I was just diagnosed this past Sunday after nearly dying from kidoacidosis. (lips went blue couldn’t breath lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks doctor said if I had gone to ER 20 min later I would’ve been dead)I hope I spelt that right I am 16 years old and had a kidney transplant 3 years ago which the anti rejection medication for caused me the get type 1 diabetes. iv been handling my insulin and blood sugar checks without my moms help (I live with just my mom no dad) and I know this is hard on her as well as me and I just need some support. I started back at school today and am graduating this march I’m very stressed and overwhelmed any tips?
Take it slow Sydney. Ask your mom to take some of the responsibilities. I bet she would be glad to take some of the pressure away from you. And stress effects your bloodsugar so try to limit it as much as possible. If you want to talk, message me and I’ll give you my email. Good luck!!
Hi Sydney @SydSyd02, you have been through so much at such a young age and you will have much, much to learn and struggle through. It will never get easy but with time much will become automatic and life will appear more “simple”. I deliberately put that in quotes because it really never becomes truly simples I was in heave acidosis on my 16th birthday - that was in 1957 - and somehow came through and did just about everything I’ve wanted to do, and you can too.
My simple advice right now - I’ll have many more tips for you - is to learn everything you can about diabetes and about how activities, foods and insulin affects YOU - we all are different. Don’t let your mother be completely left out as you learn because you will want someone to bounce a thought or question off when [not if] you get confused. come on here with your frustrations and spare your mother - I for one am here a few times every day and will let you cry on my shoulder; just don’t bruse my old body too much. There are many here who will listen and be of help.
Hey Sydney! I’m Abby; nice to meet you Welcome to TypeOneNation and welcome to the world of T1D! I’m sorry I don’t have time to write a super long reply at the moment (I have three quizzes tomorrow, yay) but I do want to give you a bit of advice.
First–accept the learning curve. You’re definitely going to make mistakes, and the sooner you accept that, the easier it’ll be to learn from it when things go wrong. There are gonna be days when you feel like you’re doing everything right and your blood sugar decides to take a visit to the stratosphere! That’s ok. Make mental (or physical) notes of when things go wrong, and what to do differently the next time. Before I got my CGM, I used to keep a giant notebook of all my blood sugar readings and insulin doses–it sounds a little over-the-top, and maybe it is, but it helps to get a visual idea of the patterns or trends of your bg.
Second–know that it will get easier. It feels impossible right now, and it might feel like that for a while. You’re adapting to a completely new lifestyle. It’s not easy. But you’ll find that counting carbs and measuring insulin doses becomes second-nature before too long. Of course, it will never be perfect–I’ve had T1D for 7 years and I’m still learning more every day–but slowly, it will become a smaller part of your life until you barely even think about it.
And third–you’re not alone! It’s easy to feel that you’re the only one in the world living with T1D. It’s great that you found this website–please please continue to use it for any questions or for those days when you just need to let out some frustration. And if you want to pm me and exchange contact info, I can add you to a group chat with some other T1D Teens! We’re like narwhals–rare and elusive, but if you’re lucky, you can spot us in the wild.
The book Bright Spots and Landmines by Adam Brown is available free in .pdf via diaTribe.org or in print for $6. Well worth it. And what @Dennis said - get to know as much as you can about how it affects your body.
Seek some counseling/guidance if you’re feeling overwhelmed. It’s usually available via your Hospital or endocrinologist can refer you.
Just hang in there. Things do get better. My son was diagnosed at 16 years old too. He’s 22 now and he takes really good care of himself. I still worry about him everyday. It’s always hard just count your carbs and be healthy as you can , you got this .
Get on Instagram. There is a whole community of diabetics willing to listen. Give great advice and support. U can find me there at @thisdiabetic. For health stuff I would be diligent in listening to the dr’s because of the transplant. Saying a prayer for you and sending a big hug !
My son was diagnosed 3 weeks ago, he is 16. The best advice so far is this isn’t a 5k race but a marathon so pace yourself. With school, sports, studying and getting up to check it can be overwhelming!!! He isn’t alone!
@osmrducksWelcome Christina to the JDRF TypeOneNation Forum! I hope that here both you and your son will find information, tips and suggestions that he can use for this very interesting marathon. And, that both of you will continue contributing to information posted here. You may also post frustrations encountered during attempts to manage diabetes.
Yes, it is a “marathon” that can be way more than the customary 26.2 miles and it will be a very scenic route of discovery that he travels - I’ve been enjoying this race for 63 years and on here you will se that several other members make me look like a “newbie”. We learn as we go along thanks to others who willingly share what has been learned.
Hi I was also diagnosed this year a couple days before my 16th birthday In January.
I’m here if u ever want to talk ik it’s been a real struggle for me especially with depression and anxiety.
Welcome to TypeOneNation and welcome to the world of T1D! I’m sorry I don’t have time to write a super long reply at the moment (I have three quizzes tomorrow, yay) but I do want to give you a bit of advice.