[gettingby]

Hi Rob and Welcome. I know and understand exactly where you are coming from. I was diagnosed at 13 and have been living with this "monkey on my back" for 24 years now. My best advice, listen to Mick. He is an inspiration to me and many others here. He knows the game and knows how to play it.
Come on here and ask any questions you may have, vent any time you want to. We all do. And remember this:The only stupid question is a question not asked.
Good luck but I'm sure you will do just fine.

[Tropical83]

Hi Rob! I hope you're feeling better! I went to my appointment today and my Dr said that the damage to my kidneys is reversable and she put me on treatment for it - which is really good news! I told her about my new low-carbing and she told me it's worth the try! So I'm excited to know that I'm not in awful shape and there is something I can do to prevent getting there. Don't worry, things do look up a lot more than they look down when you're on your toes! Keep in touch!

[owlyn]

Stick to your routine (eat well, take insulin, exercise) and you won't be losing anything. These days, diabetes is well understood and we know what to do. It's the people who don't do what they are supposed to do, or found out that they had diabetes too late to do anything about it, that usually wind up with the complications.

At 16, it's normal to have wide mood swings. When you start to feel down, get out an do something you enjoy. Ride your board, listen to some music, whatever makes you feel better. When I was 16 (many years ago- let's just say I remember life before portable radios), I used to go for long walks. Really cleared my mind. Still works for me.

[Rob. [Type 1]]

Tropical, thats so good! im happy for you that its reversable, you must be feeling pretty good haha
and thanks heaps again everyone =]

[IrishJoe]

Yeah the people here are good. I dont know anyone else with T1 either... it kinda sucks..

Its worse when people think you have type 2 and that you 'should' be on tablets !!

[BeautifulRising]

I totally know how you feel, Rob. It isn't easy, but it could be a much worse disease, right? At least it's manageable, and it isn't something like Aids or Cancer.

I was diagnosed when I was just about to turn 16 and it totally knocked the wind out of me, but it's all good now. You should try talking to someone about maybe going to a diabetes camp as a councellor! It'd open some doors and let you meet more people your age coping with the same thing!

[s.parikh]

I must say being a newly diagnosed diabetic at 29 makes me really sad also. My doctor thinks I am type 1 but im hoping that there is a chance that im type 2 so that i can stop with the needles and carb counting however, altho whatever outcome comes, it still sucks. But I want you all to know that many diabetics can lead normal healthy lives with not many complications. So im not so worried Along with that I would like to add that at the same time i was diagnosed with diabetes i was also diagnosed with lymphoma (( Soooo after going thru treatments and way worse needles then insulin syringes, I am just happy that i am alive and now cancer free. I am still sad that i have diabetes, but at least i know that many people deal with it. i just try to stay strong and know that it could be worse but luckily it's not so stay positive and keep smiling ))

Swati XX

[ant hill]

Originally Posted by gettingby

And remember this:The only stupid question is a question not asked.
Good luck but I'm sure you will do just fine.

Good posting Cindy.
G'day Rob, You are a talented soul who can play guitar!!! and old rock which I find reare in young folk these days. Yes I am quite a bit older than you but old enough to understand this disease and it not all what you cannot have. It's having the knowlage of what the food has and balence that with the good stuff, Insulin Cindy and I know how you feel as people who seem to think "You cannot have that" remark. It's obsered to have people tell you what you should have like you would know how to play your guitar.
I like Iron Madien, great English band, I have seen ACDC at the Myer Music Bowl in '78 and gotten in with a pack of ciggies. LOL Not that I smoke, Just had them in my hand.
You feel worthless, Tired, Energy depleted, LOST!!! Don't be.
Get a book about carbohydrates and get to know about your Insulin to Carbohydrate ratio and then your can feel better.

Sorry as this seems a bit long winded in my post and I hope that you feel better. Buy The Way I am in Melbourne.

[Riana]

Hi Rob. Normal to feel like you do. I have been diabetic for 34 years. (was 8yrs old when diagnosed). Not easy especially in your teens/young adult years. Try your best to keep BG under control (you will sometimes fail, but it is not the end of the world). My sight is still 100%, my feet also!!! Don't stress to much please.
Kind Regards
Riana
Mosselbay
South Africa

[Joeprep4820]

I was diagnosed at 2, and luckily, 21 years later, I have experienced no complications whatsoever. Gradeschool was the toughest time for me; I was made fun of relentlessly for being Diabetic. High school was a bit easier, but there were always those times where I just didn't want it anymore. Use it as a source of strength if you must - use Diabetes as a reason to work harder at everything you do, not just for taking care of your health.

[Joeprep4820]

Originally Posted by BeautifulRising

I totally know how you feel, Rob. It isn't easy, but it could be a much worse disease, right? At least it's manageable, and it isn't something like Aids or Cancer.

I was diagnosed when I was just about to turn 16 and it totally knocked the wind out of me, but it's all good now. You should try talking to someone about maybe going to a diabetes camp as a councellor! It'd open some doors and let you meet more people your age coping with the same thing!

I went to one of these camps when I was 12, and went until I was 16, the oldest age for campers. It was the first time I met anyone that was Diabetic and my own age! It was great, and it wasn't about the diabetes really, it was just a bunch of kids my age at a summer camp in the Pennsylvania mountains who all happened to have Diabetes. I still use a week of vacation each year to counsel there, and love every minute of it.

[lilme20]

Hi Rob, just a suggestion, next time you go to ur clinic check-up talk to the camp co-ordinator they should be able to tell u about most camps in SA. try going to either a teen camp or a training camp (to help with kid camps). i went to one about a yr n a half ago near Bris (i live in QLD if you hvn't guessed) n i'm still good friends with one of the people i met. it helps, being a teenager is a lonely time and having diabetes doesn't help but once you find out how close other teen diabetics live you might be surprised, i was. anyway good luck.
Tal

[Subby]

Just a heads up, this thread is old. Not saying that to stop people adding posts... just that Rob hasn't checked in for over a year! Maybe one day he will again.

[lilme20]

At least someone is paying attention. hahaha!!!

[AJ21]

Hey Rob
You are most definitely not alone! I got the disease at the age of 21, so I had quite a few 'glory years' without any worry about foods and stuff, and to suddenly be having to worry about drinking soda, eating chocolate and anything else, realllllly sucked!
I had a few 'why me days', but in the end, I just think that i'd rather have this than aything that I couldn't be in control of, you know?
Yea, it SUCKS and there's days when I just want to eat a piece of cake, and know what? I do.
I take my insulin and indulge myself.
Complications though are just something we have to be careful about.
I try to take care of myself as best i can, I"m lucky in a way that I'm OCD with testing my blood sugar and being on top of what's happening with my body, but it also can drive me insane when my bloods aren't listening to my pump.
When you feel this way, let yourself feel it.
it DOES suck, but know that we all feel the same way.