heeeey Emily. i was diagnosed wth type 1 one year ago & i was 21 then. i couldnt believe it, eventhough i’m a student nurse and have delt with so many diabetic patients and stuff, but to have it in ur own body is so much different. i even used to go see my doctor almost everyday to have her opinion on my results. my BG didnt get to the 100s untill one month later. it’s normal to have frequent highs and lows in the first period, but later u’ll find it’ll get stable. wat u need to do now is to check ur BG frequently, take ur insulin & meds at the same times everyday, eat same amounts of carbs everyday, and eat at the same times everyday. avoid sugars and fats totally. and dont worry, u’ll get used to it very soon hopefully. it’s just about having you pay more attention to your health.
I got diagnosed at age 20…what a rough age to get diagnosed! Are you seeing an endocrinologist? Honestly, I went to counseling to help me get through the first year, and that really helped a lot. I also tried out some support groups, but none were as effective as coming onto TUDiabetes. 
Hang in there and feel free to message me if you need any help. Don’t be afraid to eat. Just write down your blood sugars before you eat and two hours after you eat. Then, take those numbers to the doctor so that he/she can make adjustments. With that method you’ll eventually see your numbers start to stabilize a bit. Also, I recommend trying to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks at the same time everyday until you get things sorted out. Hang in there…and keep posting when you need help!
Oh Emily, I know exactly how you feel. The first month or so after getting out of the hospital I was afraid to eat, sleep, drive, work, etc… It was like something new and evil attacked me and my life was changed forever. But you know, after getting a good doctor, learning as much as I could about diabetes I felt a lot better. It’s true you know, knowledge is power… this kinda of knowledge has given me the power to stop being afraid and know how to manage my life with Diabetes. People will often say things like “I’m so sorry you have to go through this” I just smile and say “its okay, really… it’s not as bad as it looks”. You’ll get there too. Oh and try not to worry about getting your numbers back to 100’s just yet, it will take time. Focus instead on avoiding anything below 70, on insulin I hate going below 80 because for me it’s an indicator that I need to eat ASAP. I’ll be praying for you and I hope you get a good support network around you too. My Diabetes care team is amazing and Animas is a great company to get my insulin pump through.
~Blessed Diabetic
I largely agree and think I may have been unclear. What I meant to suggest is that people will, generally speaking, not judge you negatively for being diabetic. Some will ask well-meaning questions and will be curious. A very, very, very few will make assumptions or be hostile. Most will just not be that interested. I do think it’s important to have someone you can talk to about having diabetes. My folks are doctors and they are an invaluable source of support and knowledge. My fiancee is incredibly kind, understanding, and is learning quickly about the ins and outs of managing it. Most of my best friends are aware of it and either light-heartedly joke about it or just don’t care at all.
I ordered Think Like a Pancreas on amazon. Should be here in a few days. I can’t wait to read it! I’ve been keeping a list so that every time I think of a question I’ll remember it again at my next appointment. Thanks for the helpful advice!!
The few people I’ve told that I don’t really have close relationships with(acquaintances I know from the dog park or something) don’t seem very interested in the difference from type 2. I was told that I’m too skinny to be diabetic. Really?? OMG A woman I work with started telling me a story about how a little kid was in the hospital because of his diabetes and his father had abandoned him and his mother was going to now because of his disease. Does that seem like a story a newly diagnosed diabetic wants to hear? I’m very curious about what goes on in peoples heads. What experiences have you guys had with awkward stories and conversations?
Sometimes I wish that Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes had completely different names, so people would understand that there are fundamental differences, and so they wouldn’t confuse the two.
But then, I suppose we wouldn’t all be united under this common social networking platform!
Welcome to the T1 club, Emily!
It’s a shock, no doubt. It sounds like you’ve got your insulin to carb ratio figured out. I think 1 unit for 15 carbs is pretty common around here. You also need to figure out how much a unit of insulin will drop your blood glucose so you can safely bring high bg down. Think Like A Pancreas will help with all of this including how long to expect insulin to last in your body. I have found that a 30/30/30/10 rule works for me which means 30% of an insulin shot metabolizes in each of the first 3 hours and then it tails off to 10% in the 4th hour. If you find a rule of thumb that works for you, then you will know whether or not to take a correction dose for high bg. Don’t worry about any of this now if you are not ready for it.
The food labels required by law in the US are very helpful. Just remember to subtract the fiber from the total carbohydrates. You were brave to eat out at Applebees. To this day, one of my biggest challenges is being willing to try new foods and eat out without having a solid carb count to rely on.
Wow! Good for you getting up in their grill! I would be totally disrespectful to anyone I heard say anything like that.
Hey Emily,
I am 19 and was diagnosed Feb.15, 2011 and everything will get better with time. I felt the same way when i got out of the hospital it took a week before a doctor could even squeeze me in. just do not do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing. I went into the bathroom the first few times I was out but once i got comfortable with my new lifestyle and the people i was with i just started injecting at the table or wherever im at and yes sometimes i get looks but it is amazing how many other diabetics are out there that you will meet and can talk to just by doing normal everyday diabetic things. best of luck with everything!
Stephanie
Baby girl (I can call you that because I’m 63!), I’m sure you’re still in a state of shock. A new diagnosis can’t be anything OTHER than overwhelming. I cried for days when I was diagnosed.
You just have to take it one day at a time. And remember that you are on the very beginning of a long road, and if your first steps are faltering, at least you’re taking them. It takes a lot of learning and a lot of time, and Type 1 is NEVER easy. But on the other hand, there are many people who are successfully living with it, and you can find a good group of them right here.
For right now, the goal isn’t perfect BGs – it’s just to stay alive while you start the learning process. You have a ton of reading and studying to do, and in your current emotional state, that is very hard to do. So take it a little at a time, and ask as many questions as come into your mind. There are some VERY bright people here who can answer your questions better than the docs and dietitians can, and with lots of experience, so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
And remember, you WILL adjust to this catastrophe, and you WILL learn how to deal with it, and things WILL get easier. Please have patience with yourself. You’re surrounded by friends.
Usually in that case, I’ll just present evidence to the contrary without going on the attack. I let them make themselves look foolish on their own. Good job setting someone straight!