Recently found out i have type 1

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Hiya drummer mum. Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. 😱 Good luck with your next appointment.🙂
 
Thank you! 🙂

Admittedly I'm very apprehensive about my hospital appointment on Wednesday but I'm guessing it can only be a good thing!
 
Drummer mum said:
Thank you! 🙂

Admittedly I'm very apprehensive about my hospital appointment on Wednesday but I'm guessing it can only be a good thing!
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Good luck with the appointment! Let us know how things go 🙂 I was diagnosed aged 49, so can appreciate your shock!
 
Phew!

Hi all!

Well I had my appointment this morning with the consultant. I got asked lots of questions and must say he was excellent at listening to how things had been etc, which I found very reassuring. It seems because my insulin dose has gradually been reduced to once a day and only 4 units he wants to try me on Gliclazide 80mg twice a day for a while to see how things go and stop the insulin. As I understand it Gliclazide is given to help increase the amount of insulin produced by the pancreas? The consultant seemed to think that my own pancreas was still dishing out a small amount, hence the tablets. My only worry at this point is that it will be too much and send me hypo! I did explain that I didn't have a huge appetite but did have three meals a day and he said I should be fine, so fingers crossed.

He also encouraged me to eat as normal (at this stage) until levels settle and to do my best to carry on life as I normally would! He explained that I must look after myself and that eventually I would control the diabetes and it wouldn't control me - this I did smile at. I asked if he would class me as T1 or T2 and he said at this stage I shouldn't label myself but just to work with the team to get myself well and in control.

I must say I found this all refreshing as a few years ago I attended a clinic with a family friend in a different part of the country and the consultant hardly asked her anything and just gave her tablets and told her to get on with it! (She was in and out in 5 mins) I was with him for 1/2hr.

I didn't see the diabetes nurse as she was elsewhere in the hospital but I did have my feet and eyes checked.
I'm due back to see him again in 10 weeks, so I guess I just have to wait and see how it goes...

Thank you for all your posts, it's reassuring to know that I'm not alone.
 
Hi Drummer's Mum, Gliclazide is normally prescribed to T2s and does indeed persuade your pancreas to produce more insulin in he short term. It worked for me briefly as my pesky pancreas slowly gave up the ghost, but I do better with 'added' insulin and no Gliclazide. I hope it will work for you.
 
Thanks AlisonM. 🙂 He did say it could be short term and I would probably go back on the Insulin eventually so we'll see...
Hope you're well.
 
Drummer mum said:
Thanks AlisonM. 🙂 He did say it could be short term and I would probably go back on the Insulin eventually so we'll see...
Hope you're well.
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It does sound like you are a slow-onset Type 1, with significant beta cell function remaining. It sounds like the consultant is quite switched on, so hopefully you will continue to get appropriate care. There is a school of thought that gliclizide can cause the pancreas to 'exhaust' itself by prompting it to work harder, but I'm not sure how much evidence there is for that. One member here in the past who had a very small insulin requirement was able to get an insulin pump, which can deliver insulin in much smaller quantities than injections, so possibly something worth asking about if you find the gliclizide isn't right for you. 🙂
 
Thank you Northerner. It's something I'll consider should I need to.
My worry is having a hypo if the dosage is too high but I'll hopefully be ok. Fingers crossed 🙂
 
Hi both, another late developer here! Diagnosed at 43. I am waiting for the DVLA to get back to me and am driving about as normal (taking the recommended precautions). I wasn't given any advice to stop driving and drove myself home from hospital and to work the next day. As long as you test before you set off, have jelly babies or something on hand and test every 2 hours you are driving you will hopefully be ok.

I agree it is weird going from being a healthy person who hasn't been to the doctors in years to it bring your second home is hard to take. Am hoping that as things settle down, so will the appointments.
All best 🙂
 
Hi Stephknits, it's so true when you said that you go from being a healthy person to having to have oodles of Drs appointment! I feel like I live there at the moment!

Started on the tablets today...
🙂
 
Hope the Gliclizide goes well for you. I was on it for a month or two, so do ask any questions. If it is going to work, you should notice a difference in your blood sugars quite quickly. if you don't, ring your doctor. They may suggest raising it gradually over a period of weeks (they did me), keep good records of your bs so you can see if it makes a difference.
best of luck 🙂
 
Thank you, will do.
I spoke to my GP diabetic nurse this morning and said I was worried about taking 80mg twice a day as I always am sensitive to drugs so she said it would be fine to start on 40mg in a morning and 40 at tea time. If it's not enough I can go to the 80 twice a day.
I wasn't really sure how quick it would work, whether it would be a few days or immediately? Can anybody out there advise if it's sooner rather than later please.
 
Sorry, can't be of much help as it never worked for me, but when I asked, people said it made a difference quickly, I think you should notice a difference within a day or two.
 
Hi Drummer mum, Pleased it went ok at Hosp. The Doc seems on the ball. Have they given you a Diary that you fill in with test results. It is important for them to know as much info as poss, That is Bg when you get up & 2hrs after a meal. Its a pain but they have to work of that info. Jot down what you are eating too. Good luck 🙂
 
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Hi Hobie
I've been given a booklet to put all my readings in and I've been keeping a food diary since I was diagnosed. The hospital specialist diabetes nurse rang me tonight to see what kind of day I'd had. I told her that rather than take 80mg in the morning and then the same dose in the evening I had chosen to just start at 40mg twice daily as I had been reduced to only 4units of insulin a day when I was on it. She seemed happy for me to do that, which was quite a relief. Obviously I will increase if I need to.

I'm already learning so much from this site!
 
Sounds good to me ! Well done. I think 99% of NHS staff are Excellent & yours sound good 😎
 
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