Greetings from a newly diagnosed type 1!

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kayleigh1991

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Hello!

My name is Kayleigh and I'm a 20 year old girl.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 4 weeks ago yesterday, and having lurked on this forum for a few weeks I thought I should take the plunge and join.

My story was pretty dramatic - had around 6 months of weightloss (roughly 2 stone) and all the other symptoms of diabetes, but I put it down to stress as I'd been at uni and then took a very intensive journalism course over the summer.

In September I developed tonsillitis, which was 'the straw that broke the camel's back' so to speak, and it tipped me over the edge and into a severe form of diabetic ketoacidosis. The doctors in A&E said I had some of the most extreme readings they'd ever seen and I'd been lucky to survive! I spent a few days in the ICU and then on the endocrinal ward, and have been home for about 3 weeks now. I feel especially unlucky because I'm needle-phobic (though I can deal with my own insulin injections now) and blood-phobic, so I'm DREADING a lifetime of blood tests!

I know I shouldn't, but I still feel really guilty every time I get a high blood sugar reading. I'm desperate to get back to a normal range, as I really want to take my blood sugar management seriously to minimise the risk of complications. I'm already finding I'm feeling guilty about everything I eat in case my next reading is really high.

I have no family history of diabetes and I don't know any other diabetics in person (type 1 or 2), so I'm feeling quite lonely at the moment as nobody really seems to understand how difficult it's been.

If anyone can offer some friendly advice for a newly-diagnosed youngster, I'd absolutely love to hear it, as I keep having little wobbles where I get really sad and anxious about everything.

Looking forward to participating in these forums!
 
Welcome to the forum Kayleigh.

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis, sounds quite tough. I guess I was lucky that my diabetes was slow to develop so I never suffered with the DKA that so many here seem to have been presented with at the very beginning of their D journey so I can only imagine what a shock it was.

If you've been lurking for a while you'll hopefully have an idea of how helpful and friendly everyone here is so if you have any questions fire away.

Try not to feel guilty about your choices, this is a long learning curve and the best way to learn is to experiment. You'll get things wrong, but if you learn from it then it was worth a mistake.
 
Hello Kayleigh
What a dramatic time you've had - sounds awful. At least you'll be starting to feel a lot better now. I don't have diabetes myself (my son does) but there's a lot of it in my family. Just wanted to reassure you about complications - there are lots of people on here who've had diabetes for years and are doing just fine. My aunt had T1 from her early 20s and had no serious complications, even though she started out in a coma 😱 My uncle had it from the age of 17, and he leads a busy retirement enjoying golf and amateur dramatics. Both had years of old-style diabetes medication too (eat to your insulin, boil your needles and sharpen them on a pumice stone etc). My uncle says the modern insulins and MDI are very good which always cheers me up when I'm worrying about my son - I know we are lucky to have his experience to draw on. Hopefully you can come to this board for lots of tips and support - everyone on here is so friendly and helpful 🙂
 
The other thing I meant to say was about needle phobia. A T1 friend of my nephew took William out for a meal when he was newly diagnosed, and told us he is needle phobic. He has become used to doing his blood tests and jabs although it was hard at first, but when William took out his pen to do his jab, the other lad practically passed out! So although he hasn't got rid of the phobia altogether, he can manage his own jabs well. He has been T1 since the age of 10 and is now at Aston university enjoying everything to the full - went on a ski trip with all his mates last year so diabetes doesn't seem to hold him back.
 
Hi Kayleigh

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I was diagnosed at a very similar age. 20 years later and no nasty complications yet.

You can do it! Stick around and keep asking questions. Most likely someone here will have been there before you.
 
Kayleigh hi and a warm welcome to the forum
 
kayleigh1991 said:
Hello!

My name is Kayleigh and I'm a 20 year old girl.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 4 weeks ago yesterday, and having lurked on this forum for a few weeks I thought I should take the plunge and join.

My story was pretty dramatic - had around 6 months of weightloss (roughly 2 stone) and all the other symptoms of diabetes, but I put it down to stress as I'd been at uni and then took a very intensive journalism course over the summer.

In September I developed tonsillitis, which was 'the straw that broke the camel's back' so to speak, and it tipped me over the edge and into a severe form of diabetic ketoacidosis. The doctors in A&E said I had some of the most extreme readings they'd ever seen and I'd been lucky to survive! I spent a few days in the ICU and then on the endocrinal ward, and have been home for about 3 weeks now. I feel especially unlucky because I'm needle-phobic (though I can deal with my own insulin injections now) and blood-phobic, so I'm DREADING a lifetime of blood tests!

I know I shouldn't, but I still feel really guilty every time I get a high blood sugar reading. I'm desperate to get back to a normal range, as I really want to take my blood sugar management seriously to minimise the risk of complications. I'm already finding I'm feeling guilty about everything I eat in case my next reading is really high.

I have no family history of diabetes and I don't know any other diabetics in person (type 1 or 2), so I'm feeling quite lonely at the moment as nobody really seems to understand how difficult it's been.

If anyone can offer some friendly advice for a newly-diagnosed youngster, I'd absolutely love to hear it, as I keep having little wobbles where I get really sad and anxious about everything.

Looking forward to participating in these forums!
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Hi Kayleigh, a warm welcome from me as well.
Wow does sound as if you have been through the mill 😱
Best advice I can give is to take one day at a time, having a bad, there's always tomorrow.
What ever you do don't dwell on your blood sugar numbers. Simple reason being is you are a human being not a machine so it's not possible to have perfect numbers 24/7. Just do the best you can.
Blood tests....:( I doubt there is anyoone who like doing them so welcome to the club in that dept.
There is a new blood glucose sensor that has just been given it's CE mark.
http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=31868 this might cut back a lot on blood testing.
Invest in a couple of books....... using insulin and think like a pancreas. Both can be found on amazon.
Best wishes
Sue
 
Welcome to the forums Kayleigh 🙂

You will find us a very friendly place!
 
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