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Hey there

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spey

spey

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I'm Spey. I've had type 1 diabetes since I was 9, now 22. Currently managing it with Novorapid and Lantus, moving on to an insulin pump in September. I currently work at a tech company doing IT infrastructure work and am 4 years into studying Computing & Maths part time with the Open University.

Been feeling very stressed about diabetes lately with Brexit and stuff, so I thought it'd be a good idea for me to reach out and try to meet other diabetics. I don't really know anyone else with the condition so I can feel very isolated and misunderstood with it a lot of the time. I'm hoping that talking to other diabetics will help me feel less like an outsider.
 
Hi Spey.

Sorry to see you’re feeling stressed at the moment. Is it mostly Brexit related or other diabetes stuff? You certainly won’t feel like an outsider here. Everyone here “gets it” ...the living with the condition and it’s a place to share your ups and downs, frustrations and good news too. Even after 40 years I still learn things here and pick up hints and tips. I don’t use a pump myself, but many the forum members use them and love them.

I saw the “M” word, maths, yikes! That’s enough to give me a little spike. Are you enjoying your course? Is it easy to keep motivated on an O.U. Course?

Anyway, welcome along 🙂
 
Hi Spey
I’m a T2 so don’t ask for any advice regarding your T1 but nice to have you here ..!
 
Hi Spey. I was only diagnosed T1 around 18 months ago but like you i don't know anyone else who has it or understands what its like to live with it day after day. The forum is a really helpful place to ask questions or vent your feelings with other people who understand. I'm not on a pump, just injecting so can't comment on that and am really sorry you are feeling stressed. I know i get really frustrated and anxious sometimes but i try to take it day by day and educate others who do not understand when/if i can. People who have replied to me on this forum have been really helpful and friendly so please don't feel like an outsider. You sound like you are doing incredibly well with your course so just take every day as it comes. I know thats easy to say (and i don't always follow my own advice!) but i try. Welcome to the forum.
 
Hi everyone,

Thank you all so much for your kind words and understanding. It really means a lot.

The Brexit anxiety is mostly related to the supplies of insulin and food. I know Novo Nordisk have some plans in place and I'm trying to build up a decent supply in my fridge, but it's still quite scary. I think I'll freeze some bread in September as well because gluten free stuff feels like it'd be the first to go if food was an issue, since I have coeliac too.

I'm looking forward to getting on the pump since I really dislike having to adjust for doing too much insulin by eating; I'd much rather just be able to turn it down, and I want to have fewer issues with my blood sugar going high overnight.

I wouldn't say motivation is exactly easy with an OU course and it can definitely be challenging - the Pure Mathematics module a couple of years ago was especially difficult. I enjoy what I'm studying a lot though and the constant learning keeps my mind off of things though, so I'm looking forward to getting back into it in September / October.

I think it'll be really nice to get to vent my feelings here a bit. People try to be understanding but it can be really hard for them to understand when I'm really anxious and emotional because of having a hypo, or really grumpy because of the migraines high blood sugar gives me. I can't shake that feeling that people think that's who I am, rather than the natural reaction to my condition making me really ill.

Thank you all very much for your welcome. I look forward to seeing you around on the forums ^^
 
I can relate to what you say about people trying to be understanding. My hubby and children are great and i have a couple of good friends, one of whom has read up on diabetes so she can try to understand it more. Mostly though, others around me don't understand as much and i feel like i'm constantly talking about it if they do comment when i get emotional or anxious. Just come and talk to someone on here whenever you need to.
 
Hello @spey and welcome to the forum 🙂

I'd be interested to hear how you get on with the pump - I'm hoping to get one eventually too, but I need to jump through various hoops before I'm allowed one. I'm on very tiny doses of insulin and have a lot of hypos and quite a few spikes as well, so it would be really good to be able to calculate in tenths of units rather than half units.

My OH has a PhD in pure maths and now works in computing - he did a bit of teaching for the OU many years ago on one of their computing courses, but he found that quite challenging too (the work was really sporadic, so there'd be nothing to do for it for ages and then suddenly loads of work to mark all at once). I'm glad you're enjoying the course though - I hope the rest of it goes well.

Please vent your feelings here as much as you like, we all know what it's like to live with diabetes!
 
Hey @spey and welcome to the forum.

Insulin pumps are fantastic I find. Do you have a start date for yours? If you need any help or just want to talk to someone else with T1D you can send me a DM on the forum.
 
Welcome to the forum @spey, from another Mathematician. Mind you I say that, but I finally chucked out my uni notes. The only thing that I now recognised was my writing. So I must have understood it at the time, but having not used any of it for 40 years I am now a bit rusty. However I still love the idea of it as an international language that can be used to communicate and investigate so much.

Sorry you are feeling stressed about your Diabetes at present. I can understand the concerns about Brexit, and it is good to know that Novonordisk have plans in place to deal with the period after ‘the event’. It is good to come on here as there is so much support available as well as a wealth of knowledge.

I switched to a pump eight years ago, as like you I was getting very frustrated with the inflexibility of using MDI. The pump gives me so many more options about how and when I deliver a Bolus. I used to need to split a dose, but then so often forgot to deliver the second half, and ended up high. The ability to turn down the basal insulin is great for any activities. When I was looking into it I found the book Think Like a Pancreas very useful, mind you that was before I had discovered this forum.

Have you decided what pump you are going to have. I am due a switch next Feb and always interested in the choice people are making, bearing in mind that clinics each offer their own limited choice.

Keep in touch. It is great place for help with pumping, and also for support of any kind.
 
spey said:
Hi everyone,

Thank you all so much for your kind words and understanding. It really means a lot.

The Brexit anxiety is mostly related to the supplies of insulin and food. I know Novo Nordisk have some plans in place and I'm trying to build up a decent supply in my fridge, but it's still quite scary. I think I'll freeze some bread in September as well because gluten free stuff feels like it'd be the first to go if food was an issue, since I have coeliac too.

I'm looking forward to getting on the pump since I really dislike having to adjust for doing too much insulin by eating; I'd much rather just be able to turn it down, and I want to have fewer issues with my blood sugar going high overnight.

I wouldn't say motivation is exactly easy with an OU course and it can definitely be challenging - the Pure Mathematics module a couple of years ago was especially difficult. I enjoy what I'm studying a lot though and the constant learning keeps my mind off of things though, so I'm looking forward to getting back into it in September / October.

I think it'll be really nice to get to vent my feelings here a bit. People try to be understanding but it can be really hard for them to understand when I'm really anxious and emotional because of having a hypo, or really grumpy because of the migraines high blood sugar gives me. I can't shake that feeling that people think that's who I am, rather than the natural reaction to my condition making me really ill.

Thank you all very much for your welcome. I look forward to seeing you around on the forums ^^
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Hi I have had type 1 diabetes since I was 12 and am 29 now. I can relate to the migraine thing I get headaches after hypos and high sugar can cause it too with me. I can understand that you are worried about Brexit. I'm sorry to hear you are anxious but I'm glad you are enjoying this site. Best wishes Ditsy daisy.
 
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