# Anxiety !



## Kezza1970 (Apr 9, 2019)

Just wondered if it's normal to feel so down ? It's a hard enough blow to find out you are Type 1 and I am just hoping that it all settles down as right now I feel lost with it all if I am honest :-(


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## nonethewiser (Apr 9, 2019)

Anyone diagnosed with a life long condition will feel down, type 1 is no different.

After the shock has receded you will realise that life isn't to bad,  in time you will see that you can live a long and happy life just the same as someone without the condition.


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## Kezza1970 (Apr 9, 2019)

Think I need to hear more positive ... Thank you for reply ... It just seemed not only taking on the shock and surprise of it all but the amount of people telling me all the worst case scenarios which kinda got my anxiety going through the roof ... And I feel worse now I have been diagnosed than I did before ... That has upset me as I was told I would feel so much better now but in actual fact I feel crap ... Just always usually find the best in everything and this has knocked me sideways ... Feel like I am letting family down as I have been a nightmare with mood swings and anxiety ....


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## SueEK (Apr 9, 2019)

Hi Kezza and welcome. I am not type 1 but can understand your anxiety, it is an awful lot to take in and can be very overwhelming thinking of all the changes you need to make. As nonthewiser says once you have had time to come to terms with things you will cope with it better. I hope you are getting support from your GP and diabetic nurse and also the hospital. If you look through the posts you will see how lots of people felt the same as you but through time and change they are managing to live a normal life, if there is such a thing. I wish you well and we are all here to help even if you just want to have a good whinge, believe me I’ve done it myself. Chin up and my thoughts are with you.


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## SB2015 (Apr 9, 2019)

Welcome to the forum @Kezza1970 .

You may well feel physically better once diagnosed, but mentally it is a lot to take in at the start, and it is now wonder that you are feeling a bit frazzled, or even VERY frazzled.  I was diagnosed with T1 at the age of 53 and it was a BIG shock, but it is manageable and it does not need to stop you diong what you want to, it just takes a bit of organising.  It is however something that you will have to manage every day, but it will just become part of your new ‘normal’ life.  Do you remember learning to drive?  For me it seemed a lot to do: changin gear, looking in the mirror, checking your surrounds, steering, signalling, .... Now I don’t even think about that all, I just watch out foe the unusual things along the way and the bumps or blockages that come my way.  So  it is with my Diabetes.  It DOES GET EASIER.

To start with practicalities, what insulin’s have you been put on?  It helps us to give you appropriate help in response to any questions that you may have.  There is a shed load of help available on here and I have learnt most of what I know from here.  It comes from people wh are diong what we are doing every day and they have practical ideas.  A book that I would recommend (and ignore the age reference, T1 is T1 whenever we get diagnosed) is Type1 Diabetes in Children Adolescents and Young Adults by Ragnar Hanas.  It is well written, explains things clearly and seems to have everything in there.  It is worth getting the most recent edition as it is regularly updated with the latest technology, in which there has been a lot of progress even in the last 11 years since my diagnosis.  Well worth a read.

At the start your levels will be a bit up and down as it is likely that your pancreas may still have a few Beta cells left, which will decide to join in and chuck out a bit of insulin to go with what you haveinjected.  So be patient it will take time to get things more sorted.

I shall stop as I have realised just how much I have rambled on.
Just know that no questions are considered silly on here. 
Just ask, and help will come along.


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## Kezza1970 (Apr 9, 2019)

Thank you all so much ... I am on Novomix 30 twice a day .. Am kinda getting hang of things and really appreciate your replies ... I thought I was cool with it all and out of nowhere I just got knocked outta the park with anxiety and depression but I guess I should just realise that I have had a massive life change and it will take time ... I am usually the first person to put a joke to everything in life so I kinda got quite angry that this has got me so badly ... But I am glad I found this place .... Kezza


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## SueEK (Apr 9, 2019)

Kezza1970 said:


> Thank you all so much ... I am on Novomix 30 twice a day .. Am kinda getting hang of things and really appreciate your replies ... I thought I was cool with it all and out of nowhere I just got knocked outta the park with anxiety and depression but I guess I should just realise that I have had a massive life change and it will take time ... I am usually the first person to put a joke to everything in life so I kinda got quite angry that this has got me so badly ... But I am glad I found this place .... Kezza


Kezza, you are normal and peed off with something big that wasn’t on your radar, you are entitled to feel as you do. Things will get easier and I wish you the very best.


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## Kezza1970 (Apr 9, 2019)

Thanks Sue .... Feel better already just by kind words x


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## Matt Cycle (Apr 9, 2019)

Hi Kezza and welcome to the forum.    Yes, T1 is a complete pain in the arse but it definitely becomes more manageable with time and you'll soon just be getting on with it.  It's never stopped me doing anything.  In time you may wish to ask your diabetes team about basal/bolus or MDI (multiple daily injections) - most T1's are on this regime.  This would give you much more flexibility than the Novomix 30 you're on.  In MDI you have one or two long acting (basal) insulin injections and also inject a fast acting insulin before each meal for the carbs you're having (bolus).  This flexibility means you can skip/delay meals, adjust for exercise etc.


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## Lucy Honeychurch (Apr 9, 2019)

Hi and welcome. It's such a big adjustment, like someone throwing a grenade into your life! You might find the five stages of grief helpful to read. Take care, no question is too small or silly


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## Flower (Apr 9, 2019)

Hi @Kezza1970 and welcome, glad you've found us 

It is a huge shock to be handed the running of your insulin supply and all that entails. You have to hit the ground running with no gentle transition and it takes some readjusting to the new situation both mentally and physically but given time you will start to feel less anxious and start to feel safer in your own skin 

Ignore people telling you the grisly stories they've heard 2nd/3rd hand, well controlled diabetes doesn't make the headlines. There is excellent technology around now to get good control and to get on with your life.

As Matt has said ask your diabetes team to get you on to MDI so you can start to get flexibility with eating etc. 

It is a steep learning curve after diagnosis, who knew what your pancreas was busy doing until it's over to you to work it out! There's a wealth of experience and support on here so please let us know how things go. We all 'get' diabetes on here and are happy to help and support where we can.


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## Kezza1970 (Apr 9, 2019)

Oh really ... I am seeing my Diabetic nurse tomorrow so I will most deffo ask ... Again thank you all for the lovely words and support ... It has really made me feel better ;-)


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## SB2015 (Apr 9, 2019)

Kezza1970 said:


> Oh really ... I am seeing my Diabetic nurse tomorrow so I will most deffo ask ... Again thank you all for the lovely words and support ... It has really made me feel better ;-)


It is very unusual to be put on Novomix these days.  They may have chosen this whilst they get your levels down at the start.

Once they switch you to Multiple Daily Injections, with two different insulins: a slow release as the background, and a quick acting Bolus to deal with food that you eat,  it will be a LOT EASIER to manage changes during the day.  this is also known as Basal/Bolus regime.  the Basal insulin will deal with the glucose that your liver releases all the time to keep you ticking over, then the Bolus is insulin that you inject to match the carbs that you eat.  Definitely worth asking about this tomorrow at your appointment.

I look forward to hearing how you get on.


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## Thebearcametoo (Apr 10, 2019)

Talk honestly with your diabetes nurse. You should have access to a psychologist as well as medical support. Any chronic illness will have its ups and downs and it’s ok to grieve and be pissed off and generally acknowledge how unfair it is. You will get to grips with the day to day though (and MDI would help your moods too as you’ll be able to get more sensitive management) and there will be periods of time where you just get on with life quite happily and then other times when it’ll all get on top of you again.


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## Kezza1970 (Apr 10, 2019)

Hi , spoke with Diabetic nurse at my GP's and I need to go down to see the team at the hospital but she thinks that they have started me on the Novomix as apparently usually the pancreas can still be producing some insulin still so I am going down to see the big guns as soon as possible to get some more answers with it all


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## Kezza1970 (Apr 10, 2019)

Just a quick update .. The nurse from diabetic clinic at hospital rang and was quite abrupt when I asked about the change to MDI but said that I can be changed over to it ... Apparently I was offered it when I 1st saw them but funnily enough my head was full of allsorts and didn't quite know what was going on ... You'd think they would kinda understand that but Hey ho ... At least I am now on right track to getting it all switched over ..


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## Thebearcametoo (Apr 10, 2019)

Yes your head will have been all over the place! Glad you’re getting somewhere with it at least. It does take a while to get your head around everything’s and we found it very overwhelming when my daughter was diagnosed. You’ll get on top of it.


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## SB2015 (Apr 10, 2019)

Kezza1970 said:


> Just a quick update .. The nurse from diabetic clinic at hospital rang and was quite abrupt when I asked about the change to MDI but said that I can be changed over to it ... Apparently I was offered it when I 1st saw them but funnily enough my head was full of allsorts and didn't quite know what was going on ... You'd think they would kinda understand that but Hey ho ... At least I am now on right track to getting it all switched over ..


That sounds good, and as you say they should have understood that you would have neen muddled. However now on the right track to get MDI so worth making a new start with the DSNs.


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## HOBIE (Apr 10, 2019)

Good luck with things Kezza1977


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## Kezza1970 (Apr 11, 2019)

Thanks all


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## louloulou (Jul 16, 2019)

Kezza1970 said:


> Just wondered if it's normal to feel so down ? It's a hard enough blow to find out you are Type 1 and I am just hoping that it all settles down as right now I feel lost with it all if I am honest :-(


Hello I feel the same as you really low depressed and down if need to talk ive just joined on here for some support Lou


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## zuludog (Jul 16, 2019)

No-one quite knows why, but it's common for people with diabetes to  suffer from depression
Normally it's not too serious, just feeling a bit odd, or strange, something you can't really explain, like feeling a bit anxious, or that you need to keep looking over your shoulder

Obviously there will be the worry of having diabetes in itself, but besides that, there's something else. I've heard it described as being 'inclined to be melancholy'

So that's the position. As it's normal, try not to be worried about being worried, and deal with it as well as you can
How we do that is another matter, and a subject in itself; I'm just trying to reassure you that it's common to feel like that
I'm doubly affected as I live on my own, but I do my best to occupy myself with hobbies, and to get out & about and make new friends where possible

Hmmmm... That was a bit rambling, I hope you can follow it


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## louloulou (Jul 17, 2019)

zuludog said:


> No-one quite knows why, but it's common for people with diabetes to  suffer from depression
> Normally it's not too serious, just feeling a bit odd, or strange, something you can't really explain, like feeling a bit anxious, or that you need to keep looking over your shoulder
> 
> Obviously there will be the worry of having diabetes in itself, but besides that, there's something else. I've heard it described as being 'inclined to be melancholy'
> ...



Thank you for your reply still not sure what i am doing do you  here to get support do u need to ask questions daily or just message newly people? I have good days and bad days really hard as a lot of my friends have passed away young and friends i did have have walked away as don't want to deal with it i guess Lou


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## zuludog (Jul 17, 2019)

Hello Lou; I have a bit of a cold at the moment but I hope to give you a longer reply in a day or two

Meanwhile it would help if you told us a bit about yourself - how old are you; where do you live; any family; apart from D are you reasonably healthy & able or do you have any other problems; what work do you do; any sports, hobbies, pastimes? You get the idea


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## silentsquirrel (Jul 18, 2019)

louloulou said:


> Thank you for your reply still not sure what i am doing do you  here to get support do u need to ask questions daily or just message newly people? I have good days and bad days really hard as a lot of my friends have passed away young and friends i did have have walked away as don't want to deal with it i guess Lou



Lou, I would stick to posting on forum threads.  You seem to be making a lot of profile posts, but I don't think many people look at those.


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## zuludog (Jul 20, 2019)

Hello Lou, I said I would get back to you

Let me repeat, it's normal to feel anxious about D. Firstly the shock of being diagnosed, but behind that many people have a feeling that they can't quite explain; a sort of anxiety, worry, depression, foreboding, and so on

I can't give you any specific advice, since I'm not qualified, and don't know your circumstances; there is lots of info & advice about dealing with depression & anxiety. But this is how I dealt with it

I took antidepressants for a long time but didn't think they did much good, and stopped taking them. I found the best remedy was to keep busy -

I've made model planes, the plastic kits like Airfix, since I was a boy, and still do

Since I retired I've taken up knife making. Some people grind & forge their own blades but you have to be pretty keen to do that. I buy in ready made blades from suppliers then fit my own handles. If you're interested, Search YT for 'knife making'

I've learned leatherwork; at first to make the sheaths, but recently, belts & wallets

I live on my own, and have to make a bit of an effort to cook & eat properly, especially with D, but that keeps me occupied

I used to do fairly serious hillwalking, summer & winter, but I've eased off that lately. Now I go out with The Ramblers, which gets me out, and meeting people, and helps to relax.

I've started doing something that I'm calling, for want of a better name 'looking at England' - castles, museums; watching the Yorkshire Coast fall apart; old villages & pubs; Shows & events

I joined the local Working Men's Club. I'm not that interested in football or snooker, but it's nice to go to relax and chat to people. They let women in as well!

I keep in touch with friends & relations, by phone, post & email

Alright, some of these activities tend to be male dominated, though there is no real reason why ladies should not do them as well

One of my neighbours used to play football when he was younger; now he helps with a junior team - training, washing kit, fund raising, and so on. Another neighbour helps at her church - cleaning, putting out flowers, car boot sale; in the summer she goes bowling, on a green, not an alley

The point is that it doesn't really matter what you do, as long as it keeps your mind occupied, and gets you out & about


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