Hey I'm Rebecca,
And I guess I'm sort of new to talking to people about this but I need someone to relate to me. I've had diabetes for 7 years now, and I'm 20 years old. I've had dka 4 times in that time frame. No one else in my family has type 1 . I've just been having a hard time lately and I feel like my friends or family understand why.
Hi Rebecca!!
I’m still relatively new to this whole d thang myself… I will have 2 years under my belt come April. But I know I struggled with my relatives at first (now I just roll my eyes me keep it moving) I’m the only type one in a fam full of type 2’s who have made 0 effort to maintain their health and sadly a few of them bragged as much to me. I haven’t had dka (yet hopefully never) but i am here for you!! This site is awesome I am constantly here reading and learning. When I wanna scream at the top of my lungs cuz I feel overwhelmed I post and can honestly say the people here are awesome. They have great advice and are very supportive 
Hi Rebecca! Like Alyssa, I am T1 just shy of 2 yrs, and 59 yrs young! A lot to absorb, a lot to learn-- and when my head is spinning, I come here for questions,answers, and support. Keep learning, and aim for better, not perfect.
I am here for you. I am 59 T1 and have been dealing with this for a little over a year. I do have 2 younger brothers with T1 and they are great support. Hang in there. This site has done so much to help me. Hardly a day goes by that I am not checking it out. Chin up. You can do this.
Hi Rebecca glad you found this place. I've been T1 for almost 18 years and I still struggle with not having anyone in my life that understands what I deal with. When I feel frustrated I talk to a friend or I come here to discuss my feelings. It's funny how just putting things out there can help. It's still hard of course and we all wish we had someone close to us who could completely understand. Just know there are people who get it and feel what you feel and you're not alone. Hang in there ;)
Hang in there! And while this community is great, I wonder if you could find an actual face-to-face support group? I don't speak from experience, I've only met a few people with diabetes in my life, fun and interesting when it happened.
Also, I would strongly recommend doing a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course if it's offered around you and you're open to it, developed for people with chronic conditions, but really a potentially life-changing thing for anyone.
Hey there, sweetie. I'm a T2 for 7 years, but I have a lot of T1 friends, as well as friends who are insulin-dependent T2s. I may not understand the complexities of your daily self-management, but I totally understand the emotional upheaval that comes and goes in waves with our common scourge.....
One suggestion: for a couple years I was TuD's Ambassador for Oregon and arranged several local meet-ups where Portland members of TuD got together for coffee and tea or lunch or once we did a picnic at a lovely local park. If you explore the groups feature here, you might find other TuD folks in your area. I even met up with a couple TuD members 3000 miles away in Mpls when I was back caring for my Mom: Here's the Mpls Meet-up:
And here's the last Portland Meet-up:
These are very supportive and loving gatherings. We always fell right into conversations that felt like we knew each other for years---and yes they included a full spectrum of types.....Stay in touch now!.....Blessings...Judith in Portland
Hi Rebecca
Welcome to our lovely site!
I am glad you found us. i have had D for a little over 10 years, and am here if you need to talk. you can send me a FR and then a message, that way we can communicate privately. the DOC (diabetes online community) is huge, and i am sure you will find the right place for you! may i suggest to you (if you are on facebook):
> https://www.facebook.com/groups/madeulookforacure/ (many young diabetics, awesome place to share and vent)
> https://www.facebook.com/pages/Type-1-Diabetes-Memes/293178187408030?hc_location=timeline (memes about diabetes to laugh about)
and of course there is always the chatroom where many understanding get together, help eachother and laugh together.
hugs, you are not alone!!!
I agree that TuDiabetes is a great place to hang out and connect and I also agree with Judith that meeting people IRL has been very rewarding for me. I was able to survive pretty much on my own diabeteswise from 1984- 2008 but then started hanging out online when I got a pump and wanted to figure out what to do with it. I found Tu in 2009 and have made a lot of amazing connections here. I think I had quite a bit of stress before I found these connections but never really realized it as it wasn't really an option I considered.
thank you everyone for your support, it really helps knowing i'm not the only one dealing with the same things
Hi Rebecca, I fully understand your struggle. I have been type I for 26 years and have been in DKA twice in that time. I spent my youth struggling with high blood sugars and hating my diabetes. Even though I come from a family of diabetics, I still struggled with feeling alone and lost. TuDiabetes is a great site for finding people who can relate to you and everyone here feels free to talk about diabetes and share advice and experience. If you would like to send me a friend request, we can chat privately. I am here for you. :)
Whats going on?
Forced to watch someone else's "pet" is a very different creature than owning it yourself. Which diabetic "ghosty" is whispering the loudest in your ear?