[Eoto45]

Hi, I'm new to this website but not diabetes. I am a 21 year old male and was diagnosed in with type 1 in August 2003, and have been on the pump since 2005. I have never had a firm grasp of my blood sugars with the exception of the ocassional few good weeks I've had. I have so many questions or things I want to get off my chest that I don't even know where to start. My blood sugars are always way too high, ever since being introduced to low sugars I have had an almost paralyzing fear of my sugar dropping. Everytime I test and I feel like it may drop I subconciously take actions to avoid it, at this point I feel like I just do whatever it takes to stay away from being low. About a year ago I started getting anxiety, panic, stess attacks I guess I don't really know what to call them, like a dizzy light headed intense heart rate feeling and when I test my sugar its around 240. My doctor put me on Lexapro but after a few weeks I can't bring myself to keep taking it. I feel like I am way too dependant on medications to keep going. Even today I still haven't fully accepted my diabetes and I can admit then when I have to face it, it still makes me cry. I guess I don't really have any 1 question in this post right now, I am just hoping to hear from or meet people with diabetes so I can stop feeling alone in this sugary, carbohydrate driven world.

[xMenace]

Welcome Eto.

You're definately not alone with this burden. My 30+ years of wavering control has finally turned into something I can almost trust. The people here have taught me so much.

There are definately things you can do to get on a good track. Have you read "Pumping Insulin" by John Walsh? It's a pretty good book.

[TroyS]

You are not alone I feel the same way that you do. My sugars are always high except for in the moring and I do not feel like myself a lot of the time. I was diagnosed last january and it has been and up hill struggle. Staying motivated to take meds. is hard but there is not much of a choice, as much as a life style change.

[bryan42]

WELCOME EOTO!! Glad you found us. We are all in this together bud, you came to the right place. All these people are awesome on here,you will definately feel better and be more informed..again, WELCOME!!

[Jan B]

It's ok to be different! In fact, I am healthier, eat better and am proud of being different! Think of yourself as on the road less traveled . . . but a better, more informed road. You are right about it being a sugary world. It's also full of fatty and unhealthy fast food choices. We don't have it easy -- I'm not saying we do. It's especially hard when you are young and feel the peer pressure of being "normal". Sometimes I can't believe I lived through my youth.

I've had this disease for 28 years, and have made friends with it. It's taken a long time though.

I had an extreme fear of going low after a couple serious, accidental overdoses of insulin (wrong coding on bottle of strips). I believe I wouldn't be alive today if my husband had not been home. As a result, for about 2 years, I let my numbers run too high. Finally, I got over that fear, and am keeping much better control and feel marvelous like we all should.

Stay with the forum and you'll see you are not alone at all.

[tanyatype1]

Hi there Eoto ~ nice to have you here! I don't know how long you've been running high, or how high exactly, but maybe the horrible feelings that you've been getting at around 240 aren't symptoms of anxiety. They sound to me like symptoms of a hypo. If your body is used to being at 380 for example, then your body could be feeling a 240 as a "low." When your body readjusts to normal blood sugar levels, you won't feel dizzy, sweaty etc. at 240.

[Eddy]

Sorry to hear about your difficulties.

Do you have better control with the pump or with shots? Personally, I'm scared silly of the pump... it just seems like there is too much that can go wrong... but that's my opinion, and you know the saying about opinions.

However, because you are pumping, you can tune your basal rate without the 24-hour commitment Lantus requires. I'd have plenty of fast-acting carb, a glucagon shot, and a trusted friend or family member close at hand.

I agree with Tanya that your symptoms sound more like hypo symptoms. It could be that your body expects higher sugars. It could also be that your basal rate is too low, so your cells aren't getting their required glucose -- no matter how many fish are in the pond, one will be hungry if one can't eat them.

Perhaps try gradual adjustments. Get closer to your target... but at a comfortable pace. Rome wasn't burned in a day. And have a trusted person close at hand... that should help with confidence, which may itself help your glycemic control. (I've found that strong emotions can mess with my BG.)

[Eoto45]

wow, thanks everyone. I am definitly like the pump better though sometimes it makes it too easy to have an extra snack here and there when you don't really need one.
1 more larger problem I face is work. I only work part time, 3-4 hour shifts but it is extremely physical the whole time, work out caliber. Lows consistantly occur late in the shift so I have tried a few things, I usually end up having smaller energy drink and something else right before I go in without compensating for it and try to work it down throughout the shift. If anyone knows of a better way to deal with sugars during a serious workout it would be greatly appreciated. thanks again