Diabetes Type 1 Support Group

I know how frustrated I was when I found out at first being a big time sugar-a-holic that I was. I used to down bags of sugary gummy worms and every other kind of candy like they were going out of style. I got diagnosed with Type 1 right around your age, when I was 18. It was a big shock because nobody in my immediate family had it either. Now Im coming up on my 11th year anniversary of having it at the end of this month. Right around Halloween do you know how inconvenient that was at the time???

Now Ive done a total 180 from what I used to eat. Now that Ive had it for this long, I have a MUCH bigger concern for what I put into my body and only eat healthy foods and wouldnt even consider eating anything I used to. All the sweets that I used to love, I just find disgusting now. That happens when going without eating them for a while. It took a while at first, a couple of years (Id still eat sugary substances once in a while and give myself more insulin) before I started turning my eating habits around but since I made the change, its here to stay and I am glad! I exercise all the time and eat a very healthy diet and test my BS's 9-10 times a day which may seem a little excessive but I want THE BEST BS's possible. My last A1c was 5.9!!! Which I am very happy with. There have been periods in my life (I havent actually had any for a loong time now) where Id just get so frustrated with all the work it takes to control my BS's and not feeling like I could escape and throw my hands up in the air and have a tantrum but come to think of it I havent had any of those in a looong time. My BS's are still so sensitive but I guess you get adjusted to eating so well and know its SO good for you in the long run and adopt it as your normal way of being. Thats what Ive tried to do anyway. It works quite well for me. I always learn about different herbs and foods you can eat and the effects they have on your body. (white flour, white sugar products, never good)

Well I wish you the best of luck in taking care of yourself. You have so many years of your life yet to live, try and keep your BS's as good as possible and your body will reward you for the rest of your life!!!!!! I promise you.

Hey kjoynn! I also know what you mean about people just not getting it. I really hate the "You take shots every day? WOW. I couldn't do that." I just want to look at them and say "Well, I just SO love the way it feels!" I know they aren't trying to be rude but, come on. Some people like to try and tell you they get it but, unless they have it (and even then sometimes), they don't. During the first year or two I went to two diabetes classes. One for teens, one for anyone. The teacher was an idiot. She actually wore a pump--filled with saline!! She thought it'd give her a great insight to what we go through every day. I remember thinking "oh PLEASE! Like it will let you feel the worry over taking too much or too little, or feel the highs or lows themselves." All the insight she got was to be carrying this little thing around all day. ....Not much different from a cell phone if you ask me. She was also ill-informed. When talking about nutrition she claimed that the 2- or 3-tablespoon serving size for popcorn referred to POPPED corn. Which is crazy. My mom was at that class and ended up actually contacting Redenbacher's about it. They sent us specific information saying it was for unpopped corn and it would equal so much when popped. When we told her about it at the next class (respectfully) she got pissed. I never went again.

Not long after I was diagnosed at 15 I was also told I have hypothyroidism. And vitilego (no pigment in patches) and, a few years later, rheumatoid arthritis. All are some type of autoimmune disorder.

My advice to you is, for one, try to relax a bit. Don't be too hard on yourself. This is a lot to take in! I hope you aren't thinking you should be all hunky-dory already. Give yourself time. And when some dumb person tells you "at least it isn't cancer" maybe say something like "well, at least cancer people get some freakin' UNDERSTANDING" or whatever comment you think of. There is also this thought: Cancer may be "worse," but most people don't have to live with it for most of their life. Even people who have it often don't have to deal with it directly (like shots) several times every day. Really, though, people shouldn't compare. Each is difficult in different ways and for different people.