[glashalful]

I hope I don't get a lot of flack for starting this thread, but I'm curious as to what was everyone's "proof" that they had type 1 diabetes. For many of you, I'm sure it was a sudden instance, such as young people who were diagnosed at a very young age. For others, though, who had a slow road to type 1, or were older perhaps, what was your "proof" that you had diabetes? Was it enough that the doctor said you had it? Or were you presented with undeniable test results? And speaking of "denial", how has that factored into your coming to terms with having type 1 diabetes?

Thanks for your responses.

Elizabeth

[RLK]

I more or less diagnosed myself at age 18. After weeks (maybe months) of feeling fatigued, thirsty, and urinating all the time, I went to see my doctor. I told him that I thought I had diabetes. His response at the time was "I doubt it, but let's check just to be sure". With a BG of 400, it was pretty clear that I had diabetes, and he sent me off to the endocrinologist and diabetes educator.
I don't think I've ever been in denial- maybe it has something to with the fact that I picked up on this myself, before it was bad enough to put me in the hospital. That illustrated for me the importance of paying attention to my body's signals and staying on top of testing and insulin dosing. I have days where I "slack off"- don't test my BG or watch my diet as much as I should, but everybody needs a vacation.

Good idea for a thread- I'm curious to see what others' experiences have been.

[SueM]

No denial for me either as have been diabetic since early childhood so know no dif. My Mum took me to the Dr and told him I was diabetic he tested a urine sample and drove Mum and I to hospital the rest is history

[Gordonm]

11 years old. Tired and fatigued and thirsty and urinating all the time. My moms cousin was a urologist and he took a blood test. He called the next morning I was in the hospitol by the afternoon. That was almost 33 yeears ago.

[DeusXM]

Like RLK, I was sorta self-dxed. Basically when I was 14 I realised that I had more than a passing resemblance to an Auschwitz inmate, and that really wasn't right because for my sins, between the ages of 10 and 13 I was a slightly tubby kid. I was also peeing and drinking all the time, so really the blood test was a formality. I had such distinctive versions of the classic symptoms that I'd have been more surprised had I not been dxed.

[ProudNanaof5]

I was DX at the "ripe" age of 58. (This is part of my Introduction to DF and explains everything pretty well...)

" I just found out for sure I was a Diabetic in June. I have suspected it for over a year. I have lost 150 pounds in the last 3 years. Now I was a big woman, almost 300 lbs so I went on a low carb/no sugar diet and thought I was doing so good. Then 2 years ago my husband had to have emergency surgery. He had to recouperate at home for a while and got off my diet. But I kept losing weight no matter what I ate. Atleast 1 pound a week and sometimes 2 pounds. I started doing research on all the symptoms I had. Every direction I went I found the word Diabetes. Now I am big on natural supplements and thought I could treat myself. NOT!!! At first I did fairly well. My bs never was real low but atleast they weren't high all the time. Then at the end of 2005, I had lost 150 pounds and still losing every week. I had went from a size 28 to an 8. In fact, I could get a 6 on but was tight. I was so weak, My muscles were disappearing. My bs was avg 300 -350. Sometimes the meter said "HI" because it was over 500. I was in Keotosis all the time. I think if I hadn't went to Dr in June I wouldn't be here now."

I still have my bad days and good days. It was quite some time when I was DX'd in June 06 to say I was a "Diabetic". I would just say I was having some problems with my bs. But by the time I was put on insulin I had to admit to myself that I was one of those critters. Ask my friends here... they have to "hold" Nana up somedays so I can get thru...but I'm still here inspite of everything...

[ngueld]

The actual proof would be the blood test saying my A1C was off the charts and my blood sugar level was 52 (canadian). The ketones were probably a pretty good indication I was diabetic also.

[KCP]

I have to say it..
My proof? A lack of Pancreas

[June91]

Originally Posted by RLK

I more or less diagnosed myself at age 18. After weeks (maybe months) of feeling fatigued, thirsty, and urinating all the time, I went to see my doctor. I told him that I thought I had diabetes. His response at the time was "I doubt it, but let's check just to be sure".

. I was 19 and my BG was "only" 14.2 so the endo was sure I was a bit psychic to catch it so early.

I believe Type 1 and Type 2 are two competely different diseases which only have in common a single symptom (elevated blood glucose), and therefore had no doubt as to my type, ever.

[HollyB]

By the time we got my kid to emerg he was too weak to walk in the door -- had to get him a wheel chair, and he was so dehydrated his face looked skeletal. This happened FAST. His blood sugar was in the high 30s and his room smelled like a distillery from the ketones.

There was really no doubt about the diagnosis, but if we were clinging to any, it was erased when we saw him perk up like a watered flower once they got some insulin into him. Amazing transformation.

[Dervish]

I spent a weekend feeling like I had a really bad cold that just kept getting worse each day. One month ago today, that "cold" led to me calling 911, getting an ambulance ride to the emergency room, and spending five days in intensive care before they moved me into the general ward for five more. I don't remember anything at all of the first four days in ICU. On arrival at the hospital, I had severe ketoacidosis and pancreatitis and my sister says the ER doctor told her I was within an hour of being too far gone to save.

Once my memory restarted, I picked up on enough mentions of insulin and my pancreas to have a pretty good idea of the situation, but I still had some hope that my pancreas might recover and start working fully again because the hospital staff never actually mentioned the D-word. After a couple days of this uncertainty, I finally asked my doctor directly whether I had diabetes and he said yes. The path I traveled to reach that point was enough proof for me, so no denial here.

[grace girl]

I was dx'ed at age 32. I had the whole list of symptoms, though I had myself fairly convinced that I could explain them all away individually...that it couldn't be D. When my dad came by one morning with his meter and my fasting bs was 336 I knew something was wrong.
I wasn't dx'ed as type 1 until a year and a half later. I'd lost 65 pounds while eating more than I'd ever eaten in my entire life. I'd become close to skeletal and I was becoming alarmed at the thought of what was going to happen to me if I lost too much more weight...I didn't have much left to go at that point. When the doc told me he suspected type 1 I thought he was crazy. The results of the c-peptide pretty much convinced me. And the fact that going on insulin stopped the weight loss dead cold in it's tracks.

[Clint]

my wife dxd me and made me go to the dr. they took blood and I told them how I had been feeling, how much I had been drinking, etc. My blood sugar was 660.

I havent been in denial at any point, but I have been so frustrated at one point that I didnt take a shot for a week.. that was not smart but I was really frustrated.

[jen_slc]

I was 13, had all the classic symptoms, but hadn't progressed to a severe state in order for diagnosis. My parents had been watching me for a few months and one day after I drank all the liquid in my dad's house, he took me to his GP practice who tested my BG and told me I was diabetic. It measured 230-something I think. The next day I was in hospital, they made me fast and tested me again and it was similar. So the diagnosis stuck. As far as I know, those are the only tests they did and thus, the only "proof" I have... besides the obvious symptoms and feeling like **** if I don't take insulin.

Denial is interesting. I want to say that I was mildly in denial for a few years after diagnosis. It wasn't that I refused to believe I was diabetic or refused to take medication; I took my insulin like I was supposed to, I tested (almost) as much as they told me to. I knew I had diabetes, there was no question of that. But the denial part comes from my feeling that I didn't want to be reminded that I was diabetic. It's weird, I'm not sure if I'm making any sense. I didn't take care of myself as I should have (and of course, only realized this in hindsight). I knew I was diabetic, but I denied that it would do anything bad to me and it was perfectly fine for me to go along as I had been going. Not awful control, but not good control either. I also didn't want to associate with other diabetics because it reminded me in a sense that I was "one of them" and I didn't want that. I didn't want that obviousness to slap me in the face. Once I grew up a bit, that feeling changed - I realized bad things could indeed happen and would happen if I didn't change my life. So now, I am very aware of my control, what I do, how I do it, and the complications that can arise from the lack of it, and it's weird, but I think the greater control I have over my diabetes has helped to mitigate that semi-denial.

In fact, this feeling of not wanting to be around other diabetics lasted a lot longer than my denial about complications. Once I hit my later high school years I was over the complication aspect, but it wasn't until about 2 years ago that I got over the not wanting to be around other diabetics. My mom had always suggested I look for diabetes support out there, but I refused... until I needed help with a specific problem, a year and a half ago, and found this forum and joined. So there's some proof there. Maybe I've finally grown up and come to my senses and my membership here is proof I am diabetic and doing everything possible to maintain my great health!

[notme]

I was diagnosed type one at thirty one years old. I was very sick for about two weeks and lost over 35 pounds in a months time. I went to the doctor on a Monday and was put in the hospital and put on insulin. A C-peptide test was done and my pancreas was not producing any insulin.