r/diabetes_t1 • u/hungry2know • 21h ago
Struggling learning to be properly be diabetic again, as a lifelong diabetic Seeking Support/Advice
I've had t1 over 20 years, currently 29 and have lived the majority of my life with it. I was diagnosed at Texas Children's and had an endocrinologist until I turned 26, but I've been living off Novolin R Walmart insulin for years now
I've gone through a lot of personal battles over the years, but my situations are improving, to the point that I'm acknowledging my horrible bloodsugars being the biggest problem in my life today. My new years resolution became a baby step in that direction, just getting in the habit of checking my sugar each day, adding in lantus also, but its very frustrating, I haven't managed to correct a bloodsugar without overcorrecting, I haven't managed to go a single day within reasonable numbers, and the lows can be so dangerous they make me want to give up on the effort, buts its not just something I can give up on figuring out, if I give up on I give up on myself. I don't want that. I even know the answer, obviously just check my sugars frequently enough to have reference I can adjust/build a proper insulin regimen around. I don't know why its become so difficult for me
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u/Confident_Put_9230 21h ago
Hi mate, I'm 24 from the UK and had diabetes since I was 4. I've had a lot of struggles in the past few years, particularly with my mental health. Recently I realised that this was largely due to my poor diabetes control. Constant swings from hyperglycemia to hypoglycemia, and little understanding why (my mum did pretty much all of my diabetes until I was around 16). I think I got to a point where I just gave up; I was so angry that I had to look after it. I still bolused and checked my blood a lot, but it was mostly guesswork.
Anyway, I recently decided that I needed to take real control of it. Otherwise my life was not going to go well. I'm gradually getting better. A high understanding of the illness is really important. Then, if things go wrong, you know why they go wrong, and you can correct it. Could you speak to your endocrinologist again? Diabetes is difficult because it is both physically and mentally tiring. But they are the cards we have been dealt, and we have to play the best we can. Aim for small, continuous improvements with your diabetes and celebrate them. Make sure that when you improve, you know why. That's how you take control. Don't feel down when your bloods are high/low, just try to work out why.
Be kind to yourself and take it easy. The fact that you have resolved to improve is the first step.
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u/HedgehogDifferent388 17h ago
I'm 26. My teen years during high school were horrible due to burnout, depression, etc. Went to college, and it was briefly better but I ended up developing an eating disorder (didn't know at the time since nobody diagnosed me). That combined with diabetes burnout equaled diabullimia. A1c never below 7.8 in college (often higher). I graduated, and COVID-19 brought on a lot of challenges. I, like you, had a catharsis/wake-up call one day around my 23rd birthday and got a Dexcom for the first time (I had only used pump + meter before this). Now, 3 years later, I no longer struggle with an eating disorder, I've been a healthy stable weight for over 3 years, I have Tslim + dexcom closed loop, and my A1c is 6.8.
My biggest advice: find an endo you trust, get a CGM if you can, keep up with your visits as sometimes it can take a few attempts to really nail down proper pump settings, don't beat yourself up too much on the off days, and set small incremental goals.