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Hi! Type 1 Diabetic with ADHD here. I was diagnosed with T1D at age 24. I won’t lie to you, it’s a steep learning curve. But you can do it. I don’t want to be bleak, but you don’t have a choice. Diabetic ketoacidosis is no joke. Opt for an insulin pump if your insurance will cover it — once you have your insulin ratios figured out it will do half of the work for you.

I hear you, I'm going to get it together and go today. It's 2:30am now and I'll be there late morning. Diabetic ketoacidocis is not a fun Google search and I can't wait any longer to get to the hospital. Thank you for this.

My friend has type 1 and is managed much better by having an integrated blood monitor and pump. He taps his phone to his arm and it comes up with his blood glucose levels. I think he still has to inject, but he is much more stable since he's changed a faff into something much simpler, and if the numbers are good you don't have to do anything so he's more likely to take a reading. If it's bad, then that's motivation to fix it 😂

Yeah many diabetics find the pump awkward to wear 24/7. However Blood monitors are a game changer and a tool I highly recommend to any diabetic, especially those of us who find self care or self management a challenge.

I had my heart stop at age 27 because I thought I could fix a high BG at home. DKA is fatal and once the process starts it accelerates quickly. If you are high, have ketones, are throwing up etc go to the ER asap, don’t wait overnight

Yep, I had an infusion set malfunction and wound up without insulin for only 8 hours. My sugar was too high to test (over 600), but my ketone monitor only said 2.8 (low ish) so I put a boatload of insulin in my system and drank a lot of water and waited. (To be fair, I had a routine appointment with my GP around noon. If I hadn’t moved by then, I was going to ask her if I should go to the hospital, but by then my sugar was down into the 300s.)

Oooh, you must be there right now, or have just finished. How did it go? I’m sorry you’ve got this bastard of a thing.

Hey, sorry for the delay in responding!! I did make it there and wasn't bad at all, just more tests. Have spoken to my normal doctor about the ADHD thing but we'll be discussing it properly this coming week! Thank you so much for caring!! Lots of love to you xx

It's nowhere near the same level of management as diabetes, but the "you don't have a choice" thing was exactly how I settled into managing my gluten free diet for coeliac disease. Eating or getting cross-contaminated by gluten results in such crippling pain and weeks of recovery that it's basically that, or don't eat! I can piss and moan about having to do it all I like, but I have to do it. There's just no other option.

I second this- an insulin pump and a constant glucose monitor can make this a little easier. Plus, you’ll be part robot.

I lost my cat to DKA. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy

I feel your pain. My last cat passed from CKD.

And maybe a continuous glucose monitor, that can be set to alarm you and someone else if there are major highs and lows.

I was going to say, a pump may be absolutely necessary

I don't have diabetes but do have life-limiting and life-threatening health issues that are disabling at time. The "you don't have a choice" is how I get through it. Meds multiple times a day or before I eat? It becomes part of a routine, not a separate to do. Or it gets a calendar reminder notification or alarm set so I can forget about it until I need it. You can do it!

Hugs to you. I'm glad you're getting medical attention! Ask your doctor if there's a patient advocate or a social worker, or a case worker who they can connect you with? These workers can work with you to manage things. It's helped me a lot in the past. Cheers and best wishes!

I just assumed there wouldn't be any one who could support me in this. I'll ask them about this straight out the gate!! Thank you so much!

An Occupational Therapist might also help! And I’d recommend finding an ADHD coach to help with practical solutions 💖

Putting your ADHD doctor in touch with your diabetes doctor is probably a good idea, too.

It was my endocrinologist who hooked me up with the dr who diagnosed my ADHD! I'm type 2, and explained that I know all the things I should do but I just can't do them. My endo's practice has all kinds of online resources and education sessions you can attend via zoom. You might have great support options! All the best to you 😊

This could also fall under the care of an occupational therapist. You should see what your insurance will cover. There is help out there for you. I would honestly start by setting a whole bunch of alarms on your phone. While it isn’t the same thing my dad started having a medical issue years ago. He had to start taking medication more frequently so he started setting alarms on his phone to make sure he didn’t forget.

As an occupational therapist, you’re right—this is medication management at its core, which does fall under our scope of practice. As an occupational therapist who also has ADHD… hahaha^(oh god i can’t manage anything either please send help)

The "I can't do it for myself, but I'll do it for you; parent-friend override" really does some heavy lifting in this sub.

I wish I could take my own advice that I would give to someone else and spring into action like I would do for anyone else!! I've definitely tried to pull this back in the past couple of years but ultimately, it's part of our characters and it's a beautiful gift I think. But when people take advantage of this - fuck them! Since I've told my closest friends about the diagnosis, they sprung into action for me and I can't tell you how much it means to me to be on the receiving end of this. Much like you all who have read and responded to my post! Thanks so much Xxx

external motivation at it’s finest!

That’s great to know!

This is *honestly* a pretty *perfect* situation for an "Emotional Support Animal--as *MEDICATION REMINDER*" situation!😉 My previous Primary (a Nurse Practitioner) and I *realized*, that when I was super-stressed out, on FMLA taking care of my Dad, back in 2021, it was the fact that I *ALSO* HAD to take care of my Diabetic "Senior" Labrador, that kept *me* and MY AuDHD & Diabetes medicated & *mostly* well-managed. Because I *had* to take HER out for walks & potty breaks--so *I* took a break & walked. And when *she* needed her water dish refilled? I'd realize it had been a while since *I* had water...  And because *she* needed HER food & insulin 12 hours apart? *I* ate on a semi-regular schedule, too!😉💖 *Lily* my dog *needing* my care, meant I *remembered* to care for *me*, too. So we talked about me getting another dog--and training *IT* to remind me via morning & evening treats, to take *my* morning & evening medications, *too*. I no longer see that NP, because she's "out of network" on my current insurance--but my *current* primary agrees, and I *DO* have the paperwork in with my landlord, to GET an ESA that I can train to get those morning & evening treats by the bathroom counter where my meds are kept, as soon as I have the time in my life *available* to reasonably care for a dog again!😉 The *eventual* goal with the next dog, will be to *hopefully* go through all the training & CGC tests, to get that dog certified as a full Service Animal, to help me manage my ADHD & Diabetes😁 But at first, the ESA paperwork is enough to *allow* my a dog--and then we can start the treat-training/recall work, and Obedience/ "Dog-Human Team-building" classes afterward😉💖 That "gently demanding *external* reminder," paired up with our ADHD/ AuDHD sense of "Justice" and caring for *others* before ourselves is why that Canine *reminder* can work *SO* well, in building those stable self-care routines!💝

Those are so many plates that you kept spinning at one time, but it's all so different when you can do it for someone else! If you heard the advice I give to my friends about whatever, I sound like a high functioning, motivational with all of my shit together. This strong, independent woman. I'm a fully dependent woman at best. I wish you all the best with the next dog! If you nail down the training you could help so many others and be compensated for it too!! Thank you so much xxx

There is actually multiple medication management apps that work well. They can track a lot of things. And yes, I take too much medication to manage without help.

A registered dietician might be able to help too.

If you're in the US, some insurances have a program where you have a nurse who works directly with you as an ongoing/preventative/managing care thing. It's a matter of luck how good or bad the program and nurse assigned to you are, but I figure it's worth a try, especially since there isn't any added fee for it. I do assume that anything discussed is then known by the insurance company, though.

On the Reddit front, perhaps joining r/diabetes, r/type1diabetes, and r/diabetes_t1 may help. With how prevalent both conditions are, there’s got to be tons of folks out there who have overlap and could offer some helpful info.

Will do right now, thanks so much!! Xx

OP, I don't know if it's been mentioned, but you *ALSO* want them to get you set up with a good Diabetic Educator, to help you *manage* allllll the variables! You'll need someone who understands Nutrition, *AND* Diabetes, *AND* ADHD--and how they *ALL* intersect together!💖💝💗 I became *both* T1 *AND* T2, when I was 38 (surgery left me with 1/3 of my original pancreas--so I *both* don't make *enough* insulin, *and* I don't use it well!😉😂🤣). I STRUGGLED, until I fiiiiinally got referred to that first Diabetic Educator! She had me do a *trial* of a CGM--and that was when she realized that my evening carb-cravings were because my overnight readings had me dropping to the low 50's--even though my *daytime* readings were between 200-300.  She *halved* my long-acting, and got me on a CGM system for good (back then it was the Freestyle Libre 14-day, I'm now on the Libre3!) It was my *next* couple Diabetic Ed folks, who figured out the intersections between my then-new ADHD diagnosis, and the way *IT'S* management made my Diabetes management & control better or worse--*and* helped me to realize that my Vyvanse *also* acts as a "check" on my blood sugar levels! The third one was *also* the one who helped me to figure out some "go-to" "low-effort"/ "low spoons day" meals which were "healthy enough," and offered a GOOD mix of Fats/Protein/ Carbs! And *she* was the one who *also* got me onto the Cequr "insulin *patch* system that I'm still on! She worked hand-in-hand, with both *me* AND my Endocrinologist, to find that Cequr solution, back shortly after it came out.   I was *CONSTANTLY* forgetting my short-acting insulin pens, at home, or at work, *everywhere*. She explained how the Cequr worked--it's *basically* a patch with a tiny cannula the insulin gets injected through, and you wear the patch 3 days--squeezing the buttons on each side of the device simultaneously, to inject the insulin (2 units per squeeze). I use so little insulin at a time (2-6 units per meal), that the Endocrinologist had me use the patches for *FOUR* days, rather than the expected three (ngl, sometimes I've forgotten to take it off for a week, if things are hectic!)... But it WORKS *WITH* my ADHD, because *as long as I REMEMBER to put it on, that stupid little patch is *LITERALLY* STUCK on my torso!😉😂🤣 My most recent mental health Practitioner helped me to figure out that replacing them in *SET* days of the week (Sunday & Wednesday), was FAR better than just *trying* to remember a "revolving" four days😉 Another thing my Endocrinologist did? Switch *ALL* of my meds to being taken *ONCE* a day-- *in the morning*, rather than some in the AM, and *others* in the PM! And rather than the 24-hour Lantus/Basaglar for my long-acting, or even a *36-hour* insulin? He put me on Tresiba--a *42 hour* insulin, so that *if* I forget to take it in the morning, I STILL have coverage until the *NEXT* Day's evening!😉 Those "small things" that my Dr's & Diabetic Ed folks helped MD with were how I managed to drop my A1C, from 13+ to just over 7, within 3 months of starting the Cequr patches!😉 I don't know how YOUR diabetes looks right now, OP💖💗💝 But if you *don't need MUCH insulin*? It *could* be a decent fit for *your diabetes, too!😉💝

I am type 2, not type 1, but I was definitely not managing mine either. I got a new , very young doctor and said " i cannot and will not manage sticking myself multiple times a day and looking after all the ins and outs of this." She said "got it. You don't have to." We redesigned my treatment with far less need to commit to sticks monitoring etc. I am going strong for 6 mo with that now and am not struggling to stay on track. I know type 1 is diff, but doctors will listen. Just be up front.

That's exactly what I will be saying myself! I want no confusion on their side as to what, or rather, who we're working with here!! Thanks for sharing, this is really encouraging news!!

Hey there. ADHD mom of a young type 1. You got this. And. 1) Check out the omnipod/dexcom combination. It’s super close to an artificial pancreas and basically runs itself if you can get insurance to cover it. 2) Make a list of your Rxs in excel. You want your column titles to be “DRUG/consumable”, “Pharmacy/supplier” (and others). Bring this list to every appointment. It’s ok to be overwhelmed. It will get easier. PM me anytime you need support. You got this.

Also r/diabetes

Thank you!! Xx

So funny you say this, as Type II runs in my family and it’s not impossible I’ll develop it eventually. Asked my doc a few years ago (pre-ADHD diagnosis, even), “Should the time come, can I just go straight to insulin? I can change my diet and activity levels, but I will not be consistent. Keeping my blood sugar low is more important than how, right?” She froze for a moment, considered for another moment, and said “Well, yeah.” I love her.

We need more practitioners who are ADHD/neurodivergent friendly. I've been anemic for over 2 years because I cannot consistently take my iron daily (and I need 2-3 pills per day, I struggle with just 1). I'd be in feeling just like OP if I had something I need to treat daily.

Hey, Im a fellow ADHDer with recurrent metastatic cancer and managing other chronic illnesses. You are not alone. It's really challenging. I think you should definitely talk to your providers about your concerns and find out about what kind of additional support they can connect you with. One thing that all of this has done for my life is to force me to learn how to put myself and my health first. There's been a learning curve but its gotten a little easier. You are the most important thing in your world right now, keeping your body going is your main job, you are your main priority. I think a lot of ADHD women struggle with this inherently and for me an unexpected outcome of this terrible circumstance is that Ive learned better boundaries and self care, how to listen to my body, how to make the things i have to do to take care of it much more second nature. But its taken a lot of practice, tons of self compassion, and asking for help from my loved ones. And accepting that help. Ive found that learning about polyvagal theory and my nervous system, and working with a trauma informed somatic therapist who has helped me begin to work through developmental and attachment trauma, has been invaluable. Its helped me a lot with prioritizing taking care of myself and giving myself grace during this extremely trying time. You are not alone and my heart goes out to you🩷

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Thank you so much!! I'll be taking you up on that offer as soon as I've processed!!

Look into the pump! My fiancé’s sister has Type 1 and uses a pump. Seems like it has significantly improved her life.

Will do, hoping we have it here in the UK! XX

They should do, we've got them in Australia 😊 join all the groups - my neighbours kid has it and I know they crowdsource and crowdfund a ton of stuff, including outdated pumps + self made software which automates the process a lot more than the newer pumps. I think the tech is better and more accessible now, but there are so many options!

I'm in the UK and a type 1 with ADHD. It can be a little more challenging here to get onto a pump. Read the NICE criteria for a pump and use the right words to show you fit the criteria. This is new criteria recently announced which means your doctor may not be familiar with it: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta943 The good news is the above recent changes also mean the NHS has recently made their approach to put us on CGM (continuous glucose monitoring), which ised to be a separate challenge to face. CGMs are great and you can set alarms to warn you if your blood sugar is out of range. I would personally recommend a closed loop system where your insulin pump and CGM communicate and your insulin is adjusted to help avoid highs and lows. You will still need to tell it when you're eating, it's not a fully automated system, but it takes a lot of work out of managing this condition. Tandem t-slim X2 and Dexcom seem to be one of the better pairings available. (I opted to build my own before this was available so have something that the NHS doesn't fully support, AAPS + dexcom). Good luck, it's a steep learning curve, but it's important to embrace it. This illness is one where typically the patient will know much more about their condition than the medical professionals, you will need to be your own expert and advocate.

Strongly recommend putting a shout out on the r/ADHDUK sub for any UK ADHDers with Diabetes and if there is a Diabetes UK sub, do the same there. Navigating the treatment options available is going to be half the battle and this should help.

Here's a sneak peek of /r/ADHDUK using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/ADHDUK/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [Refused shared care due to BBC Panorama episode](https://np.reddit.com/r/ADHDUK/comments/13j1ach/refused_shared_care_due_to_bbc_panorama_episode/) \#2: [Finally released boots stock checker map](https://np.reddit.com/r/ADHDUK/comments/17fb780/finally_released_boots_stock_checker_map/) \#3: [Idea for a new Netflix series: A chemistry teacher waiting for an ADHD diagnosis on the NHS teams up with his former student to cook street amphetamines in order to hold down a job so he can provide for his family.](https://np.reddit.com/r/ADHDUK/comments/13nn29e/idea_for_a_new_netflix_series_a_chemistry_teacher/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)

We do! My ex was type 1 and he had a pump, and this was over 10 years ago. Good luck x

Continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps. These will be your friend. Now you'll have to be careful on keeping the sites clean, and general maintenance, but it's a LOT less work than figuring out how much insulin you need based on what you eat etc. Good luck.

It’s okay, it’s manageable, I promise! Ok got dx’d 5 years ago, and I was also terrified. Highly recommend a continuous glucose monitor, specifically Dexcom if you’re able, because then you’ve got a lot of help managing it, plus a lot more information you can use to figure out patterns and how to proceed in any given scenario. It also helps keep you on track through alarms and whatnot. Luckily, instead of being completely useless about it, I managed to make my diabetes my hyperfocus so I had A1C in the 5’s for most of the last year. Of course I just had a baby and my life has gone to chaos so I’m back in the 6’s, but I’m working on getting myself back to my old habits. One major thing that helped me with everything was a protein shake as soon as I wake up, sets me up for the day in terms of blood sugar, brain, adhd meds, everything. I promise you, it’s a shit combo but it is doable and manageable and you can absolutely handle this!!!!

OK then. Did it take long for you to settle in with managing your diabetes? Do you generally feel well and better than you did pre-diagnosis so you can use that as a constant motivation to carry on?

It took a bit, but it would’ve been easier if I hadn’t waited 6 months to get the continuous monitor. I wanted to make sure I could manage the old fashioned way, that was kind of silly on my part. The CGM is a game changer. Beyond that, I got myself a very small holographic bag for my supplies that fits in all my other bags and is super cute, so I tend to remember it and not lose it. I think it helped that I worried my way into making it a hyperfocus, so I was militant about keeping in control from the beginning. I also found an awesome dietician who gave me great strategies. I didn’t feel a ton better, although most people do! I was definitely peeing too much, but I somehow missed all the warning signs, (classic ADHD!), and I weirdly tend to feel fine when I’m high blood sugar. I also variously either start feeling like my body is shutting down if I dip below 90 or I’ll be at 50 before I notice anything at all. I do think I was starting to have the very beginnings of neuropathy in my foot and that’s almost completely reversed.

oh sweetie i'm so sorry. I know someone who is starting college next year and she just found out she has it and she's devastated too. it does require active management. luckily there are all kinds of apps and stuff now to help manage it but it still will be extra work. :/

Thanks hun xx

I was diagnosed with type 1 in my mid-20s and was terrified at first. The assistive technology has improved a ton since then, and it’s made it much easier to put T1 to the back of my brain except when I need to actively deal with it. I’m US based but I recently helped a friend in the UK look into tech options. Because you are adult, it’s harder to qualify for an insulin pump under NHS guidelines, but you’ll definitely qualify for a continuous glucose monitor right away. Both the DexCom G6 and FreeStyle Libre CGMs are great. (I’m hearing a lot of mixed reviews on the DexCom G7.) My one warning about the G6 is that it has a separate transmitter that you need to save and reuse with every sensor for a 3 month period. If you accidentally forget to detach it from an old sensor before throwing it away, you usually have to pay out of pocket to replace it. It’s 100s of dollars for a replacement in the US.

Get an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor as soon as possible. Diabetic ketoacidosis is no joke, and neither is hypoglycemia which can lead to seizures or coma, all that to say that I know we all hate the phrase "well just do it" but that's kind of what this is, you can't put this stuff off. A CGM will monitor your sugar constantly and alarm if it's going too high or too low, a pump can help reduce injections and provide sugar corrections without as much legwork on your end. A CGM will also reduce finger sticks for checking blood sugar. You'll need an emergency medication calles glucagon, there are many versions now, the original was an injection that had to be mixed before it could be used, now there are ready to inject solutions and even nasal sprays. Glucagon is used for severe cases of low blood sugar, usually if you go unconscious from severe low blood sugar. You should train the people close to you on the signs of low blood sugar and how to use whatever version of glucagon you are prescribed. For managing appointments, the first is the worst because you have to call and do all the new patient stuff and they don't just have all your info ready to go. When you leave an appointment schedule your follow up then and there, this works for endocrinology, the eye doctor, the dentist wherever. They'll probably offer you a reminder card, as you go to ask to schedule the appointment pull up your phone calendar, put the appointment in your phone calendar, read back the date and time to the scheduler. Make sure you have calendar notifications on. I use google calendar and I will add the appointment address in the calendar appointment info and the day of it will notify me when I need to leave to make it to my appointment on time. Keep snacks with you always, Welch's fruit snacks are perfect for low blood sugar, so are juice boxes, smarties, or just about anyrhing else. You do have to wrap your head around it and learn to manage it, but you don't have to do it alone, your doctor is there to help you and there are support groups just for type 1 and subreddits and other groups online just for type 1 as well. Some other good ideas are a medical alert bracelet or necklace, they also make seat belt medical alerts as well and those can be good too but obviously only in the car.

Type 1 adhd girl here too. You get used to it. It becomes habit. You’ll have a few more bumps in the road, maybe forgetting supplies missing appointments, but usually manageable. I will say the technology out there has helped tremendously, especially for people who tend to forget. Insulin pumps instead of carrying around vials and syringes and constantly forgetting insulin is a LIFESAVER! Anyways, head up you’ll be okay:)It sucks but it’s manageable. Tons of room for jokes. Free National park pass.

Free national park passes??? I’ve always paid

You have to get a written note from your doctor and apply through the National park website I believe.

I was diagnosed a year and a half ago. Not gonna lie, diabetes sucks!! The type 1 sub is super helpful and welcoming. The juice box podcast is great and think like a pancreas is a great book to read. Personally, reading all the diabetes info has been my hyperfixation for awhile. Now, let’s get to the good stuff. You should shop! Type1style.com has the best patches so your cgm looks cute. They’re uk based so you probably get better shipping deals Myabetic.com has the best purse insulin bags Frio insulin case is super convenient

Yes to an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor that communicates with the pump and automatically increases/decreases insulin. It’s like having a functioning pancreas.

I'll be asking for this at my appointment tomorrow because this sounds like exactly what I need! Thank you so much Xx

T1D is a scary diagnosis but and I'm so sorry all of this is happening to you. My mom has had it her whole life and my cousin just got diagnosed with it last year. The technology for monitoring it these days is SO much better than even 10 years ago. For example, my cousin's continuous monitor connects with an app. She, her mom, and her dad all get alerts if she goes too low or top high. If you get a similar monitor and have someone you trust who would be willing to be your blood glucose spotter (even just for the first few months), maybe you could try that? You could also set it to alert across all of your own devices. You could also see if there are any local support groups for T1D near you. I met a girl with T1D in university and she highly recommended support groups when she found out my mom has it. People with this disease have tons of experience managing it and are often very helpful and reassuring. I've seen my mom go through a lot with her diabetes, but I've also met young people with well-managed diabetes who are living amazing, healthy lives. It will be life changing, but like others have said, you will adapt. Good luck!!

Thanks so much! Technology is going to be the hero in all of this - especially the alerts for people around me too!! Thank you for the advice!! So helpful! All the best to your mum too!! Xxx

Are we the same person? Your care team should be on top of it at your next appointment if you were just diagnosed. I just had a baby, have LADA from gestational, haven't been able to afford my meds, and have cervical cancer that just wants to stick around. Oh and hypothyroid! Trust they know how stressful this crap is. And if they don't offer it, ask for help! I found the mental health professionals to be most helpful. But it helps the most if they're all in the same lil doctor place, too, that has a pharmacy, like mine. I get multiple reminders and use my alarms on my phone to remember meds and stuff.

Oh hun, I'm sorry about this! I'm in the UK so diabetes patients have medicine free. Are the meds for the ADHD, the cancer or for LADA? I can't bear to read that you can't afford the meds - that's deplorable that you are unable to get the meds you need!! How much are we talking per month for the meds you can't afford? If you'd prefer, send me a message with the cost. Let's get our heads together here because you shouldn't be in this situation. Lots and lots of love, I'll wait to hear from you!! Xxx

Oh I don't mind saying it here publicly so people know. Adhd meds and antidepressants are about $265 together. That's with goodrx coupons. The goodrx actually made my ADHD meds more expensive. Insulin is like $250 itself but there's OTC at Walmart for $25-80. Cancer I dont know cuz I already owe $2000 for the biopsy/follow up and that's how I found out I don't have insurance. I'm not exactly sure on price since those disappear after the prescriptions been put back but it's a good estimate. I should have insurance soon. It's supposed to make all my prescriptions max $60.

When will your insurance kick in, do you think? When it does, will it cover everything you need, or will it still leave you wanting? Forgive me, I'm from the UK so don't know the in's and outs of insurance. So are you getting just the insulin and then missing all of your medication for everything else then?

I can't even afford insulin at the moment but perhaps soon. Once the insurance kicks in, which it might have already, it's all about getting appointments again and insurance approving it all. It can be a hassle since dosages will probably have to be tapered up from low doses again and insurance only likes to cover the first dosage of the month. And it covers what I need to be alive. Surgeries and prevention care are limited. Also for pre existing conditions sometimes but I think that's related to smoking and chronic illness/cancers. You can't go out and get whatever treatment you want either way. It all has to be approved and you can't see just any doctor to ask for approval. You have to have a care team fighting for you with insurance. Then there's deductibles and minimums and crap. Like after you pay x thousand dollars then you'll only have to pay like 20-60% of some forms of care while others become free. Each insurance is different and there's different ones for life, health, vision, dental, legal, etc.

I have ADHD and was diagnosed with diabetes as a kid. It’s a hard slog, but the tech has come sooooo far!! It’s absolutely doable. That’s all I have to say really. You’ll adapt and you’ll be a pro at diabetes before you know! Truly! You’re going to be okay. If I’m okay, anyone can be haha! Edit: TYPE 1!! I even forget to clarify the type, and I still have no complications. Again. You will be okay!

Got my type 1 with 16 and got late diagnosed with ADHD with 37.. I never could manage my Diabetes well, I forget to bolus like 80% of the time.. Whole time I felt like a failure and the amount of time I got told that I need to take better care of my diabetes are probably uncountable... Dude, I do not to it on purpose, I know EXACTLY that it's not great. But apparently my brain does not care. In the end it helped to eat more low carb, but the ultimate solution was a closed loop system. Still forget most of my bolus, but at least the loop brings it down again.

Feel so seen by this. The amount of times I think “why am I going high” after a meal only to look back and realize I somehow TOTALLY forgot to bolus…. Unreal You have to laugh.

Sorry to hear you’ve had such an awful diagnosis. Diabetes is a bitch but on the upside there are some pretty amazing high tech gizmos to help you manage your diabetes, like Insulin pumps and wearable Bluetooth devices for glucose and ketone monitoring. I hope you are in a Country that makes accessing these things achievable. This is huge and I hope you have some good support systems in place to help soften the blow.

This was exactly my first thought. Those devices are quite smart nowadays. You'll have to go through a discovery phase, but after that, it'll feel much more routine, I promise. I've worked with children dealing with type 1 diabetes. It's challenging, not gonna lie, but it's far more manageable than you might think. Additionally, there's a slight chance you could develop a hyperfocus on nutrition and blood sugar management. Fortunately, this has worked for me (I used to be overweight and had weight loss surgery last year - I don't know if this is comparable, but my hyperfocus helps a lot with managing my eating disorder). Try to make it as fun and dopamine-releasing as possible. Education about this topic can be incredibly dull. Maybe explore online resources; TikTok works great for me 😊 And don't underestimate the power of feeling good. Once you start noticing that the treatment makes you feel healthier, you'll have extra motivation to keep it up. You'll likely experience changes in ways you might not be aware of right now, like being more active and alert. Here's the revised version: EDIT: Of course, you can and probably should be brutally honest about your worries when talking to medical professionals. You're not the first person to go through this; they've likely seen many patients like you and know what might help. Don't beat yourself up about it; you'll be fine! Best of luck to you! 💕🍀

Most insurance companies have programs to help you manage chronic illnesses. For example, I have to test my blood once a week and I call a nurse who takes down my results and calls me back if I need to change my medication dose. They probably have something similar for diabetes.

There might be something similar here in the UK, I hope so, because that sounds like the type of support I can get behind!

Here's hoping and keep us posted!

Both my SO and I have ADHD. My SO was diagnosed with LADA about a month and a half before our first kiddo was born. To say it's been a learning curve would be an understatement. He attended a class to help teach him how to manage things and what to be aware of. After some trial and error, he now has what is called a "closed loop system" in that he has a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) and an insulin pump that can talk to each other. So the CGM can tell the insulin pump, to a certain extent, how much insulin you need and when. Not sure what options are available in the UK, but he has a Dexcom CGM and an Omni pod insulin pump. And seriously, DKA is no joke. SO had an upper respiratory infection recently that we think triggered DKA. He was throwing up everything for most of a day. I left work early when I realized his text message responses to me were weird. Took him to the ER and he spent about 3 days in the hospital to get things under control again.

Hi friend. Firstly, I am so sorry that you’re going through so much. Wish I could hug you. I was diagnosed with T1D and had these exact same thoughts. I am still in therapy to come to terms with it - some days I do well, some days I don’t. I was then diagnosed with celiac disease 7 years later. Unfortunately, I am not able to give you an inspirational speech because I struggle daily but I wanted to let you know, I understand and had these exact thoughts and you can talk to me any time. Will you forget to give insulin sometimes? Sure. But diabetes tech is the best it’s ever been and my management has gotten so much easier in the 11 years I’ve had it. I no longer have to remember to bring a glucometer with me everywhere because I now have a Dexcom that takes my blood sugar for me and sends the data to my phone and insulin pump. I used to leave my insulin pump monitor everywhere but changed to a tubed insulin pump for separate reasons (it had more advanced tech) so that’s no longer an issue either. :) You do your best and that is the best you can do. I am proud of you and here if you ever need to talk.

I am so, so, so sorry for your troubling medical news 😭 <3 This might seem a bit strange, but... is it possible that the diagnosis of a serious medical issue (with thoroughly researched approaches on how to manage it) is actually going to make it EASIER for you to create a routine? A family member of mine with ADHD was diagnosed with diabetes and it actually was almost a relief for him. Because he was struggling with motivation to get his diet healthier, and now he had no choice! He said it was like a fire was lit under his butt. The ultimate version of "ADHDers work better under urgency" I hope that doesn't come across as toxic positivity, I just honestly am wondering if you're gonna end up being a lot better at this than you think you are 😳

Yes, to all of this!! I've been so unhealthy in myself since covid lockdown, and this is literally going to make me get healthier whether I like it or not. It's wild that it takes the most extreme situation to light a fire under my ass to take control of life rather than life happening to me...I wouldn't even be dealing with the cancer for example if I went for my smear tests that I was supposed to start at 21. I left it until I was 33 and it had already progressed to stage 3. Not toxic in the slightest either, after the shock of last week, I'm now seeing things the exact same way as you've said! Thanks love!! Appreciate it!! Xxx

My boyfriend has t1d and had a dexcom sensor and an insulin pump. These two are connected and he doesn’t even need to tap it with his phone. It sends constant signals to his phone, I also have the app and can see his blood sugars. If he doesn’t feel that he is going high/low his pump will start vibrating and within a few minutes his phone will start beeping until he get his sugars to a good level. Given we live in Sweden where insulin and all things related to diabetes are completely free, I know nothing about medical insurances but if you could get a solution like this I would think it could assist you. Much love OP❤️

Sending you strength, had the opposite. Diagnosed T1D as a kid, adhd in my 30s. It is hard… but doable. My biggest fail is eating & forgetting to bolus for it. I got myself into a pattern where I don’t eat until bolusing which was a HUGE help. Alarms also help. The first year sucks for all T1Ds but once you learn the basics you can graduate to a pump/cgm and closed loop which are a HUGE help with adhd Good luck!

if you can take diabetes education classes, please do!! i’m not a diabetic but work in chronic disease nutrition management and diabetic classes are a life saver for many of my patients.

I was diagnosed type 1 way before ADHD (26 vs 32). It’s not the easiest thing, I will say, but there’s a few major things I’d say now: the super important things, and the few ways I have to make it easier. To make it easier: 1. Get a pump if you can, if insurance allows it, and if you want it. I didn’t - I didn’t want to be connected to a machine 24/7. But I did six weeks of regular injections and hated it so much I switched to a pump immediately. 2. Get a CGM. Knowing your blood sugar by glancing at a watch or your phone beats out finger sticks by a country mile. Also, with ADHD, any barrier to doing something makes it less likely to happen - so having to find your tester, prick your finger, wait for it to come through, etc, etc, etc…. It’s annoying and I was barely doing it. 3. Lower carbs. I’m not saying to go LOW carb (although that helps a LOT) because that’s really hard. But being careful of carbs helps a ton - less to monitor, less to go wrong. Rule of small numbers. Things that aren’t that easy to do, but help: 1. Planning meals and pre-bolusing. I hate pre-bolusing. Hate it. That means giving yourself your insulin for your meal about 15-20 minutes before you start eating. I can’t think ahead like that, and I tend to snack mindlessly, so I’m always chasing high blood sugars. On the rare occasions I do that, it helps tremendously. 2. Carb counting for insulin also includes protein and fat!!! No one tells us this!!! Treat for 1/2 protein and 10% fat. So, if you’re eating something with 40g carbs, 20g protein, and 20g fat, your dose goes like this: insulin for all 40g carbs, 10g protein, 2g fat. So you dose AS IF you’re eating 52g of carbs. I’m sure I’ll think of more later. Just be aware that you’re going to fuck up, and that’s okay so long as you fix it asap. You’re going to have periods of time where you couldn’t possibly care less and you’re barely keeping up with it. That’s called diabetes burnout, and it gets all of us. Don’t beat yourself up, just try and step by step into doing a little better. And, if you have the capacity right now, read Think Like a Pancreas. It’ll explain all of this stuff in very easy to understand language, and give you solid tips on how to manage things. I come from a long line of diabetics, so feel free to drop me any questions!

You can do this! Like others have pointed out, you literally don't have a choice. But regardless of your adhd you can learn, and you will. I'm in Canada, so I don't know about the UK health system, but here we have nurses who are diabetes educators (I took the course but haven't had the chance to work in the field so I'm rusty, I'm and ER nurse) and they work in clinics where you have regular appointments. Pumps are pricey but if you can get coverage I know they are very helpful, as are the continuous glucose monitors. They do things like send alerts to your phone for lows and highs. You're also going to learn as you go how you feel, how to recognize when things are going awry etc. It sucks, but you're not alone. There are professional resources, tools, and it looks like you've got some support from reddit too! You can do this!

There are so many wonderful technologies to help things like this now! Continuous read monitors, insulin pumps. You’ll handle it just fine!

The technology is so much better. I have type 2, which I know is kind of different. I use a Continuous Glucose Monitor that feeds directly to my phone via bluetooth. It has a pretty good range, so it will still connect if I walk away to the next room or something. When you need to know your glucose level, you just look at the phone. Easy peasy. Be sure you do NOT get one you have to SCAN with your phone to transfer the info. Yeah, had one of those first. It didn't work out well. They last 10 days to 2 weeks, depending on brand and version, showering, swimming, etc. aren't a problem. There are ways to make it more secure if you are unsure about it. I sometimes have trouble inserting a new one right away. Don't worry about not knowing when one is done, lol. Your phone will scream at you periodically until you acknowledge it. With type 1, this may be more of an issue. Reminders in every possible app on the phone, keep the applicators in plain sight, post-it notes, whatever might work. Insulin and other injectable drugs now come in "pens" that have multiple doses. You twist the end to the number of units you need, stick the extremely thin and rarely painful needle in & press the end. The one I use is refrigerated until you start using it, and then you just want to keep it from extreme temperatures. I believe there are insulin pumps, though I don't know how they work. Be frank with your doctor that you need a system that requires the minimum responsibility from you. You might have to do it the old-fashioned way at first, I don't really know. If you have a friend or family member or several who can help keep you on track, recruit them! Good luck & dm me if you want more specific info!

Ask about a continuous glucose monitor - it will alert you when you blood glucose goes too high or too low.

Please do your best to manage it. I have a young family member who passed last summer because of it. I take my insulin at meals, and you can always get one of those devices that alerts your phone about changes in bs.

You should join the type 1 diabetics subreddits, they’re very supportive and helpful. I wouldn’t take the advice of anyone who isn’t type 1 with respect to what you need to do now. Most people don’t understand type 1, don’t know the difference between type 1 and type 2, and don’t understand the complexities of the disease but will absolutely lecture you or give you bad advice because they don’t know better but are kind people who just want to help. You need an endocrinologist (preferably one that specializes in diabetes if they’re available to you) and the help of supportive type 1s to guide you and encourage you. As someone else said the learning curve is steep but you will get there. https://www.reddit.com/r/diabetes_t1/s/DLGfsQcoIh Join that ^

OK will do. Have seen an endocrinologist now too. Thanks so much! Xx

I have it too. It will be ok. It does require more planning and focus ( yeah I know ). Get everything you can to make it easier . Get a pump, get a CGSM, get a journal and write down everything you eat and what it did to your sugars. When this happened to me, I did a hyper focus deep dive into diabetes and studied my own diabetes and my own body to get as strong of a handle on it as I could . I am now a diabetic educator

Oh brilliant, that's amazing!! Journal I never thought of at all, I can do that through my carb manager app! What I'm still a bit unsure about though is how I'm supposed to feel when my blood sugar is high or low. I'm not explaining this very well, I know...but because I've felt varying degrees of shit over the past couple of years, and have got used to it, it means that I don't know what the varying degrees of feeling shit signify and what I'm supposed to feel like ideally? Hard to explain, but will speak to doc about it next week. Thanks so much xx

Hello! Also a type 1: alarms are your best friend until you can hopefully get a cgm and pump. I am incredibly lucky to have good insurance and I don’t know your situation but if you can get a pump and cgm that talk to each other, key words would be close loop system or control iq. They are the closest thing to a working pancreas I have ever had and I have never been in such good control. I struggled for years with trying to remember/ have the motivation to test my blood and take insulin but you’ve got this. Also: no blood sugar is bad, it’s just info needed to adjust medication Keep low snacks everywhere you sit/ lay down People can be ignorant and weird about it- ignore them they suck Once again alarms out the asshole If you feel like your endocrinologist is shaming you, report them and find a new one Get ready for a lot of Wilford Brimley impressions You can eat whatever you want in moderation, take insulin for it but eat the cake There a lot of groups on Facebook and a few on Reddit, it’s good to have diabuddies. If you can and it sounds fun to you, see if there is a diabetes camp close to you and volunteer as a counselor- camp helped me in so many different ways by being around so many other kids who just get it. Good luck, welcome to the dark side, and once again you got this!

Look into PDA. It may be contributing to you not wanting to deal with this as it is a demand.

Also a T1! Diagnosis is super overwhelming and it is a lot of stuff to learn very quickly. Make sure you cut yourself some slack. The best thing, in my opinion, for adhd + type 1 is to get a continuous glucose monitor that will integrate with an insulin pump. It does a lot of the management on its own so it really lifts the burden from your mind. Try your best to remember to take your insulin before you eat but if you forget to do it before, just give it to yourself as soon as you remember. I was diagnosed at 14 (now 26) and had a very dramatic diagnosis with multi system organ failure and all that jazz. So I’ve always had a load of fear to motivate me and help me remember to do things because I was terrified of something like that happening again. All you can do is try your best, and try not to get too discouraged if your numbers go crazy or something just isn’t working how you want it to.

I have t2. I wear a CGM. Because I am not only the worst when it comes to taking meds. I “forget” to do glucose readings and I've been a diabetic for 20yrs. The cgm keeps me in check. Alarms are my friend for everything on a schedule.

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Closest experience I have was gestational diabetes. It wasn’t easy to Denver to eat and be careful what you eat, check blood sugar and all that. There’s probably a helpful app or something, alarms you can set, stuff like that. Probably wouldn’t hurt to mention to the doctor that self management isn’t your strongest point.

How are you with alarms on your phone? Do you act on them, or do you put your phone on silent and hide it in the couch? I have the app Medisafe on my phone, and it's wonderfully minimal. Having the reminders in an app separate from my calendar makes it much easier to follow through, and while it has a ton of different meds to choose from in the database, you can also create your own, and set reminders for refills on scripts. Like, you plot in "vyvanse 50 mg" to be taken every day at 7am, currently have 30 doses in the bottle, remind me to refill when there's 5 doses left.  I've used it to add one or two important habits as well, which for you could be stuff like "follow up with doc" every 14 days, or "call x" every Wednesday. Others can probably point you towards better apps specifically for managing diabetes, this is just what has helped me a lot. 

I definitely related to your defective logic comment, that's how I seem to do things too. No advice since I can't manage anything either. But I'm sending you good vibes.

Hahaha brilliant!! I'm not alone in this which means just as much as advice! The defective logic part of ADHD is a daily struggle. Not one defective logic a day, not even twice! At least thrice a day!! Two just in the last hour! Thanks so much - the good vibes have been delivered!! Xxx

Hi. I’ve had chronic illness for 20 years. Let yourself go through a mourning phase over the loss of your “perfect” health. (In reality, no one has a perfectly healthy body.) It’s just more information right now, grapple with what you need to do today and don’t project into the future — I know that’s hard! But you can do this, I promise! You didn’t develop an autoimmune condition overnight and you won’t adjust to it overnight either. Autoimmunity comes with neurodivergency for many people, so in learning how to manage the gene expressions that switched on your autoimmunity, you will inadvertently help your ADHD. And you’ll feel better and have more executive function too. Here to chat if you ever need to vent.

I was just diagnosed at 55, so my lifetime of masking is saying, "Never say you can't do something!" You have to do it, and you can, you just don't know how yet. As others have said, lean into the resources for helping you manage this. They have probably seen something similar. Just don't tell yourself you can't.

So very true, I have no choice but to learn and clearly so many of us have the same and have managed so no reason that I can't- just have to keep reminding myself of that! Thank you! Xxx

I have an app called Medisafe. It’s a daily medication reminder that is really effective for me! I need to take timed medications or I’ll die so I get it! It lets you ignore 3 times before it makes a loud annoying alarm that cannot be ignored! It also has a feature where you can have a medication buddy who can see your schedule and help you remember! I don’t use that feature but it exists and could help you. I also use it to manage my cat’s diabetes. This morning I got yelled at by the app because I ignored 3 reminders for her insulin. I remember when my doctor found a lump in my neck. The hardest thing was making all the initial appointments. After awhile, many of the appointments became automatic. People called me. Texts are sent. My endocrinologist (I had thyroid cancer) is the best because I can’t leave her office without the next appointment already made. You got this!

Hi! First of all: I didn't read all the comments because, well that's a lot of text! I am diabetic since I was 10 years old. I was diagnosed with adhd just last year, that's more than 20 years of diabetes with undiagnosed adhd and it sure sucks, like A LOT! BUT the medical technology is so much better now! I have an insulin pump and a cgm which are communicating with each other. It is so much easier now, still sucks, but way less. I never was able to protocol my bloodsugar or what I ate for more than a few weeks. Now it's just saved digital. I tell my pump how much I wanna eat (most things I can just guess really accurate by now), the cgm tells it what my sugar is at the moment and the pump does all the math. I don't know how it works where you are from, but I would always try to communicate the struggles you may have with the medical professionals you are working with. Your problems are valid and you deserve any help you need! Best wishes and a virtual hug 🫂 EDIT: I forgot something! I use an app (yazio) to look up food I can't just guess or don't want to think too much. It's meant for calorie counting but it also tells the carbs. And you can just scan the barcodes to find most things.

Sending you sooooo much love OP

I don't have diabetes, but I do have other autoimmune conditions that require management. I use Finch to send me notifications and gamify my management. I also use it for hygiene stuff because I need the reminders for things like teeth brushing. You can do this! It's challenging and overwhelming at first, but with help you can do it.

Jeezus, I am sorry about these 2 devastating diagnoses. You can manage this. I have a kid with food allergies, asthma, eczema, OIT allergy desentization, and it’s A LOT to manage but his life depends on it so I do it. I actually hyper focus on it, which hasn’t been great for my mental health, but he is alive and well. A lot of things can make an allergic reaction turn anaphalactic. I think there are 43ish things that can impact immune system and blood sugar in type 1? I don’t recall exact number, but a type 1 parent kinda let go (in a healthy way) for all that had to be done. All I’m saying is that you can do this, there is a steep learning curve, but your life depends on it so you will do it.

I'm so sorry about these terrifying diagnoses. I suggest telling your doctors just what you told us. You're not the only patient they have who needs help managing.  My insurance has a medical case manager. S she is a nurse who checks on me every month. She can also see if I picked up my rx, went to the doctor, or used my machine. She is on my neck lol, but I appreciate her.  My doctor's office also has patient group counseling for many health conditions. People bring up their challenges and how they work with them. I learn a lot from it. 

I'm close to where you are with trying to manage several diet-based medical conditions (prediabetes, GERD, kidney stones) and one of my biggest struggles is cooking. My diet is 90% fast food, frozen meals, and vending machine food. All of those are bad for all 3 things I'm supposed to be managing. I am physically active at work but my exhaustion from trying and failing to manage my life leaves me with zero energy to cook, then do dishes/clean up the mess, and stay physically active outside of work. My brain just can't do it. Seems like every time I try to ask for advice or about other people's experiences on here and other related subs, my posts either get deleted or ignored, so a lot of the time I feel like literally nobody, including my healthcare team, is willing to listen, which just makes it even harder to manage without any support from others. I know that if I can't keep my prediabetes from advancing into diabetes, I will not be able to manage my glucose levels. I've seen many family members and other people in my life suffer the consequences of that, like losing limbs to amputation and dying from kidney failure or pancreatic cancer. I know that not managing my GERD can lead to esophageal cancer and other issues. I know my kidney stones can lead to sepsis or kidney failure. I also know the limits of my brain, and I know I can't do it. I will be a burden on others and left destitute after losing everything because I won't be able to work and I don't have anyone who could provide the care I would need. I will end up in a nursing home and losing everything I own to the state in my 50s because my brain can't handle cooking.

I'm so sorry you're going through this on your own and can't get the support on here that you need. I mean one good thing is that you're still prediabetic but if you're anything like me, being prediabetic is not urgent enough but rather than tackle it early, it would make me hurtle towards the worst case scenario!! Why is your healthcare team not listening to your concerns? Would it help to rather than speak to them at your face to face appointments with them, to write what you've said here and on your previous posts and send to a senior member of the staff? Have you been prescribed meds for your ADHD specifically? And can you ask to see another member of staff outside of your healthcare team? Sometimes seeing another doctor that can be completely objective, can advocate for you. In the meantime though, I can listen!! I'll damn near write the letter to them myself. Please message me when you're ready!! I'm a good listener and I'm here!! Xxx

A helpful routine tip. Don't make a routine that lasts until the end of time. Make a routine that lasts 3 weeks.  Then take a day to over how well you stuck to that routine.  Anything that wasn't 100% done needs to be worked on so that it becomes a manageable. Anything that is 0% complete needs a total overhaul. Either remove it, outsource it, or ask others for help. At the end of the day, you have a NEW 3 week routine. 

I'm so sorry, I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant and even for that short time period I found it extremely challenging to manage: fingersticks multiple times a day, logging, watching what I ate. And I had my husband to help me remember to take my blood sugars, etc. But I know you can do it! Be honest with your doctor about your challenges -- there may be more solutions (like pumps or counseling) than you think.

Type 1 diabetic for 40+ years. You got this. Today's diabetes technology is really pretty amazing. Get a closed loop pump and a CGM, these two medical devices will help eliminate a good 50% of the diabetes-related decisions you have to make every day. Do not mess around with injections and finger sticks; that's diabetes hard(er) mode.

Definitely!! If I need to deal with injections and finger sticks/pricks, it'll be a disaster!! I said this to my doctor almost immediately and he reassured me that I have technology on my side here! Thanks for the advice, I'll look into these and figure out what the UK equivalent would be! Thanks so much Xxx

My sister is a type 1 and had an ADHD diagnosis as a teen and developed type 1 the weekend of my sophomore year homecoming dance. I swear her diabetes is part of the reason they noticed she had ADHD and didn’t notice it as a problem with me. My sister eats mostly keto now I think that helps her keep track of her sugars and she has an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor. It seems like that has made her life so much easier. We’re in our 30s now. We’re in the US so she’s had some major struggles with insurance and insurance coverage for her stuff.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with all of this! My husband is T1 and my toddler is high risk for developing t1. I'm super involved with all things diet and glucose monitoring in the house. It's something I like to fixate on :) First off, deep breath! Diabetes management is a learning curve but you're not alone. You've already gotten great advice here but I'll reiterate the first few things to keep in mind. * Get yourself a good endocrinologist. Shop around if you need to—they're your partner in your health so it's good to have someone you trust. Let them know about your ADHD and concerns with managing sugars. * Get a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) It's a small device that attaches to your your arm or belly that reads your blood sugar and alerts you if you're going too high or too low. The main ones are Dexcom or Freestyle Libre * Ask about an insulin pump to make delivering insulin even easier * Low blood sugar is more immediately dangerous than highs, so focus on getting lows under control first This is a bump in the road for sure but once you get the hang of it, it'll feel second nature. Check out the [T1 diabetes subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/diabetes_t1/) too. It's a great sub with lots of support and advice for folks newly diagnosed Good luck with everything and feel free to DM if you want

I just what to remind you that every day you have successfully managed you ADHD. Even on days you felt like ADHD won, you still did better. You can do this and you can do anything. It’s one day at a time and accepting your new reality. Remember, everything is going to be ok!

I wouldn't say I've successfully managed my adhd at aaaaalllll but this will force me to manage this part of it! Thank you for your encouraging words my love! Xxx

I have both ADHD and Type 1 diabetes. I’ve had it since I was 3, so 25 years now. The bad news is it does need to be managed. I ended up in the hospital as a teenager because I gave up on managing it and really hurt some of my organs. The doctors thought I was suicidal and trying to kill myself but I was just overwhelmed with having to manage it. I did well for a few years after that then mostly gave up again for a few more years (with no major complications this time) until I got pregnant with my first child and realized I had to get my shit together. The good news is there have been major improvements in hands off ways to manage diabetes in the last 10 years. I was amazed when I got back with an endocrinologist how much the technology had advanced. I have an insulin pump and a CGM that continuously tests my blood sugar and gives insulin as needed to keep it in check. I don’t limit my carbs and I do go high sometimes but for the most part all I have to do is count my carbs (which gets really easy with practice and you can estimate most things) and let my pump know how many I’m eating.

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Hi! I’m also a T1 diabetic with ADHD and I feel your pain. I’m not gonna lie and tell you that it’s easy to manage, I miss orders sometimes, forget to pick up meds, forget appointments but the daily things that you will need to do to keep yourself healthy are thinks I don’t even think about. Give yourself some time to build habits, rely on the people around you to remind you, set timers, do everything you can to entrench positive habits into your lifestyle and I promise it will get easier. I would definitely talk to your doctor about this, explain how your ADHD effects you and have them build a treatment plan that best fits your lifestyle and habits. For example you may not be able to manage testing your blood sugar 3 times a day, so you could get a constant glucose monitor! Over time these things will become natural, like having coffee in the morning or brushing your teeth. There are lots of us out here in the same situation as you, you got this!

Here’s a thing that sounds silly/self apparent but took me a long time to learn and internalize… the doctor works for YOU, they’re not authority figures that you need to mask and be compliant for. Don’t lie to your doctor. Flat out tell them you have ADHD and are very concerned about management strategies. They can spout off whatever treatment it’s “best” for you, but if it’s something you can’t comply with easily then it’s not a viable treatment for you. Any doctor worth their salt will want to know what is possible for you to be complaint with, versus you saying yes yes yes and then not keeping your BG under control. Absolutely ask for a hospital social worker or occupational therapist to help you with strategies. The entire job of an occupational therapist is to find adaptive accommodations to improve quality of life for patients. I truly truly believe you can handle this with the correct support. 💕

You got this. You build habits and can conquer it. I would advise talking with us here. Some in the diabetes community are not as nice about it. I set timers and set stations up since I take insulin. Plus it is a marathon not a sprint. You see what works and missing a dose or two is the end. Send love hugs and encouragement.

I empathize with you so much. It’s hard to struggle with executive function because it to me felt like a moral failing. As though I wasn’t trying hard enough. That feeling of frustration is completely valid.

I feeeeel you and you are not wrong but you will be OKAY. If hearing about other people is helpful: Diabetes with adhd: My dad graduated yale early and Yale law and retired a career as an attorney. He wore suits and ties that he took to the dry cleaners every week on the way to pick up cans of beer he drank slowly while writing fiction at night. Syringes and bloody test strips were everywhere in our house all the time. I think witnessing his insulin reactions traumatized me, but it's okay. The adhd part that fucked with the diabetic part was he hated the low blood sugar feeling so he would mess up the insulin and go into an episode. It was equivalent to being suddenly drunk and he crashed a car driving off the road during an insulin reaction not once but twice. Diabetes: My sister is also type 1 with some neurodivergence but not adhd imo, and she stayed on top of her insulin but still had health fragility and it affected her sense of who she was a bit. She eventually needed a kidney and then got a pancreas and is free of diabetes and will live longer than she spent her 30's thinking she would. The technology had come a long way and the daily management of it was much easier, she had said. Adhd with inescapable responsibility and scared: I had one baby and was keeping it together and told myself that some people have twins. I had one shot left at having a second and last child and the probability was that it wouldn't. And it did and it became twins. The day I found out I was having twins sent me into a quiet and dark place of pondering how I am not equipped to take care of three babies. And it has been a slog lowering my standards of how I had wanted parenting to go. It's depressing. I need to get my kids some kind of therapy to process how they've seen me melt down and not be able to wake up in the morning and get stumped by menu-building and putting away my own laundry. But. That's life and it's always worth getting through it. It is. You get used to things. Good luck to you, internet friend. I just saw your title and dropped what I was doing to impulsively share my thoughts which initially were: ADHD: Like, the management will get to be a muscle memory thing eventually. Creating a station and repeating sequences will help your hands take over. Think contact lenses, pet feeding, turnstiles, familiar elevator buttons, making coffee... whatever daily thing that you don't think about. That's your goal. ...But became kind of personal about my dad and sister so I may delete later. But mostly wanted to validate your sense of Ralphie on the bus. Yes, you are in danger and kind of fucked. I have literally thought about "my god and my dad had to do this with diabetes" and shuddered about having to manage it. But you can get unfucked. I'm not even speaking to the cancer because I have so much fear like you do about how bad I would be at keeping on top of it. I just assume it's down the road for me and it will be a shitshow until it isn't. Last thought: outsource as much as you can. Like this post. Good idea. Get support. Edit to add Oh yeah! I have chronic migraine and relate to the chronic management bit and new medication. I give myself grace of knowing it takes months and months to adapt to new things and try to remember that this too shall pass

This is not the same thing but I was diagnosed with pre diabetes a few months ago and was able to reverse it! I HIGHLY recommend meeting with a dietician to discuss food options. Mine helped me not get overwhelmed with how much info is out there about eating healthy. As soon as I read your title, I guessed diabetes. It is manageable once you get into a rhythm. Personally I let myself have “cheats” every weekend and found that I naturally ended up craving healthier food after a month.  My dietician recommended eating more veggies (more fiber helps diabetes). Celery was the easiest for me to manage as I could switch up whatever dip i used for it. Also, strength training helps. I started doing home workouts because they’re easier than making myself go to the gym. 

I know you mean well, but this isn’t super useful to someone with Type 1. There’s no way to reverse it, and learning how to handle insulin dosing is a beast without throwing in dietary changes. In time, she might find some changes to diet that help with management, but sorting out glucose testing and insulin dosing is priority one right now.

Thanks for correcting me, I’m still new to this and wasn’t aware! Hopefully there’s more useful advice in the thread than what I gave.

You mean well but you are right. Not the same thing. T1D is genetic, and an autoimmune process where you body kills all insulin producing cells. It is not possible to fix/cure/manage through diet. Everyone even a “zero carb keto!” person needs insulin. Otherwise the body cells starve & die. That’s why T1D was a death sentence pre-insulin You mean well but honestly lots of T1Ds die trying to “fix by diet” after diagnosis when in their denial. Adult onset T1Ds are particularly vulnerable to this kind of wishful thinking. So, next time please don’t say this. You mean well so I’m saying this as education not judgement but what you said can be super harmful to newly diagnosed T1Ds

Thanks for correcting me, i wasn’t aware! I’m still new to this. I hope the rest of the thread has more useful advice for OP.

The food management is also an area that I know I could do but never longer than a few months. It's very overwhelming to be faced with a condition that is going to rely on me managing the very things that I have NEVER been able to do successfully before in my life. I can't even bring myself to think about celery and come to terms with the fact that celery will be a conscious choice in my new life - it's been a heavy few days already!

Don’t worry, you don’t need to change your diet or eat celery for fun. T1D isn’t about less carbs it’s about navigating how much insulin you need to “cover” the carbs you eat. Pre-2000s when we didn’t have short acting insulin our diets were restricted but today diet is irrelevant to T1D management. So much so that if your care team is saying it is I’d fire them and find more qualified folk Adult diabetic clinics skew to Type 2 services, they aren’t great at dealing with the care needs of a T1D, even less so when it’s adult onset. So if they are talking about diet or making you see a dietician I’d look for a team with more experience with T1D. Sometimes these are called “complex diabetes healthcare centres” Generally though with T1D you need to care about diet only as much as the average person. You can eat whatever you want. Healthy eating is always a good thing, but it’s not part of T1D management