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Hello & Help please

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Claire007

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hello there, I have just had a telephone diagnosis of diabetes from my GP. I was originally due to speak to him tomorrow to discuss my results but he called to say I need to start treatment tomorrow. It's all a bit of a shock to be honest. My symptoms only started fairly recently, thirsty/blurred vision from time to time/frequent trips to the loo, so I went to my GP on Monday. I am 44, not overweight and no family history of diabetes and the GP has said he thinks given that, it may be type1 despite me being a bit older.
He doesn't have the antibody test results but has told me my Glucose was 18.3 and red blood cell 102.

Can anyone shed any light on the results or give me an idea of good questions to ask tomorrow.

Sorry if it's garbled, I'm in a bit of shock.

Thanks in advance.
 
glucose is very high - ideally 5-7 but diabetic range is upto 9 (2hours after meal)
So they will want to try to bring that down.You will need the results of antibody test to know if you are type 1, but it is still possible you are type 2 or even type 1.5 lol.
im 46 not overweight - but is in the family - and type 2.
Write down anything you want to ask the doctor - because its so easy to forget, and write down anything pertinant you are told for same reason lol
 
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Welcome to the forum Claire007 🙂
 
Thank you for your replies, I'll be sure to take my notepad and husband with me tomorrow morning
 
Welcome to the forum, claire007. If you are prescribed any medication for diabetes, be sure to ask for medical exemption form, as people who need medication for diabetes don't pay for prescriptions in England.
 
Hi Claire, welcome to the forum 🙂 From what you say, it does sound more typically Type 1, or 'LADA' (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adulthood - sometimes referred to as Type 1.5). There is actually quite a broad spectrum for diabetes, so there are many possible treatments, although it seems likely that yours may involve insulin.

I hope that your GP is switched on and can provide you with good information and a suitable treatment, please let us know how things go 🙂
 
Thanks Northerner, I'm sure I'll be using this forum a lot and I appreciate your reply, there is such a lot to take in when it comes out of the blue. I've a lot to learn but I guess everyone has when first diagnosed. Hadn't heard of type 1.5 either so at least if it gets a mention, I'll have a bit of background.
 
Cheers Copepod, I already get free prescriptions for my epilepsy, aren't I the lucky one, lol! Gotta laugh really!
 
Hi Claire, you are exactly as I was when I found out I needed insulin. A nurse called next day with insulin, some needles and a test kit. You need to take some notes especially about what a hypo is and how to react. Buy a multi pack of mars bars and always have sugary drinks on hand. Sounds scary I know but with insulin you soon feel better. My eye sight went blurry and I could not drive. This lasted for six weeks but you may be ok. Ask doctor for Hypo-stop all on prescription and you will get all your prescriptions free from now on.Questions to ask is get an appointment to see the diabetic nurse they know everything and will give you confidence. Good luck for tomoz. Welcome to our forum its great place to ask questions.
 
Hi Claire007
There are quite a few of us late bloomers here, I'm one diagnosed last year at 40, so I remember only too well how overwhelming it can be. As others have said take a notebook or another person with you because you'll forget a lot of what's said (it's very overwhelming at first but that's totally normal 🙂). If they prescribe insulin make sure you're comfortable with injecting yourself (which really means make sure they show you how to do it), there are lots of insulin and regimes so again make sure you're comfortable with what doses and when and don't be afraid to stay in that surgery until you've got the basics. If you're anything like me you'll feel like an eleven year old starting big school for a while, but that passes when you understand more about what you're doing. Good luck today, hope it goes well 🙂.
 
hi, I'm also a 'late blooming' type 1, diagnosed at 50ish.My hospital adds to the confusion by refusing to label people Type1 or 2, they refer to them as 'auto-immune' and 'insulin resistant' Which is just another label....
Good luck with sorting it all out, there's a lot to learn very quickly, so take a list of questions, and take written notes of the answers so you can refer to them later. I always amuse my GP by whipping out a notebook and pen when I see her.
 
ISTR a lot of crying and attacks of the 'Why me?' in 1972. If that's how it hits you - don't fight it - let it out. It's utterly normal, it isn't you being daft or soppy.

It is a Big Thing - and it's a complicated subject too - so no way will you feel, when you come back from the doctors - that you now know all about it. You don't. But - neither does your doc! At the moment though - he does know more than you.

However, some time in the not too distant future - you will actually know one hell of a lot more about Claire's diabetes than he EVER will.

No question is considered stupid here - so please feel absolutely free to ask, ask ask ad infinitum. I'm still doing it myself ! And we don't care how many times you ask - it will sink in one day - especially when 10 or 12 people have all explained it - the same - but each in different words.

Welcome to the club no-one wanted to join. Although none of us had anything in common - suddenly we all do !! And it's great company too.
 
Hi Claire and welcome to our forum
So many friendly and knowledgeable people on here Look forward to hearing how you're getting on 🙂
 
And at least you've found us!

I was in my 40s when diagnosed, just over 8 stone and no history. I was never tested for T2, but here I am with an insulin pump 15 years later, having learnt more on here than through any other single thing. That's not to say some of the education hasn't been good, it's just that there are lots of other thoughts here to make comparisons and weigh up the evidence. Keep asking and trying things!
 
Wow, thank you all so much for your replies. It's been a very long day!
GP tested me again this morning and (forgive lack of terminology) glucose was 19 &. ketones +3 and blood was 108 so he got straight on the phone to a registrar to see if I needed to be admitted but they were happy to see me as an outpatient as I wasn't feeling ill.
So I've been told it's looking like type1 and the have started me on insulin 5 x a day.
4u (ml?) Humalog 3x a day and 4 u of levemir morning and night.
When they were asking about family history/illness and I told the nurse my sister had died of cancer in her forties, we realised we knew each other and she was my sisters friend! I relaxed straight away and asked if I could still drink alcohol!
So I'm back there tomorrow and she's going to show me how to check bloods. I'm booked in with a dietician next week (I soooo do not agree with low fat foods so that will be interesting as everything I've read says low fat this that and the other)
She's also sending me on a 5 day course.
I found the injection easy, it's the finger pricking I'm concerned about I've told her I have nerve damage already in my right hand from an op on my spine and she assured me she would find me the finest finger pricker around.
So. Lots to take in,massive folder of stuff to look through,
Thanks all so much.
 
Hi Claire, things may change a bit over the coming weeks. I would highly recommend getting a copy of Type 1 Diabetes in Children Adolescents by Ragnar Hanas, it will really help to clear up a lot of things for you. Great that you are already being put on a course and that you didn't have a problem with the injections 🙂 I've found that the AccuChek Multiclix/Fastclix finger prickers are the best, and remember that you can use the two sides of each finger (not the central pad, which has more nerve endings and therefore hurts more) for blood tests.

I wouldn't worry about low fat foods if you are not having a problem with your weight, it's more of a conventional Type 2 problem, but not actually even a problem there - high carbs is more of a problem.

Things need more planning, but there#s no reason why you can't continue to enjoy the life you have done before diabetes 🙂 I ran a half marathon last weekend 6 years after diagnosis at the age of 49, so it's quite feasible to live a full and active life with diabetes 🙂
 
Well it seems they're looking after you well, so that's good, and really great that you know the nurse. Don't worry about the finger pricking, just make sure you get a good pricking device, it makes all the difference 🙂

As Northerner said the low fat issue is just standard advice given, and providing there are no other reasons for a low fat diet the dietician will help you with working out how to adjust insulin for food, rather than give you a diet to follow. I have always avoided anything labelled as low fat like the plague and still do, I'd rather eat full fat and eat less of it. My diet hasn't really changed since before diagnosis, except my annual bag of jelly babies is no more, and I can't graze like I would have before but I've mostly adjusted to actual meals now 🙄

Anyway good luck and let us know how you go on, this place was and is a real lifeline for me (and the lifeboat to be honest) so don't be afraid to ask lots of questions 🙂
 
Sounds like things are working well for you so far, Claire007.

As KookyCat has explained, it's total content of a portion of whatever you eat that matters, rather than content per 100g. Like her, I prefer to eat a smaller amount of something nice, like a small scone and butter, than something larger and not as nice, such as a large scone with low fat spread.

Personally, I enjoy weekends like this one, the Great Lakeland 3 Day, especially because I can eat more than usual, and cake, beer and cider are supplied by the race organisers.

Insulin is measured in international units, 100 units per ml. So, it's really important that doses are written as units, peferably in full, as IU can look like ml in handwritting, and a dose of mls in an intravenous [IV] infusion in hospital would be enough of an overdose to kill.

You're very lucky to be offered a 5 day course so early - I still haven't been on one, nearly 20 years from diagnosis!
 
Sigh oh to have a scone with cream and jam - heaven.
Good that you have had a few answers and good luck in the coming weeks.
 
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