Support type 1 diabetes

Status
Not open for further replies.
Ali11782

Ali11782

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi everyone.
I tried to use this support forum last year as its amazing to speak to people who can relate to type 1 diabetes. For many a reason I didn't stick with it but I thought I would give it a go again because I really just need people to chat to...let's face it type 1 can be lonely and mentally draining. So let's start a new thread. By the way I am here to listen to everyone too.
 
Hi Ali and welcome back. It definitely does help to chat and compare notes with others who face the same challenges.

How have you been doing? Can you remind us which insulin(s) you are using and do use a pump or multiple daily injections? Hope you have managed to acquire a Libre sensor to help monitor your BG levels and are finding that helpful. All Type 1s should now be able to get them on prescription.
 
Hi Ali - having been newly diagnosed, I can confirm that this forum is amazing tool with such incredibly helpful members.

@rebrascora re: getting libres on prescription, would you approach DSN about this or just GP?
 
rebrascora said:
Hi Ali and welcome back. It definitely does help to chat and compare notes with others who face the same challenges.

How have you been doing? Can you remind us which insulin(s) you are using and do use a pump or multiple daily injections? Hope you have managed to acquire a Libre sensor to help monitor your BG levels anare finding that helpful. All Type 1s should now be able to get them on prescription.
Click to expand...

Hi.
I am doing ok(ish). Still don't have good control over my BG levels but it is my own doing. Mentally I'm struggling to juggle life and get it right with my diabetes. If only we had to deal with one thing in life.

But I get up and try everyday, some days I succeed other days I really don't. I know exactly how to manage my diabetes it is just physically doing it.

I now take 18units tresiba at dinner time everyday and I use novarapid for meals. Not lucky enough to have a pump but I do use freestyle libre 2. I have to careful as I can get obsessive with scanning and looking at graph. But working on that too.
Alison
 
pawprint91 said:
Hi Ali - having been newly diagnosed, I can confirm that this forum is amazing tool with such incredibly helpful members.

@rebrascora re: getting libres on prescription, would you approach DSN about this or just GP?
Click to expand...
Hi,
My consultant made sure I got my libre but your DSN should help.
It has been three years since my diagnosis and I am still trying to get it just be part of my daily life without it taking over.
 
My issues are emotional esp when it comes to food. For many years on and off I would eat as little as possible, lots of issues there then just as I was diagnosed I had a reached a point of being happy with food and weight etc, I was relaxed.
Then diabetes struck, I could no longer have full control in that area of my life, had to make changes etc.
But rather than going back to eating little it became about binge eating in the evenings. All a bit all over the place.

So if anyone would like to chat about these area of diabetes feel free to private message me or reply on here..
 
I was a sugar addict and comfort eater prediagnosis, so I can understand the issues with binge eating. For me, going low carb really helped. I still occasionally binge eat but I do it with things that won't affect my BG levels and whereas before I would hit the chocolate or sweets, I now eat veggie sticks with a real sour cream and chive dip, or cheese or pork scratchings or olives or I will make a low carb chocolate mug cake in the microwave which takes 5 mins and have it with double cream of make it into a trifle with a few frozen berries and sugar free jelly. I need little or no insulin for these things, so they are my little treats and the fat content usually means that they make me feel satisfied, rather than carbs trigger more cravings so the more I eat, the more I want. You may not like any of these things, but finding low carb treats that you do like may help you break the cycle of binging. I also find that low carb helps me mentally and physically. I am not saying it will work for you and it does take some effort initially if you do decide to try it as it is a whole different way of looking at food but just saying what works for me with my binge eating.
Another option would be to go out for a walk on an evening if that is the problem time, or take up a craft to keep your hands busy or getting really engrossed in a book. Sitting watching the TV o an evening can be a problem as it just lends itself to snacking.
Anyway, those are the tactics that others have used to deal with the problem. You have to find what will work for you.

I think the other thing to bear in mind is that we all have good days and bad days with our BG levels and diabetes management despite our best efforts and accepting that can ease the mental strain and unrealistic expectation that we put on ourselves. When things are not going well you just have to hang in there and hope that tomorrow will be better.... and usually it is.... or the day after that. I find that my diabetes sort of ebbs and flows rather than being consistent. If I hit a bad patch I try the things that have worked before and then just dig in and wait for things to get better.... and they do. The less I stress about it the easier it is to manage..... that is easier said than done though I know! 🙄
 
rebrascora said:
I was a sugar addict and comfort eater prediagnosis, so I can understand the issues with binge eating. For me, going low carb really helped. I still occasionally binge eat but I do it with things that won't affect my BG levels and whereas before I would hit the chocolate or sweets, I now eat veggie sticks with a real sour cream and chive dip, or cheese or pork scratchings or olives or I will make a low carb chocolate mug cake in the microwave which takes 5 mins and have it with double cream of make it into a trifle with a few frozen berries and sugar free jelly. I need little or no insulin for these things, so they are my little treats and the fat content usually means that they make me feel satisfied, rather than carbs trigger more cravings so the more I eat, the more I want. You may not like any of these things, but finding low carb treats that you do like may help you break the cycle of binging. I also find that low carb helps me mentally and physically. I am not saying it will work for you and it does take some effort initially if you do decide to try it as it is a whole different way of looking at food but just saying what works for me with my binge eating.
Another option would be to go out for a walk on an evening if that is the problem time, or take up a craft to keep your hands busy or getting really engrossed in a book. Sitting watching the TV o an evening can be a problem as it just lends itself to snacking.
Anyway, those are the tactics that others have used to deal with the problem. You have to find what will work for you.

I think the other thing to bear in mind is that we all have good days and bad days with our BG levels and diabetes management despite our best efforts and accepting that can ease the mental strain and unrealistic expectation that we put on ourselves. When things are not going well you just have to hang in there and hope that tomorrow will be better.... and usually it is.... or the day after that. I find that my diabetes sort of ebbs and flows rather than being consistent. If I hit a bad patch I try the things that have worked before and then just dig in and wait for things to get better.... and they do. The less I stress about it the easier it is to manage..... that is easier said than done though I know! 🙄
Click to expand...
Thanks you.
I know for me it is just breaking the cycle but something emotionally gets to me after a day or two and I'm back to square one.
I know at a each meal and I can't have anymore than 40 to 50g carbs and they have to healthy choices. Breakfast and lunch I am perfect at.
Being vegetarian doesn't help with the low carb as I eat beans and pulses for my protein.
Mentally yes low carb helps me always has. Its just a vicousous circle that I know when I break I'll be fine.
 
Welcome back @Ali11782

As @rebrascora said we all have ups and downs with our management. Good to have you back on here. It is so good to be able to tap into others with experience of managing T1.
Keep in touch.
 
So I am struggling really struggling and i just don't know what to do.
I haven't taken any insulin since Saturday. Stupid I know but my head isn't in a good space. I try and I try but since the weekend I've given up.
 
:( @Ali11782 Please take your basal at least. Have you tested your blood sugar? DKA can come on really quickly. Please do take your insulin. Don’t worry about control for now (although obviously try to avoid hypos). Just get the insulin in.

Can you phone your team tomorrow morning? They’ll understand how hard it can be. Type 1 is relentless and I understand the temptation to just ignore it and carry on, but that will only work for a short time because soon you’ll get really ill. We can’t live without insulin. Please test your blood sugar and take some. You have people who care about you. xx
 
Thanks for the reply @Inka.
Been fighting with my head to take my basal but can bring myself to do.
Did a ketone test yest just 0.4.
But I did take my blood sugar once today by finger prick and it wouldn't read just said HI.
 
What’s stopping you taking the insulin? Can you put it into words?
HI is bad. It means your blood sugar is dangerously high. It’s good you tested for ketones but you really do need some insulin to get that blood sugar down.
 
I just want freedom, control. I feel I have none. Things aren't great in some areas of life I guess. I've always used to food to cope and now I can't so it's just been easier to stop the insulin.
 
Ali11782 said:
I just want freedom, control. I feel I have none. Things aren't great in some areas of life I guess. I've always used to food to cope and now I can't so it's just been easier to stop the insulin.
Click to expand...
Stopping insulin will give the opposite of freedom, as it won’t take long before you’re in hospital with DKA. If you take the insulin then you can live your life, and live it as free from the complications of diabetes as possible. Skip it and diabetes will take over even more as it will become diabetes plus all the complications and side effects that come with uncontrolled diabetes. If you look online for your area there should be some form of self referral available to mental health support services.
 
I don't feel I will have control over my weight.
I know you are right @Lucyr. I just don't feel like me at the moment. I do have a psychologist for diabetes but I haven't yet seen them.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top