Help!

[chocobo12]

Hey everyone! I have had type 1 diabetes now for 20 years and counting, keep in mind I'm only 22. In the past few years when I went to college, I have been slowly losing my control over my diabetes. I don't remember to test anymore, I use an insulin pump, my A1C levels are terrible, I am losing all concentration of my diabetes. Are there pointers from you I can get to help motivate me back to taking good care of myself? :(

[davef]

Hi,

I'm a T2 so can't completely related to your position, but I did want to welcome you to the forums. I think that by coming here that you have taken the first step in taking control - you want to have control - often that's the biggest step.

I find that alot of the time it comes down to form new habits. For example I'm in the habit of leaving my kit beside the kettle at night becuase that way I remember to test first thing in the morning, once I have tested I'll put the kit with my lunch so as to remember to test before I eat, if I'm not bringing lunch I put it with my wallet or better still put the money I'll use to buy lunch inside my kit's carry case.

Visiting and participating in these forums helps keep you motivated, pick up help, support and tips from others and so reminds you that you are going to control your diabetes.

Hope this helps a little bit.

Keep visiting, post often and enjoy being here,

[shiftzor]

Sounds like you have broken those good habits you had, its easy to do when you move/change locations/schools/lifestyles and hard to get back into them. I would definitely suggest posting here helps it keeps me motivated and it’s like someone to report to. People actually know what you are going through because they have been through it themselves. In the last month since moving back home (end of uni) I started to eat more carbs and stopped concentrating on my D resulting in a slightly elevated A1c and standard deviation went out the window. Getting back onto the bandwagon is easier said than done. If you want motivation look here , but I guess you know them already ;). Good luck and welcome!

[ShottleBop]

Complications of Diabetes (http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/complications/index.htm)

Fear works for me. I don't want to go blind, like my grandfather. I don't want to lose a leg, like my uncle. I don't want to spend weeks in the hospital to clear up a foot infection I got because I had no feeling in my feet, like one of the people I work with.

[shiftzor]

Doh! I didn't notice that my link didnt work. Lets try again: Complications - Diabetes UK (http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Complications/)

[BlueSky]

I think it is important to set achievable short term goals. Then each time you achieve your goal, you feel motivated to set a new one and achieve that too. Your meter is a useful tool for this, but you need to get into the habit of testing. Have a look at your 7 day average, and set a goal for reducing it by, say, 10 points. Once you have done that, and you should be able to do it in a week, set another goal and work towards it. ;)

[Kendall]

hey chocobo12... I can totally understand where you are coming from. I am 25 and had good control (A1c 6.1-6.7) for years before I went to college.

Then things started slipping. I would forget to test and then be out to eat and take insulin only to find out later I must have been high because now I'm 300 or that I was low cause now I'm 72 an hour after eating. Anyway, I am just in the last few weeks really getting motivated again. I got my recent A1c and it was 7.4. Yikes!

I don't know how open you are with people about your diabetes but for me it helps to not be shy about it. If you can find a friend you trust and have them ask you how you're doing every once in a while. I even had a friend at college who would ask me if I had remembered to take my insulin whenever we ate together. Now my husband tries to remind me and sometimes even waits with me when I'm high.

Also, I have a watch with five alarms and a timer on it. I need to dig it out of the closet and start using it again. I used to set it for specific times of day when I knew I should test (before lunch, 3pm, and before my usual dinner time, etc). Then when the alarm goes off, I test. Even if I'm not going to eat for a little while, I at least have an idea of where my BG is.

The other thing it really helps with is a timer to wait before eating. I test, give insulin, then set the timer for 15 (more if I'm high). Or I can set it for 90 min to see my after meal BG. If I don't do this I tend to take my insulin along with my first bite or even forget until I'm done eating (or the occasional totally forgot to bolus at all). Or there are the times that I would remember to wait and then I'd forget I already took insulin and I'd go low. Neither scenario is fun. An obnoxious little beep can be your friend.

So on that note, I will say I'm glad I found this board and that you did too. If you want to PM me, we could stay in touch and be virtual accountability diabetes buddies. I sure know that when I have people to talk to about things it often makes them a little easier. I hope that maybe some of these ideas can help you.

[Eddy]

Hey everyone! I have had type 1 diabetes now for 20 years and counting, keep in mind I'm only 22. In the past few years when I went to college, I have been slowly losing my control over my diabetes. I don't remember to test anymore, I use an insulin pump, my A1C levels are terrible, I am losing all concentration of my diabetes. Are there pointers from you I can get to help motivate me back to taking good care of myself?


Hanging around DF a while might be just what you need. Caution: Some people get addicted. ;)


hey chocobo12... I can totally understand where you are coming from. I am 25 and had good control (A1c 6.1-6.7) for years before I went to college.


Good job.


Then things started slipping. I would forget to test and then be out to eat and take insulin only to find out later I must have been high because now I'm 300 or that I was low cause now I'm 72 an hour after eating. Anyway, I am just in the last few weeks really getting motivated again. I got my recent A1c and it was 7.4. Yikes!


Although notably higher than your previous A1c values, at least a 7.4 isn't off the scale. It sounds like you're averaging about 30 mg/dL higher than before... which is significant, and I agree that you probably want to fix that, but I'd say you've far from "fallen off the wagon".


I don't know how open you are with people about your diabetes but for me it helps to not be shy about it. If you can find a friend you trust and have them ask you how you're doing every once in a while. I even had a friend at college who would ask me if I had remembered to take my insulin whenever we ate together. Now my husband tries to remind me and sometimes even waits with me when I'm high.


This is very helpful. I'm glad that you have supportive people.


Also, I have a watch with five alarms and a timer on it. I need to dig it out of the closet and start using it again. I used to set it for specific times of day when I knew I should test (before lunch, 3pm, and before my usual dinner time, etc). Then when the alarm goes off, I test. Even if I'm not going to eat for a little while, I at least have an idea of where my BG is.


Good idea. I find alarms extremely useful. I currently have three fixed-time events -- all of them basal shots. It would be too easy to sleep through my 0630 basal without an alarm, or to overlook my 1130 while working.


The other thing it really helps with is a timer to wait before eating. I test, give insulin, then set the timer for 15 (more if I'm high).


At the risk of suggesting "unapproved" techniques, you'll find that several of us bend the rules a bit. When I reach a certain high threshold, I use intramuscular injections instead of subcutaneous. There are some others on here who occasionally do an IM, too.

[kgm0612]

Welcome to the forum, Chocobo12.
The thought of developing complications down the road is what keeps me on track.

Karen

[Chappo]

Hey Chocobo,

I'm relatively similar to yourself - T1 for 19 years, and i'm also 22.

One thing that makes me keep going is knowing that sometimes, especially for people our age, it's natural to 'fall off the wagon'.

What you're probably experiencing is what's referred to as Diabetes Burnout - when we just can't be bothered anymore and don't have the drive to take care of ourselves. How well we handle this is all about how fast you can pick yourself up and get back into it. Sometimes it's tough to do, but remember, you should take pride in taking great care of yourself and living healthily.

Having said that, complications scare the living bejeebus out of me.

Hang in there, and see how it goes. A good tip is to have your glucose meter with you 24/7 - this really helps me! :)

Alex

[xMenace]

Fear is not a great motivator.

Come here every day and get involved. It's a fabulour support group. Learn. Be positive. Move forward!