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Posted 11/2/2005 7:00 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone,

I thought I'd introduce myself seeing as I've now put in a few posts etc!

I'm Claire and I'm type 1.  I was diagnosed in 1991 when I was 12, and I live in the UK.  Boring facts over (I hope!)

I started looking at this forum as I have spent a lot of my time recently worrying about what will happen to me, especially after a recent hospital visit where I had to have an ambulance called out for me.  I don't know any other diabetics (other than my granddad, but I don't see him very often) and so sometimes I have felt a little alone, but this site has done me a lot of good already.  I'm very lucky to have a partner who offers me so much support and understanding with this.  I'm also the kind of person who, when asked anything about diabetes, will discuss it openly.  If any friends or colleagues ask (and I often find people usually apologise for asking!!) I feel it's best to share the facts.  Also, it will clear up any misconceptions about it!

Over the years I think I've learnt a lot about diabetes - I just need to learn how to put all the things I know into practise now!  tongue    I've realised I've let my control slip and the reason why is that I don't want to face it, I just want to ignore it.  But I can't.  So, thanks to this site I feel there's someone there to listen or to understand if I'm having a bad day, and also that I can share some of what I've learnt.

I'm sure that anyone reading this (or any of my other posts) have noticed that I start to ramble, so bye for now! 

BTW, it would be nice if any new people would also like to introduce themselves here (if that's ok Jeannie and Pincushion?)

Posted 11/2/2005 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Claire,

I can definately appreciate where you are coming from. Im a Type two and have been for about 6 years now. I was originally put on oral meds and had very tight control but I went through the same thing you did, a heavy bout of denial. I simply took the meds and ignored taking my bs readings or even really watching what I ate. That culminated with a staph infection on the back of my neck that got out of control due to my poor sugar control and sent me to the hospital to have it surgically drained. Well 5 days in the hospital on heavy duty antibiotics and insulin was a wake up call.

I think for me it was easy to ignore all the warning signs; the progessive neuropathy, the more frequent trips to the bathroom and the increasing thrist, because I didn't fit the typical profile. At 5'11" 185-190 lbs Im not really struggling with a weight problem. Blood pressure normal and Cholesterpl elevated a bit but not frightenly problematic. So with most things about my health being normal, I let the control slip.

20-20 hindsight, it was not very smart and only time will tell how much damage I did to the rest of me during this year of denial. So far its been relatively easy to adjust to the medicine and lifestyle that keeps my bs in line - except for the exercise. I have a graphic design business in NYC and spend an inordinate amount of time in a chair behind a computer so after a 12-18 hour day, exercise goes out the window. I walk wherever and whenever I can but one day I'll simply get back to the gym.

I am NOT a big believer in take a drug to fix a problem, but in the case of this disease if you ignore your drugs you can be in big trouble. One of my pet peaves is web sites that sell remedies and magic cures for diabetes with NO clinical studies or hard proof other than "testemonials" to back up their claims.

So by way of introduction, Hi Claire and anyone else that reads this.
Posted 11/3/2005 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
Gosh Claire,

We love meeting new diabetics! You can post all the introductions you want! I've learned more about controling my sugar and keeping my morale up since joining this forum than I ever learned in 10 yrs of pills and testing. We all fall off the wagon and all go thru denial stages. But this forum is great for snapping you back in shape! Here in the states they have a new TV commercial with a man talking about tight control and denial... and then he says he should have listened ... then he gets up and walks away using his cane because he's blind... Whew! Talk about a smack in the head! That sure got my attention.

Anyway, thanks for introducing yourself. I'm Jeannie and I'm in my early 50's. I'm a wedding cake designer. Been diabetic, type2 for about 10 years (probably undiagnosed for about 30). Have a few other health issues going on but I'm just taking it day by day and trying to help AL out here on the forum. Glad to know all of you.
Posted 11/3/2005 4:22 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Jeannie and Warren - it's nice to 'meet' you both.

Warren, part of the reason that I'm on this forum is that I'm frightened what I could have done to myself by not looking after myself so long.  I'm the same as you - all my tests have come back from the hospital as normal (apart from elevated blood sugar levels, but last time they had come down a little more towards the target level), I have no weight to lose, I don't feel too bad (although the tiredness never really goes) so it's been pretty easy to ignore - until about 2 months ago when I ended being taken to casualty (or ER).  It was a kick, and this site is a more gentle wake up call. 

Jeannie, you must have a lot of willpower to work with cakes!  tongue    I'm lucky I don't have any other health issues right now, but the worry that I could have never leaves me! 

I never really realised I was in denial about it all until I started looking around and practically had it spelt out to me - I never have been told that there's bound to be all these emotions attached to being diabetic, I've always been expected to just get on with it.

This is the first forum I've found that I actually feel like it's helping me, so thanks everyone!

xx

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