Hi all. I'm looking for some help and advise, I've been diabetic since 2002 and have never really got on with it. I've never taken care of myself but am starting to wishi did. I see my diabetes as a curse and everyday I fight it to try and live a normal life and not have to inject or watch what I eat. I want to come to terms with it and start to accept it but really don't know where to start. I'm 20 year old and I know that if I don't change my life style dramatically that I'm going to end up blind and in a wheel chair or something. I would like to hear from people who have maybe been in my situation and that could offer me some helpful tips on how to come to terms with my diabetes and learn to accept it. X
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Struggling with my diabetes
- Thread starter Mcn02
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Hi Mcn, welcome to the board 🙂 Stick around because there are lots of lovely people on here who give some very good advice!
I haven't exactly been in your situation because I pretty much accepted the whole thing to begin with. But it is definitely a struggle and ive found it really difficult at times. What you will realise though, when you get things under control, is that actually you will live more of a normal life if you take control of it - rather than trying to fight it and pretend there isn't a problem.
Do you carb count? If not, this will probably be the first change that could help you take control of the Diabetes 🙂
I haven't exactly been in your situation because I pretty much accepted the whole thing to begin with. But it is definitely a struggle and ive found it really difficult at times. What you will realise though, when you get things under control, is that actually you will live more of a normal life if you take control of it - rather than trying to fight it and pretend there isn't a problem.
Do you carb count? If not, this will probably be the first change that could help you take control of the Diabetes 🙂
Copepod
Much missed Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi MCN and welcome. I didn't have diabetes when I was 20 years old - not until a new graduate aged 30 years - so can't help too much directly. However, I quickly realised that I would have to make diabetes and treatment adapt to my life, not change my life to fit in with diabetes. So, carbo counting and adjusting insulin doses to food is vital - initially the hospital diabetes team put me on bimodal insulin, but after a trip to Belgium with a friend and a letter from her Mum, a pharmacist in Tasmania (1997, so no email then) I started on basal bolus regime (long and short acting insulin each meal, in case you're not already aware). I still haven't been on a DAFNE course, but some information is available online at www.bdec-e-learning.com
What things are important to you? Friends, activities, studies, work etc - there is specific advice available for many sports and activities etc, and many careers are possible, but a few things are banned outright, with no consdieration of individual circumstances - and some of us have been clobbered more than once! But we've also learned ways round things eg I can't work overwinter in Antarctica, but spent a month carrying out scientific research on a sub Antarctic island - not everyone's idea of fun, but an example of lateral thinking to achieve what's important to you.
What things are important to you? Friends, activities, studies, work etc - there is specific advice available for many sports and activities etc, and many careers are possible, but a few things are banned outright, with no consdieration of individual circumstances - and some of us have been clobbered more than once! But we've also learned ways round things eg I can't work overwinter in Antarctica, but spent a month carrying out scientific research on a sub Antarctic island - not everyone's idea of fun, but an example of lateral thinking to achieve what's important to you.
shiv
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi MCN, i'm 21 and i was diagnosed just before i turned 3.
i'm sorry to hear you feel this way, please stick around and ask lots of questions, we're not medics but we are very good at providing an ear.
do you see your doctors and nurses regularly? it sounds stupid but they are really useful people! try getting an appointment with them, be completely honest and tell them what you've told us - they can look at ways to help you in terms of insulin, carb counting (request to be put on a carb course/DAFNE course), etc.
please feel free to PM me if you need to talk or anything, where abouts are you based?
i'm sorry to hear you feel this way, please stick around and ask lots of questions, we're not medics but we are very good at providing an ear.
do you see your doctors and nurses regularly? it sounds stupid but they are really useful people! try getting an appointment with them, be completely honest and tell them what you've told us - they can look at ways to help you in terms of insulin, carb counting (request to be put on a carb course/DAFNE course), etc.
please feel free to PM me if you need to talk or anything, where abouts are you based?
Munjeeta
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hello and welcome! As the others have already said, stick around because there are so many people here to offer advice and support. Sometimes it's just good to know that other people feel the same as you.
I am 25 and was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 11. When I was 20 I felt exactly the same as you, except I hadn't realised at that point that I needed to come to terms with it and accept it - you're one step ahead of me! In all honesty, I think that's the hardest step to take, that realisation is so important. It's not easy living with diabetes and it's completely natural to feel the way that you do. As Shiv said - do you attend a clinic? This is the next thing - if not find one! If you do, make an appointment, write down a list of things you would like do discuss/ ask and go along with it in front of you. This in itself isn't easy - knowing what you want to ask is difficult! But try. Even if it's just going along to say pretty much what you've said in your post: that you haven't been bothered by it; that you realise the consequences if you don't start caring about it now and that you're ready to start. Good luck. And make sure you keep asking questions and stuff on here if you need to, there are lots of friendly ears! 🙂
I am 25 and was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 11. When I was 20 I felt exactly the same as you, except I hadn't realised at that point that I needed to come to terms with it and accept it - you're one step ahead of me! In all honesty, I think that's the hardest step to take, that realisation is so important. It's not easy living with diabetes and it's completely natural to feel the way that you do. As Shiv said - do you attend a clinic? This is the next thing - if not find one! If you do, make an appointment, write down a list of things you would like do discuss/ ask and go along with it in front of you. This in itself isn't easy - knowing what you want to ask is difficult! But try. Even if it's just going along to say pretty much what you've said in your post: that you haven't been bothered by it; that you realise the consequences if you don't start caring about it now and that you're ready to start. Good luck. And make sure you keep asking questions and stuff on here if you need to, there are lots of friendly ears! 🙂
Thanks for everyone?s comments.
I don?t currently carb count so I don?t really know what I?m doing, I basically just guess how much I should inject.
I do go to a clinic at the hospital every now and again but I have missed my last few appointments due to work. I know that isn?t a very good excuse because work will let me have the time off, but I either forget about the appointment or just don?t bother. I know that sounds really bad, and I?m passing up a good opportunity to sort out my diabetes with professionals and I?m stupid for not going but I think I?m always worried that when I go to the clinic I am going to get told off because my sugar levels aren't controlled well or even at all.
My friends are very important to me so I spend as much time out and about and enjoying everything i can. i know this makes it difficult for me and my diabetes and i ofter find that by the time the day is over, ive ony checked my sugar levels once and now they have shot up very high and i feel like crap. obviously this isnt good and i need to check and inject more ofter.
i am a very forgetful person and i think this is partly to do with why i dont inject and check my levels. i set alarms on my phone and ask other people to remind me that i am a diabetic but even then i still dont do anything about it, and i hate that about me, my answer is always, i will do it later, and i know i need to change that.
thank you all.
Shiv i live in gloucester.
I don?t currently carb count so I don?t really know what I?m doing, I basically just guess how much I should inject.
I do go to a clinic at the hospital every now and again but I have missed my last few appointments due to work. I know that isn?t a very good excuse because work will let me have the time off, but I either forget about the appointment or just don?t bother. I know that sounds really bad, and I?m passing up a good opportunity to sort out my diabetes with professionals and I?m stupid for not going but I think I?m always worried that when I go to the clinic I am going to get told off because my sugar levels aren't controlled well or even at all.
My friends are very important to me so I spend as much time out and about and enjoying everything i can. i know this makes it difficult for me and my diabetes and i ofter find that by the time the day is over, ive ony checked my sugar levels once and now they have shot up very high and i feel like crap. obviously this isnt good and i need to check and inject more ofter.
i am a very forgetful person and i think this is partly to do with why i dont inject and check my levels. i set alarms on my phone and ask other people to remind me that i am a diabetic but even then i still dont do anything about it, and i hate that about me, my answer is always, i will do it later, and i know i need to change that.
thank you all.
Shiv i live in gloucester.
NiVZ
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi MCN02,
I was diagnosed when I was 18, about 2 weeks before Christmas and right in the middle of my Uni exams. It was a lot to take in, although 2 of my cousins were already diabetic so I already knew what I was getting into.
Luckily for me (probably because I knew a bit about it) I accepted it quite easily. I had the mindset of, I just have to get on with it and get used to it. Back then I was on 2 needles a day and I used to tell myself it was just like brushing my teeth. Do it once in the morning and once at night.
I'm now 31 and in my 13 years of being diabetic I've already seen big advances in diabetes treatments and attitudes. The two things that have helped me the most are Multiple Daily Injections (MDI) and the DANFE course (especially the carb counting and hypo treatment).
I find MDI gives me much more freedom to choose the times and frequency that I eat (which can be a lot as I tend to graze). I take one injection of slow acting (Lantus) to cover me for 24 hours. And I take a fast acting injection (Humalog) with most things I eat. I sometimes take so many injections for snacks that I joke I'm going to leak when I drink!
Carb counting really helps with this as well as it tells you the types of food you need to cover with insulin, and those that you don't. It also helps you work out a ratio of insulin to carbohydrate so you can figure out how much insulin you need to take based on the info provided on the food packets. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of eating and gives you more confidence when dialing up a dose.
Armed with both of these tools it gives you much better methods for controlling your diabetes and not letting it control you. I seriously push the diabetes boundaries as I have a VERY sweet tooth and a VERY big appetite. But as long as I know that I need to take insulin to cover it and I can figure out how much I should take then there isn't anything thats out of bounds anymore.
Like the others have said, getting a good care team behind you will really help, and it is really important to keep testing. Even if you are high, at least you'll know and can do something about it. I'm sure the clinic won't give you a telling off, but be happy to help you out.
Good luck with it all,
NiVZ
I was diagnosed when I was 18, about 2 weeks before Christmas and right in the middle of my Uni exams. It was a lot to take in, although 2 of my cousins were already diabetic so I already knew what I was getting into.
Luckily for me (probably because I knew a bit about it) I accepted it quite easily. I had the mindset of, I just have to get on with it and get used to it. Back then I was on 2 needles a day and I used to tell myself it was just like brushing my teeth. Do it once in the morning and once at night.
I'm now 31 and in my 13 years of being diabetic I've already seen big advances in diabetes treatments and attitudes. The two things that have helped me the most are Multiple Daily Injections (MDI) and the DANFE course (especially the carb counting and hypo treatment).
I find MDI gives me much more freedom to choose the times and frequency that I eat (which can be a lot as I tend to graze). I take one injection of slow acting (Lantus) to cover me for 24 hours. And I take a fast acting injection (Humalog) with most things I eat. I sometimes take so many injections for snacks that I joke I'm going to leak when I drink!
Carb counting really helps with this as well as it tells you the types of food you need to cover with insulin, and those that you don't. It also helps you work out a ratio of insulin to carbohydrate so you can figure out how much insulin you need to take based on the info provided on the food packets. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of eating and gives you more confidence when dialing up a dose.
Armed with both of these tools it gives you much better methods for controlling your diabetes and not letting it control you. I seriously push the diabetes boundaries as I have a VERY sweet tooth and a VERY big appetite. But as long as I know that I need to take insulin to cover it and I can figure out how much I should take then there isn't anything thats out of bounds anymore.
Like the others have said, getting a good care team behind you will really help, and it is really important to keep testing. Even if you are high, at least you'll know and can do something about it. I'm sure the clinic won't give you a telling off, but be happy to help you out.
Good luck with it all,
NiVZ
shiv
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
i think this really depends on the type of team you have. also, i think going in and being as honest as you have been on here and saying how much you want to improve will help them see that you don't need telling off, you need some help and support!
i'm going to be moving to gloucester in the next couple of weeks 🙂 just outside it, to Newnham, if you know it?
hellbell84
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
hey
you just described exactly how i still feel about diabetes, been type one since i was 17 (8 years now) and still havent come to terms with it, i kinda get a bit upset on here as it seems that everyone is dealing with it apart from me. you will be surprised how many of us refuse to accept it and the good thing is that you have realised you have recognised you still need to come to terms with it. I have been referred to counselling to discuss the issues with my diabetes and without sounding like a loon it does help. i still go through times of not injecting just to kinda punish myself for having diabetes, but i'll tell you now - do not mess with your injections. MDI is great but you still need to accept it before you can move on, and see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel
good luck, and you are not alone, far from it
xxx
you just described exactly how i still feel about diabetes, been type one since i was 17 (8 years now) and still havent come to terms with it, i kinda get a bit upset on here as it seems that everyone is dealing with it apart from me. you will be surprised how many of us refuse to accept it and the good thing is that you have realised you have recognised you still need to come to terms with it. I have been referred to counselling to discuss the issues with my diabetes and without sounding like a loon it does help. i still go through times of not injecting just to kinda punish myself for having diabetes, but i'll tell you now - do not mess with your injections. MDI is great but you still need to accept it before you can move on, and see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel
good luck, and you are not alone, far from it
xxx
rossi_mac
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome aboard MCN as the others say stick around the place will teach you loads, well it did me!!Hope you get it under control soon and try and get back to a normal life soon. Stay positive and although we all have our bad days you'll do alright!🙂
Caroline Wilson
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi MCN, and welcome. Although I was well turned 40 when I was diagnosed (I'm type 2) it took me a little while to accept things.
I can't add tot he advice given by others, but you came to the right place. I hope you find all the help you need and make lots of friends as well as feeling better and less isolated.
I can't add tot he advice given by others, but you came to the right place. I hope you find all the help you need and make lots of friends as well as feeling better and less isolated.
tracey w
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
i couldnt agree more with everything you have said. I was diagnosed at 41, 2 years ago and just accepted the situation right away. In a way i was relieved as I just wanted to feel well. i have no idea how it would of felt to be diagnosed much earlier but i think it would have been much tougher.
Although on a pump now, i eat exactly what i did on mdi. Lots of snacks, eating what and when i want, although im not exactly the healthiest re diet i do try. But as long as you test often, know your carbs and inject accordingly I find life for me is almost as normal as before diagnosis apart from the obvious things i need to do/account for.
Life is for living and diabetes is part of our lives, but I think we all need to find a way so that diabetes lives with us and not the other way around.
sofaraway
Senior Member
I'm sure a DAFNE/similar would be really helpful to you. Going back to basics and learning how to adjust insulin to fit around your life.
Maybe you can start by saying I will test twice a day for a week, then the next week build it up, or someway that it doesn't feel like to much to do all the tests/injections you should be doing.
I think that very few teams will really tell people off, we are adult and therefore make our own choices. Myabe a good chat with your DSN rather than the Dr might be helpful, I find them very understanding.
Keep visiting here as it's a very supportive place
Maybe you can start by saying I will test twice a day for a week, then the next week build it up, or someway that it doesn't feel like to much to do all the tests/injections you should be doing.
I think that very few teams will really tell people off, we are adult and therefore make our own choices. Myabe a good chat with your DSN rather than the Dr might be helpful, I find them very understanding.
Keep visiting here as it's a very supportive place
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