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Hello I'm Vicki
- Thread starter VickiMM
- Start date
- Status
nonethewiser
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome, more type 2s than type 1 on here but we're a good bunch with many years of experience.
Chrissie24
Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi, I have only been a type 1 diabetic since Jan. The best thing I have learnt is not to eat carbs for breakfast, which at first I found difficult. I was getting very high spikes after breakfast and from there on it was a roller coaster. Another type 1 diabetic, who is also a nurse, recommended the book The Glucose Goddess - Method. It’s for everyone not just diabetics. Basically cereals are a no no at breakfast time as is bread. I eat full fat Greek yogurt, a little fresh fruit and Keto muesli on top. Eggs, full English anything that doesn’t contain sugar or carbs, except from fresh fruit but that can’t be eaten on its own (dress it with full fat yogurt). I hope this tip helps a little. I know it is hard but when I first joined this site 2 lovely people came back to me. Take care.
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
How people manage their Type 1 diabetes depends very much on what insulin regimes they are on and is very personal to them. Be careful of taking what people have for meals in terms of carbs as that may not be suitable for the insulin regime you have been advise to follow by your clinic especially when newly diagnosed.
It is all a learning process even for those who have had the condition for many years.
It is all a learning process even for those who have had the condition for many years.
Tdm
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
It is a shock at first, but it does get easier. Do you have a libre? I have a dexcom which i love but had libre first. Different strokes for different folks. I would suggest setting your alerts at about 5 initally, give you time to ward off any low blood sugars.
I would recommend 'think like a pancreas' as a good book on blood sugar control. I started on low carb but realised i can get the same results on higher carb and have bread, potatos etc...but follow the clinics advice til you have worked out your insulin/carb ratio and are happy carb counting...
What insulins are you on? Are you carb counting? If you want to post graphs there's nowt we like half as much as reading them and giving tips...though it may be a wee bit early for that. Do bear in mind be be selective about advice as treatment advice fot t1 can be wuite different than that for t2
I would recommend 'think like a pancreas' as a good book on blood sugar control. I started on low carb but realised i can get the same results on higher carb and have bread, potatos etc...but follow the clinics advice til you have worked out your insulin/carb ratio and are happy carb counting...
What insulins are you on? Are you carb counting? If you want to post graphs there's nowt we like half as much as reading them and giving tips...though it may be a wee bit early for that. Do bear in mind be be selective about advice as treatment advice fot t1 can be wuite different than that for t2
TheClockworkDodo
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi @VickiMM and welcome to the forum 🙂
If you want to tell us what insulins you are on and whether you are carb counting yet, whether you have a Libre, and whether there's anything in particular that's confusing you at the moment please do, it will help us give more individual advice.
Don't worry about being overwhelmed at first - there is a lot to take in all at once, it does get easier with time! A lot of people recommend the book Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults, by Ragnar Hanas (don't worry about the title if you're older, it's for people of all ages!).
Chrissie's advice about breakfast may be something which works for you in the longer term (or it may not, we are all different), but I wouldn't advise changing your meals just yet, especially if you are on set doses of insulin and don't know how to adjust them yet, as suddenly eating much smaller amounts of carbs wouldn't be safe. Initially your diabetes specialist nurse will want to help you adjust your insulin to suit your food rather than the other way round, it's only once you know what you are doing with it yourself that you can experiment a bit more if you find you have any issues, like the post-breakfast spikes Chrissie mentions - they are very common, but a lot of us find that injecting half an hour before we eat breakfast means we can eat cereals or bread or whatever we like for breakfast. But I wouldn't try injecting early or cutting carbs or anything else different yet - I'd stick with whatever your DSN has told you to do for now!
If you want to tell us what insulins you are on and whether you are carb counting yet, whether you have a Libre, and whether there's anything in particular that's confusing you at the moment please do, it will help us give more individual advice.
Don't worry about being overwhelmed at first - there is a lot to take in all at once, it does get easier with time! A lot of people recommend the book Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults, by Ragnar Hanas (don't worry about the title if you're older, it's for people of all ages!).
Chrissie's advice about breakfast may be something which works for you in the longer term (or it may not, we are all different), but I wouldn't advise changing your meals just yet, especially if you are on set doses of insulin and don't know how to adjust them yet, as suddenly eating much smaller amounts of carbs wouldn't be safe. Initially your diabetes specialist nurse will want to help you adjust your insulin to suit your food rather than the other way round, it's only once you know what you are doing with it yourself that you can experiment a bit more if you find you have any issues, like the post-breakfast spikes Chrissie mentions - they are very common, but a lot of us find that injecting half an hour before we eat breakfast means we can eat cereals or bread or whatever we like for breakfast. But I wouldn't try injecting early or cutting carbs or anything else different yet - I'd stick with whatever your DSN has told you to do for now!
Lucyr
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Well that’s dangerous advice to give a newly diagnosed type 1 when you know nothing about whether they can adjust their insulin dose or not and they’re likely on fixed doses so early on
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi @VickiMM - there are enough experienced Type 1's on the forum to answer pretty much any question you might happen to have - so get asking!
And PS - @Lucyr is also very experienced, I've known her a good many years - and I agree with what she's just said.
Now - how did you come to be diagnose, what HAVE you been told - and what insulins have they started you on?
And PS - @Lucyr is also very experienced, I've known her a good many years - and I agree with what she's just said.
Now - how did you come to be diagnose, what HAVE you been told - and what insulins have they started you on?
drfaustus
Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi @VickiMM - it is overwhelming. I think everyone here can relate to that. I've been type one for 53 years now (egads). We all sometimes feel it's just too much. But it's important to remember that you can do this. There are lots of care options out there and good folk (medical and not) who are happy to help. Ask any questions you have or just have a rant - you aren't alone in this.
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi and welcome from me too. Just 4 and a half years down the line with it and I can assure you it gets much easier with practice and knowledge..... stick around the forum here and you will learn lots.
Getting your prebolus timing is the answer to meal time spikes and I have to prebolus a whopping 45 mins with Fiasp to level things out even with a low carb breakfast like creamy Greek yoghurt and berries, so we are all different and the key thing with diabetes is experimenting to see what works for you. I certainly would not recommend anyone does what I do, as many people would hypo long before 45 mins, but just that they learn to experiment cautiously on themselves making small adjustments until they find the balance point. Diabetes is all about balance and that includes your mental health as well as BG levels.
No one way suits everyone, so be prepared to make a few mistakes in order to mostly get it right and view those mistakes as learning opportunities rather than being negatives and do not beat yourself up over them. I now view my diabetes as a very long game. I can play it safe most of the time and get decent results or I can occasionally go for a flashy shot down the line and it might end up a bit wide but if I don't practice, it wont get any better. The more I practice the more likely those rogue shots will become winners, in which case, I can congratulate myself and it makes me feel really good and my confidence improves both with the victories and the ones I get wrong.... because I realize that I am getting really good at fixing it when I get it wrong.... so it is kind of a win win situation. Libre (or other CGM) helps enormously too.
Getting your prebolus timing is the answer to meal time spikes and I have to prebolus a whopping 45 mins with Fiasp to level things out even with a low carb breakfast like creamy Greek yoghurt and berries, so we are all different and the key thing with diabetes is experimenting to see what works for you. I certainly would not recommend anyone does what I do, as many people would hypo long before 45 mins, but just that they learn to experiment cautiously on themselves making small adjustments until they find the balance point. Diabetes is all about balance and that includes your mental health as well as BG levels.
No one way suits everyone, so be prepared to make a few mistakes in order to mostly get it right and view those mistakes as learning opportunities rather than being negatives and do not beat yourself up over them. I now view my diabetes as a very long game. I can play it safe most of the time and get decent results or I can occasionally go for a flashy shot down the line and it might end up a bit wide but if I don't practice, it wont get any better. The more I practice the more likely those rogue shots will become winners, in which case, I can congratulate myself and it makes me feel really good and my confidence improves both with the victories and the ones I get wrong.... because I realize that I am getting really good at fixing it when I get it wrong.... so it is kind of a win win situation. Libre (or other CGM) helps enormously too.
Jessica DUK
Supporter Care Advisor
Hi @VickiMM and welcome to the forum. I'm sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis, we do understand that it can be very overwhelming and challenging to learn about!
I can see that some of the forum members have already jumped in with support and great advice so will let you digest it all.. There is lots of information on here, relating to medication, tech, dietary advice and so much more. If you have any Q's though please reach out and we will be happy to help! 🙂
I can see that some of the forum members have already jumped in with support and great advice so will let you digest it all.. There is lots of information on here, relating to medication, tech, dietary advice and so much more. If you have any Q's though please reach out and we will be happy to help! 🙂
Nile DUK
Supporter Care Advisor
Hi @VickiMM we are sorry to hear your concerns and hope we can help along the way I would suggest reading our guide to type 1 booklet here: https://shop.diabetes.org.uk/products/your-guide-to-type-1-diabetes-1 and contacting our helpline anytime you are in need of guidance: tel:+443451232399
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