Oh dear, Everyday, I feel my floodgates opening! ... But I'll restrict myself to a mere four things:
1. People automatically assuming Type 2
For example, someone who said when I told her I had Type 1 diabetes, 'Oh, that's not a problem; my husband is mildly diabetic, he just has to be careful about what he eats and get enough exercise.' ... Uh, no ... Cue patient explanation of the difference between T1 and T2 ...
I know 95% of diabetics are Type 2, so it's understandable that most people, when they hear 'diabetes', assume stuff associated with Type 2. But it does get a little exasperating, given that Type 1 is so much more difficult to deal with than Type 2.
2. Constantly having to analyse, plan, worry about food
I know that many people spend their whole adult lives worrying about food, so I apologise if any of the following irritates anybody. But ... Apart from a few aberrant years as a teenager, I've always eaten healthily-- I genuinely like healthy food and don't much like unhealthy food-- and always got a good deal of exercise. So I've spent practically my whole life not worrying about food-- eating what I wanted when I wanted and nonetheless maintaining a healthy BMI.
And therefore being diagnosed with Type 1 in my 50s is a tremendous shock; much more so than if I'd spent my whole adult life analysing and worrying about what I ate.
I hope it will get better, easier, once I get more used to it; I was only fairly recently diagnosed. But for now, compared to my old life, it feels like an eating disorder, spending so much time and energy and thought on food. And yet I can't not-- because if I don't, I could die, either from soaring hyperglycaemia or plummeting hypoglycaemia.
3. The unfairness and unalterability of T1
If I were Type 2, then-- as many people on this forum, as well as research studies, have shown-- I could probably do something about it: T2 is largely triggered by 'lifestyle factors' and therefore can often be 'put into remission' by changing one's lifestyle.
But developing T1 has absolutely nothing to do with 'lifestyle'; no matter how good your diet, no matter how much you exercise, no matter how little visceral fat you have-- you can still develop T1, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it.
Yes, I know that changing one's lifestyle-- changing one's diet, losing weight, taking up exercise-- can be incredibly difficult. But it is possible. And I gather that some people can do all that and still their T2 won't go 'into remission'; but it is possible, even probable. Whereas putting T1 'into remission' is impossible. It's a life sentence with no time off for good behaviour.
4. Being obliged to consume sugars!
I don't much like sweet things!! And even with fruit juice, I worry about the effect on my teeth! But, if I go hypo, I have to drink fruit juice, or chomp on some Dextro tablets; I don't have any choice, other than hypoglycaemic coma. Add in the lack of NHS dentists, and I worry about ending up both T1 and toothless. ; )
And now-- what my Libre is telling me about my glucose level means I need to check blood (as my sensor's a bit unreliable at lower levels), and probably have a snack, so this whinge/rant must come to an end! Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.
