# Hi :)



## kitten (Oct 13, 2010)

Hi to everyone,
I am new to these boards but have several years experience of being a type one diabetic. I am currently in a right mess, so to speak. Recently I have had DKA and I am struggling with my control. I have always struggled with my control, so that isn't really anything new. 
Currently I am on an insulin pump but I have had an appointment with a new DSN today who has suggested that maybe I switch back to injections. Either basal bolus or twice a day. I understand that twice a day is very limited and that people are likely to discourage me from taking that route but I really am desperate. I think that switching to them for about two weeks could be good to give me a break and then go back to the pump. I am having appointments with other DSNS and dieticians to see what they think. I felt very supported today, more than I have ever done before and she even hugged me at the end 
I would really like to make some friends on here so that I have some people to talk to about diabetes as currently I have no one in my life that understands. I have never been seen regularly by any professionals in the past and have never had any continuity of care.
Besides diabetes my interests are world war two, cosmetics and cooking. I'm currently a student and Mcdonalds crew member .  
Don't really know what else to say to introduce myself sorry 
so lovely to meet you all  
xxx


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## Steff (Oct 13, 2010)

Hi there kitten welcome to the forum dont despair you have come to the right place you will make great mates here and recieve support where you need it, im sorry i have had no experience with DKA or pumps but theres members in here far more qualified to help you out as im a type 2 but i can tell you anythign  you need to know or if you just need a shoulder we will be here for you, dont worry your introduction was perfect, we must chat sometime about cosmetics hehe.Welcome onboard xx


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## kitten (Oct 13, 2010)

Hiya Steffie  thank you so much , you lot seem like a very supportive bunch  we're all in it together after all  we have to chat girlie stuff sometime hehehe look forward to it  xxx


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## novorapidboi26 (Oct 13, 2010)

Its a pleasure to meet and welcome to the site.................

I have been type 1 for nearly 12 years and never really got a grip of my control, purely down to not being told what its all about, technologies change and the docs became more knowledgable thank god, although I still had to do all the chasing to actually be provided with the education I needed........specifically DAFNE......

Have you had any training like that, this might seem like a stupid question as you are on a pump and must have received something....

You will find this forum excellent for information and most importantly support through the hard times..........

Although pumping is really good and personally what i need its not uncommon for people to have reasonable control on 2 injections, just not as tight as people demand for themselves today........

Look forward to hearing more from you...............


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## kitten (Oct 13, 2010)

Hi novorapid boi 
I have been on  DAFNE but it was only a few months ago I feel like no one has really told me whats going on or whats what which sounds very odd i know. I taught myself to carb count (when i was diagnosed i was told to carb count by reading packets and that was all the help i got) from reading packets and books and tried to figure things out as best as I could over the years but obviously I've never really got there  And when I got my pump I feel that I did not have adequate training or support because they literally gave it to me, we talked for about an hour and that was it. I'd not seen it or tried it before. 
I think that any form of control would be good at the moment. My hba1c has never been under 10 so I think that any kind of control I could get would be good, even if it's not perfect. I would really like to try 2 injections a day for a little while and then go back on to my pump but I don't know and this is why I am seeing some other people to get different opinions etc. The new nurse today did mention about doing a DAFNE course again in about a year so that sounds good. 
Really excited to get to know you , thanks so much for your reply


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## everydayupsanddowns (Oct 13, 2010)

Hi Kitten

Welcome to the boards.

I'm sure you'll get lots of ideas/advice/support here.

A few questions for you...
How often are you testing your BGs?
Do you keep any kind of food/bg/activity diary?
Have you got any specific problems with your control that you are struggling with at the moment?

Stick around, read some of the other threads, chip in with your own experiences and thoughts, keep asking questions and if all else fails just rant away! 

M


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## The Derisive One (Oct 13, 2010)

Hey there Kitten and welcome to the forum ... I only signed up a couple of days ago and the support from the people on here is amazing!!  I also love cooking and cosmetics!!  (the food forum on here is excellent!!).  I'll look forwards to getting to know you better on the forum and hearing how you manage to get ontop of everything!!  XxXxX


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## novorapidboi26 (Oct 13, 2010)

Obviously professional help is reccommended, and a touch up on carbs, ratios etc is advised but in the mean time dive straight into the pumping threads....

Tell them what your doing at the moment, what pump your using, where youre problems are, even the good times of day..........it wont happen over night but you should be able to get just as good advice from the experienced pumpers on here as you would the HCPs.......I am sure of it..........


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## bev (Oct 13, 2010)

Quick reply as off to school for meeting.

Dont give your pump back - if you have poor control now - it will get worse on 2 injections. Go to the pumping section on here and post us a full days diary. Food, insulin given, bg's and basals. I am sure we can all help you - it sounds to me as if you have had NO support at all - this is dreadful and should never have happened - but do not give your pump back until we have all tried to help you.Bev

p.s.my son is 12 and used a pump for 1 year and he loves it.


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## kitten (Oct 13, 2010)

Thank you so much to all of you for your lovely warm welcomes  
I test my bg about 14 + times a day and I record them in a diary. I have been given a diary by a certain consultant to fill in for him to review which I am doing but the appointment isn't quite yet. 
In particular message to bev - This is precisely what I thought. I thought that the pump would give better control and I just need more training! I'm not giving it them back ever! They have been threatening to take it off me on a lot of occasions which scares me! I think that she wants to try me on two injections a day so that I can have a break from sorting out all of the pump stuff. Which is very appealing to be honest because I am struggling a lot emotionally to do everything. I hope that this does not sound pathetic. It's just that there is a lot of bullying incidents at my college. People are very horrible about my diabetes. I never let them know that they get to me and my standard reply is well your parents must be very proud (sarcastically) to which i always get a funny look and i say well its so big of you to make fun of someone for having a condition that they happen to have. I think that the plan could be two injections a day for two weeks then the pump again but I'm not sure and I have a lot of other people to see. I'm sorry if thi s is very rambled and confusing but I've basically cried my eyes out all day and I don't know what else to say. Sorry I'm such a mess, I have no makeup on yet so will go and put on my face and I'm sure that the world will seem a much prettier and worthwhile place hehe  thanks so much to you all for everything, sorry I've arrived in such a state!
Love and luck to you all xxx


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## everydayupsanddowns (Oct 13, 2010)

Good to hear that you are a happy to test quite intensively and are keeping records. Makes patterns much easier to spot. I'd go with Bev's suggestion and post a typical day's results, plus approx grams of carbs eaten, activity etc in the Pumping section (if you are happy to do so) to see what the experienced pumpers around here make of it...

In the short term you might find it's worth going back to basics and sticking to pretty boring/consistent food just to get your head around what's going on with your levels, but once you've got things stabilised it's easier to get a little more adventurous again while keeping your BGs in check.

Gook luck!
M


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## novorapidboi26 (Oct 13, 2010)

I think that you were physically prepared to start pumping, but emotionally, maybe not.........

As I understand it, pumping is really good for control, but it also asks for the most effort.............only till you are comfortable on mdi and the rules that come with it can you even consider a pump........this is a real failure in providing a good diabetic service to yourself........

I would say going back to MDI would be best rather than 2 a day....

Its a shame your getting bother at college, I would of thought having a pump would be really discreet...........there are so mant different ways to deal with people like that...and everyones different........

Anyway.....chin up and get those healthcare professionals to do there job....


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## grandma (Oct 13, 2010)

kitten said:


> Thank you so much to all of you for your lovely warm welcomes
> I test my bg about 14 + times a day and I record them in a diary. I have been given a diary by a certain consultant to fill in for him to review which I am doing but the appointment isn't quite yet.
> In particular message to bev - This is precisely what I thought. I thought that the pump would give better control and I just need more training! I'm not giving it them back ever! They have been threatening to take it off me on a lot of occasions which scares me! I think that she wants to try me on two injections a day so that I can have a break from sorting out all of the pump stuff. Which is very appealing to be honest because I am struggling a lot emotionally to do everything. I hope that this does not sound pathetic. It's just that there is a lot of bullying incidents at my college. People are very horrible about my diabetes. I never let them know that they get to me and my standard reply is well your parents must be very proud (sarcastically) to which i always get a funny look and i say well its so big of you to make fun of someone for having a condition that they happen to have. I think that the plan could be two injections a day for two weeks then the pump again but I'm not sure and I have a lot of other people to see. I'm sorry if thi s is very rambled and confusing but I've basically cried my eyes out all day and I don't know what else to say. Sorry I'm such a mess, I have no makeup on yet so will go and put on my face and I'm sure that the world will seem a much prettier and worthwhile place hehe  thanks so much to you all for everything, sorry I've arrived in such a state!
> Love and luck to you all xxx



Well hi to you. Ihave just found this site as well and find it very usefull I AM NOT GOOD not the computer so dont know if i am doint thing right. Hope I am and we can chat soon. I have not been togood today bloody are up to 13,4 but I will keep on with the Dafne yesterday they were 2.6 4.8 untill bed then 15.6 so dont know what Iam doing wrong chat soon.


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## kitten (Oct 13, 2010)

Thanks all  I should probably add that I've been on the pump for over a year in case anyone wants to know. I have problems also with eating and my digestion. (sorry if that's really gross.) and I often struggle to eat at all and get a lot of very severe pain which makes eating even more difficult. I can't help but think that this is linked to my poor control because despite trying everything I am finding things to vary so much. I have a few other problems too, do any of you think that it is connected? I do often get ketones from not eating enough calories but it's not done on purpose if you see what i mean ?! xxx


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## Robster65 (Oct 13, 2010)

Hi kitten.

Welcome from me too. Have you mentioned your other problems to your doctor or the DSN ?

Another thought, regarding your college. Could the bullies be dealt with by staff under the disabilities act (sorry, not sure what the actual act is!) ?

Hope you can find some answers and get yourself on an even keel. It should be relatively easy once you know how to control it. But first, you need the information. Best of luck.

Rob


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## kitten (Oct 13, 2010)

Dear Robster,
r.e. the college staff are useless i have told them about it but they do nothing. last year in politics as class a group of boys used to point and laugh at me and call me things, they would especially play up during watching videos and if the tutor saw them he would look at me almost crying and turn his chair away so that he was facing away from the whole class. people aren't really good about it tbh. 
one of those things! what doesnt kill u can only make u stronger
lovely to meet u btw


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## teapot8910 (Oct 14, 2010)

Hi Kitten

Welcome to the forum! The college situation must be quite stressful if thats what you have to put up with each day, could this be having an effect on your BS levels? Isn't there a counsellor or headmaster that you could talk to about it?

xx


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## kitten (Oct 14, 2010)

Hi teapot 
thanks for the welcome. re college yes it is a horrible place. I have tried countless times to speak to different people and different staff about it. I get nowhere to be honest. In one class it is okay because I can sit there and they will just give me horrible looks and no one will speak to me , despite me trying several times to speak to them. This may sound bad but it is alright in comparison to other classes because at least I have a seat. In one of my other classes people put their bags on the seats next to them so that I can't sit there. I end up having to walk around the class untill someone will agree to move their bag. If the teacher see's it he says nothing and often I will be sat down in a seat that I didn't think was anybodys place but then someone will come in and the teacher will tell me to move. I don't mind moving out of anybodys way but it is a class in which supposedly nobody has any fixed or set places. I struggle aswell with my eyesight and at times I can not see at all. This is obviously making it difficult to learn because I don't have any friends to sit with so that I can copy their notes and catch up on the bits that I miss. I do my best though. And I make up for this by private study at home and re going over everything as often as I can. 
Please don't think that I am just moaning though, I know that it must seem like it! But I have a nice part time job and everyone there is lovely and noone takes the mick out of my diabetes  xxxx


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## novorapidboi26 (Oct 14, 2010)

kitten said:


> Hi teapot
> thanks for the welcome. re college yes it is a horrible place. I have tried countless times to speak to different people and different staff about it. I get nowhere to be honest. In one class it is okay because I can sit there and they will just give me horrible looks and no one will speak to me , despite me trying several times to speak to them. This may sound bad but it is alright in comparison to other classes because at least I have a seat. In one of my other classes people put their bags on the seats next to them so that I can't sit there. I end up having to walk around the class untill someone will agree to move their bag. If the teacher see's it he says nothing and often I will be sat down in a seat that I didn't think was anybodys place but then someone will come in and the teacher will tell me to move. I don't mind moving out of anybodys way but it is a class in which supposedly nobody has any fixed or set places. I struggle aswell with my eyesight and at times I can not see at all. This is obviously making it difficult to learn because I don't have any friends to sit with so that I can copy their notes and catch up on the bits that I miss. I do my best though. And I make up for this by private study at home and re going over everything as often as I can.
> Please don't think that I am just moaning though, I know that it must seem like it! But I have a nice part time job and everyone there is lovely and noone takes the mick out of my diabetes  xxxx



I wouldnt never say your moaning, but if you were it would be ok with me....

It actually really angers me how you are treated, although from first impressions I wouldnt say its because your diabetic, its just horrible people in general............

Rise above it kitten........


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Oct 14, 2010)

Hi kitten

welcome to the forum.

You say you have difficulty eating and pains when you do so? Have you mentioned this to your consultants or DSN at all? I'd say worth getting checked out as it may well be linked to poor control. For instance, I ended up getting nueropathy in my feet because of bad control. 

As bev said, don't give your pump back. There's loads of experienced pumpers on here who can give you a helping hand and advice when you need it  they've helped me a ton and i've only been on the pump 3 months!

RE college, tell those idiots where to stick it. It sounds like playground bullying tactics to me, and even from your teacher? Disgusting. Lemme know which college you're at and I'll personally come down there and give them a rollocking!


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## teapot8910 (Oct 14, 2010)

SilentAssassin1642 said:


> RE college, tell those idiots where to stick it. It sounds like playground bullying tactics to me, and even from your teacher? Disgusting. Lemme know which college you're at and I'll personally come down there and give them a rollocking!



Same here! Don't worry kitten we'll sort em! 

Just remember, 'what goes around comes around'

xx


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## kitten (Oct 14, 2010)

awwwh ty guys sooooooo much  i feel so supported im crying already.
i have to say that im on a high right now because ijust finished a great shift at work  i know it might seem like a really silly little job because its only mcdonalds but to me personally it means much much more. im not so keen for college tbh because of the things ive said but i dont want to quit without finishing the job of a levels and kind of feel like i really need to finish what i started and i am in my final year. 
silentassasin - im very sorry if i didnt spell that right, yes i have told the consultant about the pain/sickness in the past but she didnt really do anything. i think i might need to make more of a fuss of it though?because it genuinely is getting worse and is getting to be a real problem now. ive been seeing the gp about it and she is very supportive so hopefully someone will sort me out. and im very sorry to hear u have neuropathy  
regarding the pump i do want a break from it i think but much more of a little holiday. not for a whole year but just maybe a week or two. just so that i can sort of get away from it for a bit and then come back to it afresh, if that makes sense because emotionally it is very difficult for me at the moment to handle being on the pump. i know that may sound pathetic but i am feeling unsafe after my recent dka, which wasn't actually due to a pump failure but still. 
thanks so much to everyone for everything, 
how has everyones days been?
hope they have been well 
love to ya all xxx


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## Lizzie53 (Oct 15, 2010)

Hi Kitten. I can't help you with pumps and stuff as I am type 2 and don't understand insulin at all. I am however horrified at what you have to put up with at college. I have taught in higher education and as a tutor would go mad if any of my students behaved in this way. All tutors should be trained in equal opportunities and this type of behaviour should not be tolerated. There must be councilors at your college and you really should make an appointment to see one and tell them exactly what happens and how it makes you feel. If the tutors are ignoring it they need speaking to and maybe further training. If that doesn't help go straight to the top and make an appointment to see the principal of the college. If you have a friend or relation who could accompany you it may be a good idea. If you live near me I would come with you as this infuriates me.


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## teapot8910 (Oct 15, 2010)

hey if your job makes you happy then who cares where it is! There's a meet in london next month, if you can make it you should come - my first one & it's going to be great to finally meet people 

x


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## kitten (Oct 16, 2010)

thankyou soooooo very much for your support  
There were two girls in my english class and they did let me sit with them but I have been off a lot and so I don't know if it will be the same when I return but I hope so . It is nice to be allowed to actually sit down somewhere lol  I do try to talk to people but they just don't really seem to take to me and I don't really understand what I do to offend people or put them off, if that makes sense? I try to talk to everyone and be smiley and everything but maybe people just dislike me at college. I don't really get any support regarding this from anyone else except my boyfriend, he doesn't go to the same college as me and he does let me ring him when i have a break so I don't have to sit on my own and I have one or two friends at college that aren't in my lessons but I can talk to outside of lessons. I had friends and everything at high school and work and so I don't really know how to handle this. Maybe it is because I am very shy but my job is helping a lot with that! hmm, very excited tomorrow to be working on the 8-5  love to you all, hope everyone has a fab weekend, if u need me (which i know is well unlikely but u know) i'll check pms and everything
lucy xxxx


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## Northerner (Oct 16, 2010)

Hi Lucy, Hope you have a good day at work  It's good that you have some friends. It can be very puzzling when people that you're only trying to bew friendly with don't seem to respond, but try to think of it as their problem, not yours. I actually think you are a stronger person because you are overcoming your shyness in order to try with them. Try not to get anxious about it or let it bother you too much and concentrate on what you are interested in and enjoy. It's usually a sign of low self-esteem and inadequacy when people choose to bully others so try to remember this as being their own particular 'health' problem that they don't really know how to deal with very well


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## Lizzie53 (Oct 16, 2010)

Hi kitten - good to know your boy friend is supportive and great that you enjoy your job. Try getting into your classes first and then you can choose your seat. Get one bang in the middle. Good luck.


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## kitten (Oct 16, 2010)

hey thanks for the support guys  just took almost 4 grand at work working on a till in 5 hours wooohoo a record for me  just thought that id share it with you because it made me happy hehe  so what else has made everyone happy today?Xxxx


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## Flutterby (Oct 16, 2010)

Hi Kitten, just want to welcome you here.  I've been type 1 for 33 years and suffered at the hands of the medics for a long time.  I'm a bit more forceful these days and stick up for myself a bit more but it's so hard when you are struggling.  It sounds like you are doing everything right in regards to testing etc, you just need more support and perhaps you are now getting that and things can start to improve for you.  Do chat on the pumpers thread as they are best placed to help you.  I'm on MDI and have been for years, I wouldn't go back to 2 jabs a day but I think I can understand why you feel you need a break from the pump as I know it requires a lot of hard work initially and having just got through DKA you are worn out and frightened of it happening again.  Hope we can help on here and although you joked about us not needing you, I think you are wrong, we all need each other on here and it won't be long before you find yourself giving us help from your own experiences.  Looking forward to getting to know you better, love Karen.x


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