Type 1 - it's official!

[FairyNuff]

Found out while I was in hospital having my steroids that I do indeed have type 1 diabetes. So it definitely isn't gestational diabetes. They checked my autoimmune levels I think and said mine are 7, does that sound consistent with type 1? I haven't looked into the different types enough yet as I wanted to know which one I was first.

They said it's quite rare to be diagnosed at my age, but think I might have had it for a long time (how would they not have picked it up before??) They said they would discuss it with me more on Monday at the diabetes clinic.

Apparently the treatment will be the same, so I presume they are not going to make me carb count, I don't really understand how that will work... hopefully I'll get more answers on Monday. Guess I'm stuck on the insulin now though!

 

[Monica]

Phew - at last you know. It must have been terrible for you not knowing the full facts.

Good luck with getting to grips with it all.🙂

 

[Twitchy]

Hiya...

I'm a bit surprised that they haven't got you to carb count, if for no other reason than so that you can be consistent with what you eat day to day if they have fixed your doses?? I'm sure there must be a thread on here somewhere re carb counting, I'd have a good look at it if I were you & badger those nurses asap (I won't try & describe it now, am soooo tired I probably won't make sense! 😱).

Don't want to alarm you, but if you want good control (& being pregnant I'm sure you will 🙂), then carb counting & adjusting your insulin / carbs in response to your blood sugar results is the (only) way to go...pregnancy makes such demands on your body, your levels & insulin needs change so much & so dramatically that some flex is needed... maybe they've just put you on fixed doses as an intro?

Take care of yourself (& sorry if this is a bit rambling!),

Twitchy xx

 

[FairyNuff]

Thanks Monica 🙂

Totally with you Twitchy, my levels are all over the place. Discussing it on the other thread, I really think it's what I need to be doing. Diabetes clinic Monday, so hopefully can get some help there! Thanks hun x

 

[sofaraway]

good that you have the answers. I wonder if being pregnant will make it really difficult to work out carb ratios, your insulin needs will be increasing so much and changing quickly, you'll never get a ratio that works long enough to make it worth it.
After pregnancy when insulin needs drop you will be able to work out how much insulin you are going to need. Not sure what kind, if any honeymoon you can expect, maybe some other members have been diagnosed in pregnancy and have some experience of that.

I would still say it's worth starting to look at the amounts of carbs in what you are eating, it can take a little bit of practice to work out and get used to checking labels etc. So when you start carb counting proper you'll already be aware of carb amounts. Ask your team about getting on a DAFNE/equivelent course. Some places have rules about how long you need to be diagnosed e.g. 6 months.

You might have a slow onset type 1 (sometimes you'll see it as LADA), and the stress of pregnancy has brought it to light. people with this type can be diagnosed as type 2 initially as they are not generally acutely unwell or producing ketones at diagnosis, as beta cells are being killed off slowly.

 

[FairyNuff]

Thanks Nikki, that all makes sense. Will start some research tomorrow... brain mashed 🙂

 

[Steff]

Nice to know at least what ypur diagnosis was, i wish you luck x

 

[AlisonM]

Fairy, you may have started out like me, a 1.5 and progressed from there. I think Northe started out that way and it's easily missed in busy surgeries where doctors don't have or won't take the time to really listen. I'm so glad you know now and can get the proper treatment which will hopefully ensure everything goes well for you and the bump.