I should say hello

[Lucyr]

Hello. I realised I haven’t introduced myself.

I am T2, though I’m not sure i feel a typical T2. Was diagnosed in 2008 aged 21, tried every T2 tablet and injection going, without any success in reducing blood sugars, before switching to MDI after a couple of years. No family history of diabetes, and I often get ketones if I skip insulin, but don’t go into DKA.

I now use lantus, apidra (with carb counting), metformin, accu check expert meter for apidra dose calculation, and have recently started semaglutide (ozempic) as I have a lot of weight to lose but struggle with constant hunger. I also take propanalol and am looking to start an antidepressant.

I can have great control when I’m in a good place mentally, but I haven’t been for a while and so my last a1c was 76. I have been suffering from burnout increasingly over the last 18 months, and recently worsening anxiety/depression and am trying to start recovering from that.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi Lucy

Good to have you here and learn more about you and your diabetes.... another oddball diabetic who doesn't fit into classic categories is always welcome! Out of curiosity, did they do C-peptide and GAD antibody tests to check for Type 1? It is a bit too easy for health care professionals to see someone who is older (like myself) or overweight and assume Type 2.

Sorry to hear you are struggling with burn out as well as mental health issues and that is quite a common theme on the forum so hopefully your will get some inspiration from people who are dealing with it or have come through it, or even just being able to share those feelings with people who "get it" can be a big help in itself.
My partner said something the other day about me being obsessed with my diabetes and he doesn't bang on about his medical conditions so I now consciously try not to mention anything about my BG levels etc when we are together. Diabetes is a big part of our lives and it is complicated so having people who we can bounce thoughts and ideas and frustrations off on, on a daily basis if necessary can be a big relief, as it means you are no longer alone with it.

I hope you learn lots from the forum but also feel the benefit of the support network it is, for just being able to share stuff that happens and help you find a way through it.... and maybe have a bit of a laugh in the process sometimes.

 

[Lucyr]

Hiya. No they’ve never done the tests, I’ve asked but been told that as I didn’t start insulin for over a year, and an overweight I must be t2. I agree that I’m not a straight t1 though as if I miss insulin for a few days my bg sits in the 20s, and i get some ketones but I don’t go into DKA. I feel like I must be somewhere in the middle, it seems like my pancreas is permanently in the honeymoon stage.

From my own experience it also seems that it depends what my bgs have been like recently - at the moment I am high a lot and get ketones quite easily, but after a sustained period of really good control I could skip an injection for a low/medium carb meal without much effect. However I couldn’t do that regularly.

For the mental health side of things, I think diabetes demands a lot more mental energy than some other conditions. I’ve recently started a CBT based course and had to leave halfway through the (online) session because even talking about doing more than now was too stressful. I did go back and do the homework a couple of days later though. For a diabetes related goal I’m aiming to reduce my a1c below 65 and lose about 8kg at my next checkup in May.

 

[grovesy]

Hiya. No they’ve never done the tests, I’ve asked but been told that as I didn’t start insulin for over a year, and an overweight I must be t2. I agree that I’m not a straight t1 though as if I miss insulin for a few days my bg sits in the 20s, and i get some ketones but I don’t go into DKA. I feel like I must be somewhere in the middle, it seems like my pancreas is permanently in the honeymoon stage.

From my own experience it also seems that it depends what my bgs have been like recently - at the moment I am high a lot and get ketones quite easily, but after a sustained period of really good control I could skip an injection for a low/medium carb meal without much effect. However I couldn’t do that regularly.

For the mental health side of things, I think diabetes demands a lot more mental energy than some other conditions. I’ve recently started a CBT based course and had to leave halfway through the (online) session because even talking about doing more than now was too stressful. I did go back and do the homework a couple of days later though. For a diabetes related goal I’m aiming to reduce my a1c below 65 and lose about 8kg at my next checkup in May.

I know you are member of another forum, have you ever looked at the Exter University site they are thought of as the experts in MODY. Some of their research has suggested there lots of differnt variations on Diabetes all requiring differnt treatments.

 

[Lucyr]

I know you are member of another forum, have you ever looked at the Exter University site they are thought of as the experts in MODY. Some of their research has suggested there lots of differnt variations on Diabetes all requiring differnt treatments.

I’ve not looked at that site before no, I’ll have a look. From the little I’ve read about MODY before it runs in families though? No one else in my family has diabetes.

 

[trophywench]

Well it's genetic alright Lucy, but not necessarily meaning there will be others either currently or in the past, who actually have, or had, a diabetes diagnosis.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Nice to have you here @Lucyr 🙂

 

[Lucyr]

Well it's genetic alright Lucy, but not necessarily meaning there will be others either currently or in the past, who actually have, or had, a diabetes diagnosis.

Ahh okay. There’s surely something strange in my family’s genes as everyone has medical conditions, just we all have different ones to each other!