[sarahrah]

Hi Everyone,
I'm a newly diagnosed T1 diabetic. Mid-August I ended up in the hospital with severe DKA, having been taken to emerg with shortness of breath. I didn't have any of the obvious symptoms of diabetes, aside from thirst (and I just chalked that up to summertime and crazy heat). I spent 5 days in the hospital having fluids and eletrolytes pumped into me, as well as an insulin drip.

I'm now on lantus 2x a day (I was running out of insulin around 3am) and Novo Rapid at meals. I'm very familiar with diabetes as it runs in my family (a number of both T1s and T2s). While it's rare to get T1 at my age (26), the doctors in the hospital said it was likely due to a virus I had in May. Regardless of the cause, I now have it and have to live with it.

I'm adjusting to the schedule of insulin and more structured meals, but I'm still struggling with the social aspects of the disease - people acting like the sugar police, and me having to explain the ins and outs.

Anyway, I look forward to sharing in everyone's experiences and knowledge!

 

[Richard157]

Hi Sarah, welcome! Type 1 diabetes can be diagnosed for all age groups. The pancreas can stop producing insulin even for people in their 80s or 90s. I have read about that several times. I was diagnosed when I was 6, in 1945. After almost 66 years of type 1, I am very healthy. With good control, we can have long, healthy lives.

Ask all the questions you want. We are here to help.

Richard

 

[foxl]

Hi, Sarah -- I was diagnosed in DKA, with LADA (adult onset with antibodies) at age 52.! I think mine may be more insulin resistance, but from the antibodies we know that my beta cells are being undermined. I am 2.5 years out and on both rapid and basal insulins. Fun, fun.

 

[Adjitater]

I know it is easy to feel overwhelmed when rude people think they are being helpful. The only person that you ever owe an explantion to about your diabetes is yourself. The reason for that is because in the end the only person that will get what you go through every day is you. What others say may be useful at times but in the end no one knows your diabetes better than you do.

 

[jatwood4]

Down with Insulin Police!!

Hi, Sarahrah,

I can surely relate to your frustrations with others trying to "manage" your diet. This is my answer:

"You must be thinking of our parents' diabetes. Things have really changed, and at some other time I'd be happy to tell you about it. I'm not cheating, because there is no such thing as cheating anymore. Thanks for trying to help, but I'm comfortable that I know what I'm doing."

This quiets down the critic, and you can then decide if and when to follow up with more info

Best of luck!

 

[canadiandude]

Welcome to the forums, Sarah. We have a good blend of T1s and T2s here and we try our best to be helpful.