hey guys! i’ve had T1D for 14 years (diagnosed when I was 8 and was in DKA for a week) and i’m really struggling with the changes from being a kid to an adult. it seems harder to manage my bg and it’s so sad because I’m trying the best I can to control my bg but i swear my body just has other plans. I always feel so alone. I know my parents and husband support me as much as they can but I really hope I can find someone who gets it. I don’t want to be alone anymore. If anyone is out there please reach out💓 honestly I need a friend. Sometimes i think i’m all alone out here.
Hi @laineye and welcome to the forum. Try not to beat yourself up when things aren’t going as you expect. Sometimes things happen randomly, and other things - if we’re having a problem that regularly repeats - it’s a sign we need to make some adjustments to our strategy. If you’re not used to making changes on your own speak with your doctor to get some guidance: a small change in your dosing might be what you need.
I’m sure you will connect with people your own and here but another option is to click on the Resources tab at the top of the page and do a search for in-person events in your area.
Looking forward to your contributions!
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Hi @laineye Welcome to Type One Nation. Type 1 can be isolating I understand that. I went a very long time before I ever met another type 1. We understand things that others have a hard time with, such as blood sugar “control”. I tell people that there isn’t really control. On my very best days, I can still be low or above my targets and that is the nature and the mathematical fact of what we do. I hope you make contacts and friends here, this forum has over 25,000 registered users and a number of “regulars” that are here to help.
Another way io get support is by scrolling to the very top and hitting the “Resources” tab. Please take a look when you have time.
Caring for yourself also takes a toll and many here, myself included, struggle with depression and burnout. I hope you have the support you need, and it’s okay to say you’re not ok. Therapy really helped me deal with long term fatigue as well.
We are glad you are here and you are in the right place !
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@laineye Welcome Lainey to The Community Forum for people affected by TypeOne Diabetes. Something I learned years ago, and have a slide used when addressing people with diabetes is: The one constant in T1D is CHANGE!". If you are anything like me, I suspect that during the last 14 years you have experienced some “diabetes changes” that were overshadowed by the awesome body development of growing from young adolescence to mature woman; I was diagnosed in my teen years and now an octogenarian I look back and see many, many radical differences in my diabetes life.
Something many of us living with diabetes have learned [@Joe mentions this], is that TypeOne, Autoimmune Diabetes, can never be controlled - it has a mind of its own and sets its direction. That said, with thought and personal insight, T1D can be very effectively managed. New posts today on this Forum have been made by folks who have lived full, active and productive lives for many decades living with diabetes; one gentleman poting today has lived with diabetes for 77 years.
One thing common to many people managing diabetes effectively is to know one’s body and be able to effectively make personal adjustments, know how insulin affects us under changing circumstances, how foods will increase BGL [body glucose level], and which activities may require adjustments in food and insulin intake.
Hopefully this on-line community will be a place to find support; I continue learning here by hearing the tips and suggestions offered - it was many years following my diagnosis before I found another person with T1 who knew what I was experiencing. I’m fortunate now to have found a supportive JDRF Community, and tomorrow I’ll sit and share a big coffee pot with a bunch of people affected by T1D - mostly parents of young kids with diabetes seeking information and support.
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Lainey,
Do you have diabetic camps in your area? My best network of support came from attending those camps as a teen, then volunteering to staff them as a young adult. Some of the best camps even have arrangements with universities to give pre-med or -pharmacy elective credits. I learned more as staff or counsellor than the kids ever did.
As for adult challenges: my first thought is just how sedentary I’ve been this decade. It seems that my activity is directly related to not just my insulin sensitivity, but also the rollercoaster ups and downs. Just consider the difference of your daily life now that you (and me) no longer run around playgrounds, skip rope, play regular team sports, and walk, run, scooter or bike everywhere. That’s my biggest challenge–one that I have to keep working on.
Meal carbs are much easier if you eat like a kid–especially a picky eater. Thai curries, chicken Keiv, Brasiliano lasagne and Mongolian BBQ are much more difficult to quantify and bolus correctly…but worth it. Who wants to eat cold cereal + Mac-n-Cheese 3x daily? (Anymore.)
Stress can aggravate diabetes control. You probably never realised as a kid how much pressure you avoided by leaving it up to your parents… maybe even as a teen. Now you’re in charge…and you feel responsible. The fact that you are embracing the challenge, asking advice here, and willing to learn… you will do fine. Learn from any mistakes and don’t beat yourself up when you can’t get the perfect result.
You’ll get it. Practise makes perfect. You are not alone. Now don’t forget to celebrate the joys and freedom of adult life–even if you have to pay the price of a few corrective boluses or glucose tablets!
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Hi Lainey,
You’re definitely not alone. I was diagnosed 30 years ago, when I was 6, and that young-adult transition was rough. Still is, honestly. I’ve had that same thought, too, that diabetes seems harder now than I remember, and I’ve gone back and forth many times on whether or not that’s actually true.
One definite difference was in the way pediatrics operated versus my adult endo. It’s much harder for me to schedule appointments, get timely lab results, ask questions outside my appointments, etc. than when I was younger. And another difference is my schedule. School provided a reliable routine and eliminated a lot of the variables that can affect blood sugar management. I really miss that structure sometimes, to be honest, so that’s the first thing I turn to when I’m having trouble. For example, eating the same thing for a few days in a row helps me spot patterns. But work makes it really tough; no two workdays are ever the same for me, both workload-wise and blood sugar-wise.
Anyway, I’m here and I think I get it. Feel free to message me if you want to talk.