Recently Diagnosed & New Members

[trisha01 Diabetes Brain Trust]

Good Morning,

You may not feel that it is a good morning, but that is why we are here, to help you get started with this new journey of your life.

Please join us on the Type 1 forum, where we can help you more, and quicker.

When you come over to the Type 1 forum, if you can give us some of the followig information, we'll be able to get started faster .....

1.) The kinds of insulin and dosages you are on.....
2.) did the doctor set you up yet with a CDE (Certified Diabetes Educator);
3.) did they put you on a sliding scale for your meals/snacks, ie: a set amount of insulin with a set amount of carbs to eat;
4.) OR did they set you up with an I:C (insulin to carb grams) ratio, ie: insulin to cover the amount of carbs you want to eat
5.) do you have a meter and strips
6.) other questions that you may have at that moment

We will help get you through this, so try not to be overwhelmed and scared. It is a natural thing to be frightened right now, but we are here for you to lean on.

Trisha

[peggystyer]

I am overwhelmed.  Just diagnosed about 3 to 4 weeks ago with type 1.  I am 55--how is that possible!!!!! 
My A1c was 13.  In the doc office I had over 450 glucose level.  Doc tried me on metforman and another med but  my glucose went up. This is while changing my diet to no sugar and low carb.
I weigh 128 pounds  so am not obese.  I am very active.
Next Doc dropped all oral meds and put me  on insulin--it has been raised  2 times.  Now with insulin pen I take 6 at breakfast, 4 at lunch, and 6 at supper.  I take 12  slow acting at bedtime. glucose numbers are improving.
The doc did not talk about carb counting or  a carb ratio, nothing--she handed me a sheet of paper with info about type 2 diet, and said to call  the diabetes educator.  Is type 2 diet the same as type 1?
Other than that I know nothing yet about ths disease other than what I have read online.  I have been playing phone tag with a diabetes educator person at a local hospital.

I have lowered my carb intake a whole lot but have not 'counted' carbs.  I have just dropped almost all breads and starchy foods.  No sugary stuff for the past month.   I feel like I will go crazy-- love chips and popcorn and licorice.  What about  the sugar free candy?  I ate some  and it gave me diahreha--is this commong?  I definitely am craving my missing junk food.

The worst effect so far is I had to go buy strong reading glasses because I can't read print at all.  My  eye doctor told me to make an appointment  in 6 weeks--to give time for me to adjust to the insulin.  It feels like I am going blind.

[trisha01 Diabetes Brain Trust]

Peggy,

Type 1 can be diagnosed at any age, it took them many years to figure this out.

Type 1 is an autoimmune disease, where the Beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans - in the pancreas, are attacked by other cells. Your body does not make any insulin or makes very little of it. Type 1's need insulin to continue living.

Type 2 is not autoimmune. The pancreas' of Type 2 folks, makes plenty of insulin, but it is not utilized properly, by the body. Some Type 2's use insulin, to gain better control, of their numbers. Most Type 2's can go for 20, 30, 40 or more years, before they have to have insulin.

The first thing you need to do, is call your doctor, and find out for sure if you are Type 1. Then ask them why they gave you a Type 2 diet sheet.

Type 1's are not restricted on foods nor on the amount of carbs eaten. The meal time insulin covers the carb grams eaten, when dosed properly. With time, you will learn which carbs affect you the most and which ones you can eat pretty regular. Everyone is different in this aspect. We do not have insulin resistance, in the same manner, that Type 2's do. We are insulin sensitive. Most of us require very little insulin.

Type 2's have to pretty much restrict foods and carbs. This is because of the insulin resistance that plagues them.  Type 2's require much more insulin than what Type 1's do.

Without knowing which insulins you are taking, and the amounts, and not knowing for sure if you are Type 1 or Type 2, there is not too much in the way of help, that we can give. An indication of how your numbers are now, would also be of help to us.

As I've mentioned, get your doctor on the phone. Also tell them that you are having to play phone tag with the diabetes educator. The doctor's office can also set this appointment up for you. Don't take no for an answer.

Get back to us soon as you speak with the doctor, then we can help you more. I'm sorry that we can't help more right now.

Trisha

[morrisolder]

Peggy--

Somehow you need to stop playing phone tag with the diabetes educator and actually meet in person and talk specifics--your specifics. There really isn;t much else that could be as high a priority, so if you have to call several times a day, or get a referral to another educator, please make it happen...please...

Trisha covered many of the basics, so here are a couple of specific answers ...

Yeah gastric "issues" are a common reaction to sugar free candy, which is made with sugar alcohol--some people call them laxatives...

Your vision is off not because of the insulin, but because your blood sugar levels have changed, and it will take a while before they stabilize. Something like 2 weeks after your  blood sugar stabilizes, your vision should return to whatever is normal for you, so cheap reading glasses is the best interim solution.  On the other hand diabetes can cause long term eye damage if left unchecked , so you will want to see an ophthalmologist for a dilated eye exam

[trisha01 Diabetes Brain Trust]

Matt,

Thanks for changing the linky's in the first post. Most appreciated!

Trisha

[Grandma2]

I have just recently been diagnosed "pre-diabetic"   I have diabetes on both sides of my family, my dad is Type 2.  I am to work on diet and weight, doctor seems to think this is going to help.  I really need help with meals.   When I'm at work, I don't eat right and most of the time will eat at my desk.  Wondering what is suggested for lunches and snacks that is easily made for work.  Right now I am to take my count only twice a week at different times of the day and am not on insulin or any other med for diabetes.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[alan_s Honored Contributor]

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Grandma2 wrote:

I have just recently been diagnosed "pre-diabetic"   I have diabetes on both sides of my family, my dad is Type 2.  I am to work on diet and weight, doctor seems to think this is going to help.  I really need help with meals.   When I'm at work, I don't eat right and most of the time will eat at my desk.  Wondering what is suggested for lunches and snacks that is easily made for work.  Right now I am to take my count only twice a week at different times of the day and am not on insulin or any other med for diabetes.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

---

G'day Grandma, from a Grand-dad.

Please read this; it will help with meals, but more importantly it will help with a systematic way of finding the right meals for you (click on it): Getting Started

[trisha01 Diabetes Brain Trust]

Grandma2,

With what you have written (pre-diabetic), I am going to assume that you are a Type 2, and accidently posted in this T1 thread for newly diagnosed Type 1's. Here is the link for the Type 2 forum. They can help you better with Type 2 information, as Alan did just above. Thanks Alan.

If it turns out that you are a Type 1, please join us on the Type 1 forum.

Sorry it took awhile for me to respond, my computer was down Friday and most of today.

Trisha -Type 1, and also a Nana

[Pam01 · Accepted solution]

Since most of this thread was the original BUMP to keep it visible before it was stickied, I'm not sure if people still read this far down??

But in case anyone is reading this before posting on the Recently Diagnosed/New Members forum - it would be helpful if you included TYPE 1 in your thread title. 

With so many newly diagnosed adults having Type 2, I don't want to miss responding to someone newly diagnosed with Type 1.

[trisha01 Diabetes Brain Trust]

Pam,

Since the transition to this new forum, this thread is now a sticky, and all the *bumps* can be eliminated. I'll ask Matt to delete them, since they are no longer needed.

Folks, it would be most helpful, if you would put Type 1 in your subject title. At the very beginning of the title would be even better. WE cannot help you, if WE do not know that you are Type 1. As Pam said, we don't want to miss responding to you. Thanks!

Trisha