Type 1 Diagnosis

[OLVE75]

I've recently been diagnosed with Type 1, but struggling both with injecting insulin (painful and stings) and also fed-up with working out Carbs / Insulin Ratios and the constant too much or not enough. Along with not being able to eat or drink what and when I want, or even have a drinks with friends, have totally had enough and feel its easier to just do what I want and to hell with it. Don't want to inject as I can't stand it, as always anxious that its going to be another uncomfortable experience, so it feels easier to avoid! Are these feelings normal, as not injected for 3 days...

 

[Inka]

Welcome @OLVE75 🙂 Your feelings are completely normal, but they will ease a bit over time. Also, things will become easier.

BUT - extremely important: you must keep taking your insulin. You could become seriously ill without it. I know it’s a nuisance and a total pain, but you can ignore the diabetes but it won’t ignore you….Before the discovery and purification of insulin, Type 1 was a terminal illness. We have a treatment now - insulin. Take it so you can live a good life, and, well, live.

What insulins are you taking and where on your body are you injecting?

 

[Bruce Stephens]

What insulins are you taking and where on your body are you injecting?

And exactly what pen needles do you have?

 

[OLVE75]

Have Lantus & TruRapi along with 4mm Finepoint Needles.
Not really had any help with what doses I should be taking so have just picked aCarb Ratio myself.
Just been told to eat regularly, give insulin as required for Carbs, but that doesn't fit with my lifestyle. Like to eat when it suits etc...

 

[helli]

Welcome @OLVE75
I remember those early days when diabetes was such a pain and a drag and felt as if it was taking over my life.
Thankfully, I had a wonderful DSN who is still with me 20 years later who explained that diabetes should not stop me doing what I want. I have pushed it quite a few times with travel and food and exercise and drinking and more. But, she was right, it has never stopped me.
However, that is because I kept taking my insulin. If you stop the insulin, diabetes will affect your life a lot more than a bit of preplanning for drinks or food.

Whilst injecting insulin maybe an inconvenience, it should not be painful. Some people find that some insulins can sting but there are plenty of varieties of insulin available that you should be able to find one (or two) that do not sting.

Please talk to your Diabetes nurse as soon as possible (mine responds to emails), explain how you feel and the pain that insulin is causing.

Just been told to eat regularly, give insulin as required for Carbs, but that doesn't fit with my lifestyle. Like to eat when it suits etc...

I am not sure why you have been told to eat regularly as long as you take your insulin when you eat.
In the olden days (before I was diagnosed ... so a long time ago), it was important to keep to a strict regiment for eating but the wonderful thing about the fast acting insulin (Trurapi ... and others) is that you can eat when you want. And not eat if you don't want to.

Type 1 is managed with insulin, not diet. It is as important to eat a healthy diet with Type 1 as it is if you don't have diabetes.

 

[Inka]

Have Lantus & TruRapi along with 4mm Finepoint Needles.
Not really had any help with what doses I should be taking so have just picked aCarb Ratio myself.
Just been told to eat regularly, give insulin as required for Carbs, but that doesn't fit with my lifestyle. Like to eat when it suits etc...

Do both of those insulins sting you? If it’s just one, then there might be alternatives. There are a number of different insulins. Importantly, have you got a half unit pen? That makes more precise doses easier.

How long ago were you diagnosed? Early on, it’s hard to get things right. Getting your basal (Lantus) at the right dose is the foundation on which you’ll build. You can then look at your mealtime ratios to see if they’re right. Note - it’s not unusual to need different ratios for breakfast, lunch and evening meal.

 

[OLVE75]

Welcome @OLVE75
I remember those early days when diabetes was such a pain and a drag and felt as if it was taking over my life.
Thankfully, I had a wonderful DSN who is still with me 20 years later who explained that diabetes should not stop me doing what I want. I have pushed it quite a few times with travel and food and exercise and drinking and more. But, she was right, it has never stopped me.
However, that is because I kept taking my insulin. If you stop the insulin, diabetes will affect your life a lot more than a bit of preplanning for drinks or food.

Whilst injecting insulin maybe an inconvenience, it should not be painful. Some people find that some insulins can sting but there are plenty of varieties of insulin available that you should be able to find one (or two) that do not sting.

Please talk to your Diabetes nurse as soon as possible (mine responds to emails), explain how you feel and the pain that insulin is causing.


I am not sure why you have been told to eat regularly as long as you take your insulin when you eat.
In the olden days (before I was diagnosed ... so a long time ago), it was important to keep to a strict regiment for eating but the wonderful thing about the fast acting insulin (Trurapi ... and others) is that you can eat when you want. And not eat if you don't want to.

Type 1 is managed with insulin, not diet. It is as important to eat a healthy diet with Type 1 as it is if you don't have diabetes.

Thanks, it just seems such hardwork to have to remember to do it when you need to and also when your out and just enjoying yourself....then when it is painful as well.
How do you just eat something, and then decide you want more to eat within an hour or so..which I tend to do..none of the DSN seem to have an answer.
Also like to have a few drinks on an evening out, then go for something to eat very late at night, is that a no now...

 

[mashedupmatt]

Hi @OLVE75 and welcome to the forum - sorry to hear you've been struggling with getting to grips with it all - it is hard to start with and can seem a real slog but you must eat and take your insulin accordingly - unfortunately Type 1 Diabetes does require a great deal of effort to begin with and it is quite overwhelming but it does get easier

 

[OLVE75]

Do both of those insulins sting you? If it’s just one, then there might be alternatives. There are a number of different insulins. Importantly, have you got a half unit pen? That makes more precise doses easier.

How long ago were you diagnosed? Early on, it’s hard to get things right. Getting your basal (Lantus) at the right dose is the foundation on which you’ll build. You can then look at your mealtime ratios to see if they’re right. Note - it’s not unusual to need different ratios for breakfast, lunch and evening

 

[helli]

How do you just eat something, and then decide you want more to eat within an hour or so..which I tend to do..none of the DSN seem to have an answer.

I would take more insulin for the additional food.
You need to be a little careful when calculating insulin dose because you still have active insulin on board and undigested food.
I tend to not take my current BG into consideration if I am eating again after an hour.

Also like to have a few drinks on an evening out, then go for something to eat very late at night, is that a no now...

There is no reason why that is a no.
You probably want to be more conservative with your insulin dose: alcohol can cause hypos (your liver is dealing with the alcohol instead of dripping glucose) and if you go to bed within 4 hours of your food dose, you still have active insulin on board. I tend to reduce my insulin dose when I eat late at night after drinking.
When I am eating out, I do not prebolus. I am not going to sit with my food in front of me before I eat it for 15 minutes and I will not trust the kitchen for when the food is going to arrive. And I may not fancy it. I will inject once the food is in front of me. It may cause a slight spike but that is not going to lead to long term problems. Making sure you DO inject is more important.

I promise it does get easier. Injecting before eating has become as habitual as cleaning my teeth before I go to bed (even after a few drinks).

 

[Woodywoodpecker]

I've recently been diagnosed with Type 1, but struggling both with injecting insulin (painful and stings) and also fed-up with working out Carbs / Insulin Ratios and the constant too much or not enough. Along with not being able to eat or drink what and when I want, or even have a drinks with friends, have totally had enough and feel its easier to just do what I want and to hell with it. Don't want to inject as I can't stand it, as always anxious that its going to be another uncomfortable experience, so it feels easier to avoid! Are these feelings normal, as not injected for 3 days...

Hi it does get easier needles never bothered me, as injected for fertility treatment. I find I don’t need as much insulin for evening meal as breakfast and lunch, but does depend what I am eating. I was diagnosed a year ago, it is a lot to take in but does get easier, just a new way off life. I have app on my phone and it calculates carbs, you can search most things and put weight in as well, there is a yearly charge

 

[OLVE75]

Seems to be just the TruRapi which doesn't have half dose. Sometimes when I calculate Carbs it tells me need like 3.6 Units, so I give 3, then that's not enough, but don't want to give more as worry about hypo.
When said this to DSN, just told deal with hypo....
Was diagnosed back in February this year, with regards to Lantus, just been sticking to the original dose as advised back then. Not been told how to adjust it...so not sure if correct or not..
Think that is part of the problem, lack of help from DSN.

 

[Lucyr]

Seems to be just the TruRapi which doesn't have half dose.

Yeah it does. It’s made by sanofi isn’t it? So you need a juniorstar pen and cartridges. Same for Lantus.

 

[Inka]

Seems to be just the TruRapi which doesn't have half dose. Sometimes when I calculate Carbs it tells me need like 3.6 Units, so I give 3, then that's not enough, but don't want to give more as worry about hypo.
When said this to DSN, just told deal with hypo....
Was diagnosed back in February this year, with regards to Lantus, just been sticking to the original dose as advised back then. Not been told how to adjust it...so not sure if correct or not..
Think that is part of the problem, lack of help from DSN.

If you’re sure it’s the Trurapi stinging, then you could ask to try another bolus (meal/fast) insulin like Novorapid or Humalog. Humalog is only available in half units in disposable pens now not reuseable ones, so you might prefer to try Novorapid. You could also try Apidra.

You can get an idea of whether your Lantus is at the right dose by doing what’s called basal testing. Basically, you skip meals over a few days (ie you don’t have to starve yourself for a whole day, you do it in segments). But as you’ve been recently diagnosed, then you should try your DSN for help.

 

[mashedupmatt]

How to test your basal is on this link, but you should speak to your DSN and look at the trends to make informed decisions on adjustments so early on in your diabetes journey

How To Successfully Test Your Basal Rate

Are you looking for basal rate information and testing instructions? Perfect! You're in the right place!

www.mysugr.com