Type 1 Teen ..help? advice? please... im new.

            welcome!

                        Susceptibility to type 1 diabetes is partly inherited,because the risk of type 1 is 6% in a person belonging to a family where type 1 exists.In genetically identical twins, the risk rises to 36%.Thus genetic pre-disposition accounts for 1/3 of susceptibility to type 1.

                        Viruses have also been implicated.Numerous viruses target the insulin producing cells,called the beta cells in the pancreas,by triggering an auto-immune attack against them.Mumps causing virus is one example!Coxsackie virus has been found to trigger type 1 diabetes in mice.12 to 20% of individuals infected by Rubella virus while  in the uterus(foetus),develop type 1 diabetes within 5 to 20 years after birth.Cytomegalovirus belonging to the Herpes family is another strong candidate virus:un-noticed infection in childhood is implicated.

                       Environmental(non-genetic)agents, investigated are chemicals,Cow milk protein and Wheat gluten.Most of the evidence is indirect.By far the most ivestigated diet component is cow milk protein.Exposure to cow's milk early in life has been linked to the development of type 1 diabetes.Thus lack of breast-feeding and early exposure to milk-powder based diets can precipitate diabetes in "susceptible"individuals.I will discuss wheat protein implication as the discussion progresses.

                      Excitingly,supplementation of Vit.D3 in the diet has been shown to reduce the incidence of type 1,in a study across 7 centers in Europe.The study has warned that even a single overdose can be very toxic to the child!

                      Finally,STRESS in children,like severe life events may be a major risk factor (in childhood),but not in young adults.

                      If your blood sugars are not tightly controlled,infections anywhere in the body can occur and are common."Kidney" infections are serious enough,but not serious enough to cause Kidney Disease in the short run.SO, TAKE CARE,DON'T GIVE UP AND KEEP SMILING.kEEP US POSTED about YOUR SUGARS!

Welcome to HealingWell!  I'm a type 1 diabetic - I was diagnosed when I was 12 and am now 27.  It's scary what the doctors tell you, and yes as a diabetic you are more likely to get complications but just because you are more likely doesn't mean that you will!  Just look after yourself best you can.  This means that you will need to watch what you eat - you need to count carbohydrates, not just sugar, and just try to eat as healthily as you can i.e. fruit and veg etc.  You can have treats (I definitely do!) but keep them to just that - treats.  You will find with time you will be able to experiment more with your diet.  You also need to monitor your own blood sugars and work out with your doctor how best to keep them down.  Eventually you will be able to do this by yourself.  Diabetes is a condition where you need to learn to look after yourself, and with time and experience you'll wonder why you ever worried!  Yes, sometimes even now I get a little scared but so far I have no complications and live a very normal life!  What insulin are you using?  Are you finding that your friends and family are supportive?

As Spooky says, type 1 diabetes is probably caused by you catching a virus - your autoimmune system made antibodies that also attacked your insulin producing cells by mistake, and therefore your body no longer makes insulin (or enough insulin) for your body to use.  So that means you have to inject it.  You will learn in time just how much insulin you need to cover certain meals, and how much carbohydrate you need when to have exercise etc.  I promise you, with time you will find it a whole lot easier.

With diabetes, you are more prone to get kidney infections but this doesn't mean that you will go on dialysis.  I guess once your body adjusts (you haven't been diagnosed very long) you will find that you don't get kidney infections any more or as often. 

Please look around on the internet for useful sites such as this:

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/home.htm

Have a good look around, but do remember that as a type 1 diabetic you are less likely to get complications than an out of control type 2, and sometimes the advice given by well meaning people doesn't really apply to you so much.  What I mean is, if someone starts talking about complications don't take it to heart too much.

And finally, after my long essay I just wanted to say we are all here to listen to you or offer support and advice, so if you need it do please come back.

Claire xx

Hi Leighsah,

First of all, I sympathise. I became a type 1 diabetic at the age of 18 and at the time I thought it was the end of the world. Please believe me, it isn't.

For many years following my diagnosis, I think I was in denial. I rarely tested myself, ate whatever I wanted to eat and told no-one about my condition. I refused to let my life be controlled by the random chance of a chronic illness I had been powerless either to forsee or prevent.

Over the 25 years since then I have not only learned to accept it but almost become grateful for the discipline it's given me to look after my health. I'd like to keep the hubris to a minimum but I'm now heathier, fitter and far better informed about what that takes than any of my non-diabetic contemporaries. You'll already have heard the grim warnings of future complications resulting from long term diabetes but let me reassure you - they are entirely avoidable if you look after yourself properly.

The key, of course, is normalising your blood sugars. The tools at your disposal now are so much more advanced than they were when I started out so you've got an enormous head start there. Phishbowl is spot on with the observation that what's not measured can't be managed, so bear that in mind.

Finally, keep an open mind about the type of diet that works best for you. Personally, I extremely sceptical about the conventional low-fat high carb diet that the official agencies still recommend. It certainly doesn't work for me. But I won't bombard you with any more advice for now, you'll know where to come when you need it.

And stay positive!

Best wishes

fergusc 

thanks for all the help and advice, it just goes to show i know nothing about diabetes, but hopefully i will learn fast.

love

Leighsah