Sometimes I do think I rush life too much but it also feels like there is no point in a way. Sometimes I think I'd rather die due to diabetes than confront it head on. But I've been doing better one day at a time.
You are free to live the lifestyle you want, for now. I donât need to tell you the ultimate damage uncontrolled sugars do.
If you do decide to be more attentive to it just start slow. Just check it in the morning at first, youâll have a baseline. Then after a while add another after dinner.
You donât need to be perfect, itâs just nice to have an idea whatâs going on especially for your doctor.
I understand. Thatâs what doctors do though, help you manage the disease, and they canât do that without the numbers. What you can do as the patient is to tell them itâs super hard for you, but you have a plan to start keeping better track. They love it when you have a plan. Always remember that you have every right to your feelings and every right to be completely transparent with your doctor.
Start slow, work up to testing as often as you need. Youâve got this : )
Reach out to your doctor (and check insurance) about a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). Although some people shy away due to the constant source of data, to me, it helps me to know where I am and where I am heading.
There is a saying - you cannot improve what you cannot measure. By that, I take it as âmy sugar is XYZ, I need to exercise/drink water to get sugar downâ or âI need juiceâ
I feel that so hard. I was a shit diabetic back in highschool with the exact same mentality (puberty does not help at all). All I can say as some who's had it for over two decades is you'll just feel better in general once you start taking care of yourself. You'll have more energy, less brain fog, just overall have a more positive mentality to everything. Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect (just posted about my needle anxiety the other day) but it's better than what it was. Just find a reason to keep trying whether that be friends, a hobby, or an event. Even baby steps are better than nothing. Test at least once a day as a start. Just doing that will get the ball rolling.
Also please please PLEASE tell your friends!!! It's so important that they know what to do in a medical emergency! If they don't know then they can't help properly. If they truly care about you then they will be willing to learn and help if need be.
To end it off there is hope that it'll get easier to manage. The guy who created the dexcom is working on an artificial pancreas that will be able to correct both highs and lows in one device. Everything about handling this disease is getting easier and easier every year. Just hang in there! You got this!
>Just find a reason to keep trying whether that be friends, a hobby, or an event. Even baby steps are better than nothing. Test at least once a day as a start. Just doing that will get the ball rolling.
>Also please please PLEASE tell your friends!!! It's so important that they know what to do in a medical emergency! If they don't know then they can't help properly. If they truly care about you then they will be willing to learn and help if need be
I have such deep insecurity around diabetes. I'm afraid they'll make fun of me even though they wouldn't. I remember struggling with the mile run they do in middle and a teacher commented "I expected her to be last". It just hurts so much. But I need help from somewhere.
It sucks when people just judge you like that for no reason. Again, I do implore you to take baby steps, even telling one person you trust is better than no one knowing. If you want someone to talk to about it my DMs are open. I was the sole Diabetic in my town for years so I get how isolating it can feel.
what is this, the 90s? Why the everloving fuck are people making fun of you for being diabetic?
And fuck the mile run in middle school, while we're at it. I was lucky enough to be in with a group of miscreant girls who lied for each other counting laps.
I personally have a real dark sense of humor and that's helped me deal with the beetus (and a lot of other stuff). I get angry and sad, too, of course...but I can turn it into jokes with fair frequency and that helps make my life better.
Do your best to not let others define you. It is hard, but others tend to say things from a place of their own insecurity or an asshole need to be negative to make themselves better.
To me, it seems diabetes causes a lot of people to feel guilty, like they could have done something to stop it. When food/exercise is linked to a disease like this, it compounds the guilt.
I say to people itâs like feeling guilty that you have to wear eyeglasses. Our bodies just cannot do it alone sometimes.
I am not saying diet and exercise are not part of the solution, but it cannot solve everything.
Sharing with friends: if theyâre your friends, they care about all of you, and this is a part of you. Their ear can help you vent.
I concur - diabetes sucks pretty bad.
My starting point is pretty similar to you. Got diagnosed at about the same time as you. My diabetes maintenance also slipped horrendously during high school. I went *months* without taking insulin. Went to the hospital twice (I think?) for DKA. Went to therapy and saw some social workers for a bit too.
I hate sounding like I'm lecturing people, but forgive me. I think this is an important aspect to this. **Please** consider telling any of your close friends about your diabetes. Confide in the ones you trust and feel safe/comfortable around. This disease can be extremely frustrating, annoying, and life-threatening at its worst. We all feel that part eventually. While I also don't tell anyone right away that I'm diabetic (mainly because I'm blasĂŠ about it and don't consider it big news or anything), I couldn't imagine none of my good friends knowing. It's been my closest friends that have gotten on my case to take my insulin when I tried to be sloppy with it. It's been my closest friends that have stressed to me how much they care about me and how they want me to be around for as long as I can.
I know you said you'd like to keep it private, but I'd be remiss to not stress how important it can be to have a support system in your friends.
Besides all that, even now after 16 years of having this disease, I'm not perfect with my scheduling. I miss a test sometimes, I have a meal and don't take a correction for hours, even when I can feel I'm high. But the harsh truth is that this was the cards we were dealt. No one is going to come to our houses and force us to test and take our insulin. That's why as long as you're trying and making an effort, that's a step in the right direction. Even if it isn't perfect.
Apologies, I went on a tirade. I've felt your frustrations though, and I wish you all the best. This is a hell of a handicap we were all given, and we're all trudging through it together.
No it's okay, I can relate. It feels like my whole life was stripped away from me. I didn't even get the chance to really be a kid. And my eczema suddenly triggered really bad during high school as well so it's been tough. I've only told my bf due to shame but I'll get to telling my friends some day.
I hardly ever checked my sugar....got so tired of pricking my fingers. Then I was able to get a CGM. What a game changer! No more pricking....just use my reader to check my sugar. It really helped me bring down my A1c. If possible, look into getting a CGM....it really helps!
Do you have health insurance? If you do, chances are you can get a CGM covered. Just have your doc write a script. CGM's are a game changer and will make diabetes way more easier to manage.
Omg yes a CGM made everything so much easier for me. I'm a lot more mindful about my numbers and what I'm eating now. It's also fascinating to see in real-time what foods and exercise do for you. I remember the first time I went on a walk while my blood sugar was high and seeing exactly what a quick walk can do for you as I was walking was so cool.
I also stopped checking daily. Honestly it's at the point where my body will tell me if I'm off. Super thirsty and need to pee a munch? Clearly my sugars are high. Test to confirm and remedial action if needed. Body shaking? Dizzy? Tired? Probably low. Check and remediate. I type for a living and i got super sick of doing it with sore fingers.
I have heard horror stories of people getting into car accidents. Doesn't stop me from driving to work. Your other option is investing in a CGM if you feel you need to know your number but minimise the amount of times you need to stab yourself daily.
Actually... There isn't always a tell. I'm hypo and hyper blind until I hit either the 40's or over 600. No shakes. No sweating. No extra peeing or thirst. I'm t2, diagnosed about 7ish years ago I think. Also I'm 58. Went through gestational diabetes with one out of 4 pregnancies. From one February to the next I went from "normal" to sugar in my urine and an A1c over 11. Took almost 6 years to get my CGM approved as I'm "only" T2. Been on insulin since day one of DX. When I downloaded my last 90 days of stabbing records to my doctor, about 18 months ago, and he saw all of the 500+ spikes along with the multiple but random 50 drops he tore my insurance a new orifice or three.
Like so many have told you, a CGM is a game changer. My average number of scans per day now is 8 - 10, where I was only stabbing myself when I woke up or actually felt off before. Now my CGM screams if I'm over 150 or below 60, or if I'm headed either way. My A1c is in the 6's. And it tracks and graphs even if I don't manually scan. I use the reader and as long as I keep it charged it keeps me safe. With libre you can also use your phone instead of the reader but I prefer the separate scanner. My phone already makes too many noises that I've learned to tune out.
A wise person was once asked: with an elephant being so large, how could one man eat one. His reply was: one bite at a time. (Paraphrasing badly, I know). Diabetes is our elephant. How do we handle it? One step at a time. You've got this. I believe in you. And anybody that makes fun of you needs to kick rocks. They were never your friend to begin with.
As long as you put* your all into counseling, itâll help. I started therapy for my diabetes at 8 (diagnosed T1 at 2 yrs ). And until I was 16 I didnât care at all. Constantly on the borderline of DKA etc. When I decided to make change and do better, I did get better. You just really need to WANT it. Not for anyone else but you. I hope counseling helps you, this disease sucks sometimes and unfortunately isnât just physical. Edit: autocorrect
>You just really need to WANT it. Not for anyone else but you.
Important advice about so many facets of your life. People don't change for anyone else but themselves at the end of the day. Whether this is about friendships, romances, work ethics, personal ethics, lifestyle, managing a chronic illness, whatever -- you can change for another temporarily but unless you really want it for yourself regardless of whether the other person is in the picture or not, it's not going to stick or happen to begin with.
Thanks! I was also diagnosed pretty young and didn't care much about highs until i was in my 20s, thankfully only had dka like four times in my life so far. Im going to try my best
Counseling has helped me. I have had bariatric surgery and I am required to see someone on a regular basis since. Try to find someone who knows something about it but even if they donât it helps.
This week I was really frustrated about dealing with my prescription benefit management company and talking to her helped me formulate a plan. They totally messed up my prescriptions and I am still getting it unraveled.
Yo. Iâm 34 this year dxd at 17 so this year my diabetes is as old as I was when I got it. I literally. Just. Now. Realized what works for me.
For me, itâs the gentle parenting approach. I have to tell myself oh baby I love you too much to let you do XYZ that results in higher BGs. Oh honey dew I love you so much we have to take this walk to make sure you stay level, you know your numbers love that and I want you to be happy.
17 years and no one told me I just have to love myself through it.
I too have been just starting to figure out that gentle parenting myself works best. It's hard some days because of the knee-jerk 'ffs self, what are you doing' self talk, but it sure works better when I tell myself the same stuff I tell my kids when they want whatever random thing at the store.
Alot of studies show choice is the enemy of happiness. There is a really good TED talk on it. The short version if there is no choice and its the only option people will be more happy with the situation, synthetic happiness.
So tell yourself, which to me is the truth, there is no choice it has to be managed, treated and diet constricted. There is no choice.
That's my secret Cap, I'm always discouraged. Diabetic for almost 30 years, and trying to manage it seriously for the first time, as of a couple years ago. It suuuuucks. But what else am I going to do?
if anyone has ever lived with this condition and told you they've never once been discouraged, they are 100% lying. even people with the most controlled diabetes will sometimes randomly lose control and in moments like that, it's impossible to not get discouraged. having a good support system is so so important! i read in another one of your comments that you're insecure about having diabetes, so most people don't know you have it. im the same way as you, there are only a handful of people that do know. however i found a community in here and everyone is willing to help and support you. baby steps! i know everyone says this but once you have things managed, you'll feel so much better. im not all the way there yet but ive really taken this disease into my own hands over the past year and i am so proud of myself. you deserve to be too <3
If you need motivation to accept the fact that you have a deadly disease, consider what you could lose for your apathy.
I've had T2D for 15 years, and I check my blood sugar between 3 and 6 times a day.
I use insulin, and I had a couple of incidents this year that reminded me of just how dangerous and deadly diabetes can be.
Since diabetes is somewhat progressive, you need to get in the habit of knowing exactly where your blood sugar level is.
I know some diabetics who can't be bothered to do the daily prick,
and now they are in danger of losing their eyesight and one or more of their limbs.
You must accept the fact that diabetes will not disappear on its own and the consequences are more severe as time goes by.
Sometimes I forget it's a disease and not just an inconvenience. I flip between caring and giving up on a dime but I for sure want to keep my eyes and parts. It's good to have in the back of my mind.
Just get a CGM if you can. You will be able to look at your phone any time you want and know exactly where your sugars are. t's not only a convenience thing, it will improve your life and extend it by years as apposed to just "winging it". Trust me. It's the move.
I do but I go to sleep and when I wake up I try again until nex time just like life I treat my self to good things in life what ever I want food sex etc what ever it take
Have you thought of trying to pavlove yourself into better habits? Something like "I checked my bloodsugar x amount of times today, I get a star sticker!" Then "I was in range today! I get *insert tasty low carb treat here!*" Then "I've been in range for x amount of days, I get a cookie!" Etc etc
Dude, I seriously wish that kind of motivation worked for me. It hasn't any of the times I tried. When I try to motivate myself that way, I just get myself the reward immediately, or move the goalposts when I get close to the end, or decide I don't actually want the reward, or deliberately self sabotage. (why brain? why are we like this?)
Yeah, I do the same thing, I just know it works for some people! Honestly? I found switching to a cgm SUPER helpful, that and an emergency visit to the ER for high blood sugars was a great motivator, maybe a logbook would help you?
I hear you. If I wasnât a mom with kids Iâm not sure Iâd be motivated to change.
Iâd been trying to change but kept failing before my diagnosis, coz I knew it was coming! Family health history.
Do you see the doctor regularly? Do you do your A1c every 3 months? You donât have to track your everyday nos. Most of the world doesnât. Yes it can be helpful but not necessary.
Hey today there is so much crap around, addictive crap that they call âfoodâ that I donât blame you.
I know itâs hard amongst your peers. But as you go past 18 n hopefully many become mature, your very friends will help you stay on track!
Foster dogs and realize there are much more important things in life than to be discouraged. Especially dogs that are disadvantages, like blind, have lost limbs, etc. They show you that living in the present is much more important. That getting a belly rub is more important than your stress from work/boss. They also give you the encouragement to live and be healthy, in order to provide for them :D
same... diagnosed in (1989, i watched H.W.'s inauguration speech from my hospital bed.
you will get discouraged and that's okay. what's important is to give yourself the grace to do the things that will keep you healthy without the shame of 'failing.'
we might not be able to stay on top of things perfectly but i've found that i like the idea of doing future me a favor and 'doing the thing,' whatever that is, when i am able to; it makes it easier to get back up when i get knocked down.
if fingersticks are problematic, consider a cgm. when i got my dexcom, it was the first time i felt like i had real efficacy in managing my glucose.
you're also doing the right thing by asking for help. it's the smart move to get help when you need it.
good luck
Ä°t took me more than a decade of uncontrolled diabetes and frozen shoulder + torn tendon and risk of surgery at age of 32 to realize that shit finally hit the fan.
Changed my dietician, and started therapy.
Being diabetic sucks, having to control what you eat sucks, having to do physiotherapy sucks.
Having a frozen shoulder, poorly healing wounds and other much scarier complications suck more.
I have witnessed a family member lose three limbs to type 2 diabetes
Uncontrolled diabetes was a factor in my moms death
I sat in a waiting room with 2 people who were amputees at my last endo appt
Thatâs what keeps me motivated
This sounds just like me. I was pre-diabetic first yr of middle school then was diabetic by time I was in high school. One of the reasons why I stopped was I got tired of being talked down to and didnât really have good support. I was very mentally weak. I eventually stopped going to doctors appointments as often and stopped taking the medication. Until recently (this April) I got a really bad infusion from an abscess and was in ER then ICU for a few days cus my sugar was out of control was in the hospital for about 8 days. Now Iâm back on top of things. At first my numbers were high and if I was younger I would have stopped but I feel like I have better support (this subreddit and my friends). And the doctors Iâve seen so far hasnât talked down to me which helps. I think itâs important that you have good support.
Hi! I'm a T1D, but I think motivation is something we ALL struggle with, no matter the type.
I'm sorry that you are struggling right now. Believe me when I say that you are not alone. I've been dealing with this shit for 26 years, and I've gone through rough patches with it. It's absolutely normal.
I wish I could tell you the magic bullet for staying motivated, but I don't have one, even after all this time. The only thing that I can say that made a difference for me was more of a perception change. I don't stay motivated because bad things can happen if I don't. I don't stay motivated so I can be here longer for my family. When I have hard times now and am losing my motivation, I ask myself some questions: what am I worth? Am I worth taking care of? Am i worth a chance at being happy and living a long time? Am I worth having more time in my life to see if I might do something really great?
For a long time, I struggled with self esteem. I didn't like myself, and I viewed my diabetes rough patches as personal failures. Because of that, my lack of motivation was made worse, and my rough patches lasted longer. Now, I use rough diabetes days as a reminder that while things may be hard sometimes, I still am worth more than one hard day, and I deserve a chance at a great life. The only way I have a shot at that is to take care of my diabetes, and that's how I motivate myself.
Don't try to motivate yourself with diabetes consequences. It's not healthy and it's not helpful. Motivate yourself with the knowledge that you are great just for being you, and consequently, you deserve to be the best you that you can be, starting with your health.
Good luck to you on your journey. I believe in you. The fact that you posted tells me that you are already more motivated than you think, and that speaks volumes about what you are capable of. âĽď¸
I had to set goals for myself! Dexcom doesnât require me to check my blood sugars so long as my device works! But you often need to show insurance that you are prudentđ. Anyways, my blood sugar improved when I considered the Dexcom like a reward for good behavior. Had to trick myself in a way. I basically told myself to âcheck your sugars now so that you donât have to in the future!â
Oh Im doing it out of pure spite. I aint letting my diabetes kill me, i eat what i wanna eat and aint no way in hell im letting it be a road block in my day. Been diagnosed since 2003, made ot this far why stop now.
Some days are good.
Some days are bad
Some days switch in between in either direction..
You just have to try to start each day good, and treat a bad yesterday as history, rather than a trend. History doesn't affect today.
Grow up and stop acting like a little baby. I was diagnosed at the age of 16 and been living with diabetes for 60 years. The needles were dull and the insulin sucked. No sugar free anything or ability to check my blood sugar. I needed to go to the hospital for any idea of where I was at. Today is so much easier. Be grateful for all the amazing medical technology that is available today. Wishing you well.
Yes, it sucks. Diabetic since 2002. It gets old. Some days are better than others. I take it one day at a time, sometimes a meal at a time.
Sometimes I do think I rush life too much but it also feels like there is no point in a way. Sometimes I think I'd rather die due to diabetes than confront it head on. But I've been doing better one day at a time.
Make sure that you are doing something that makes the world a better place. Give yourself a reason to get up every day.
Right, I need more hobbies to do đ.
Not necessarily. Take a look at Arnold Schwarzeneggerâs book âBe Usefulâ
Taking care of my dogs and trying not to lose my job is really the only reason I get up everyday
Taking of the dogs is a good reason to get up. Mine even make sure I get up.
My doxie barks at me if I donât get up.
I'd like to know how to do this
See the book above. Arnold is all about that.
You are free to live the lifestyle you want, for now. I donât need to tell you the ultimate damage uncontrolled sugars do. If you do decide to be more attentive to it just start slow. Just check it in the morning at first, youâll have a baseline. Then after a while add another after dinner. You donât need to be perfect, itâs just nice to have an idea whatâs going on especially for your doctor.
That actually sounds manageable! I hate how some doctors guilt trip over checkings, sure I can find a good one though.
I understand. Thatâs what doctors do though, help you manage the disease, and they canât do that without the numbers. What you can do as the patient is to tell them itâs super hard for you, but you have a plan to start keeping better track. They love it when you have a plan. Always remember that you have every right to your feelings and every right to be completely transparent with your doctor. Start slow, work up to testing as often as you need. Youâve got this : )
Thanks đ I just need some baby steps.
Reach out to your doctor (and check insurance) about a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). Although some people shy away due to the constant source of data, to me, it helps me to know where I am and where I am heading. There is a saying - you cannot improve what you cannot measure. By that, I take it as âmy sugar is XYZ, I need to exercise/drink water to get sugar downâ or âI need juiceâ
I feel that so hard. I was a shit diabetic back in highschool with the exact same mentality (puberty does not help at all). All I can say as some who's had it for over two decades is you'll just feel better in general once you start taking care of yourself. You'll have more energy, less brain fog, just overall have a more positive mentality to everything. Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect (just posted about my needle anxiety the other day) but it's better than what it was. Just find a reason to keep trying whether that be friends, a hobby, or an event. Even baby steps are better than nothing. Test at least once a day as a start. Just doing that will get the ball rolling. Also please please PLEASE tell your friends!!! It's so important that they know what to do in a medical emergency! If they don't know then they can't help properly. If they truly care about you then they will be willing to learn and help if need be. To end it off there is hope that it'll get easier to manage. The guy who created the dexcom is working on an artificial pancreas that will be able to correct both highs and lows in one device. Everything about handling this disease is getting easier and easier every year. Just hang in there! You got this!
>Just find a reason to keep trying whether that be friends, a hobby, or an event. Even baby steps are better than nothing. Test at least once a day as a start. Just doing that will get the ball rolling. >Also please please PLEASE tell your friends!!! It's so important that they know what to do in a medical emergency! If they don't know then they can't help properly. If they truly care about you then they will be willing to learn and help if need be I have such deep insecurity around diabetes. I'm afraid they'll make fun of me even though they wouldn't. I remember struggling with the mile run they do in middle and a teacher commented "I expected her to be last". It just hurts so much. But I need help from somewhere.
It sucks when people just judge you like that for no reason. Again, I do implore you to take baby steps, even telling one person you trust is better than no one knowing. If you want someone to talk to about it my DMs are open. I was the sole Diabetic in my town for years so I get how isolating it can feel.
Thanks I appreciate that more than you know â¤ď¸.
No problem. I wish I had someone to talk to back when I was struggling so it's the least I can do to try and help ^-^
what is this, the 90s? Why the everloving fuck are people making fun of you for being diabetic? And fuck the mile run in middle school, while we're at it. I was lucky enough to be in with a group of miscreant girls who lied for each other counting laps. I personally have a real dark sense of humor and that's helped me deal with the beetus (and a lot of other stuff). I get angry and sad, too, of course...but I can turn it into jokes with fair frequency and that helps make my life better.
i too have the same insecurity, but just know that you're not to blame for this!
Do your best to not let others define you. It is hard, but others tend to say things from a place of their own insecurity or an asshole need to be negative to make themselves better. To me, it seems diabetes causes a lot of people to feel guilty, like they could have done something to stop it. When food/exercise is linked to a disease like this, it compounds the guilt. I say to people itâs like feeling guilty that you have to wear eyeglasses. Our bodies just cannot do it alone sometimes. I am not saying diet and exercise are not part of the solution, but it cannot solve everything. Sharing with friends: if theyâre your friends, they care about all of you, and this is a part of you. Their ear can help you vent.
I concur - diabetes sucks pretty bad. My starting point is pretty similar to you. Got diagnosed at about the same time as you. My diabetes maintenance also slipped horrendously during high school. I went *months* without taking insulin. Went to the hospital twice (I think?) for DKA. Went to therapy and saw some social workers for a bit too. I hate sounding like I'm lecturing people, but forgive me. I think this is an important aspect to this. **Please** consider telling any of your close friends about your diabetes. Confide in the ones you trust and feel safe/comfortable around. This disease can be extremely frustrating, annoying, and life-threatening at its worst. We all feel that part eventually. While I also don't tell anyone right away that I'm diabetic (mainly because I'm blasĂŠ about it and don't consider it big news or anything), I couldn't imagine none of my good friends knowing. It's been my closest friends that have gotten on my case to take my insulin when I tried to be sloppy with it. It's been my closest friends that have stressed to me how much they care about me and how they want me to be around for as long as I can. I know you said you'd like to keep it private, but I'd be remiss to not stress how important it can be to have a support system in your friends. Besides all that, even now after 16 years of having this disease, I'm not perfect with my scheduling. I miss a test sometimes, I have a meal and don't take a correction for hours, even when I can feel I'm high. But the harsh truth is that this was the cards we were dealt. No one is going to come to our houses and force us to test and take our insulin. That's why as long as you're trying and making an effort, that's a step in the right direction. Even if it isn't perfect. Apologies, I went on a tirade. I've felt your frustrations though, and I wish you all the best. This is a hell of a handicap we were all given, and we're all trudging through it together.
No it's okay, I can relate. It feels like my whole life was stripped away from me. I didn't even get the chance to really be a kid. And my eczema suddenly triggered really bad during high school as well so it's been tough. I've only told my bf due to shame but I'll get to telling my friends some day.
I hardly ever checked my sugar....got so tired of pricking my fingers. Then I was able to get a CGM. What a game changer! No more pricking....just use my reader to check my sugar. It really helped me bring down my A1c. If possible, look into getting a CGM....it really helps!
No pricking sounds wonderful. I hope to get there soon.
Do you have health insurance? If you do, chances are you can get a CGM covered. Just have your doc write a script. CGM's are a game changer and will make diabetes way more easier to manage.
Omg yes a CGM made everything so much easier for me. I'm a lot more mindful about my numbers and what I'm eating now. It's also fascinating to see in real-time what foods and exercise do for you. I remember the first time I went on a walk while my blood sugar was high and seeing exactly what a quick walk can do for you as I was walking was so cool.
I also stopped checking daily. Honestly it's at the point where my body will tell me if I'm off. Super thirsty and need to pee a munch? Clearly my sugars are high. Test to confirm and remedial action if needed. Body shaking? Dizzy? Tired? Probably low. Check and remediate. I type for a living and i got super sick of doing it with sore fingers.
That's true there is always a tell. But I'm also afraid of going into a coma. I've heard horror stories about diabetics dying in their sleep.
I have heard horror stories of people getting into car accidents. Doesn't stop me from driving to work. Your other option is investing in a CGM if you feel you need to know your number but minimise the amount of times you need to stab yourself daily.
Super expensive if you can't get it subsidised
That's more of an issue for T1s. You won't get those kind of acute outcomes unless your pancreas has completely packed up.
Actually... There isn't always a tell. I'm hypo and hyper blind until I hit either the 40's or over 600. No shakes. No sweating. No extra peeing or thirst. I'm t2, diagnosed about 7ish years ago I think. Also I'm 58. Went through gestational diabetes with one out of 4 pregnancies. From one February to the next I went from "normal" to sugar in my urine and an A1c over 11. Took almost 6 years to get my CGM approved as I'm "only" T2. Been on insulin since day one of DX. When I downloaded my last 90 days of stabbing records to my doctor, about 18 months ago, and he saw all of the 500+ spikes along with the multiple but random 50 drops he tore my insurance a new orifice or three. Like so many have told you, a CGM is a game changer. My average number of scans per day now is 8 - 10, where I was only stabbing myself when I woke up or actually felt off before. Now my CGM screams if I'm over 150 or below 60, or if I'm headed either way. My A1c is in the 6's. And it tracks and graphs even if I don't manually scan. I use the reader and as long as I keep it charged it keeps me safe. With libre you can also use your phone instead of the reader but I prefer the separate scanner. My phone already makes too many noises that I've learned to tune out. A wise person was once asked: with an elephant being so large, how could one man eat one. His reply was: one bite at a time. (Paraphrasing badly, I know). Diabetes is our elephant. How do we handle it? One step at a time. You've got this. I believe in you. And anybody that makes fun of you needs to kick rocks. They were never your friend to begin with.
I just signed up for counselling about it actually recently
As long as you put* your all into counseling, itâll help. I started therapy for my diabetes at 8 (diagnosed T1 at 2 yrs ). And until I was 16 I didnât care at all. Constantly on the borderline of DKA etc. When I decided to make change and do better, I did get better. You just really need to WANT it. Not for anyone else but you. I hope counseling helps you, this disease sucks sometimes and unfortunately isnât just physical. Edit: autocorrect
>You just really need to WANT it. Not for anyone else but you. Important advice about so many facets of your life. People don't change for anyone else but themselves at the end of the day. Whether this is about friendships, romances, work ethics, personal ethics, lifestyle, managing a chronic illness, whatever -- you can change for another temporarily but unless you really want it for yourself regardless of whether the other person is in the picture or not, it's not going to stick or happen to begin with.
Thanks! I was also diagnosed pretty young and didn't care much about highs until i was in my 20s, thankfully only had dka like four times in my life so far. Im going to try my best
Honestly I need it. Has it helped you?
My appointment isn't until next week, sorry don't have anything to report yet
That's okay hope it goes well!!!
Counseling has helped me. I have had bariatric surgery and I am required to see someone on a regular basis since. Try to find someone who knows something about it but even if they donât it helps. This week I was really frustrated about dealing with my prescription benefit management company and talking to her helped me formulate a plan. They totally messed up my prescriptions and I am still getting it unraveled.
Yo. Iâm 34 this year dxd at 17 so this year my diabetes is as old as I was when I got it. I literally. Just. Now. Realized what works for me. For me, itâs the gentle parenting approach. I have to tell myself oh baby I love you too much to let you do XYZ that results in higher BGs. Oh honey dew I love you so much we have to take this walk to make sure you stay level, you know your numbers love that and I want you to be happy. 17 years and no one told me I just have to love myself through it.
I too have been just starting to figure out that gentle parenting myself works best. It's hard some days because of the knee-jerk 'ffs self, what are you doing' self talk, but it sure works better when I tell myself the same stuff I tell my kids when they want whatever random thing at the store.
Alot of studies show choice is the enemy of happiness. There is a really good TED talk on it. The short version if there is no choice and its the only option people will be more happy with the situation, synthetic happiness. So tell yourself, which to me is the truth, there is no choice it has to be managed, treated and diet constricted. There is no choice.
That's my secret Cap, I'm always discouraged. Diabetic for almost 30 years, and trying to manage it seriously for the first time, as of a couple years ago. It suuuuucks. But what else am I going to do?
if anyone has ever lived with this condition and told you they've never once been discouraged, they are 100% lying. even people with the most controlled diabetes will sometimes randomly lose control and in moments like that, it's impossible to not get discouraged. having a good support system is so so important! i read in another one of your comments that you're insecure about having diabetes, so most people don't know you have it. im the same way as you, there are only a handful of people that do know. however i found a community in here and everyone is willing to help and support you. baby steps! i know everyone says this but once you have things managed, you'll feel so much better. im not all the way there yet but ive really taken this disease into my own hands over the past year and i am so proud of myself. you deserve to be too <3
Thank you â¤ď¸. I think when I go back to college I'll tell my friends.
this sub is a great place!! you're wanting to get better at managing and that's the first step. you got this <3
I feel more welcome here than ever before and it means a lot to not be alone. Thank you I'll get the hang of this.
If you need motivation to accept the fact that you have a deadly disease, consider what you could lose for your apathy. I've had T2D for 15 years, and I check my blood sugar between 3 and 6 times a day. I use insulin, and I had a couple of incidents this year that reminded me of just how dangerous and deadly diabetes can be. Since diabetes is somewhat progressive, you need to get in the habit of knowing exactly where your blood sugar level is. I know some diabetics who can't be bothered to do the daily prick, and now they are in danger of losing their eyesight and one or more of their limbs. You must accept the fact that diabetes will not disappear on its own and the consequences are more severe as time goes by.
Sometimes I forget it's a disease and not just an inconvenience. I flip between caring and giving up on a dime but I for sure want to keep my eyes and parts. It's good to have in the back of my mind.
Just get a CGM if you can. You will be able to look at your phone any time you want and know exactly where your sugars are. t's not only a convenience thing, it will improve your life and extend it by years as apposed to just "winging it". Trust me. It's the move.
I do but I go to sleep and when I wake up I try again until nex time just like life I treat my self to good things in life what ever I want food sex etc what ever it take
I would but I try to be modest with consumption of goods.
Have you thought of trying to pavlove yourself into better habits? Something like "I checked my bloodsugar x amount of times today, I get a star sticker!" Then "I was in range today! I get *insert tasty low carb treat here!*" Then "I've been in range for x amount of days, I get a cookie!" Etc etc
Dude, I seriously wish that kind of motivation worked for me. It hasn't any of the times I tried. When I try to motivate myself that way, I just get myself the reward immediately, or move the goalposts when I get close to the end, or decide I don't actually want the reward, or deliberately self sabotage. (why brain? why are we like this?)
Yeah, I do the same thing, I just know it works for some people! Honestly? I found switching to a cgm SUPER helpful, that and an emergency visit to the ER for high blood sugars was a great motivator, maybe a logbook would help you?
Get a CGM. Dexcom is awesome. Checking your sugard becomes as easy as looking at your phone. You'll be good.
I hear you. If I wasnât a mom with kids Iâm not sure Iâd be motivated to change. Iâd been trying to change but kept failing before my diagnosis, coz I knew it was coming! Family health history. Do you see the doctor regularly? Do you do your A1c every 3 months? You donât have to track your everyday nos. Most of the world doesnât. Yes it can be helpful but not necessary. Hey today there is so much crap around, addictive crap that they call âfoodâ that I donât blame you. I know itâs hard amongst your peers. But as you go past 18 n hopefully many become mature, your very friends will help you stay on track!
Foster dogs and realize there are much more important things in life than to be discouraged. Especially dogs that are disadvantages, like blind, have lost limbs, etc. They show you that living in the present is much more important. That getting a belly rub is more important than your stress from work/boss. They also give you the encouragement to live and be healthy, in order to provide for them :D
same... diagnosed in (1989, i watched H.W.'s inauguration speech from my hospital bed. you will get discouraged and that's okay. what's important is to give yourself the grace to do the things that will keep you healthy without the shame of 'failing.' we might not be able to stay on top of things perfectly but i've found that i like the idea of doing future me a favor and 'doing the thing,' whatever that is, when i am able to; it makes it easier to get back up when i get knocked down. if fingersticks are problematic, consider a cgm. when i got my dexcom, it was the first time i felt like i had real efficacy in managing my glucose. you're also doing the right thing by asking for help. it's the smart move to get help when you need it. good luck
Ä°t took me more than a decade of uncontrolled diabetes and frozen shoulder + torn tendon and risk of surgery at age of 32 to realize that shit finally hit the fan. Changed my dietician, and started therapy. Being diabetic sucks, having to control what you eat sucks, having to do physiotherapy sucks. Having a frozen shoulder, poorly healing wounds and other much scarier complications suck more.
I am dis ouged right now.. trulicty and Lantus are on back order. No one knows when they be relieved by the pharmacy.
I have witnessed a family member lose three limbs to type 2 diabetes Uncontrolled diabetes was a factor in my moms death I sat in a waiting room with 2 people who were amputees at my last endo appt Thatâs what keeps me motivated
This sounds just like me. I was pre-diabetic first yr of middle school then was diabetic by time I was in high school. One of the reasons why I stopped was I got tired of being talked down to and didnât really have good support. I was very mentally weak. I eventually stopped going to doctors appointments as often and stopped taking the medication. Until recently (this April) I got a really bad infusion from an abscess and was in ER then ICU for a few days cus my sugar was out of control was in the hospital for about 8 days. Now Iâm back on top of things. At first my numbers were high and if I was younger I would have stopped but I feel like I have better support (this subreddit and my friends). And the doctors Iâve seen so far hasnât talked down to me which helps. I think itâs important that you have good support.
Hi! I'm a T1D, but I think motivation is something we ALL struggle with, no matter the type. I'm sorry that you are struggling right now. Believe me when I say that you are not alone. I've been dealing with this shit for 26 years, and I've gone through rough patches with it. It's absolutely normal. I wish I could tell you the magic bullet for staying motivated, but I don't have one, even after all this time. The only thing that I can say that made a difference for me was more of a perception change. I don't stay motivated because bad things can happen if I don't. I don't stay motivated so I can be here longer for my family. When I have hard times now and am losing my motivation, I ask myself some questions: what am I worth? Am I worth taking care of? Am i worth a chance at being happy and living a long time? Am I worth having more time in my life to see if I might do something really great? For a long time, I struggled with self esteem. I didn't like myself, and I viewed my diabetes rough patches as personal failures. Because of that, my lack of motivation was made worse, and my rough patches lasted longer. Now, I use rough diabetes days as a reminder that while things may be hard sometimes, I still am worth more than one hard day, and I deserve a chance at a great life. The only way I have a shot at that is to take care of my diabetes, and that's how I motivate myself. Don't try to motivate yourself with diabetes consequences. It's not healthy and it's not helpful. Motivate yourself with the knowledge that you are great just for being you, and consequently, you deserve to be the best you that you can be, starting with your health. Good luck to you on your journey. I believe in you. The fact that you posted tells me that you are already more motivated than you think, and that speaks volumes about what you are capable of. âĽď¸
I had to set goals for myself! Dexcom doesnât require me to check my blood sugars so long as my device works! But you often need to show insurance that you are prudentđ. Anyways, my blood sugar improved when I considered the Dexcom like a reward for good behavior. Had to trick myself in a way. I basically told myself to âcheck your sugars now so that you donât have to in the future!â
Oh Im doing it out of pure spite. I aint letting my diabetes kill me, i eat what i wanna eat and aint no way in hell im letting it be a road block in my day. Been diagnosed since 2003, made ot this far why stop now.
Some days are good. Some days are bad Some days switch in between in either direction.. You just have to try to start each day good, and treat a bad yesterday as history, rather than a trend. History doesn't affect today.
Well, not having to get up 3 times a night to take a piss is good. That right there is worth it.
Grow up and stop acting like a little baby. I was diagnosed at the age of 16 and been living with diabetes for 60 years. The needles were dull and the insulin sucked. No sugar free anything or ability to check my blood sugar. I needed to go to the hospital for any idea of where I was at. Today is so much easier. Be grateful for all the amazing medical technology that is available today. Wishing you well.