Hi, I'm very new to Diabetes, have heard of it, but until I met someone recently I honestly didnt realise how serious the condition can be. I find it very scary as I recently saw my partner have a very bad hypo and I really didnt know how to deal with it, but dealt with it the best I can. the thing is I dont want it to take over our lives and i dont want to constantly be watching him as I imagine this has got to be the most annoying and irritating thing I can do. Its not all about how I am feeling obviously, but I want to be able to deal with it and help him the best I can. Can anyone advise or help me, love him to pieces and want to be there for him.
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NikkiC - partner has diabetes
- Thread starter NikkiC
- Start date
- Status
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi NikkiC, welcome to the forum 🙂 I moved your post to its own thread so it wouldn't get lost.
It's great that you want to do what you can to take an interest in, and help care for, your partner's diabetes. People vary very much in how much they are willing to let others help, so a lot will depend on his own attitude to his diabetes. Is he fairly open about it, and does he manage it well do you know? How long has he been diagnosed and what type is he? I am presuming he is Type 1 since you mention hypos, and he is on insulin (but that's not always the case). The type of diabetes can bring different challenges and treatments, so it is helpful to know what these are. You might want to look in the Useful Links thread at the top of this section for some links and books that will help you to educate yourself.
The main thing to remember, for all diabetics, is to try and follow a healthy diet - the same sort of healthy low-fat, low-sugar, low-salt diet we all should follow! - and to try and stay as active as possible.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have - nothing is considered 'silly'! Diabetes can be a complicated disease and we are all learning all the time, so whatever your questions are they will be useful to us all. 🙂
It's great that you want to do what you can to take an interest in, and help care for, your partner's diabetes. People vary very much in how much they are willing to let others help, so a lot will depend on his own attitude to his diabetes. Is he fairly open about it, and does he manage it well do you know? How long has he been diagnosed and what type is he? I am presuming he is Type 1 since you mention hypos, and he is on insulin (but that's not always the case). The type of diabetes can bring different challenges and treatments, so it is helpful to know what these are. You might want to look in the Useful Links thread at the top of this section for some links and books that will help you to educate yourself.
The main thing to remember, for all diabetics, is to try and follow a healthy diet - the same sort of healthy low-fat, low-sugar, low-salt diet we all should follow! - and to try and stay as active as possible.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have - nothing is considered 'silly'! Diabetes can be a complicated disease and we are all learning all the time, so whatever your questions are they will be useful to us all. 🙂
Steff
Little Miss Chatterbox
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi Nikki welcome to the forum nice to meet you wish it had been in better circumstances but alas we are here for you whenever you need us, another member by the name of backinblack joined recently and is in similier postion to you, so your not alone x
Copepod
Much missed Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi Nikki
Just like to add that what I liked about my partner, who I met about 3 years after diagnosis is that he doesn't make a fuss - so your concern not to be annoying and irritating is great. He asked me what he needed to know, so I told him that I did everything myself, but that if I ever said "I need to eat", I really meant it, whereas "I'm hungry" or "I'd like to eat soon" meant just that - no need for urgent action. Just occasionally, he's helped me get food when hypo at night - darkness and poor sight without contact lenses mean that he's quicker than me to grab sweets off windowsill. I was more concerned that he'd get misleading information from internet sites than anything else, so did make sure he knew the difference between Types 1 and 2, poorly controlled and well controlled, risks of complication as they applied to me etc.
Just like to add that what I liked about my partner, who I met about 3 years after diagnosis is that he doesn't make a fuss - so your concern not to be annoying and irritating is great. He asked me what he needed to know, so I told him that I did everything myself, but that if I ever said "I need to eat", I really meant it, whereas "I'm hungry" or "I'd like to eat soon" meant just that - no need for urgent action. Just occasionally, he's helped me get food when hypo at night - darkness and poor sight without contact lenses mean that he's quicker than me to grab sweets off windowsill. I was more concerned that he'd get misleading information from internet sites than anything else, so did make sure he knew the difference between Types 1 and 2, poorly controlled and well controlled, risks of complication as they applied to me etc.
Robster65
Senior Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi Nikki
Best thing I can suggest is listen to your boyfriend, to begin with I was very "in your face" with Rob, when he was feeling low I'd suggest he test first and stuff and "are you sure" was mentioned a fair bit 😱
Soon realised that he knows best, especially in the middle of the night and now treat the hypo before testing.
Obviously there is an odd occasion in the day where I still say are you sure but I've found learning about carbs and their effect has enabled me to do this and judge things quite well on his behalf (sometimes hypos/hypers can cloud thoughts) 🙂
I'm always around lurking so Hi to everyone I feel I know you all already and if I can be of any help Nikki pm Rob I'll help if I can 🙂
Sarah 🙂
Best thing I can suggest is listen to your boyfriend, to begin with I was very "in your face" with Rob, when he was feeling low I'd suggest he test first and stuff and "are you sure" was mentioned a fair bit 😱
Soon realised that he knows best, especially in the middle of the night and now treat the hypo before testing.
Obviously there is an odd occasion in the day where I still say are you sure but I've found learning about carbs and their effect has enabled me to do this and judge things quite well on his behalf (sometimes hypos/hypers can cloud thoughts) 🙂
I'm always around lurking so Hi to everyone I feel I know you all already and if I can be of any help Nikki pm Rob I'll help if I can 🙂
Sarah 🙂
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