Recently Diagnosed; Frustrated by Increasing Insulin Demands

such a fantastic reply. spot on.

Actually, you have much more important and relevant data readily available literally at your fingertips: data generated by your bg meter. On that note, Iā€™d also suggest you look into getting a CGM.

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i was also diagnosed as an adult, but did have that long honeymoon period. it was in some ways very lucky to have it. i got on tuD right away and learned about eating lowish carb and, well, really, apart from that, i was just basically scared to death of food. i remember getting back from diabetes education at the hospital and actually creeping into my kitchen like it was full of landmines.

my honeymoon gave me a lot of time to experiment and learn and slide into ā€œrealā€ diabetes, where i am now. on the other hand, the extended honeymoon gave me time to worry about how bad things would get, when would it happen, how long would it take, how would i be able to do it? every time i needed to increase my insulin doses, i would be in denial for weeks, not wanting to be ā€œmore diabeticā€, trying to limit my carbs further so i wouldnt have to take more insulin. it was so crazy.

all of those things you are thinking right now, theyve been going on for three months, since diagnosis. those thoughts are going to become less intrusive, youll be able to push them out of your mind for longer periods of time. youll think about them, of course, but youll also think about all of the other, real, better stuff that is going on in your life, and youll get better at being less emotional about the whole thing.

coming out of the honeymoon was a long process and in some ways it was like being diagnosed AGAIN. losing control, little by little, being given a new set of rules every couple of months by a more demanding diabetes monster was very hard psychologically. it did make things easier control-wise and did buy me some time, though.

things get better and more normal. my mother one time, at the beginning, said to me that i would get used to this, that it would soon be like brushing my teeth. i EXPLODED, she just had no idea. but it does start to feel normal. there are still times when i have my insulin pen aimed yet again at my stomach and think, omg, this is so crazy, but way less than at the start.

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My 17-year-old son was recently diagnosed as well - Iā€™m so sorry this has happened for you. Is it possible a higher Lantus dose could help? Certainly NO expert here.

The book ā€œSugar Surfingā€ (by Dr. Stephen Ponder, who is a T1D and endocrinologist himself) came highly recommended in a T1 parents forum. It has been a Godsend in that it demonstrates how to think outside the parameters we left the hospital and initial diabetes education class with. (The ā€œbasicsā€ werenā€™t enough to get us thru his being diagnosed in the middle of varsity basketball season. Intensive athletics are wayyy too complicated.) My husband went to ā€œworkā€ (PUSHY) with the endocrinologist & insurance company, and got my son a Dexcom within 3 weeks of diagnosis. It has been SIGNIFICANT in reining in his BG numbers. We also bought him an AppleWatch, which allows for quick glances at BG numbers in class and thruout the day. Being able to constantly monitor how he is responding to foods, athletics, stressors and illness has already proven invaluable. Plus we all can sleep more peacefully during the night. :wink:

Just remember - one factor thatā€™s likely making your ā€œhoneymoonā€ (who on earth coined this term?) more complex is medical school. Holy smokes! Iā€™d imagine it adds PLENTY of stress to your diabetes equation. Just being a high school student is erratic in terms of schedule. You likely burn the candle at both ends, EVERY single day of the week. Hang in there. You can do this.

Best wishes with everything - hugs from an empathetic mom. xo

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Okay, completely and entirely off topic and I apologize in advance . . . but the fussy English major in me says thank you for using the word ā€œreiningā€ correctly. :wink: :laughing: :sunglasses:

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I imply from what ewe rote that you donā€™t like folk reigning on youā€™re parade when it comes to proper English and grammar. Eye totally understand. I hope you understand what Iā€™m inferring.

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Your English are terrible.

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Well, I can tell you from the perspective of decades dealing with diabetes, you will experience a changing set of demands from the evil-D on an ongoing basis. Your success in living well long-term rides on your ability to change and adapt. Your early challenges simply ready you for a continuing dynamic playing field.

Recognize changes when you see them, analyze, make a plan, act. Itā€™s a simple enough iteration but Iā€™ve been stuck for months in one part or another of that cycle.

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Dr Richard Bernstein is wonderful ! My daughter was diagnosed at 3 sheā€™s 5 now and because of his book her a1c have been 5.6 and under with one setback a month ago which increased her a1c to 6.9 . She required no insulin for a year and a half until january 2017 and is now off again . Iā€™ve emailed him a few times and he responded on his you tube videos . People should check out his videos also on you tube because he answers questions that people sent in

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Agree with what everyone says about comparing, but if it helpsā€“just from what people say around here your experience is not unique either. I was dxā€™d in my 20s as well and it wasnā€™t like ā€œclassic LADAā€ in the sense you describe. Adult onset seems to divide into two groups: more gradual and sudden and acute as you seem to have experienced. Not a scientific study but youā€™ll find plenty of people on either side of that pattern around here. And some in between.

And welcome to TUD!

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When we meet as a family for Thanksgiving and Christmas, itā€™s a family tradition to torture my brother-in-lawā€™s Dad with the improper use of imply and infer, if you can infer what Iā€™m implying.

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Not sure I grasp your inference. Or, as Norm Crosby or someone like him might say, ā€œIā€™ve warned you not to do that. Youā€™re really inference now.ā€

Q. Why him staggering around?
A. Someone implied him with licquor.

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I agree with the CGM suggestionā€“those vibes and beeps when Iā€™m getting out of range or rising/falling too rapidly are really valuable. Iā€™m sure you are busy as a med student, but you are guaranteed to be busier as an intern/resident/fellow, when strict management will be tricky at times. CGM plus an insulin pump might be great tools some day. Good luck!

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One thing you will learn is to be intimately familiar with YOUR diabetes in your body. Knowledge of the disease is good, but you will learn how to manage your diabetes and your life WITH diabetes. 7 1/2 years in Iā€™m still learning. Everyday I step into the laboratory of learning how diabetes affects my body and my life.

Also, I workout hard 5 days a week (spin, run, lift weights) and am also in the best shape of my life. However, that also makes managing my diabetes far more complicated.

I think because of our stereotypes about diabetes we automatically think of the old, fat, lazy, double leg amputee diabetic who doesnā€™t take care of his body (the other stereotype would be the old, dumb, grandmother of your friend). And this automatically creates a fear within us. ā€œIā€™m not going to end up like that.ā€ ā€œThat is not me.ā€ And I will tell you right now just to forget every stereotype you know. Being a medical student doesnā€™t help either. Iā€™m married to a doctor and doctors are just as guilty as furthering these stereotypes as any news media outlet. Even good Endocrinologists see patients everyday. Their job is management- they are problem solvers and so they see a lot of problems. But they donā€™t see us living our lives. They donā€™t come with me to my kids band concerts. They donā€™t celebrate with me when my kids score a soccer goal. They donā€™t go with me on my date nights. They donā€™t see me blowing out my birthday candles and celebrating achievements and successes. The goal is to live your life as fulfilled and amazing as you want it to be WITH diabetes. Being a medical student isnā€™t going to give you much of an edge in the long run. And I say that with ALL respect I have for doctors and the medical profession. I am so grateful for doctors and nurses and modern medicine.

So honestly, I know you are stressed out with this, but you are in the right place. There is a wealth of knowledge here and there are a ton of people with diverse and successful lives who happen to have diabetes too. They know a lot and can encourage and point you in the right direction.

Best Books:
Think Like a Pancreas
Sugar Surfing
Pumping Insulin

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