Hi Laney - I’m so glad to see all these supportive voices on here! We all need encouragement sometimes. I was diagnosed while I was in college, and there were nights I felt so sad and so alone in what I was facing. But I wasn’t alone - I had people in my life who refused to let me face this alone - people who came to doctors appointments with me, learned about how to help with my lows, and listened when it just became too much and I needed to let it all out. One thing that helped me a lot was going to a counselor - I was nervous at first, but having someone that was trained to help me get through my roughest spot was one of the best things I did for myself. You aren’t alone, even when you feel lonely in this! Thinking of you 
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You can do it !!!, pray to God for the discipline you need to get this disease under control ! I got it at 14 and am 52 now , I’ve lived a amazing life ! Traveled , raised a family, believe me I never let it slow me down !! Get it under control !!! And you will feel good
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Hi Laney. I’ve been diabetic - Type 1 - since I was three years old, and I understand your frustration. But please hang in there!! The body goes through lots of changes during puberty but things will even out. In the meantime - and I know this is a pain - it might help to keep a diary of what you are eating and doing, dates and times, to help you recognize patterns. Perhaps your body is reacting strongly to certain foods, even if they are “good ones,” and a nurse educator or nutritionist can help you figure out a plan to cover them. Maybe your body responds a certain way due to lack of sleep, or that time of the month for the ladies. Also, you may feel you’re a little old for this, but you might check to see if there are any diabetes camps in your area. You would be surrounded by other teens who are working on learning to manage things just as you are, and may be able to share their tips.
This is an understandably frustrating time, but keep fighting through. I myself have been on insulin for 55 years now. And there are others who have had diabetes even longer than I have and are doing well. There are mothers and fathers, actors, musicians, professional athletes, race car drivers and people in all walks of life who live with and manage the challenges of diabetes every day. Sometimes no matter what we do things don’t seem to go right. But keeping a diary may point to a cause we may not see otherwise.
Be sure to be brutally honest with your diabetes specialist. If you already are, great. But sometimes people aren’t up front so the doctor can’t help them because s/he doesn’t have the whole picture. If you’re not able to reach your doctor some insurances have nurse lines to call, and some have special programs for diabetic patients that may help outside of the doctors office. So hang in there and don’t give up hope. Think about the dreams you have for when you’re older and use those as incentive to keep going. Blessings.
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Hi Laney, You are doing great and seem very put together for even reaching out to a group for advice. I have a 12 year old dx’d at 8 so I read a lot about T1D.
Most kids your age have a hard time meeting A1C targets due to many factors including hormones, growth rate, american diet and forgetfulness (this IS a teen thing and dont beat yourself up over it).
Most kids are not equipped until 25 to better manage things and A1C statistics prove this, google and ask your docs.
My advice is:
Continue reaching out for help, many type 1 teen find reaching out to other teens and young adults with type 1 helps a lot, here at type one nation there are teen groups.
Facebook, Snapchat, etc., also have teen type 1 groups
Technology - embrace it if you can ! Dexcom CGM takes a lot of work away from you and setting alarms when high or low can help remind you. Pumps are smaller and cooler every year so I would try one, but its trial and error.
Do you have access to insurance coverage? I know that is a challenge for many.
Be informed, reading from others with this is so eye opening and you learn a lot of tricks for overcoming obstacles.
You are taking an amazing first step which likely came after a long struggle, keep reaching out, dont give up
Good luck and message back anytime.
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Hi Delaney,
I totally understand your frustrations! I have T1D for 20 years now, and I am very annoyed by it from time to time too. But I also totally agree with JEL2190 Jon, who mentioned that we diabetics are forced to take even better care of ourselves than people who don;t have diabetes. Because I (need to) live such a healthy and structured lifestyle, I found that I am actually capable of doing things now than I never thought were possible before I was diagnosed. I ride 400-500 miles per week on my bicycle! How many non-diabetics do you know who can keep that up for years?
You seem very wise for your age; your choice of words and language is very mature. I am positive that you can handle your diabetes as good as (or even better) than many adults. You are an inspiration!
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I had T1D at 9 in 1955. i got the worst care of my diabetes without measuring glucose until 2001 when I used Free Style glucose tape. I had the worst parents who expects me to die at 18. I am now 72 (1955-2018, 63 years) with no complications at all. There are 30% T1D has only anti-islet antibody. High sugar does not cause any health problem at all to me. I am a forensic toxicologists with four kids from two marriage. If interested, e-mail me at stephensyu@yahoo.com
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Hey there!!
You can do this girl!!! Don’t let this disease win!
You have fought for so long and I know it gets bumpy, but it will pass! God only puts us through what he knows we can handle! So, he obviously thinks you are a rockstar!! I have a little boy who is 2 with T1D, and one thing that helps me is that I flooded my frige with food with 5g of carbs or less!! Just wanted to pop in and say, let’s show this disease who’s boss!! Put a smile on young lady, you can do this!!!
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What to say, YES YOU CAN DO IT!!!
You actually have been taking care of yourself longer than I have!
4 yrs now, but I’m way older than you.
That gives me a different perspective than you, because I’ve lived and seen more stuff than you have!
Look u know this better than me. Diabetes is a pain in the butt to deal with.
Part of this stuff is that it affects your emotions and makes u feel this way. U get depressed and feel like what’s the point I do all this stuff and it only seems to get worse or o great here we go again.
Diabetes made me go blind, a year or so ago I couldn’t have answered your post. I could see well enough to read. Heck I couldn’t see my own face in the mirror.
But here’s the thing I use when it starts to get on your back and pull you down. I am very stubborn and I’m not gonna let this stuff stop me. I’m gonna win one way or another. I have a family that depends on me too! So DAD has to be there.
There are so many things that I have to relearn how to do. It’s not funny. Heck I even had to relearn how to tie my shoes. But I did it and said phooey on you ( to diabetes I mean).
I make it a challenge to learn something every day. Or rather relearn it. It affects my memory a lot, but I found that if I relearn it I know it better than I did before.
My current challenge is to learn to play guitar. I was in the band at school for nearly 17 yrs. granted I played brass instruments, but I did okay. I played in college too! I love music, now I gotta relearn music again. But I’m gonna do it cause it’s not gonna stop me!
It helps me to do this, because I have a reason to fight the bad feelings that creep in. I’m gonna play music again and that’s it!
You just gotta find something that your positive about and focus on that. Oh yeah be prepared to fail at a bunch of little things. But as they say practice makes perfect! Good lord do I practice lots of different things. Like math, reading, remembering stuff, like why’d I go in the bathroom for!!!
It’s part of it ( diabetes) that it affects my mind. It’s my special fight every day. But I’m a gonna get past it. Dr says it’s from sugar coating my nerve endings in the brain. Over time it’ll go away.
But for you just keep on keeping on! That’s the easy part! In the meantime focus on those things that way to many people say you can’t do that your diabetic, my answer is oh yeah! Watch me!
It might take longer or is way harder for me to do, but watch me I did it!
Hope this helps you think of things differently!
Good luck, just remember each time you feel the way you do, do something hard and focus on it and then say you saw me do it didn’t ya. Sometimes the nay sayer is yourself!
Just tell yourself watch me and then go do it!
Charlie
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Hi laney…sorry you are struggling. Its challenging I know for my son is 14 and was diagnosed at age 6. Do you wear an insulin pump and dexacom sensor? This would be helpful. My son wears a dexacom g6 sensor that allows him to view his glucose on his phone alerting him when trending high and low. I am able to view his glucose on my phone too for support…talk with your educator or dr once a week to change doses if needed. My son was frustrated and burned out at age 13 and he attended the children’s hospital teen diabetes group. He found beneficial. Hang in there and you can do this!! Hope this helps.
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