# New to insulin & scared of needles!



## suziepoo (Jun 6, 2010)

Hi
I was diagnosed in Jan with diabetes after having blurred vision. They 'think' I'm type 1 (despite being 40-ish) and as tablets not working have just been put onto insulin. Terrified of needles and struggling to inject myself.
Feel like I've just been dumped with it and abandoned by doc and diabetic nurse. 
Have lost 2.5 stone (back to the weight I was at 17!!) and sometimes struggle to complete my 3 mile runs. Just feel like constantly crying!
Does it ever get any easier/better?
Sue


----------



## Old Holborn (Jun 6, 2010)

Hi Sue and welcome. 

Sorry can't help with advice, there are better and more informed people than me on here who will help.


----------



## am64 (Jun 6, 2010)

welcome sue ...I am glad you found us as many people are left so high and dry when first dx ..have a good look around the forum there has been a thread recently regarding needle sizes ..and remember no question is silly here good luck x


----------



## MCH (Jun 6, 2010)

Hi and welcome as a few people have said.

I was diagnosed when I was nine but it took a few years before I was comfortable doing my own injection. I think eventually it did became a habit and I stopped being worried about it, but everyone is different. I suspect the "trick" is not to beat yourself up about it and try to relax - easier said than done I know.

Also try to remember that even those of us who have been at this a while have days where we just think "stuff it" and binge on all sorts of things just to try to feel normal for a bit.

Every now and again, even after 35 years, I still have the odd cry that I always have to think before I go out - and that my handbag is the size of a small joldall by the time I fit in insulin, blood testing stuff, jelly babies etc, etc. etc. 

Joking aside, you will find that eventually you get used to most of it and begin to worry less about things.

Best wishes and as someone has already said this place is great as you can say anything you want and someone will understand or be able to help.


----------



## Northerner (Jun 6, 2010)

suziepoo said:


> Hi
> I was diagnosed in Jan with diabetes after having blurred vision. They 'think' I'm type 1 (despite being 40-ish) and as tablets not working have just been put onto insulin. Terrified of needles and struggling to inject myself.
> Feel like I've just been dumped with it and abandoned by doc and diabetic nurse.
> Have lost 2.5 stone (back to the weight I was at 17!!) and sometimes struggle to complete my 3 mile runs. Just feel like constantly crying!
> ...



Hi Sue, welcome to the forum  First off - yes, it does get easier! I was diagnosed aged 49 with Type 1 so it can afflict you at any age. Do you have access to a Diabetes Specialist Nurse (DSN)? The majority are absolutely wonderful people and will understand all your concerns and be able to give you some welcome support. If you normally see your GP, then ask if you can be referred to the hospital, as this is where DSNs are usually based.

Try not to think of the injections as...erm...injections. The needles are so tiny and don't compare at all with the syringe needles that most injections involve. They go all the way down to 4mm, which may be helpful if you are currently underweight. I lost a huge amount of weight prior to diagnosis - down from a 34 inch to 27 inch waist. Once my body was getting the much needed insulin again I recovered my weight, and this makes the injections easier - most of the time nowadays I feel virtually nothing. I'm not belittling your fears though, a phobia is far more a mental thing than a physical thing, and I appreciate how difficult it must be for you. I am sure it will get easier.

Please ask anything you may be unsure of or that may be concerning you - there are no 'silly' questions here, and there are lots of very helpful, supportive and knowledgeable people who will do their best to help you at this early stage (and beyond!).

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis, but glad you found us!


----------



## Northerner (Jun 6, 2010)

p.s. I was due to run a marathon the week I was diagnosed (didn't make it for obvious reasons!). I had run a half marathon three months earlier in my slowest ever time. a few months after diagnosis I was able to compete in the Great South Run, feeling better than I had for an awfully long time. So, yes, your running will become more enjoyable and it will do wonders for your blood sugar levels, so keep at it!


----------



## richardq (Jun 6, 2010)

Hi,

I was diagnosed Type 1 about a month ago, just before my 31st birthday.  There is an awful lot to get used to, and an awful lot to take in.  I personally felt pretty much the same after I'd been to the hospital - they'd given me lots of leaflets, and a big bag full of needles and insulin, and basically said off you go and get on with it.  However, the DSN has telephoned frequently to see how things are going, and we're able to talk about Blood Glucose readings over the phone, and adjust insulin doses accordingly, and having met up with her about 10 days ago we've moved from a pre-mixed insulin to two seperate insulins which have made things a lot more flexible and give you back a good feeling of control.  Yes, it does mean more injections, but I have found that the 5mm pen needles are very easy to use, and if you grit your teeth and get on with it, it's not too bad.  In fact it seems that the finger pricking is more arduous, as I don't always seem to get the right amount of blood, or mess up getting it onto the test strip, but even that is getting better now.

I have found that this forum has been invaluable - lots of people who have been there and done it, answer questions openly and honestly and even just reading through things is really helpful.

There is an excellent book on Type 1 diabetes that Northener reccomended to me, there is a link to its amazon listing somewhere that I will try to find.

Welcome to the forum, and best of luck,

R


----------



## richardq (Jun 6, 2010)

I'd recommend you get a copy of Ragnar Hanas' Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults as it will give you an excellent grounding in what to expect and how to tackle things...

There's suppose to be a link in there somewhere, but I can't get it to work...

we'll try this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diabetes-Ch...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275856149&sr=8-1

R


----------



## suziepoo (Jun 6, 2010)

Hi guys
Thanks for the support - must admit I feel less alone now!
I do have a DSN but she hesn't phoned me since I got back from hols (just over a week ago and I went on hol a couple of days after being given insulin).
I'm going to make an appoint with the doc tomorrow and see if he can refer me for hypnotherapy!
I'll also check Amazon for the book and have a good read!
Here's to some good runs this year!
Sue


----------



## Lizzzie (Jun 6, 2010)

Hi Sue!

Wow it all sounds really daunting; the main thing is, don't worry; diabetic people lead perfectly normal lives and while it all sounds crazy at the moment, if you keep worknig at it, you'll feel better eventually....

About being scared of needles: phobias get worse by negative reinforcement.

"Negative reinforcement" is jargon for a form of learning. Basical, the removal of a negative stimulus (i.e. a bad thing) acts as a 'reward'.

e.g. if I see a spider and I move away from it, the negative feeling (i.e. fear) goes away and I feel better (the 'reward'). So next time i see a spider, I move away from it again, and again I feel better.  Obviusly this pattern doesn't do much for me being scared of spiders because I start to avoid them all the time.

You can try to override this with positive reinforcement e.g. every time you have to inject, bite your lip, go for it, then associate 'having done it' with something really nice, i.e. being VERY proud of yourself, prasie from supportive family, etc. 

It'll get much easier

(I live at work, and the bathroom is spider infested. I just have to make myself go in there.... and the more I do it, the easier it becomes).

Good luck with it all. 

It's hard work, you have good days and bad days, and now you've got it, you'll probably have to think about it every day for the rest of your life. (I soemtimes wonder what I used to think about in those gaps where I now think about diabetes. Maybe I'd have discovered dark matter or something by now.....)


----------



## PhilT (Jun 7, 2010)

suziepoo said:


> Hi
> I was diagnosed in Jan with diabetes after having blurred vision. They 'think' I'm type 1 (despite being 40-ish) and as tablets not working have just been put onto insulin. Terrified of needles and struggling to inject myself.
> Feel like I've just been dumped with it and abandoned by doc and diabetic nurse.
> Have lost 2.5 stone (back to the weight I was at 17!!) and sometimes struggle to complete my 3 mile runs. Just feel like constantly crying!
> ...


 
Hi Sue and welcome to the forum.

I am needle phobic myself and when I was told I had to go on insulin I was less than enthusiastic about the thought of injecting myself.

However when I mentioned to my nurse about my phobia she prescribed the smallest available needles 5mm at the time (although you will soon be able to get 4mm as well).

Well when it came to doing my first injection I was sitting there pen in hand going over everything I had been told about how to inject.

It took me about 20mins to pluck up the courage to attempt to inject!

Eventually I managed to do it and to my surprise was no where near as bad as I thought it would be. The next time I injected I managed to do it quicker as I wasn't thinking about it so much as the first time and every subsequent time it got easier until I didn't even think of the needle.

Now although I still don't like needles I have learnt to tolerate them as a necessary evil and I'm sure the more you inject you will eventually be the same.

Good luck.


----------



## Andy HB (Jun 7, 2010)

Hello Sue,

I can't add anything to what has already been said, but just wanted to welcome you to the forum.

Best wishes,

Andy


----------



## Emmal31 (Jun 7, 2010)

Hi Sue 

Welcome to the forum  x


----------



## Tezzz (Jun 7, 2010)

Welcome to the forum, Sue.

Have you heard of the *Penmate*?  This hides the needle so you don't see the action.

You might want to ask your diabetes team about them.


----------



## glodee (Jun 7, 2010)

Sue,
Welcome!! Despite the fact I've just posted a miserable post, it does get easier. I think like anything its amazing what we can adapt to. I've spent a lifetime been scared of being diagnosed with diabetes and now my brother, my 15yrs old daughter and me have been diagnosed in the last few years. My daughter was a dreadful needle phobic. Heres the good bit - she never minds injecting, but HATES any other type of injection. I know, it makes no sense. As I nurse I thought she would willingly have her (knowlegable and skilled) Mum give her a shot - but - Nooo!! I was awful ( apparently) despite never hurting a patient that I can remember in my career!!
It does become second nature and like brushing teeth. Just stay positive, this is a long time disease, not a life sentance. We can, and do, live really normal lives with it. The support on here is marvellous - dont know what I'd do without everyone's support.
Gloria


----------



## Tezzz (Jun 8, 2010)

I just remembered apart from the length of the needles used, the thickness or *gauge* is variable too. 

Ask about extra fine (I think they are 31g) needles when you see the DSN. They might give you a handfull of different sizes and guages to try.


----------

