All,
I am new here, so here's my story.
I was 24 years a soldier, then worked abroad as an electrical engineer, always kept fit and active.
Last year at 49, after 4 months of losing weight, I was wrongly diagnosed with type 2, and given metformin tablets.
More weight loss, confusion and irrational behaviour, pushed me to my doctor again. This time he realised I had lost more weight and was becoming very disorientated and had to be supported when walking. I could hardly speak too.
He suggested I have a urine sample and blood test, but wasn't too concerned? Until he dipped the urine, then he wanted me in hospital straight away. Ketones up the ying yang.
At RUH Bath, they correctly diagnosed type 1, then put me on the sliding scale, I hate needles and injections, but as soon as they started the pumps I could feel the life surging back into my body. It was amazing.
They were confused why I was diagnosed with type 1, and was asked all sorts of questions, no family history, no type 2? I was totally in the dark about it all.
During the night a junior doctor appeared at my bedside, and asked if I had any viruses lately......BINGO, I caught viral flue, right before I started peeing for the Army, and drinking for the Navy, and not having had a cold or flu, for 10 years, this was the culprit. My eyesight totally went too, so I couldn't see distance road signs.
When I tell people I caught diabetes because of viral flu, they laugh, but hey, that's what he said, and the nurses in the morning told me its 1.5 LADA. Autoimmune, pancreas, insulin, all too much to take in, at the time.
After having a laugh with everyone on the ward, getting taught how to stab myself, I left that evening. Although they tried to keep me in for longer. Hate hospitals.
At first I was blooming angry, lots of questions followed by rants. Followed by a stiff few drinks, followed by regret, guilt and a day of being down, and feeling sorry for myself. Followed by some hours on the Internet. I did get very low, and became almost unapproachable, which to those that knew me, was the most shocking attitude change they had seen.
I couldn't tell people, as I thought they would look at me differently, I still feel that way, although I don't show it. Some people wear it like a badge, I still tend to hide it, as physically I'm no different. Mentally, it has affected me. I don't want to appear weak or half a man, as I did early on, I know it's a macho thing. My old Army mates I tell, almost look sorry for me, and that look of pity destroys me. When they ask if I inject, they grimace, and say they couldn't do it, I say you have to, and that's my life now.
The exercise helps, and I admit I am not good at keeping the levels within range, I still do everything I did before, as far as exercise, climbing, mountaineering, kayaking, and with the exception of a hypo here and there after a long bike ride, I don't feel that different. The ketones that are present when I test, disappear after a corrective dose, and there are times when it's all over the place, due to stress, too much exercise, or injury. Or just because it is.
I have always eaten well, and enjoy Mediterranean food, with some deviations.
I have learned that the body is a strange machine, but the mind can overcome the problems the body goes through.
So I keep trying, each day is a new challenge, it is hard at first, especially carb counting, I have the Ap, on my phone. There are days single figures make you smile, and days when you cannot get your head round it.
What I have learned is, if you know why the readings high, then you are almost there, and you can correct that.
I don't think I'm best placed on this forum to give advice, as there seems to be more informed people on here than me, but I'll try when I can for everyone on here, as I know support and understanding are the key to getting to grips with it. I look forward to chatting to you in the future.
Good luck.
Ian
I am new here, so here's my story.
I was 24 years a soldier, then worked abroad as an electrical engineer, always kept fit and active.
Last year at 49, after 4 months of losing weight, I was wrongly diagnosed with type 2, and given metformin tablets.
More weight loss, confusion and irrational behaviour, pushed me to my doctor again. This time he realised I had lost more weight and was becoming very disorientated and had to be supported when walking. I could hardly speak too.
He suggested I have a urine sample and blood test, but wasn't too concerned? Until he dipped the urine, then he wanted me in hospital straight away. Ketones up the ying yang.
At RUH Bath, they correctly diagnosed type 1, then put me on the sliding scale, I hate needles and injections, but as soon as they started the pumps I could feel the life surging back into my body. It was amazing.
They were confused why I was diagnosed with type 1, and was asked all sorts of questions, no family history, no type 2? I was totally in the dark about it all.
During the night a junior doctor appeared at my bedside, and asked if I had any viruses lately......BINGO, I caught viral flue, right before I started peeing for the Army, and drinking for the Navy, and not having had a cold or flu, for 10 years, this was the culprit. My eyesight totally went too, so I couldn't see distance road signs.
When I tell people I caught diabetes because of viral flu, they laugh, but hey, that's what he said, and the nurses in the morning told me its 1.5 LADA. Autoimmune, pancreas, insulin, all too much to take in, at the time.
After having a laugh with everyone on the ward, getting taught how to stab myself, I left that evening. Although they tried to keep me in for longer. Hate hospitals.
At first I was blooming angry, lots of questions followed by rants. Followed by a stiff few drinks, followed by regret, guilt and a day of being down, and feeling sorry for myself. Followed by some hours on the Internet. I did get very low, and became almost unapproachable, which to those that knew me, was the most shocking attitude change they had seen.
I couldn't tell people, as I thought they would look at me differently, I still feel that way, although I don't show it. Some people wear it like a badge, I still tend to hide it, as physically I'm no different. Mentally, it has affected me. I don't want to appear weak or half a man, as I did early on, I know it's a macho thing. My old Army mates I tell, almost look sorry for me, and that look of pity destroys me. When they ask if I inject, they grimace, and say they couldn't do it, I say you have to, and that's my life now.
The exercise helps, and I admit I am not good at keeping the levels within range, I still do everything I did before, as far as exercise, climbing, mountaineering, kayaking, and with the exception of a hypo here and there after a long bike ride, I don't feel that different. The ketones that are present when I test, disappear after a corrective dose, and there are times when it's all over the place, due to stress, too much exercise, or injury. Or just because it is.
I have always eaten well, and enjoy Mediterranean food, with some deviations.
I have learned that the body is a strange machine, but the mind can overcome the problems the body goes through.
So I keep trying, each day is a new challenge, it is hard at first, especially carb counting, I have the Ap, on my phone. There are days single figures make you smile, and days when you cannot get your head round it.
What I have learned is, if you know why the readings high, then you are almost there, and you can correct that.
I don't think I'm best placed on this forum to give advice, as there seems to be more informed people on here than me, but I'll try when I can for everyone on here, as I know support and understanding are the key to getting to grips with it. I look forward to chatting to you in the future.
Good luck.
Ian
. The pity bothered me too for a while, but there's no weakness in driving your pancreas on manual, none at all, in fact you might find those mates of yours admire your strength rather than anything else. I'm not a bloke, so that whole alpha male thing is quite the mystery to me, I don't mean to minimise your feelings in any way at all, but I don't believe strength is about physical prowess, look at the invictus athletes, they're bloody marvellous, picking yourself up after that kind of physical and mental trauma and achieving greatness, now that is the kind of strength I aspire to. I have a tendency to waffle on, so I'll just say welcome aboard