I got Type 1 in August 1956 when I was sixteen. I lost 28lbs in ten days before getting insulin for the first time at St Mary's in Paddington, London. I was still drinking staggering amounts of water because my body was so de-hydrated so I gained 10lbs in the first hour after that first injection.
I had what was called "brittle" diabetes, which meant my reactions to glucose, insulin and exercise were different every day. The same weighed breakfast, same insulin dose and same exercise could make me hypo or hyper 2 hours later. For the first 45 years of my diabetes, the assumption on the part of doctors and nurses was that I wasn't doing it right. I have never had the slightest desire to ignore diabetes, to cheat or to have a bit of extra pudding without telling anyone. I kept meticulous lists of glucose readings, food, exercise and times for years because the results were always so unpredictable. Doctors seem at last to be accepting that results can be unpredictable without you being an idiot.
Through the NHS, I'm now on my third Medtronic insulin pump, this time the 640G with a sensor. It has a good bright screen but requires a ridiculous number of clicks to get anything done. The sensor is only fairly accurate for telling current blood glucose, because it measures interstitial glucose, so I have to test my BG frequently to avoid bad hypos. It does help to give you an idea of blood glucose rising or falling, which is very valuable.
I've done OK. I'm 75 and work and crop three allotments, sing in two choirs and we go Irish Set Dancing every week. I'm happier than I've ever been in my life. If anyone needs encouragement or cheering up, get in touch.
Adam
I had what was called "brittle" diabetes, which meant my reactions to glucose, insulin and exercise were different every day. The same weighed breakfast, same insulin dose and same exercise could make me hypo or hyper 2 hours later. For the first 45 years of my diabetes, the assumption on the part of doctors and nurses was that I wasn't doing it right. I have never had the slightest desire to ignore diabetes, to cheat or to have a bit of extra pudding without telling anyone. I kept meticulous lists of glucose readings, food, exercise and times for years because the results were always so unpredictable. Doctors seem at last to be accepting that results can be unpredictable without you being an idiot.
Through the NHS, I'm now on my third Medtronic insulin pump, this time the 640G with a sensor. It has a good bright screen but requires a ridiculous number of clicks to get anything done. The sensor is only fairly accurate for telling current blood glucose, because it measures interstitial glucose, so I have to test my BG frequently to avoid bad hypos. It does help to give you an idea of blood glucose rising or falling, which is very valuable.
I've done OK. I'm 75 and work and crop three allotments, sing in two choirs and we go Irish Set Dancing every week. I'm happier than I've ever been in my life. If anyone needs encouragement or cheering up, get in touch.
Adam