Diabetes-my personal experience (Insulin Dependent Diabetes)

Name: Daisy

Hello doyoo user, You have to be logged in to use these functions... Login or register Close window

Send message to member

Product:	Insulin Dependent Diabetes
Date:	14/08/01 (523 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: not a single one!

Disadvantages: lots!

Just over six months ago, and much to my surprise, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I say much to my surprise because although I displayed all the classic symptoms (extreme tiredness, weight loss, going to the loo frequently and finally increased thirst) I just assumed that it was some virus and I was burning the candle at both ends and hence the tiredness, feeling irritable etc. However after finally seeing a doctor I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and whisked off to hospital. I got something of a scare when told that if I had left it any longer I may have been in a coma by the next day. I must admit that at this stage my understanding of diabetes was very little. The next day I was discharged from hospital and ‘left to get on with it’.

To give you all some background there are two kinds of diabetes, handily called Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 happens when there is a severe lack of insulin in the body because most or all of the insulin producing cells in the pancreas have been destroyed. (This is thought to happen when a virus in the body attacks the pancreatic cells destroying them). It is often referred to as juvenile diabetes as it usually occurs in children or those under 40 (I only just made it into this category!). The treatment is by daily insulin injections in conjunction with a balanced diet.

Type 2 diabetes happens when the body still produces insulin but not enough. This usually happens in people over age 40 and is treated either by diet alone or a combination of diet and tablets.

I feel that I have been on a steep learning curve these past 6 months and yet I know that there is still an awful lot to learn about this disease. Obviously it affects people in very different ways and I can only comment on my own situation. First of all there are the physical mechanics of Type 1 to deal with. At the moment I give myself 4 insulin injections a day, 3 of which should be done approx 20 mins before a meal. This can be i
ncorporated into my daily routine most of the time, although at work it still feels a little strange having to leave my desk to use the first aid room, and of course when I eat out, things have to be planned well in advance.

In addition to the actual injections I also have to test my blood sugar levels regularly. This can vary from 2 to 8 times a day depending on routine and how you are feeling that particular day. Although the actual injections are not particularly painful taking a small drop of blood from my finger often hurts like hell and the skin on the tops of my fingers are now like those of someone who has been playing guitar all their life!

Diet: although a balanced healthy diet should be followed this has it’s limitations, as everything I eat has to be accounted for by the insulin I have taken. Contrary to popular belief sweet things can be eaten but in very small amounts and only at certain times of the day, usually following an insulin injection. Meals should be based on starchy carbohydrate type of foods such as pasta or rice (or similar slow acting carbohydrates) and regular portions taken at regular times. Unfortunately I have found that this makes for a rather boring diet, when food has to eaten at certain times and snacking is a no-no (unless you can come up with some tasty suggestions for snack with no sugar or carbohydrate?). The whole diet thing seems in fact to be somewhat complicated and my parents can’t understand why I can eat chocolate but only at certain times. Anyway I won’t bore you any further with the diet constraints.

In addition to regular self-blood testing you also have regular hospital check-ups. Unfortunately if Type 1 diabetes is not controlled well there are a number of complications, which could occur. Briefly some of these are: -

Hypoglycemia: - this is probably the one most people may know something about. Ideally blood sugar reading should be between 4 and 7 and a ‘
hypo’ attack occurs when the blood sugar falls below 4. Hypo attacks affect everyone differently from “feeling wobbly” to a more severe attack where temporary paralysis or fitting takes place. Most people with Type 1 diabetes will experience hypo attacks once or twice a week.

Hyperglycemia: - this is when the blood sugar levels are too high, either because you haven’t taken enough insulin or too much sugar. As glucose levels rise in your body it may develop into ketoacidosis. Without becoming too technical, the body can’t cope with this much sugar and the blood becomes acidic. This can actually be very dangerous, and can lead to a coma or worse – death if not treated promptly (why I was admitted to hospital so promptly on visiting my GP).

Heart disease: If you do not have good control of your diabetes the fatty deposits of sugar on your blood vessels can lead to early heart disease.

Retinopathy: as before, without good control this can result in retinopathy (diabetic blindness to you and me). I know from personal experience that when my blood sugar has been too high my vision can become blurred which is quite scary!

Neuropathy: diabetes can also damage nerves, which particularly affects the extremities, for example the feet (feet examination is performed at the annual check-up).

Although not a physical complication, the fact that every time I leave the house I have to take blood testing monitor, insulin, and appropriate food (both fast acting and slow acting) in the event of a hypo attack takes some getting used to. All of this looks most “uncool” on a night out of course!

Well that was all rather depressing wasn’t it! On a brighter note there is currently much research involved with diabetes (some of this is the controversial stem cell research). It is estimated that there are currently 1 million people in the UK with diabetes, 25% of who have Type 1. More w
orrying perhaps is the figure that another million people do not know they have the disease.

In spite of all the above I still try to lead as normal a life as possible - take holidays, look after the kids, go to work etc. Hopefully, fingers crossed, in the not too distant future we will either have a cure or an easier way of managing the disease. In the meantime I’ll keep taking the injections!

Summary: