Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Marps on October 21, 2009 at 7:24am

I completely agree. I was really alone and isolated with my T1D for 11 years before I found this community. There is nothing like finding someone who understands. I've become really more open with my disease to my new friends in my "real" life and I've really opened up about it- testing in public, injecting without panic attacks, etc etc. Talking to other people who deal with the same issue that I do makes me believe that "hey, maybe I'm not so strange." and you know what? maybe it's not so bad?

This community has really changed my entire outlook on T1D. You guys have made it bearable.

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Permalink Reply by Riz on November 9, 2009 at 6:13pm

Hey Marps,

YOu are right I have met so many wonderful people on this website and most of all i finally can have someone understand without judging me.

Cheers!

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Permalink Reply by Riz on November 9, 2009 at 6:10pm

Hey Virgil!

Thank you for taking your time to responding to my post. I believe I might be a little depressed esp. with everything going on in this hectic life of mine. You are right being isolated is rough and who else to better understand me then the people on this wondeful forum.

THank you

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Permalink Reply by Kristin on October 20, 2009 at 7:56pm

Rizwana,

First, start by knowing that you are not alone!!! That makes the rest a lot easier.

I would choose one thing that you know is good for you and do it. Then 3 days later add another thing. Take things one step at a time, but keep moving in the right direction.

I am 27 and was diagnosed with type 1 6 years ago. For the first year, I saw a psychologist to help me deal with adjusting to living with and accepting diabetes. It helped me ... a lot. I highly recommend finding someone that you can talk to... because it can feel overwhelming alone!

And please keep us posted on how you are doing!

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Permalink Reply by Riz on November 9, 2009 at 6:17pm

Hi Kristin,

Thank you for making me understand that I am not alone . I tried your advice of trying one thing that was good for me which was checking my blood sugar waking up and then three days later I started adding checking my blood sugar at night ...i must say I am still struggling but I am A LOT better then what I was before. I am currently seeing a social worker who is helping me "cope" with my denial. THank you so much for understanding and caring.

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Permalink Reply by rick phillips on October 20, 2009 at 8:16pm

Rizwana:

I am sorry to hear of your pain and suffering. Let me discuss a bot of my personal history as a way of answering some of your questions.

First, Please see a therapist. If you need anti depressants, (I do) they will be able to help yo along the way. Now I was diagnosed 35 years ago. and I tried my best to run away form it for years. Unfortunately, you can run, but it wont help. You will only end up sicker and in worse shape. my doctor told me something i will never forget. he said when you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, you will take care of yourself. I think he was right.

Ok, so what steps should you take. First, call a therapist tomorrow. Do not wiat. Tell the therapist when you get there, exactly what you have told us. Also tell the therapist that you need help coping with your diabetes. they should help you secure a doctor, give you some help dealing with the public issues and most important realizing, the folks around you are not perfect. my sense is that you should also discuss having your husband attend some diabetic education classes with you. Nothing really helps like having a spouse go with you. Not to laud over you, rather to make sure they have some skin in the game as well.

I have been married for 32 years, and diabetic for 35 years. i do knwo tow things, your spouse wants you to succeed, I am sure of it. Even if they tease, or act inappropriately, it is because they do not know, not that they wish you problems.

Finally, please keep us updated on how things are going!!! we value you and you are among the best of friends here.

rick phillips

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Permalink Reply by Riz on November 9, 2009 at 6:22pm

Dear Rick,

Thank you so much for your love and concern. I took your advice and called my diabetes educator who helped me secure a social worker to discuss some under laying issues that I had brushed under the carpet. It was time that I let everything spill. She helped me a lot and of course the love and support that I recevied on tudiabetes is more than I could have ever imagined for. I thank you for taking your time out and responding to my post. I can honestly say it has made me feel wonderfully lucky to have found great people who I can relate to.

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Permalink Reply by Keith221 on October 20, 2009 at 9:07pm

Hey Rizwana,
Like everyone is saying, You are not alone!!!!! I don't know where in Ca. you are, I am in SoCal, Inland Empire.
One thing I am not your age and have only been Dx'ed last Aug./08 at 52, yea I am a freakLOL
If you need something, contact me

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Permalink Reply by Riz on November 9, 2009 at 6:23pm

Hi Keith!

Thank you so much for responding to my post. I actually live in the east coast now :) TORONTO to be exact. How is your diabetes treating you since you have only been DX'ed last year?

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Permalink Reply by PatientX on October 20, 2009 at 9:54pm

So here is my support for you and my advice. You are not alone, we are all around you exept you dont notice or never looked. I was like that until I landed in this corner of the world. I realized that there are more people who understand what I go through everyday and I had to accept that my family may never understand what I go through. In a way I hope they never do and I think that is why I accept that they only know what I go through very little. I sometimes fight the diabetes battle at home by myself. My wife really does not "participate" in my condition. Sometimes I think she is more anoyed by my lows and less concerned. I realized that is who I am with the highs and lows and in between. its part of me. I can only change somethings and not everything. there are a lot of good discussions about people injecting in public. Do a search on "injecting in public". I was an insulin dependent type 2. Once I stopped caring about what people thought when i injected I started to get better control and eventually went off insulin and then to pills. With the way the pills make me feel, i think i rather go back to shots.

An intersting thing happened at work. I started to share with some people at work I had diabetes. Turned out that some of the people that I talked to had wifes with gestational diabetes. Then eventually asked me for advice on managing. Then some people started to ask me for advice on nutrition. I have my own routines and people around me accepted the routines that I keep and how I eat and what I eat. they accept that I have certain eating habit and when people go to lunch with me they know what they are getting into and after a while they dont care.

I always test before lunch at my desk. So the smell of alcohol is in the air and the beeping of my meeter.

So where do you start. Start with small steps. Control what you feel confortable with. Start with breakfast, check your numbers and ajust for your shots since most likey you are by yourself at that time. Work on lunch little by little. Then dinner another time you are not around people. It took me a while to adjust to doing shots in public. I always did them in the car. I made it a point to always drive to lunch while at work so I could have my alone confortable time for shots and me. Read the blogs on this site and you will realize that you walk the path we all walked at one point of our lives and that its ok to be you the way you are. take care of yourself. We are with you

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Permalink Reply by Gerri on October 20, 2009 at 10:59pm

Hi Rizwana,

You can do it & we're all here to help you, cheer you on & share the isolation. Also to listen whenever you need to vent the frustration that we all feel.

Realize saying it doesn't make it feel any different for you, but there's nothing to feel embarrassed about or ashamed of. We are who we are & aren't responsible for having diabetes. We are responsible for taking care of ourselves.

Acceptance is hard, very hard. Looking fear square in the eye really does make it smaller. You'll feel better when you accept this condition & talking to a counselor helps. When we stop hiding it from ourselves, we don't have to hide it from others. We're not imperfect, just perfect in a different way.

As the others said, start small so it's not overwhelming. Reward yourself for accomplishing a goal of testing, eating right or whatever. Wanting to make a change is the first, biggest step--kudos to you!

Since testing in front of others bothers you, test in the bathroom. I do this in restaurants so I can wash my hands first, though I don't mind testing or injecting in public. I never use alcohol wipes. It dries skin badly, but works if you can't wash your hands.

My husband went to diabetic education class with me & to my first couple of doctor appointments. Helped him learn what I was going through & dealing with. You're not alone in being really cranky when high. I've spent a lot of time apologizing after my impatient outburts.

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Permalink Reply by Riz on November 9, 2009 at 7:16pm

Hi Gerri,

Thank you so much for taking your time to respond to my post. You are right acceptance is hard…I have denied the fact that there was ever anything wrong with me. When I spoke to my Social worker she said the same thing as you did…things are going to change once I am going to start accepting it.

I love what you said “ we’re not imperfect, just perfect in a different way” that line brought tears to my eyes because I always thought of myself as damaged goods.

It is wonderful to hear that your husband went to your appointments with you! The worse is when I have highs with a newborn crying …no matter how much I apologize to her she will never understand why her mom went psycho one min. and lovey dovey the next…but nevertheless, you are right take things one step at a time.

Thanks!

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