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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.
New diagnosis
- Thread starter Cass86
- Start date
- Status
Toucan
Forum Host
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hello @Cass86 and welcome from me as well.
I will tag other parent members @Thebearcametoo and @LucyDUK who I am sure will be along shortly to offer you some support.
I will tag other parent members @Thebearcametoo and @LucyDUK who I am sure will be along shortly to offer you some support.
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi and welcome
Sorry to hear about your daughter's diagnosis, but yes it does get better. People sometimes describe it as being similar to learning to drive... so many things to think about like changing gear and speed and steering and checking the mirror and indicating. It all seems really complicated at first but most of it becomes automatic after a bit, you just do it without thinking. I can imagine it is 10x worse being the parent because you are not there with them all the time and you can't feel what they can feel, although sometimes parents/carers/partners are better at spotting when we are going hypo than we are. The first few weeks and months are scary, but gradually as you get used to and confident with counting carbs and calculating insulin and treating hypos, you will worry less, until it just becomes your new normal. Your daughter is perhaps at the most difficult phase of life to develop diabetes as she is or soon will be having to cope with hormonal changes in her body as well as wanting more independence and this will make things trickier both in terms of giving her more freedom and also managing BG levels as they are affected my hormonal changes. She will also be used to eating whatever she likes without thinking about it, whereas children who are diagnosed young, grow up not knowing anything else.
Fortunately we are living in an age when the insulins available and technology to help manage diabetes are improving rapidly and there are so many bits of kit to help keep your daughter safe and there is no reason why it should stop her doing anything she wants with her life.
I hope you have a good team of health care professionals to support you, particularly in these early days, but please feel free to ask for advice and support here on the forum as there is a great deal of knowledge and experience from people who have been there and got the t-shirt and know what they are talking about and can also empathise.
Sorry to hear about your daughter's diagnosis, but yes it does get better. People sometimes describe it as being similar to learning to drive... so many things to think about like changing gear and speed and steering and checking the mirror and indicating. It all seems really complicated at first but most of it becomes automatic after a bit, you just do it without thinking. I can imagine it is 10x worse being the parent because you are not there with them all the time and you can't feel what they can feel, although sometimes parents/carers/partners are better at spotting when we are going hypo than we are. The first few weeks and months are scary, but gradually as you get used to and confident with counting carbs and calculating insulin and treating hypos, you will worry less, until it just becomes your new normal. Your daughter is perhaps at the most difficult phase of life to develop diabetes as she is or soon will be having to cope with hormonal changes in her body as well as wanting more independence and this will make things trickier both in terms of giving her more freedom and also managing BG levels as they are affected my hormonal changes. She will also be used to eating whatever she likes without thinking about it, whereas children who are diagnosed young, grow up not knowing anything else.
Fortunately we are living in an age when the insulins available and technology to help manage diabetes are improving rapidly and there are so many bits of kit to help keep your daughter safe and there is no reason why it should stop her doing anything she wants with her life.
I hope you have a good team of health care professionals to support you, particularly in these early days, but please feel free to ask for advice and support here on the forum as there is a great deal of knowledge and experience from people who have been there and got the t-shirt and know what they are talking about and can also empathise.
Thebearcametoo
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent of person with diabetes
Hi and welcome
yes it gets easier and the learning to drive analogy is so good.
The first few weeks you have a huge amount of info to get your heads around plus dealing with the shock of diagnosis. You will get to grips with carb counting, ratio changes and everything else but it’s ok if it all feels too much right now.
No question is too silly. And we’re here to support you as well as help you through the care of your daughter.
yes it gets easier and the learning to drive analogy is so good.
The first few weeks you have a huge amount of info to get your heads around plus dealing with the shock of diagnosis. You will get to grips with carb counting, ratio changes and everything else but it’s ok if it all feels too much right now.
No question is too silly. And we’re here to support you as well as help you through the care of your daughter.
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome to the forum @Cass86
Sorry to hear about your daughter’s diagnosis. It is a shock at any age, but it really does get easier.
There is a lot to learn very quickly at the start. Keep talking to each other and come back with questions.
A book that a few have found useful is Type1Diabetes in Children Adolescents and Young Adults by Ragnar Hanas. It explains things very clearly, is well indexed and is a useful book to dip into.
I will take @Sally71 who has a daughter who is a little older who was diagnosed when she was younger.
Sorry to hear about your daughter’s diagnosis. It is a shock at any age, but it really does get easier.
There is a lot to learn very quickly at the start. Keep talking to each other and come back with questions.
A book that a few have found useful is Type1Diabetes in Children Adolescents and Young Adults by Ragnar Hanas. It explains things very clearly, is well indexed and is a useful book to dip into.
I will take @Sally71 who has a daughter who is a little older who was diagnosed when she was younger.
Thank you everyone for your kind replies. It's been the most awful few days, my daughter has been so strong and brave, I wish I could be as brave as her. Today has felt a tiny bit easier and I havent cried quite so much. She is doing the finger prick test herself, she really wanted to take control of that. I have been doing the insulin injections (the first one was so awful). Due to covid19 my husband wasnt allowed in the hospital so I now have to try and teach him what I have learnt so far. Our diabetic team have been amazing and we feel very supported. I keep thinking about what's next, we have started carb counting but have not been taught why or what it means, just that eventually her insulin will be adjusted according to the carbs. I feel like every minute is consumed with diabetes thoughts for myself currently. My daughter is trying to go back no normal in between injections, testing etc which is great, I do not want her to be consumed by it and I do not cry in front of her, I have to be strong and tell her it will all be ok. I have another daughter who is 9 so I'm very conscious of making sure she is ok, there is so much to think about. Our lives have just been turned upside down. Thank you everyone x
D
Deleted member 25429
Guest
It does get a lot easier , I was diagnosed at 52 with type 1 . I’m still learning a year later. There are good days when you get it right .. then there are days when you just have to accept that you didn’t quite get it right . It was scary at my age ,my heart goes out to both you and your daughter . The best bit of advice I got was you control it , it doesn’t control you . My husband and I read all the information, and asked questions on here then made our choices as to how we were going to manage my diagnosis. In a years time you will surprise yourself as it becomes second nature . Good luck x
Ralph-YK
Much missed Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
The adjusting insulin to what you eat is a big reason to carb count. My understanding is they get "base" level of insulin first. Counting now, keeping a food diary along with a record of your levels has two benifits. It'll help the hospital set an insulin dose. Also, hopefull you'll start to see a pattern, and learn how combinations of food and insulin affect her blood glucose (BG) levels.
stephknits
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi from another parent with a recently diagnosed girl - although mine is 16, diagnosed on the 1st May. I also have a younger daughter - 13. Injecting feels very difficult, I agree, but will get easier. The finger pricker is worse and if she is already managing that then you are both doing really well. How did your daughter come to be diagnosed? I was lucky in that I have type 1 myself so we recognised the signs and were able to test her bs at home before then heading to A&E.
We are all here for you so anything you, it can feel so isolating, especially at the minute.
We are all here for you so anything you, it can feel so isolating, especially at the minute.
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Well done to your daughter @Cass86 for taking on the finger pricking already.
The diagnosis does change things rapidly but it will become just a new normal life.
The carb counting will be the major part of your daughter’s management as in the future she will adjust her doses at each meal to match the amount of carbs. The info you are gathering at present will help her team to adjust doses to an appropriate starting point for her to work from.
It is understandable that you are worried and upset. We are here for you.
The diagnosis does change things rapidly but it will become just a new normal life.
The carb counting will be the major part of your daughter’s management as in the future she will adjust her doses at each meal to match the amount of carbs. The info you are gathering at present will help her team to adjust doses to an appropriate starting point for her to work from.
It is understandable that you are worried and upset. We are here for you.
My daughter has been incredible, shes so brave. She had taken some interest in her insulin pens today, she didnt even want to look at them until then. She has said she wants to try and do it soon but we are not going to pressure her, it's still so new.
We noticed she was more tired the last few weeks, she was tearful and complained her legs ached when we walked our dog. I spoke to friends and was reassured it was hormones. She only drinks water and wanted it cold from the fridge, I noticed last weekend she was refilling her water bottle loads, I called the doctor Monday and was told we had no family history and it's most probably hormones. I asked them to test her urine to put my mind at rest but unfortunately it turned out I was right. We were then sent straight to the hospital. Today is the first day since we found out that I haven't cried so I guess that means we are making progress. Ive tried to just focus on today and getting through it. X
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Oh Gosh! Sending you big virtual hugs! Your daughter sounds like she is making huge progress. You must be very proud of her. I can't imagine how much more worrying it must be as a parent. You are doing great and it really does get easier.
D
Deleted member 27171
Guest
Obviously the last thing you would have wanted to be right about, but well done for being so on the ball. It can be tough to challenge the professionals, thank goodness you did. It sounds like you’re all doing brilliantly to me. Tears and worry are a perfectly normal response and you wont feel like this forever, it takes time to adjust and to learn, but you will and diabetes will just slot into your life along with everything else. We’re all here whenever you need to ask questions, chat or just get things off your chest.
stephknits
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
It took my daughter a month and a half to do her own injections. Like you say,no pressure at the minute. Taking each day as it comes. I still feel sad for the diabetes free life my daughter has lost (and me!) So totally natural to feel a huge sense of loss
My daughter is also managing so well and getting on with it, but I know she will have times when it is all too much and all we can do is be there for them
My daughter is also managing so well and getting on with it, but I know she will have times when it is all too much and all we can do is be there for them
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Cass86
Lots of wise T1 and parent-of-T1-CWD heads around here to compare notes with, share experiences, ask questions and support each other.
It will feel overwhelming at times and very unfair... but it IS doable, and actually of all the long term conditions to have to accommodate, I often think that diabetes isn’t a bad one. Yes it can be very annoying, fickle and frustrating, but it doesn’t stop you doing pretty much anything you want to do - its just that some things need a little more preparation and fore-thought.
If you would like a thorough and understandable overview of T1, Ragnar Hanas’s book is often recommended on the forum 🙂
Lots of wise T1 and parent-of-T1-CWD heads around here to compare notes with, share experiences, ask questions and support each other.
It will feel overwhelming at times and very unfair... but it IS doable, and actually of all the long term conditions to have to accommodate, I often think that diabetes isn’t a bad one. Yes it can be very annoying, fickle and frustrating, but it doesn’t stop you doing pretty much anything you want to do - its just that some things need a little more preparation and fore-thought.
If you would like a thorough and understandable overview of T1, Ragnar Hanas’s book is often recommended on the forum 🙂
Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults Seventh Edition: Amazon.co.uk: Ragnar Hanas: 9781859597989: Books
Buy Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults Seventh Edition Seventh by Ragnar Hanas (ISBN: 9781859597989) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
www.amazon.co.uk
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