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Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Hi All
- Thread starter Cazz
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Hi @Cazz and welcome to the club. There are quite a few late comers here. I was diagnosed at 36.
My biggest tip to trying to control blood sugars is don't. This may sound negative but I don't mean it that way. I think of managing my blood sugars because there are so many things which can affect them that perfection is impossible. We cannot do the job of a major human organ as well as live a full life.
Sorry, I jumped straight in there.
How are you coping? What insulins are you using? Are you lucky enough to have a Libre?
Whilst control is not possible, we can give you some tips about how to manage diabetes and your life. Because you still have the same life you did before your diagnosis and that doesn't have to change.
This forum is a friendly bunch. No question is too stupid. No rant is too pointless. And some jokes are funny. 🙂
My biggest tip to trying to control blood sugars is don't. This may sound negative but I don't mean it that way. I think of managing my blood sugars because there are so many things which can affect them that perfection is impossible. We cannot do the job of a major human organ as well as live a full life.
Sorry, I jumped straight in there.
How are you coping? What insulins are you using? Are you lucky enough to have a Libre?
Whilst control is not possible, we can give you some tips about how to manage diabetes and your life. Because you still have the same life you did before your diagnosis and that doesn't have to change.
This forum is a friendly bunch. No question is too stupid. No rant is too pointless. And some jokes are funny. 🙂
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi Cazz and welcome
You are a relative newcomer compared to some of us here. I was diagnosed 2.5 years ago at the age of 56 .... I've always been a bit slow/late although in this case I am happy about it. Couldn't imagine having to cope with diabetes through adolescence!
What I can tell you is that it gets easier as time goes on but those first few weeks and months can be pretty tough/overwhelming as there is so much to learn.
Would you like to tell us a bit about how you came to be diagnosed? Hopefully you didn't land up in hospital with DKA.
Which insulins are you on and do you have Freestyle Libre to check your levels or are you just finger pricking?
Is there anything particular you are struggling with?
Top tips from me would be to test or scan lots to understand how your body responds to insulin and carbs and be prepared to experiment.... always with an eye on keeping yourself safe. Our individual body's responses are quite unique and you need to learn to become the expert in your own personal diabetes. What works for me may not work for you but we can suggest things to try so that you can develop strategies which suit your body and diabetes.
A big thing for me (as a perfectionist) to grasp is that total control is not possible as there are too many factors which affect our levels that we have no influence over. Managing levels to the best of our ability is all we can do and accepting that at times things will go awry despite our best efforts. The best you can do on those occasions is to try to figure out if you could have done things better (for next time) or if there is anything which needs adjusting but otherwise just shrug and move on. Tomorrow is a new day!
You are a relative newcomer compared to some of us here. I was diagnosed 2.5 years ago at the age of 56 .... I've always been a bit slow/late although in this case I am happy about it. Couldn't imagine having to cope with diabetes through adolescence!
What I can tell you is that it gets easier as time goes on but those first few weeks and months can be pretty tough/overwhelming as there is so much to learn.
Would you like to tell us a bit about how you came to be diagnosed? Hopefully you didn't land up in hospital with DKA.
Which insulins are you on and do you have Freestyle Libre to check your levels or are you just finger pricking?
Is there anything particular you are struggling with?
Top tips from me would be to test or scan lots to understand how your body responds to insulin and carbs and be prepared to experiment.... always with an eye on keeping yourself safe. Our individual body's responses are quite unique and you need to learn to become the expert in your own personal diabetes. What works for me may not work for you but we can suggest things to try so that you can develop strategies which suit your body and diabetes.
A big thing for me (as a perfectionist) to grasp is that total control is not possible as there are too many factors which affect our levels that we have no influence over. Managing levels to the best of our ability is all we can do and accepting that at times things will go awry despite our best efforts. The best you can do on those occasions is to try to figure out if you could have done things better (for next time) or if there is anything which needs adjusting but otherwise just shrug and move on. Tomorrow is a new day!
Hi All
I went to hospital with DKA apparently it was really bad but i don't remember much as was sleeping all the time. i spent 5 days in hospital before they told me i had be diagnosed with diabetes.
My life has changed dramatically i am on Nova Rapid and Lantas but i am lucky i have a Libra which i obsess about and check at least 20 times a day.
I do find it very overwhelming and find it creeps into all aspects of my life.
I am on a strict diet with not many carbs, have given up smoking and drinking (my favourite things!!!) and replaced it with the gym.
I find it very emotional to talk about sometimes but i think that is the shock and my nurse says it will get easier.
I went to hospital with DKA apparently it was really bad but i don't remember much as was sleeping all the time. i spent 5 days in hospital before they told me i had be diagnosed with diabetes.
My life has changed dramatically i am on Nova Rapid and Lantas but i am lucky i have a Libra which i obsess about and check at least 20 times a day.
I do find it very overwhelming and find it creeps into all aspects of my life.
I am on a strict diet with not many carbs, have given up smoking and drinking (my favourite things!!!) and replaced it with the gym.
I find it very emotional to talk about sometimes but i think that is the shock and my nurse says it will get easier.
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Sorry to hear you had a bad DKA. Hope you are feeling much better now and it is the first and last you will have.
So pleased you have a Libre sensor as it makes things such a lot easier because you can see what your levels are doing and how you respond to certain foods and how quickly your insulin kicks in etc. If you are considered obsessive at 20 scans a day I hate to think of how you would describe my 30+ scans a day but I am comforted by the knowledge that the more times you scan, the better your diabetes management and since it is so quick and easy and no extra cost regardless of how many times you check, then I can justify it as getting my money's worth... or getting value for money for the NHS. You do need to be self aware though and if you are finding it is giving you anxiety or info overload, there is no harm in having a break from it. It is just a tool to help you to manage your condition. I tend to use it like a very long slow computer game where I do my best to improve on my Time in Range and aim for a personal best when things are going smoothly, but accept that most of the time things will fall back to a less than optimum level and I don't strive for 100% TIR
Being emotional is a very normal reaction. A life long condition diagnosis like diabetes can trigger a feeling very similar to grief.... essentially you are grieving the loss of your old carefree life when you could eat what and when you wanted and exercise without giving a thought to all the complex considerations that go along with diabetes and 101 other scenarios where you have to take your diabetes into consideration. Most of it gradually becomes second nature though and take less and less conscious effort, so I can assure you it does get easier. It is sometimes likened to learning to drive. It all seems very complicated at first and you have to think about checking your mirror and indicating and changing gear etc but once you have been driving for a while, you just do all those things without conscious thought and you just have to think about which turning you need to take to get to your destination or what the idiot in front or behind is playing at or if that child playing with a ball on the side of the road is aware of the traffic etc. The everyday stuff just happens and you just have to deal with the problems when they occur.
Well done for giving up smoking. I was a sugar addict pre diagnosis and that had to stop, so I can sympathize. Whilst alcohol can be difficult to manage and in the early stages when you are just learning the ropes. you don't need to make things any more difficult, there is no reason why a little alcohol occasionally shouldn't be something you can't enjoy and treat yourself too once you get the hang of things. Similarly, there is no reason why you need to follow a particularly low carb diet. I do, but it is a personal choice. It may be that they have suggested a carb reduction until they see how your body responds to carbs and insulin to get your ratios sorted out.
Anyway, if you have any particular concerns or worries, feel free to ask and by all means come and join us each morning on the "Group 7-day waking average" thread if you fancy getting to know us a bit better. We don't generally bother with weekly averages anymore, we just use it to post our waking readings each day and share a bit of news, banter, rant or offer support to each other when we need it. More like a virtual coffee morning really. If you decide you would like to join us I will post the link below. Don't try to read it from the beginning as the purpose of the thread has morphed over the years. Just jump right in by posting your waking reading tomorrow and any info you would like to share about your plans for the day or anything else. You will soon get the hang of it. Maybe see you there tomorrow...
So pleased you have a Libre sensor as it makes things such a lot easier because you can see what your levels are doing and how you respond to certain foods and how quickly your insulin kicks in etc. If you are considered obsessive at 20 scans a day I hate to think of how you would describe my 30+ scans a day but I am comforted by the knowledge that the more times you scan, the better your diabetes management and since it is so quick and easy and no extra cost regardless of how many times you check, then I can justify it as getting my money's worth... or getting value for money for the NHS. You do need to be self aware though and if you are finding it is giving you anxiety or info overload, there is no harm in having a break from it. It is just a tool to help you to manage your condition. I tend to use it like a very long slow computer game where I do my best to improve on my Time in Range and aim for a personal best when things are going smoothly, but accept that most of the time things will fall back to a less than optimum level and I don't strive for 100% TIR
Being emotional is a very normal reaction. A life long condition diagnosis like diabetes can trigger a feeling very similar to grief.... essentially you are grieving the loss of your old carefree life when you could eat what and when you wanted and exercise without giving a thought to all the complex considerations that go along with diabetes and 101 other scenarios where you have to take your diabetes into consideration. Most of it gradually becomes second nature though and take less and less conscious effort, so I can assure you it does get easier. It is sometimes likened to learning to drive. It all seems very complicated at first and you have to think about checking your mirror and indicating and changing gear etc but once you have been driving for a while, you just do all those things without conscious thought and you just have to think about which turning you need to take to get to your destination or what the idiot in front or behind is playing at or if that child playing with a ball on the side of the road is aware of the traffic etc. The everyday stuff just happens and you just have to deal with the problems when they occur.
Well done for giving up smoking. I was a sugar addict pre diagnosis and that had to stop, so I can sympathize. Whilst alcohol can be difficult to manage and in the early stages when you are just learning the ropes. you don't need to make things any more difficult, there is no reason why a little alcohol occasionally shouldn't be something you can't enjoy and treat yourself too once you get the hang of things. Similarly, there is no reason why you need to follow a particularly low carb diet. I do, but it is a personal choice. It may be that they have suggested a carb reduction until they see how your body responds to carbs and insulin to get your ratios sorted out.
Anyway, if you have any particular concerns or worries, feel free to ask and by all means come and join us each morning on the "Group 7-day waking average" thread if you fancy getting to know us a bit better. We don't generally bother with weekly averages anymore, we just use it to post our waking readings each day and share a bit of news, banter, rant or offer support to each other when we need it. More like a virtual coffee morning really. If you decide you would like to join us I will post the link below. Don't try to read it from the beginning as the purpose of the thread has morphed over the years. Just jump right in by posting your waking reading tomorrow and any info you would like to share about your plans for the day or anything else. You will soon get the hang of it. Maybe see you there tomorrow...
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome to the forum @Cazz , from another late comer (aged 53)
Well done on all the steps you have already taken to make changes, especially stopping smoking.
The diagnosis is a big shock for everyone, but it definitely does get easier. I think the best analogy is that it is like learning to drive. It all seems complicated at the start but then becomes automatic and you are just in the look out for any obstacles and deviations along the way.
It is good to hear that you have already got the Libre, and don’t worry about how often you scan. It is there and if it reassures you at this stage that is great. My top tip is that doing our job of being a pancreas is one that we will never be able to do perfectly. We just do the best that we can.
As you settle in to your ‘new normal’ you will become an expert in the carb count of the foods that you eat regularly, and make good guesses at others. Your Diabetes Specialist Nurse will enable you to learn how to make adjustments to your insulin doses so that you can eat what you want when you want.
keep in touch on here. Fire away with any questions that you have, and know that nothing is considered silly on here. Just ask.
Well done on all the steps you have already taken to make changes, especially stopping smoking.
The diagnosis is a big shock for everyone, but it definitely does get easier. I think the best analogy is that it is like learning to drive. It all seems complicated at the start but then becomes automatic and you are just in the look out for any obstacles and deviations along the way.
It is good to hear that you have already got the Libre, and don’t worry about how often you scan. It is there and if it reassures you at this stage that is great. My top tip is that doing our job of being a pancreas is one that we will never be able to do perfectly. We just do the best that we can.
As you settle in to your ‘new normal’ you will become an expert in the carb count of the foods that you eat regularly, and make good guesses at others. Your Diabetes Specialist Nurse will enable you to learn how to make adjustments to your insulin doses so that you can eat what you want when you want.
keep in touch on here. Fire away with any questions that you have, and know that nothing is considered silly on here. Just ask.
Well done on making health changes such as giving up smoking and going to the gym.
Can I ask why you are on a strict diet with not many carbs.
Many of us with Type 1 diabetes continue to eat a "normal healthy" diet without the need to restrict the carbohydrates that we eat.
Low or no carb meals can be more challenging to dose insulin for than normal/lower carb meals.
Likewise, it is ok to drink with Type 1 diabetes although we do need to be extra careful as alcohol can cause hypos.
I would recommend discussing with your diabetes team attending a DAFNE course or equivalent. This should teach you how to make Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating, understand what impact exercise, alcohol, illness, .... life has on your levels and meet other people with Type 1.
Making life changes are great if you feel they are for the best but if they are affecting your lifestyle negatively (like missing your favourite things), you will come to blame diabetes and find it difficult to maintain.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Cazz
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but glad you have found us!
Sounds like you have made some big changes, and I hope you find those are helping you live alongside your diabetes well.
There are lots of different approaches and strategies, and some will suit you more than others - what‘s important is to develop a toolkit that works for you long-term.
A degree of emotional upheaval is to be expected with a diabetes diagnosis - some people liken it to a form of grieving. Be kind to yourself, and keep checking in with whichever strategies you are using to make sure they are still working well for you - not just in terms of BG results, but more widely whether they are working for you as a whole person. 🙂
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but glad you have found us!
Sounds like you have made some big changes, and I hope you find those are helping you live alongside your diabetes well.
There are lots of different approaches and strategies, and some will suit you more than others - what‘s important is to develop a toolkit that works for you long-term.
A degree of emotional upheaval is to be expected with a diabetes diagnosis - some people liken it to a form of grieving. Be kind to yourself, and keep checking in with whichever strategies you are using to make sure they are still working well for you - not just in terms of BG results, but more widely whether they are working for you as a whole person. 🙂
Elizabethe
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1.5 LADA
Cazz I was diagnosed 14 days ago and use the Libre 2 , the first seven days I was scanning about 90 times , if I get down to 20 I will be happy. It is an emotional roller coaster and sometimes it is just unbelievable , my advice is to be kind to yourself ,it is life changing. However I have found the members on this forum very optimistic and helpful. Take care
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