Happy 11th birthday, Diabetes Support Forum!

[eggyg]

I joined in November 2010, a month after diagnosis. I was a lost soul who didn’t know anyone else who was like me, what I now know is Type 3c, (obviously I learnt that from this forum). I told my story and got two replies from people who had had the same or similar op to me. I could have cried, I wasn’t the only weirdo diabetic. As the years have gone on I’ve been re categorised as Type 1, that wouldn’t have happened without this forum, I would have just plodded on being pigeon holed as Type 2. It gave me the confidence to challenge the HCPs and like @Robin I would never have heard of the Libre. I’ve also made and met some good friends over the years. Keep up the good work everyone. 🙂

 

[Hazel]

My heartfelt thanks to all the staff, past and present, for their hard work.

I joined not long after the Forum started. A T2 who moved from tablets onto insulin. In central Scotland T2s get zero training on carb counting. As a result, this Forum was a Godsend.

Keep up the excellent work

 

[grovesy]

My heartfelt thanks to all the staff, past and present, for their hard work.

I joined not long after the Forum started. A T2 who moved from tablets onto insulin. In central Scotland T2s get zero training on carb counting. As a result, this Forum was a Godsend.
Very few Type 2 get training on carb counting.
Keep up the excellent work

 

[Ralph-YK]

Yes indeed - a big thank you to Kati who spent two years negotiating with Diabetes UK to get the forum up and running 🙂

Hmmmm Notherner too. As a long standing admin.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Where's the cakes? I'm ready for the cakes!

 

[Northerner]

Where's the cakes? I'm ready for the cakes!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hmmmm Notherner too. As a long standing admin.

Hear hear! Huge HUGE thanks to Northie for many years of careful nurturing which guided and helped created the brilliant forum as it is today.

 

[merrymunky]

This place has been a life line for me this year.
My diabetes was diagnosed during the darkest period of my life. I’d just lost my son who was so wanted and took 10 years to make an appearance.
My life was in utter turmoil so to be diagnosed with this condition and to learn after post mortem and genetics testing that the most likely cause for his death was the diabetes was just another horrible slap in the face.

With the support, encouragement and advice of everyone here I’ve dropped nearly three stone this year, reduced my hba1c from 75 to 47 and fallen pregnant twice more (although one sadly ended in early miscarriage) after living my whole adult life thinking I was never going to conceive even once!

EVERYONE here is so helpful and supportive. I am most grateful to have encountered you all.

 

[ukjohn]

This place has been a life line for me this year.
My diabetes was diagnosed during the darkest period of my life. I’d just lost my son who was so wanted and took 10 years to make an appearance.
My life was in utter turmoil so to be diagnosed with this condition and to learn after post mortem and genetics testing that the most likely cause for his death was the diabetes was just another horrible slap in the face.

With the support, encouragement and advice of everyone here I’ve dropped nearly three stone this year, reduced my hba1c from 75 to 47 and fallen pregnant twice more (although one sadly ended in early miscarriage) after living my whole adult life thinking I was never going to conceive even once!

EVERYONE here is so helpful and supportive. I am most grateful to have encountered you all.

This is what this forum has been all about, not just what to eat or what your numbers are/were or even whether you are on insulin or not, it is to give support through everything you encounter as a diabetic, even if it's only a cyber hug to let people know they are not alone facing the turmoil that merrymunky went through.
To give you an example of what I mean. Several years ago I noticed a lady member had not been into the forum for a week yet she was normally in everyday, so I sent her an email asking her if she was OK and if there was anything I could help her with as I missed her on here. She rather than email me posted a beautiful message on these boards thanking me and how it had given her a massive lift that anyone would think of her, she posted it on the boards so that people could see what a difference I had made to her. I printed out that message and still have it today, because that also give me a big lift.

John.