[Cookie]

I started to feel 'ill' about 3 weeks before I was diagnosed.

I was SOOO thirsty it was untrue. I drank bucketloads of anything and everything. I could honestly say I could have drunk a bucketful of water and still felt thirsty. Because nothing seemed to satiate my thirst, I ended up buying loads and loads of different types of juice (half of them full sugar drinks I have to say ) but nothing worked.

Then I started losing weight. It was literally dropping off me. In all, I lost 19lbs in 3 weeks.

I saw a sign in Asda for a free diabetes test, the week before I was diagnosed. I read the poster outside which gave a list of the symptoms and I could say, hand on heart that I had all of them.

I told them I had all the symptoms and they measured my blood sugar. The reading simply said 'hi' which the nurse said she had NEVER seen before. (I later found out that to get a reading of 'hi' on the meter she used, it has to be over 33.3 mmols. ) She then proceeded to say it was probably "nothing to worry about" and that I should mention it to a doctor next time I was there. She then said that the high reading was probably because I'd just had lunch - HELLO??!

Needless to say, about 3 days before I was diagnosed, I started being sick. Couldn't eat anything. Peeing like a bandit. Losing weight left, right and centre. No energy. Sleeping almost 24/7.

My mother in law popped round for a visit and she hadn't seen me for a couple of weeks, took one look at me and packed me straight into the car to take me to the doctors. My eyes were completed sunken and my face just looked so drawn.

Doctor tested me and basically asked my mother in law if she could drive me to the hospital, otherwise he would call an ambulance.

When I arrived at the hospital I couldn't walk as I had no energy so they had to get me a wheelchair! Spend 2 nights in hospital after they had diagnosed me with type one and that's my story!

(It's two years on and I still haven't written to Asda to make all this known to them, but I have a holiday coming up and will have plenty time to do it. Will also be writing to local papers, Diabetes UK, etc etc - the list goes on!!)

[LauRa Lu]

My story is very similar to yours. Except rather than a bucket of water I once contemplated drinking the water i'd run in the bath

I saw a doctor a year before I was diagnosed, and he told me I was high but that it was probably my breakfast. I told him I hadn't had any and he just said oh well you're fine so I left it at that.

My thirst got worse and worse, A year on I just got really ill. Went back to the doctor and he told me I had flu.. ...He calls him self a doctor???!! :p

I went away with some antibiotics, but just got worse and worse.

My vision vanished almost completely the one day, and my thirst was *huge*. That day It sudenly dawned on me what was wrong, It was obvious and had been for ages but It just never crossed my mind.

I went hospital and they confirmed it. My bg was 40mmol that day.

[KickStart101]

I don't remember being Dxd since I was only 3, I don't even remember a Doc's visit, I assume there was one, never asked. I remember for some
occasion earlier that my Godparents had brought me some liquorise(sp)candy
and a porcelain Baby Doll and a gold-cross with ruby necklace (was probably my 3rd Birthday) I remember seeing my Brothers eating food later that I wasn't allowed to eat. So I wished I could eat what they were eating. Sure enough months later I was eating the food they were eating(and believe me, it weren't that good...ugh). I do remember the first poke in the butt I got with the needle. It was okay, whatever. But I don't believe you's Laura
and Cookie got a Hi Testing and were just told it was something you ate??
Since so many people are getting Diabetes for many years now, you would think it would be a normal testing. It doesn't cost much and it sure would help in the extra millions of dollars to treat people before they are injured by Diabetes. I have mentioned the testings for hgh-risk to my Dr., my Hubbie's Dr. My Kid's Drs's and a few other Drs.s I have been to previously. I know it's not much but I would hope they would suggest this "should be common" test to their colleges(sp) so more would know sooner.

[UpNorth]

Well, i think it all started with a 9.3 mmol/l reading in march last year. It didn't bother me then but a few months later, in late august/early september, i started to feel something wasn't right. Could drink liters and liters of water and ran to the loo at least once every 30 minutes. But i wasn't too worried about it- i'd been like that b4 and simply thought it was just another camel period that would go away after a few days. It didn't go away, but got worse and worse everyday and my clothes started to get too big. Went to the doctor's in the morning on october the 14th, and had a bsl test done which came back a little bit too high it was 24mmol/l, in the morning, b4 breakfast. It is wierd though that i didn't have very high levels of ketones. Only had a drip for a few hours, and learned all the basics (or most of it) through the day, and got home later in the afternoon
Must admit though, that my doctor wanted to send me to hospital, but i didn't want to if it wasn't 100% needed. "Just teach me what i have to know and let me go home, i promise i'll drink a lot of water and test a lot etc etc etc" I already knew quite a lot about D b4 i was diagnosed, used to read a lot of books a few years back, and did a 11 pages long assignment about diabetic cats when i had animal healthcare in my final year at upper secondary (was during that course i had that 9.3mmol/l test done- we were learning how to use a bgm). *grin*

[Cinnabon]

I was DX at age 9. I had the chicken pox and right after I continued to feel very sick. I lost a lot of weight. I would stand in front of the automatic water dispenser from the fridge at all times, day and night. Ants would come crawling around my toilet bowl.... LOL. Looking for something sweet.. Gee, I wonder what! ( sugar spilling in my urine, maybe!?)
My parents thought I had Anemia (I WISH) took me to a doctor and he ran a complete blood test on me. Sure enough, he called my father back and said I had to be admitted right away. My blood sugar at the time was 33.33 too. That was 22 years ago. I remember practicing on oranges before I was discharged from the children's hospital. I spent a lot of years in denial after that. My parents were not aware of the importance of taking a child to a psychologist causing me to suffer a lot of depression.


I agree with the fact that we have very advanced technology in today's time for the management of Diabetes, yet simple things such as testing for diabetes and the knowledge that comes with it, is still from the Flintstone's Era, unfortunately.

[Eri's mom]

Eri was dx'd when she was 6...over 5.5 yrs ago.
She was losing weight, was drinking continuously, going to the bathroom ALL the time...she even wet the bed, more than once a night...which she had NEVER done, not even while potty training...and not just on the top mattress...she would literally have a puddle through on the floor b/c it went through the boxpring as well.
Soooo, it was Dec. 31, 1999, good ol' New Years Eve Y2K(something usually happens on holidays w/ us ...)...and the docs just said, take her readings...which we did b/c my dad was there and he's a T2...well, HI, fasting, HI, the lowest we got it to go after she hadn't eaten for something like 15 hours(14 hours of sleep) was 575 or something. She was seen on January 3rd at her pediatricians and my husband called me at work telling me we had to go up to Tampa to All Children's Hospital, b/c Eri was just dx'd w/ diabetes. So I came home and we went up(when I got home he was in tears and on the phone, I told him it was ok, but his brother had just told him he was dx'd w/ liver cancer...he was 34 at the time...just a LOVELY day...not!!!)...so, we ended up at ACH...and they kept us in the endo's office teaching us things...we were there for about 4 hours and they sent us home.
I got to go back 3 days later to talk w/ the nutritionist(in Sarasota), and that was that. It took us for what seemed like EVER to see a reading down to at least 300's...I'm talking a couple weeks. Her ketones were like something over 11/12 when dx'd. I have NO clue as to why she wasn't kept longer and trained(then again, they said 11 other kids that day were dx'd w/ T1 as well)...so maybe that was it.
Now, after 5.5 yrs, Eri is starting the pump next month.
As you all know, we've been through a lot w/ her the past 6 months...hopefully the pump will help a little more...since she is STILL waking up in the mid/high 200's to 300's(after her NPH has been adjusted already numerous times since her last DKA)...
OK, wrote a novel...
Have a great day all...

[Amanda_Jo22]

Neat thread Cookie, thanks for starting it!

My story w/diabetes started the day I flew to Reno to sing in a high school all state competition. After singing, I was hanging out w/a friend when I noticed my arms had turned blue! I started panicking and me teacher just said "put on a jacket sweetie" We flew back that night and the next morning my arms were still blue. So my dad took me to the doc who said it was probably a condition caused by stress, but she was going to run a comprehensive panel to see if there was anything abnormal. We came in the next day and she said everything looked fine except my sugar was a little high, so she wanted to run a GTT. Did the GTT and got a phone call the same day to come back in, and on April 19, 2000 I got the wonderful news. The story should stop there...but it doesn't. My doc sent me to the only ped endo in town who dx'd me as a T2 (I was 90 lbs w/no family history of T2 and a family history of autoimmune disorders). I was put in glucophage and got extreme sick. One week before my next appointment, the endo left the practice and left us hanging. (In hindsight, this was a blessing). Found a new endo who took older peds (I was 16 at the time) and he correctly dx'd me as a T1 in a early honeymoon stage. I finally started on insulin and felt much better! I guess I was lucky because I never had any symptoms and they found diabetes very early. Although it brought it's own challenges because at first, I didn't fit the "profile" of a typical T1.

[camjen1]

I just happened to be watching a commercial about the symptoms. I realized I had every symptom mentioned so I called my mom downstairs and told her I think I hae Diabetes. She began to laugh and said nonsense it doesn't even run in the family. At that time I was seeing my boyfriend and his mom was diabetic. SO the next day I went and seen her and I told her all about the symptoms so she went ahead and tested me. She looked at her meter and said "Oh Sandi." The reading wound up being to high for her meter. I then called my mom and she told me to come to her hospital and she will test me there with one of the machines that reads higher. Well she tested me and I was sky high. One of the DR's there wrote up a couple of prescriptions and off we go to a very different life.

All in all I had lost a total of 67 pounds in a 1 month period.

[am1977]

I think this has been discussed here before in the forums, but it's always interesting sharing these stories.

Here's Mine :

I was working at a pharmacy P/T when I started experiencing symptoms. First, I was thirsty...and the thirst got progressively worse. I would have a liter bottle that I would constantly refill. I would be exhausted all the time, even after getting a good night's rest, I started dropping weight, and my muscles started aching all the time (especially my legs). It got to the point where I couldn't really walk. I kind of limped along. I felt pretty crappy . However, I put off going to the DR. b/c I had no insurance at thet time. Finally, I couldn't wait any longer. I went in and I think she knew what was going on just by looking at me. She smelled my breath (for ketones) as well as did a urine test and also did a finger stick which read HI. She was going to have me go see one of her colleagues, but then they decided I should be admitted. So I went to the hospital, stayed for just one nite, and received a crash course in Diabetes Management 101.

The funny thing is the day before I was dx'ed I discussed with my Mom the possibitlity that I might be dealing with Diabetes. I really didn't know much about it, but I knew enough about the symptoms to question if that's what was going on. When I received the diagnosis, it hit me like a ton of bricks. It's one thing thinking about it hypothetically, then when it becomes an actuality. When I got home from the hospital the day after being diagnosed, I was so overwhelmed, confused, and scared. I remember hoping that I wouldn't wake up the next morning...that's kind of morbid, but that's how overwhelmed I felt. Now I realize how silly that is, b/c I know it's possible to live a long, healthy, and happy life as a diabetic.

[liz32]

Don't knowif this is for only t1 or not but here goes. I was doing the typical drinking all the time and peeing and not feeling right. What was different for me was that for roughly a year prior to this I had been dealing with wild mood swings. I was almost ready to go to the doc's for some paxel or other mood altering med so that I'd at least be pleasant to be around...I'm glad my kids are you and will likely forget this past year! The last straw was a day when I was literally unable to move off the couch for 9 hours strait. I had gestational diabetes and I had recently found out that my birthmother was T2 and my birthfather was T1 but I didn't really consider it to be diabetes..denial I geuss. I also thaught that maybe I had an overactive bladder. My CDE asked me if I believed that I had diabetes and I asked her what she meant and she said that alot of people live for years with denial and refuse to admit their diagnosis. It is a shocker, but it could be worse..I could have cancer or some other life threatening desease. I know that with the right management, I will live to a ripe old age. My kids informed me that it was ok that I was diabetic as they would be willing to eat sugar/sweets for me..they're so cute. Anyways, sorry for rambling...I guess this has been very theraputic. Thanks!

[Barb]

I found out in June of 1993 I was immigrating to Canada from the States and had to see an immigration Doctor that is when I found out..boy what a shock that was..I had no idea...

I had two of the classic symptoms tho but could explain each one a way..the frequent urination...I had a very bad yeast infection two months before I see the immigration Dr...my own Dr. told me I should be drinking lots of cranberry juice so I was.... well the more one drinks the more one pees...and that explained the constant thirst I guess as well.. I was also losing weight... I had just got promoted and my Job had me walking from one building to another sometimes four times a day..each building was about half a block a way..before the promotion I was sitting all day so I just figured that explained the weight loss... funny it now seems that was a life time ago

[Mick]

I don't exactly remember when I began to feel the symptoms, but I know I had had them for a pretty long time. I was something around 12 years old, I think it would have been the beginning of 7th grade, the year was 1964. I had been a "pudgy" kid--my mom called it "baby fat", but all of a sudden i began shedding it. All that summer before, I'd been sticking my face under the hose spigot and opening my mouth... I'd started eating like a shark in a feeding frenzy, 3-4,000 calories a day I'd guess--and still i went from 120 lbs. to 90, then 80... By the time school began, I was having a hard time keeping awake during class, woke up dozens of times every night to pee, was exhausted all the time, slept all afternoon, and began wetting the bed many nights. I knew something was wrong, but my parents had a bunch of other kids, one still in diapers, and they didn't seem to notice much.

By the end of the first semester of school, in January, I was faiiing several classes--I never got to any class on time due to running to the bathroom between every class, and then falling asleep in class, plus never completing any homework because I slept when i got home. But still my parents just assumed I was fine or whatever, excused all the stuff I was going thru as "growing up" or something... One day at school, I was seized by uncontrollable abdominal pains, and was sent down to the school nurse. I could not stand up straight, was in tears, and passed out several times. I was taken to the hospital ER, and admitted for "observation" They suspected appendicitis, and were correct, but during the admission tests, they found that I had a blood sugar of almost 1000, was severly dehydrated and malnourished. I also was going into septic shock, caused by the appendix having ruptured, but because of DKA was too sick to be operated on. They sent for a surgeon, but I slipped into a diabetic coma. By then--February 6th, 1965, I had lost half my body weight, had gone from 120 to 60 lbs.

I was in a coma for 3 days. They did operate, removed the appendix, which as I understand now, was a very risky trick--major surgery on a comatose, malnourished, dehydrated child in shock--back in 1965. I was in critical condition for several more days after coming out of the coma and spent almost a month in the hospital. I actually was much relieved to learn that I had an actual disease that I could more or less live with, that I was not going to die. I accepted the shots and all the restrictions gratefully, I suppose because I had come so close to dying from it. I had a LOT of school to make up, because by the time I went back in March, I'd basically missed the entire year. But because I began regaining some energy and some weight, I felt that I could and should work extra hard to deserve my second chance at life. I passed the 7th grade (barely), but did need to go to summer school to finish. By the time I celebrated my 13th birthday that summer (40 years ago this week!), I felt I had something very special to celebrate--my life, which was indeed a miracle. I've been celebrating that fact ever since.

Michael
T1 since 1965

[Jamie]

I don't ever recall having severe symptoms, but I was also diagnosed after appendix surgery. It was a during our Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. I was at our cottage with my wife and kids when I became violently ill. After spending the better part of a day in bed, I asked my wife to bring me to the hospital because I knew there was something wrong. (she just about freaked, because I was never one to want to see a doc.) After being in emerg. for a few hours, I was finally diagnosed with appendicitis and was having emergency surgery at midnight. After the operation, I started to experience some complications and the docs started to order all kinds of tests to try figure out what was going on. (blood tests, CAT scans, ultrasounds, x-rays) and nothing showed up. (Since I was sick before going to the hospital and for about 4 days after my operation, I had nothing to eat - just my IV). After a week in the hospital I was discharged but still needed to be followed up with my GP. First test was blood work and the diabetes showed up right away. So I guess everything happens for a reason, if I didn't have appendicitis I could be one of those people that don't know their diabetic.

Jamie

[2Cert]

I was in the USMC when diagnosed. Started having symptoms right after basic training while on recruiter’s aid. They were not too bad but looking back it all makes sense now. Next I was sent to camp Geiger for infantry training school and the symptoms became ****! Always thirsty, always having to take a leak, and massive weight loss. I knew what it was because of friends who were diabetics and also a buddy in the same platoon also guessed that I was a diabetic. I had gone from 185 lbs down to 120 and would carry 4 2 liter bottles of water in my pack while out in the field. It was not unusual for me to drink at least 5 or 6 full ones each day! My training was nearly complete and if I could make it through my next duty would make it possible for me to seek treatment on my own. However, one day while in the field I passed out and from what people told me I was delirious when they tried to wake me up. I was carried back to where I could be picked up and taken to the hospital. After a doctor talked to me for only a minute or two he said "I think I know what it is but need to do a test". I wanted him to tell me his suspicions but he would not. Finally I told him "You think I have diabetes right"? And he just looked at me, smiled and started telling me that people are diagnosed with it every day and how treatment had come a long way.

Never had a problem accepting it and I guess that was because I knew it well before any doctor told me for sure. Now the violent low blood sugar reactions I had on the old beef/pork insulin made me sometimes wonder if living like that was worth it! But when I was finally changed to humulin those eased up a bit. And now with NovaLog and Lantus my control is good and have very few lows. Needless to say, after the diagnosis it was a short time before I was given a medical separation from the USMC.

[twocute64001]

The year was 1962 It was the summer I was 7 years old. I was thrilled that I was going into the 2nd grade. I was looking forward to all new school clothes, but instead of growing, my clothes seemed to be getting bigger. It was real hot and I didn’t feel like playing outside much, even the pool did not interest me, so I began reading Nancy Drew books and staying in my room. Actually I was sleeping a lot, but no one realized how much. My parents were just fascinated that I was reading so much and so advanced.

My Grandmother came to visit, and when she came she always made pancakes with lots of maple syrup for breakfast, along with a big glass of chocolate milk. After breakfast I used the excuse that I needed to clean my room to keep from going out to play. My grandmother found me a few hours later passed out on the floor. I have no memory of the ambulance ride, but remember that when I woke up it was a week later and my mom looked like heck sitting beside my bed. I hurt all over, like a truck ran over me.

Before the doctors thought of diabetes they had run all types of invasive tests, including a spinal tap that has left permanent back problems. The said I had a heart attack and my kidneys were shutting down. They told my parents I was dying and they did not know why. Finally a nurse who went to our church suggested they check my blood sugar. It was over 1500 mg. Doctors told my parents I would never see my 21st birthday, and that I would get severe infections, lose my sight and become an invalid before I finished high school. They told me that if it tasted good, I could not have it.

My mom panicked, she watched every move I made, everything I put in my mouth. My parents decided it would be safer if I went to a Catholic school where the Nuns could watch over me as closely as my folks did at home. This lasted two years and I was miserable. I was allowed no freedom, no treats and watched like a hawk. If I got sleepy to early I was rushed to the doctor, If I got a cold, life was suddenly on emergency status. Lucky for me, my dad listened when I cried about what I was dealing with and slowly things changed back to a more normal even keel.

We didn’t have glucose monitors back then to tell you how to adjust your insulin. Only doctors had such luxuries. Only doctors told you how much insulin you need each day, and when to take it, if due to what you ate, your insulin needs changed, there was no way to account for it. We also did not have the thin insulin needles of today. Shots hurt like heck! I remember the first monitors – they cost as much as my dad’s new car that year and were the size of a microwave. I remember Diet Tab when it was the only diet drink made. (it sucked) and cakes made with “sugar twin” cause it was all there was.

I remember most of all feeling different from the other kids, until one day when my dad brought me this silly blow up pink flamingo for our swimming pool. As he gave it to me he told me “You are the best kid any daddy could have” For some reason, that one statement meant to a 9 year old girl who felt her life was horrible – different is better!

My dad was my hero, he helped me through the rough spots. He died November 4, 2000, and he is still my hero! And at 50 years old I am healthy and productive and happy.