# Newly diagnosed, New here



## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

Hi, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes about 2 months ago now. Its been a weird 2 months getting used to all the injections and having to talk about it to my specialist. I have never been very confident in myself and don't like speaking to others about personal things face to face. I am starting to come to terms with diabetes as a whole, and have a more positive outlook on it. I am 16, dealing with other issues, which meant dealing with it harder, but I am here to share experiences and help others who need my help 

So yeah I talk a lot...

Hi


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## LeeLee (Jan 28, 2013)

Welcome to the forum.  There are lots of people who can share experiences and offer advice on here, so fire away with any questions you have.


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## Northerner (Jan 28, 2013)

Hi, welcome to the forum  Very sorry to hear about your diagnosis, it can be a lot to take in at first, so it's good to hear that you are being positive about it all. It can be a pain, but the good news is that, with a bit of effort, it can be managed well and doesn't have to stop you doing anything you want to do in life.

How did you come to be diagnosed? What insulin regime are you on? Have a look in our Useful links thread for links to some good resources. You might like to get a  support and information pack for people with a recent diagnosis of type 1 diabetes from JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), plus I would highly recommend getting hold of a copy of Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young People by Ragnar Hanas - not cheap, but will cover just about every aspect of living with Type 1 you might think of. For everything else, you have us! 

Do you know anyone else with Type 1? How are your friends about everything?


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## Pumper_Sue (Jan 28, 2013)

Hi and welcome to the forum  Sorry you have other problems to deal with as well. Lifes a B* at times isn't it?
What sort of music are you into?


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## delb t (Jan 28, 2013)

Hi you could always ask your team for a letter stating you have diabetes and the need for you to carry syringes/pen/needle device/monitor etc -sort of the kind of letter you need for customs/travelling will always come in handy-and a big welcome from me - my son is 16 too


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## Northerner (Jan 28, 2013)

Might be worth getting the Diabetes Etiquette Card to show them! 

Don't give up on the idea of a job in hospitality - it's very early days for you yet and things will get easier. Perhaps sometime in the future you may be a candidate for an insulin pump which improves flexibility with eating to an erratic schedule


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

Northerner said:


> Hi, welcome to the forum  Very sorry to hear about your diagnosis, it can be a lot to take in at first, so it's good to hear that you are being positive about it all. It can be a pain, but the good news is that, with a bit of effort, it can be managed well and doesn't have to stop you doing anything you want to do in life.
> 
> How did you come to be diagnosed? What insulin regime are you on? Have a look in our Useful links thread for links to some good resources. You might like to get a  support and information pack for people with a recent diagnosis of type 1 diabetes from JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), plus I would highly recommend getting hold of a copy of Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young People by Ragnar Hanas - not cheap, but will cover just about every aspect of living with Type 1 you might think of. For everything else, you have us!
> 
> Do you know anyone else with Type 1? How are your friends about everything?




It was hard to deal with, especially just before Christmas as I didn't know anything about forums, no one had really been any help, but I think I have everything sorted. I was quite ill for 2 weeks, in the end I had no choice but to phone 111, who rushed me to the hospital, that scared me as they didnt tell me what was going on! Finding the injections a little hard, as i've never been a huge fan of needles, especially not injection myself, but its mind over matter. I'll have a look into that book, thank you, I know 1 other person with type 1, shes in her 30's and a friend of my sister, she was diagnosed when she was my age so I can relate to her. Unfortunately, I am training to work in the Hospitality industry and I'm finding it really hard to control my sugars when at college because of testing foods, and i've found out there are a lot of hidden nasties! Thinking about changing my career path, as i'm struggling to deal with it all. My friends don't really know what to think, other than the rumours about us not being able to eat any sugar, but having to explain myself over and over about what diabetes is and how it affects us is hard, I should write a book haha


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

delb t said:


> Hi you could always ask your team for a letter stating you have diabetes and the need for you to carry syringes/pen/needle device/monitor etc -sort of the kind of letter you need for customs/travelling will always come in handy-and a big welcome from me - my son is 16 too



That might be a good idea, I have another appointment soon anyway so may ask if she could do that, When was he diagnosed?


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

Pumper_Sue said:


> Hi and welcome to the forum  Sorry you have other problems to deal with as well. Lifes a B* at times isn't it?
> What sort of music are you into?



Thank you  Yeah it is haha, everything always seems to happen at once. My favourite alternative music, rock/metal, but I listen to anything really except Justin Beiber and similar artists


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

Northerner said:


> Might be worth getting the Diabetes Etiquette Card to show them!
> 
> Don't give up on the idea of a job in hospitality - it's very early days for you yet and things will get easier. Perhaps sometime in the future you may be a candidate for an insulin pump which improves flexibility with eating to an erratic schedule



I'm just struggling to deal with college, without the grades and experience it will become very hard to find a job, and with my attendance being poor due to health, it doesn't look too good. I've had a lot of problem s with my feet since being diagnosed, maybe it will take the strain off of them, as working in a busy kitchen is painful


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## delb t (Jan 28, 2013)

He was diagnosed just over a year ago-GCSE year!! -But weve pretty much got our heads around stuff- footy etc -we have travelled abroad a few times too never had any issues with airports -there more bothered with his dads metal hips !!!!!!!-


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

delb t said:


> He was diagnosed just over a year ago-GCSE year!! -But weve pretty much got our heads around stuff- footy etc -we have travelled abroad a few times too never had any issues with airports -there more bothered with his dads metal hips !!!!!!!-



Haha, I missed out by about half a year, but was ill for my GSCE's due to other reasons. I stopped playing football when I left school, so that wasn't an issue. Haha, same with my sister, as she has a nail in her knee, but no one believes her lol. I'm probably worrying over nothing!


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## delb t (Jan 28, 2013)

no its just being well organised and thinking ahead -


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

delb t said:


> no its just being well organised and thinking ahead -



It's something i've never been good at, but learning! Before I was diagnosed, I didn't eat regularly, and often missed meals, but now I have no choice!


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## Northerner (Jan 28, 2013)

Music&InsulinSavedMyLife said:


> It's something i've never been good at, but learning! Before I was diagnosed, I didn't eat regularly, and often missed meals, but now I have no choice!



What insulin are you using?


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

Northerner said:


> What insulin are you using?



NovoRapid and Lantus


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## Northerner (Jan 28, 2013)

Music&InsulinSavedMyLife said:


> NovoRapid and Lantus



Ah, that's good then - some people are put on mixed insulin with two injections a day, which is much less flexible. With your regime you should be able to eat when you want, although it does help with control if you can eat regularly. 

Have you been booked on any diabetes education courses yet? The main ones are DAFNE and BERTIE, but there may be something different available for you locally. A lot of people find them very useful, especially as it means you get to meet other people in the same situation


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

Northerner said:


> Ah, that's good then - some people are put on mixed insulin with two injections a day, which is much less flexible. With your regime you should be able to eat when you want, although it does help with control if you can eat regularly.
> 
> Have you been booked on any diabetes education courses yet? The main ones are DAFNE and BERTIE, but there may be something different available for you locally. A lot of people find them very useful, especially as it means you get to meet other people in the same situation



I've learnt the hard way about remembering to eat! With being at college different times with different breaks, I found it hard to force myself to eat. I didn't even know there was education courses!


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## trophywench (Jan 28, 2013)

Well - seriously you shouldn't HAVE to eat if you just don't want to - not on a modern regime like you are on.

However, I do find meself that I feel a lot better and my D behaves itself better if I have something to eat roughly 3 x a day.  Times - brekkie can be 7 am or 11am.  If it's 11am I'll probably not have anything else till dinner.  Lunch might be any time between 12 and 3pm ish.  Dinner usually 7-ish but can be 5.30 or 9pm!

And it can be anything from a bit of cheese on a crispbread to a full blown meal.  With or without a pudding.  Depends on exactly how I feel and what I'm doing.  Might eat between meals or might not.

Totally flexible!

Have they perchance put you on fixed amounts of Novorapid at mealtimes to start you off? - which isn't unusual if they have.  You have to get your head round it a bit, after all - as we all found out even though we didn't really want to! - and get used to having the jabs.  (Presonally I felt that awful when I was dignosed, if they'd said We can make you feel better but we'd have to amputate your leg for that to happen I'd have said Do it NOW!  So jabs didn't seem that bad really, esp as the first one they gave me made me feel so much 'more like me' again pretty instantly, I thought it was probably well worth making holes in myself forever for that ......

If you are seeing your team soon, I think you should say this to them - I've been told you can do this and would like to learn how to adjust my insulin to deal with it.  

However, I shouldn't be surprised if they didn't raise the subject before you do!

Good luck !


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

QUOTE=trophywench;408552]Well - seriously you shouldn't HAVE to eat if you just don't want to - not on a modern regime like you are on.

However, I do find meself that I feel a lot better and my D behaves itself better if I have something to eat roughly 3 x a day.  Times - brekkie can be 7 am or 11am.  If it's 11am I'll probably not have anything else till dinner.  Lunch might be any time between 12 and 3pm ish.  Dinner usually 7-ish but can be 5.30 or 9pm!

And it can be anything from a bit of cheese on a crispbread to a full blown meal.  With or without a pudding.  Depends on exactly how I feel and what I'm doing.  Might eat between meals or might not.

Totally flexible!

Have they perchance put you on fixed amounts of Novorapid at mealtimes to start you off? - which isn't unusual if they have.  You have to get your head round it a bit, after all - as we all found out even though we didn't really want to! - and get used to having the jabs.  (Presonally I felt that awful when I was dignosed, if they'd said We can make you feel better but we'd have to amputate your leg for that to happen I'd have said Do it NOW!  So jabs didn't seem that bad really, esp as the first one they gave me made me feel so much 'more like me' again pretty instantly, I thought it was probably well worth making holes in myself forever for that ......

If you are seeing your team soon, I think you should say this to them - I've been told you can do this and would like to learn how to adjust my insulin to deal with it.  


However, I shouldn't be surprised if they didn't raise the subject before you do!

Good luck ![/QUOTE]

I never seem to feel 'hungry', the doctors say there's nothing they can do about it, but I can go a day without eating and not notice until someone mentions it or my stomach moans! I find with college, and the way my breaks are is that if I don't force myself to eat on the first break, then I feel like I'm about to collapse by the second break!
I was on a fixed dose, but now i'm starting to vary it myself already as I have a good knowledge about food (I work in the hospitality business and study it) 
I felt awful when I was diagnosed too, basically in bed for 2 weeks as it took so much energy to get up, which I now know why! 
I don't mind the jabs, it's remembering them I'm finding difficult, and with all my friends being fascinated by it it feels like all eyes are on me.
They have told me about adjusting it, but they also said how important it is to eat, and maybe eating more regularly will help more.
I'm not than thin, and being young they are encouraging me to loose weight, i've been trying to eat regularly since I was diagnosed mid Decemeber, and since then have managed to lose 16lbs!
I guess eating regularly does help


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## Pumper_Sue (Jan 28, 2013)

Music&InsulinSavedMyLife said:


> I'm just struggling to deal with college, without the grades and experience it will become very hard to find a job, and with my attendance being poor due to health, it doesn't look too good. I've had a lot of problem s with my feet since being diagnosed, maybe it will take the strain off of them, as working in a busy kitchen is painful



Go to your tutor and ask for help regading marking of grades etc due to your ill health.
This can an should be done for you.
Theres a fab book called carbs and cals which you will find a great help.
Make yourself a list of questions to ask for when you next go see your Consultant and or nurse.
That way you won't forget 
Ask about carb counting and some one to one help so you can vary your meal times etc and count carbs.
Also explain about your difficulties regarding your chosen career and ask how you go about obtaining a pump  Do your research so you know what you are talking about and you should go a long way


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

Pumper_Sue said:


> Go to your tutor and ask for help regading marking of grades etc due to your ill health.
> This can an should be done for you.
> Theres a fab book called carbs and cals which you will find a great help.
> Make yourself a list of questions to ask for when you next go see your Consultant and or nurse.
> ...



My grades aren't too bad, as I do BTEC, it is just the attendance. 
I have seen her about it, but she said its more for the Dietitian who I havent been able to see due to her being ill
They said I cant have a pump yet, until I can control it, which I understand but I would have left college by then. Also even having th epump my feet would still be bad, and the doctors dont really know what to do about them


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## Northerner (Jan 28, 2013)

Music&InsulinSavedMyLife said:


> My grades aren't too bad, as I do BTEC, it is just the attendance.
> I have seen her about it, but she said its more for the Dietitian who I havent been able to see due to her being ill
> They said I cant have a pump yet, until I can control it, which I understand but I would have left college by then. Also even having th epump my feet would still be bad, and the doctors dont really know what to do about them



What problems are you having with your feet? Many people experience something called 'transient neuropathy' when newly-diagnosed. This is where the nerves, particularly in the feet, but sometimes hands as well, become more sensitive as your blood sugar levels rapidly improve on receiving treatment/insulin. As the 'transient' implies, this is usually temporary. I suffered sharp pains in my feet, usually at night, for a few months after diagnosis, but it rarely happens now (5 years since diagnosis). Sometimes get the odd pang when my levels have been a bit higher for a while.


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

Northerner said:


> What problems are you having with your feet? Many people experience something called 'transient neuropathy' when newly-diagnosed. This is where the nerves, particularly in the feet, but sometimes hands as well, become more sensitive as your blood sugar levels rapidly improve on receiving treatment/insulin. As the 'transient' implies, this is usually temporary. I suffered sharp pains in my feet, usually at night, for a few months after diagnosis, but it rarely happens now (5 years since diagnosis). Sometimes get the odd pang when my levels have been a bit higher for a while.



Ive always had sore feet, with blisters and hardened skin, but it used to heal. Now it doesn't and it's getting painful to walk, been given antibiotics but they don't seem to be doing much. My feet swell a lot, after a Thursday night in the kitchen at college for only 5 hours they become really sore. And I work 7 1/2 hour shifts, the last shift I did I could barely walk the next day.


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## Northerner (Jan 28, 2013)

Music&InsulinSavedMyLife said:


> Ive always had sore feet, with blisters and hardened skin, but it used to heal. Now it doesn't and it's getting painful to walk, been given antibiotics but they don't seem to be doing much. My feet swell a lot, after a Thursday night in the kitchen at college for only 5 hours they become really sore. And I work 7 1/2 hour shifts, the last shift I did I could barely walk the next day.



Make sure you check them each day for any signs of infection - things can take longer to heal when your blood sugars are not pretty tightly-controlled.


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

Northerner said:


> Make sure you check them each day for any signs of infection - things can take longer to heal when your blood sugars are not pretty tightly-controlled.



There isn't an infection, but its getting painful, the doctor obviously didn't know much about diabetes, and said that he didn't. That why I want to raise more awareness in my area. 
I've been told that, but also got told its unusual to hurt so much, but this could just be because i've had bad feet since I can remember.


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## Northerner (Jan 28, 2013)

Music&InsulinSavedMyLife said:


> There isn't an infection, but its getting painful, the doctor obviously didn't know much about diabetes, and said that he didn't. That why I want to raise more awareness in my area.
> I've been told that, but also got told its unusual to hurt so much, but this could just be because i've had bad feet since I can remember.



Have you seen a podiatrist? They should know much more than your GP. Ask to be referred if your GP can't help


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

Northerner said:


> Have you seen a podiatrist? They should know much more than your GP. Ask to be referred if your GP can't help



I asked when I went on Friday, they said to just have the antibiotics and they will see what happens from there. I don't think they like referring people!


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## LeeLee (Jan 28, 2013)

Music&InsulinSavedMyLife said:


> I don't think they like referring people!



Tough!  The cost of referring you could end up being a bargain compared to the eventual sum if they don't.  I know it's hard to stand your ground, but it's worth the hassle.


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

LeeLee said:


> Tough!  The cost of referring you could end up being a bargain compared to the eventual sum if they don't.  I know it's hard to stand your ground, but it's worth the hassle.



I know, but at 16 they never listen. My mum is out of the country till Friday, so if the antibiotics don't work i'll be off to the walk in centre with her to make them listen. They seem to be the only people who do listen


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## LeeLee (Jan 28, 2013)

Sounds like a plan.  Good luck!


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## Northerner (Jan 28, 2013)

Music&InsulinSavedMyLife said:


> I asked when I went on Friday, they said to just have the antibiotics and they will see what happens from there. I don't think they like referring people!



Well, I would give the anti-bios a go, but if they don't do the job, don't be fobbed off with some other stab in the dark solution, ask for a referral. I know there is some talk about surgeries rationing referrals, but if they can't fix your problem then it's time to see an expert, so stand your ground! (If you see what I mean! )


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## Music&InsulinSavedMyLife (Jan 28, 2013)

Thank you!

I am, they taste revolting and other than making me feel nauseous they havent dont much else! I will do next time, it's getting too annoying having to keep on doing nothing, especially because I want to start fundraising as decided on something to aim for this year


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