN that if you needed insulin within so many months of diagnosis that you were a type 1. Unfortunately I can't remember the number of months. I guess that is because in some people the drop in insulin production is more protracted than in others.
 
Hi Kim!

I can't really give you too much advice here. But I do feel like I'm in a similar situation, as I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 18. However I have been obese pretty much all my life, so when they said I was type 2 I didn't really question it... Though now I do wonder.

You mentioned that you were overweight, well if you have been for a long time like I have, perhaps you are type 2? Though I agree with what everyone else says, it shouldn't matter what type you are, they should still be getting proper help!

And I sympathise with how you feel lethargic and ill all the time... I'm completely the same. Please just do your best, and good luck with your treatment.
 
She is definitely a diabetes specialist nurse!

I went to see a consultant at the hospital and she said she thought I might be type 1 because 19 is still young, which contradicted what I was originally told when I was diagnosed.
Also, she did say that it's a good sign that I might be type 1 because I changed to insulin quite quickly.

As for weight, I haven't always been as big as I am now, I've never been skinny though. I was around a size 12, then I put on about 4-5 stone in the 18 months before I was diagnosed. And I think that was because when I was at college I used to walk everywhere and that stopped when I finished (plus I met my now husband when I was 17 and he drove me everywhere)

I'm hoping I am type 1 just because I want a pump, as I have issues with needles and I'm finding it very difficult doing all these injections, I'm particularly having problems with the levemir! :(
 
Just want to thank everyone who's posted and given me advice and support.

For the past couple of days my bs levels have come down, and they have been in single figures quite a lot (I usually only check before a meal) which is really unusual for me. I've been quite naughty today and I was surprised to see them still low

I have been trying to have a better diet recently, along side the change in insulin, and after seeing results for the first time in 6 1/2 years, I'm feeling quite positive! 🙂

Usually I'll try my best at a healthy diet and when my levels are still constantly high I'll get upset and frustrated and think what's the point, so I'll give up.

This time I'm not giving up, if anything I will improve it further.
 
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