[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

I'm not trying to get into an argument here, there is enough of that all over boards but if we go down that path this thread will have to be split into 3 sections, Type 1, Type 2 and General. Why should Type 1 get to keep the main thread?

If there is an acceptance that there is a distinct difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes- which does appear to be the case- perhaps its not an unreasonable question. There are various discussions of particular pertinence to type 1s (such as the postgrad survey in Trinity at the moment as an example)- which are not applicable to type 2s- and similarly there is a new EU funded campaign aimed at type 2s, as opposed to type 1s. Yes- you have a group of people referred to as type 1.5s- actually in an Irish context there are more recent 1.5s diagnosed than there are type 1s- however the advice and support from either type1 and T2 would be applicable (of course keeping in mind the unique nature of how any particular person is affected).

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

I found this forum a great help when I was considered a type 2 and have found it a great help since being considered a type 1. That is my only point. If type 2's want their own forum give it to them but lets not cast them out because they are not the same as us.

Personally I think it would be great to have this as a general thread- and specific threads pertinent to T1s, T2s etc- but thats just my tuppence.

T1 I was diagnosed with it when I was 10 but when I had my oesophagus removed I suffered from dumping syndrome (food can litterally rush through me) which makes life complicated. My insulin intakes are highly variable as a result. I am supposed to eat several times a day but end up eating small high calorie meals. I did have the honeymoon period for a while before all my islets of langerhans gave up and was off insulin for a year after diagnosis. In those days you had to use a syringe and animal insulin to which I had a bad allergic reaction and had to take antihistamines to counter, so I was always tired in school as they did not have the next generation of antihistamines then. Having it as a child has coloured my views as i was bullied for drinking diet drinks as "only fat people drink them" and I was not fat, still am not. There is so much ignorance about diabetes. Having said that there are far worse things.

triona1 wrote: »

T1 Actually just saw smccarrick post on glass vials,Now you think your silly for locking your sharps box eurovisionmad.My son is 4 years ty1 so how do you dispose of the insulin in a vial if its been open/used up to the 5-6 week opened date.My son would never go through a full vial and he is on 3 injections a day.Do you just stick it in the sharps box,I'm very careful about what i'd pour down the sink.

Hope that you do not mind me asking but do they still not use the pen for younger people. The pen is great.

My little wifey takes 8 or 9 units of Lantus at night (depending on the GI of her evening carbs) along with between 40 and 60 units of Novorapid during the day (depending on what she eats- which more often than not isn't a hell of a lot!). More novorapid and less lantus means that she has a lot more flexibility over what she eats- but also monitors a lot more closely, as its very very easy to get the dose wrong (particularly as a lot of the packaging and advisory notices for foods are often totally bizarrely wrong).