I am a T1 diabetic. I will be coming up on my 39th anniversary on Oct. 9. It has been one heck of a trek since 1971! I don’t remember being diagnosed but my parents and other family members are always more then willing to share the horror stories with me and anyone else who is willing to listen. It’s okay though, everyone needs to be aware of T1 horror stories because one can never tell when they or someone they love may be diagnosed with this pain in the butt disease.
I decided to blog today because, well, I’m sick of the assumptions people make about T1 diabetes. Everyone needs to know that I do NOT have the same disease your grandmother takes pills for and I did NOT get T1 because I was fat or ate a ton of candy or wasn’t physically active at the age of 2. I have this disease and 3 other Autoimmune diseases (Addison’s Disease, Thyroid Disease, Pernicious Anemia) because I have Polyglandular Autoimmune Syndrome. My body decided to attack itself, over and over again, and the medical and scientific community is still uncertain why exactly this happens.
I have decided that the next time someone, anyone says that their great uncle was a diabetic or I should be okay if I take a pill I’m going to give them the whole low down on what Type 1 diabetes is (I’m not going to get into that now because I’m really here to vent). Type 1 and type 2 are NOT the same disease. If anything, they are distant cousins. Those of us with T1 diabetes MUST take injections of insulin everyday to survive. Insulin is NOT the cure just the treatment. There is NO pill that will help a T1 diabetic control their disease. I actually had someone recently tell me that they had a friend with T1 diabetes who took vitamins and became suddenly cured, BS!!!
My T1 diabetes and all of the other autoimmune disorders I have developed through the years are more then likely caused by genetic susceptibility. Something in my genes has caused this ride. Not me, not my diet, not my parents, not my workout routine, not me eating candy, none of that crap! I was not leading an inactive lifestyle. I have never been a big sweets eater. I was just a little kid, having fun and became ill with a disease that will plague my life until the day I die.
Not preaching, just venting. I know everyone here knows but I just needed to get it out.
Amen sista!
I was diagnosed in 73 so I’ve got 37 years in this fight. Like Alan here your preaching to the converted.
It’s nice to see some old folks still kickin’ it 
—Diabetes, circa 1973
I hear you, Bean. BTW, you don’t look old enough to be having a 39th anniversary.
Thanks Gerri! I’m actually 41. Yikes, it always hurts to see it in writing.
41 is young!
I understand your frustration in my 30 some years with D I was frustrated but not with others. I am now in my 51st year of living with Diabetes and have cooled out…don’t let others cause you stress it’s not worth it. For as long as we have this disease there will always be the uninformed. We can only change ourselves but not others…stay cool.
I am 18 years (in another 2 months) T1. I am amazed to see all the veterans around me. It does give me a lot of hope to live. You guys are the best and i should be taking a lot of inspiration from u guys.
Ameena is feeling much the same as you are but she’s fairly new to D. Her blog came after yours but they are very similar. Sometimes it’s great to just write it out and get it out. We’ve all heard similar if not the same things over the years and I am amazed at how little people in general know but especailly doctors. What drives me nuts, is peole who think they know things but haven’t had updated info and so they just keep preaching the old ways to you who had the disease. When you try to explain how things have improved and changed, they completely give you no credit! L
Ameena’s blog is called “rough night”
G’day,
Hey you have Pernicious Anemia too!
Great to hear from you.
Check out what I have written about myself below.
It seems stressful occassions in my life brought on some sort of response from my body.
What do you think.
I have got on with life in the past, here for a good time not a long time.
But now I seem to be allergic to cold water and my knees are that sore it is limiting my lifestyle.
Hence getting onto the computer.
I understand your frustration with the general public.
One thing these conditions have given me is the strength and ability to organise my life.
I won’t let it stop me do anything.
Somedays are a real fight.
Starting to get a bit tired.
A holiday for me is a week in hospital where someone else do the juggling oranges act.lol.
Talk Soon
Let me say first I am not an internet junkie so only use the computer occasionally.
I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in about 1974, aged around 10 years.
(I had recently emigrated to Australia from the UK and remember the time as very stressful.)
I went onto insulin therapy immediately.
In 1985 I was finally diagnosed with Addisons Disease after a long period of illness. (12 months)
Now on Prednisolone and Fludrocortisone.
(This occured after a death in the family.)
I then was diagnosed with Graves Disease in 1989. (Overactive Thyroid)
After unsuccessful management the gland was treated with Radioactive Iodine and neutralised.
I now have an underactive Thyroid treated with Thyroxine replacement.
(This was the year I was married, get that, lol)
I am not sure how I am supposed to feel, I have had this a while now.
Most days are much the same.
Yes I get very tired and could sleep for many hours.
May I note that my phycological state does slightly effect my BSL.
I have had few complications from the conditions…
I have reasonably brittle diabetes, I test my BSL every 1-2 hrs when awake.
My HA1C is normally around 8 but since taking Lantus this has gone a tad higher.
Had and have continual Carpal Tunnel probs and my knees have disintegrating bones.
Still kicking hard though.
I have a great job, do heaps of travelling and fly my own plane.
My Doctor (Endocrinologist) is very laid back not sure if he is on the money… hope so.
How many other folk have all these problems?
I understand it is called autoimmune polyglandular syndrome / Schmidts Syndrome.
A penny for your thoughts??
Steve