Diabetes CAN Be a Pain in the Arse. But Only If You Let It!
On the 23rd December 2003, at the age of 14, I was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes. I remember the trip to the doctors as if it was yesterday. My Nana had paid close attention to my symptoms (drinking lots of water, going to the toilet a lot more and feeling very tired) for a week or so, she was already certain that I was suffering with Diabetes and pushed me to go to the doctors. I’ll never forget how scary it felt with all of the uncertainty and all I could think about was having to inject this huge needle into myself everyday, like some kind of legal junkie and it scared the shit out of me!
2016 marks my 13th year as a diabetic and I’m pleased to say that the visions the 14 year old me created back in 2003 weren’t true. I would be lying if I said that my trip through life as a diabetic has been a smooth ride, the reality is that it has been bumpy as hell, because I let it get the better of me! I’m 27 years old now and I don’t think the diabetes penny dropped until the age of 24 when my daughter became a part of my life. This was the big switch from “trying to be normal” to becoming a Father and focusing on the future.
Being diagnosed with diabetes can be very scary and daunting. If you’re newly diagnosed and reading this article then please know that it does get easier overtime and although the changes you make can be huge, they will give you a much better quality of life! This article outlines things that I have tried to improve my control and what the effects of bad control can have on the body.
What is Diabetes?
Let’s start with the basics. What the feck is it?
According to the Diabetes UK website:
Diabetes is a condition where the amount of glucose in your blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly.
This is because your pancreas doesn’t produce any insulin, or not enough insulin, to help glucose enter your body’s cells — or the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance).
So what can go wrong?
You may have heard that diabetes can lead to some serious complications. The general rule of thumb with diabetics, based on what I have read and heard, is that anything a non diabetic can suffer from then a diabetic will feel it twice as hard. Take gum disease, for example, dentists are pushing to ensure diabetics have a high standard of oral hygiene and good control because gum disease can be twice as bad for diabetics with poor control. On that basis diabetics need to ensure they maintain a stable level of glucose within their blood stream and this is accomplished by regular blood tests, a healthy balanced diet and the injecting of insulin.
To name a few, here are some of the long term complications usually caused by poor control in diabetes:
- Retinopathy — damage to the retina of the eye. Blood vessels in the back of the eye become swollen and start hemorrhaging which results in scar tissue growing in the back of the eye. All of this contributes to damage to your retina. Top Tip #1: If you aren’t attending annual retinal screenings then START!
- Neuropathy — damage to nerves throughout the body. One the most common complications associated with diabetics is the damage of nerves in the foot, which usually results in amputation of part or all of the foot. Top Tip #2: As part of retinal screenings you should also get a foot examination or visit a chiropodist annually.
- Heart Disease — damage to the large blood vessels in the body. Constant high blood sugar levels can be a contribution to heart disease, but diabetics are also at risk of high cholesterol and high blood pressure which can also contribute to heart disease. It is therefore important to maintain a healthy balanced diet and avoid foods high in cholesterol, speak to your doctor if you have any concerns around nutrition and they may refer you to a Dietician.
That’s the scary stuff out of the way. The GOOD NEWS is that the chances of these complications affecting you can be avoided with strong blood sugar control.
How Can I Improve My Control?
I could spend a week writing out all of the different things that can be done to improve your control in detail. So here is a brief summary of some things you can do to take control of this monster we call diabetes! Note: I can’t stress this enough, if you ever have any questions about your diabetes then do not hold back and speak to your GP or Consultant, it is their job to help you! Don’t always rely on online resources, they are useful for some things but not everything!
- Test Your Bloods! — I bet I sound like your parents! But yes, as irritating as they can be with the dreaded blood test it is so important that you check your bloods regularly. Testing allows us to understand how much Insulin we need to take, whether a correction dosage is required, whether you are hypo and most importantly if your current regime needs a visit or not! Try to test at least four times a day (prior to each meal) if you can. I guarantee this simple change (if you aren’t testing regularly) will help you try to understand the cause of your high blood sugars.
- Attend Regular Clinic Appointments — Another simple yet effective point. If you visit a consultant at the hospital then please continue to see them at least twice a year. It’s very important. Some GP’s offer an annual diabetes review. My personal opinion? Avoid them and get yourself referred to a Diabetic Clinic at hospital if you can. My experiences with GP reviews have been rather stale. The hospital clinics supply you with your blood monitor, therefore they have the kit available to extract data and produce graphs to aid you with discussion points and calculating insulin amounts. I could be wrong, but I feel like the GP review is a plea to complete more reviews, thus resulting in greater funding for the practice. This is my opinion and I am digressing…so…moving on!
- Exercise! — If you are finding that you are struggling to keep your blood sugar levels stable then regular exercise can also help with this. A few years ago (before switching to insulin pump therapy) I went through a phase of running frequently. I found that because I was exercising more than I had previously then my insulin levels had to drop quite significantly as I was experiencing more hypos. This is because exercise increases the amount of glucose that your body uses to generate energy, therefore reducing the need for the high insulin rate. It is also an awesome way to keep fit, and lose weight (especially if you eat a lot of carbohydrates without exercise — insulin is a fat storing hormone, if you have a high carb diet and you don’t burn off the energy then your body requires more insulin. More insulin + no exercise = more body fat).
- Avoid Alcohol (Or reduce if you drink lots!) — This is easier said than done, it’s also a massive kick in the teeth especially if you enjoy a drink, like I do. Now, at this point you might be complaining and cursing the screen, but trust me, alcohol adds so many new complications to your life. If you are newly diagnosed then I would avoid the booze until you understand your body and how it reacts to diabetes. Once you have got the bearings then I would consult with your Doctor, it’s important to have a plan in place especially if you are drinking as part of a night out. I will write more about alcohol with diabetes in the future, it’s an article in itself, but if you are newly diagnosed then please please please — stay away from it for now!
- Count Your Carbs — If you already do this then that’s awesome, but I’ll be honest I wasn’t properly introduced to Carb Counting until four or five years ago, so I imagine there are a few old schools out there who are new to this term. The principle behind carb counting is to base your insulin amount on the number of carbohydrates on your plate. As I am typing this I’m already thinking that this point is yet again another article in itself, but to get started, take a look at the useful resources at the bottom of this article and then consult your Consultant or Dietician.
- Got the Opportunity for the Insulin Pump? Take It! — Another huge discussion point here, so expect another article later down the line. But yes, the insulin pump is THE ONE! I use this machine it connects to my blood monitor via bluetooth so I can send test results to it, meaning it can work out my correction dosage (if required) automagically! It is also programmed with the carb to unit ratios worked out by the guys at the clinic, this means that all I have to do is count some carbs, input the figure and watch the magic happen. Seriously, if you’re given the opportunity to use this machine then take it!
- Don’t Let It Get To You! — Another one that is easier said than done. But yes, we all have shitty days with diabetes. We all go through phases where our bloods remain high or days full of hypos. We have also all been through the “I can’t be arsed to test my bloods or put a needle in me” motion or “I counted these carbs right but I am still HIGH!?!?!”. However, it’s important to rise above this mentality because it is that mentality that will throw you off focus and throw your control off balance. Just take a step back, think about how you can adjust things where necessary and try to remain positive! It has also been proven that stress can result in a shift in blood sugars meaning that your sugar levels can spike when feeling stressed out. So if you’re bloods are already high, then getting yourself worked up isn’t the best way out!
Summary
I appreciate that some of this information may seem daunting, especially to someone who is new to diabetes. But the important thing is to take these first steps one at a time and to remain positive. It does get easier and I think it’s important for people with diabetes to share their experiences with others. This enables people to relate to one another and understand that it’s not as shit as it can be.
Take note of some of the points made in this article and discuss them with your GP or Consultant if needs be. Small changes can have a huge impact on your life, especially if you have had diabetes for a while and are struggling to keep your sugar levels stable.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, feel free to comment or raise discussions on any of the points highlighted in this post!
Carb Counting Resources
