theawkwarddiabetic-blog

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

Happy #worldrhinoday! We need to keep shouting this, forever. Nobody needs a Rhino horn, except a Rhino. ❤❤ https://www.instagram.com/p/B2tVoR0hbia/?igshid=nivmo576qd2p

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

👌.. A few years ago I made a promise to myself that I would cut all the toxic people out of my life, and stop making an effort with people who didn't make an equal effort for me. My door is always open and my phone is always on, but I will only give the same respect and commitment to our friendship that is shown to me. https://www.instagram.com/p/By7_TbChTTl/?igshid=15g53ct0vsy90

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

☀️ H O L I D A Y ☀️ I posted a few weeks back about going on holiday for the first time with my Omnipod, but I was thinking last night I may just have a break from it for that week. I would have to take with me at least 6 pods and 2 vials of insulin, just in case of pod failures ect. Plus I would already be taking a back up pen, 2 penrefills, needles, my long lasting insulin pens. •Has anyone ever taken a break from their Omnipod? If so how long for? How did you find it? •My biggest question is can I still use my PDM for testing or do I have to use another meter? •What do you do regarding PDM? Turn it off? Does it not scream when it's not connected? •Is this a good idea?! I am seeing the diabetes clinic before I go away anyway so will ask all this but I just feel you guys may have actually experienced it and have actual advice I can think about?! #typeonediabetes #typeone #omnipod #insulinpump #vs #pens #holiday #diabetesquestiontime #help #decisions #pumpbreak #theawkwarddiabetic #typeonecommunity #thisisdiabetes #typeonediabetic https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxg_vSmhBB5/?igshid=mrj3crao1ioc

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

If you can't be bothered to leave the comfort or your own home to watch today's game then you don't have to! Live stream on Facebook starting at 13:50!! @haltonspartans vs @kraidersbafc 💚🏈 (at Halton Stadium) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxXItJWBf5h/?igshid=1ibfu14qf0x5

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

Sun's out, pods out! 😎☀️ Also loving the fact my nails match my pump cover! 💅 In the summer I always wear dresses/skirts. This is the first year I've found some nice loose trousers to wear in the sun! Let's hope this weather stays for a while! 😍 #typeonediabetic #summerwear #Podder #insulinpump #omnipod #wheresyoursite #podcover #HarryPodder #sun #summerisfinallyhere https://www.instagram.com/p/BwehzWABMhQ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1m854le8vmx4r

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

😴😴😴 I can't catch a break today. Does anyone else have these days where they're just constantly high or in my case low all day?! Been snacking on chocolates all day and now I've eaten half an Easter egg and finished off these sweets. I still feel low but I'm going to wait 15 minutes to see where I am. 12 hour shifts + constant lows = exhausted diabetic. https://www.instagram.com/p/BwaYSztB5Jz/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4qtta72n77t1

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

Diabetes Master Post

TYPE 1:

Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease where the body’s immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Type 1 diabetes usually develops in children - it is unsure if it is triggered by external factors such as another illness or puberty. However, it has been proved that type 1 diabetes is genetic, meaning it can run in whole families.

Type 1 diabetes CANNOT be cured, it can only be treated by artificial insulin.

TYPE 2:

Type 2 diabetes usually develops in older people who usually have a bad diet and don’t exercise as much as they should. It develops due to PROLONGED bad diet and it cannot develop by just one slice of cake or bag of sweets. Type 2 diabetes can be controlled by tablets, good diet and exercise. In time, a person with type 2 can stop their medication. If controlled badly, a person with type 2 might have to take daily insulin injections.

CF RELATED DIABETES:

CF related diabetes is neither type 1 nor type 2. CF is cystic fibrosis, a chronic illness that impact many areas of the body. CF patients have a small pancreas that makes it hard to digest food without medication; as well as this, it is relatively common for people with CF to develop diabetes (around 50% develop it).

They are no longer to produce the right amount of insulin you need (like in type 1) but they can also become insulin resistant (like in type 2).

HYPOGLYCEMIA:

Hypoglycemia (or a hypo) is low blood sugar. This is very common for people with diabetes (normally type 1) as artificial insulin can lower blood sugars to dangerously low levels. Symptoms can include; shakiness, tiredness, sweating, headaches, hunger and acting drunk. Hypos can usually be treated by sugar and carbs.

If not treated, a person can pass out from having no sugar in their blood and in some cases it can cause death.

HYPERGLYCEMIA:

Hyperglycemia (or a hyper) is high blood sugar. This is common for people with diabetes and people are always diagnosed with high blood sugar. Symptoms can include; anger, headaches, sweating, lethargy and the feeling of being sick. Hypers are treated by a correction dose of insulin to lower the blood sugars and lots of water to dilute the blood.

If not treated, a person can go into DKA (this is more common in type 1 diabetics). DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) is a condition where the body is starved of nutrition, so it breaks down the body through the use of ketones. DKA, in extreme cases, can cause the blood to turn acidic and can cause veins to shut down as well as some vital organs.

PENS:

A way to control type 1 diabetes is through pen injection. Pen injections require the person to take insulin each time before they eat as well as a set injection in the day for long lasting insulin. Pens hold a vial of insulin that need to be changed each time a vial is used up.

Injection sites need to be rotated around the stomach, arms and legs (and anywhere else that is comfortable). Scar tissue can form if  a site is used too much and it can be painful to inject into. Pens can also be given cool names to make it more personal.

PUMPS:

Pumps act a lot more like a pancreas does in that it can release insulin over a longer period of time to tackle things that are slow release such as pasta. Pumps can be wireless or have tubing, but both types still include vials of insulin (that need to be changed). Pumps also have a higher chance of failing, which means that a person with a pump might need to return back to pen injections if the pump does fail.

Pumps also need to be rotated so that scarring doesn’t occur. Some pumps can also be decorated.

EXERCISE:

Exercise with diabetes needs to be done carefully. Some actions can cause blood sugars to spike which requires an insulin correction dose while others cause blood sugars to drop which requires the person to take a break and to eat.

A person with diabetes should test their sugars before, after and during exercise and they shouldn’t exercise at all with ketones since it can be dangerous.

PERIODS:

Diabetes often effects periods. This means that before a period begins, a person can experience higher sugars which means they might need to accommodate for this. Furthermore, injection sites might become more painful around a period.

DO NOT:

- Suggest ways to ‘treat’ a person’s diabetes through herbs and other remedies - usually this is all wrong and if you suggest it to a person with type 1 then you might get ranted at

- Comment on weight. At all. Weight is personal and a person shouldn’t be judged if they are overweight with diabetes

- Make jokes like ‘I ate so much I’ll get 5 types of diabetes’. It isn’t funny and you’re only adding to the stigma that all diabetics are overweight

- Try and lecture a person with diabetes, they know what they’re doing most of the time

- Bring up people you know with diabetes and follow it up by saying that they died from it. This usually causes unnecessary stress and anxiety

- Ask for any food you see diabetics eating. Food they have has normally been injected for or the right amount of tablets has been taken or it. OR the food they’re eating is to treat a hypo and therefore cannot be taken

Hope this helped a little bit

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

I had my yearly diabetes appointment on the 1st of April (no, it wasn't an April Fools joke.. although them running an hour late was..) Since I was diagnosed until around 3 years ago I was on 2 injections a day, both of Novorapid, and my HBA1C was always amazing. Not sure how, because I was a teenager and ate/drank what ever I wanted but also had a lot of lows. When I was changed to 4 injections (3 of Novorapid and 1 of Levemir) my HBA1C went up to 66! Changing long lasting insulin didn't help and I was still having daily lows so I was offered the pump which I got in Oct 2018. My HBA1C this time was 55. Still not great but going in the right direction! I have a bad habit though of overriding my pump and over treating highs because I just want to come down quicker. Or over treating lows and using it as an excuse to eat loads of chocolate and cakes. I've made a decision to only treat both correctly and not override my pump so I can properly see any patterns in the day. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv2fFoch8xO/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=b94umeshfmr5

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

So, I guess leg sites just aren't for me?! 🤦🏼‍♀️ Last time I had a leg site I ripped it out going down a slide (24 going on 4 😂😂) and kept having hypos. This time, I woke up with the best level I've had in ages in the morning, but then... what went wrong?! I changed quite late last night but as you can see I tested it and it seemed to be ok. In total today I have bolused 15 units to try and get my levels down and the lowest it has got to is 14!!! I've had to come home from work as my eyes were hurting, I had a massive headache and I was starting to feel sick. Just taken another 3 units and I'll just treat what ever happens next as I have no idea if I even got any insulin today or not. Pod changed so fingers crossed they go down soon. In the meantime I'm going to nap because I am exhausted 😴😴 #typeonediabetes #omnipod #pumpproblems #insulinpump #malfunctions #highbloodsugars #nohope #badday #exhausted #thisisdiabetes #diabeteslookslikeme #typeone #diabetic https://www.instagram.com/p/BvhIhlCBhXg/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=20sc8t3m87g7

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

Of course, the day I do my overnight basal rate test is the day my blood sugars behave themselves! 🤦🏼‍♀️ I was hoping to get some answers from doing this as recently I've been waking up 11-15 mmol and really exhausted so I was hoping to see a spike at some point in the night which would explain it. Nope. Pretty perfect levels and steady too. I should be happy about this but it's typical isn't it?! #typeonediabetes #type1 #omnipoduser #omnipodinsulinpump #omnipod #basalratetesting #backgroundinsulin #testing #bloodsugarlevels #diabetes #diabeteslookslikeme #thisisdiabetes #exhausted #typical https://www.instagram.com/p/BvHdLzVBx16/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=102o1uoik7cqv

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

personally I think one of the worst things about having diabetes is that other people just don’t get it

they either don’t understand it and don’t care to understand it. “oh you’re giving yourself a needle okay gross I’ll just turn away.” or they think it’s just some weird sugar disease and they’re ignorant and rude about it. “oh haha all this sugar is gunna give me diabetus!” or maybe they get it but it scares them so they try to control it. “oh my goodness do you need insulin? a granola bar? oh don’t eat that sugar. what’s your blood sugar level at?” or they think they get it but they simplify it and go from there. “yeah it’s just monitoring your bgl and taking insulin. that’s it! all diabetics can live a happy healthy life.”

it’s just so tiring to have to deal with non-diabetics. and it sucks that it’s apparently our responsibility to teach them what diabetes really is

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

I went through my Instagram today, right to the start, and I noticed I take a lot less selfies now. Whether it's because I had more time to do nothing, or I was more vain idk. ...So anyway, here's another selfie! 🤷🏼‍♀️📸 https://www.instagram.com/p/BtycAZdh5jC/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=5dfizneay50r

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

The life of a clumsy diabetic.

So, my Tumblr had a revamp! I joined Tumblr specifically to find blogs from other Type 1 diabetics and to feel like part of a community. I've always been really shy/embarrassed about having diabetes and so I wanted to feel "normal" with people I knew were going through the same struggles. The only things I really post on here are about my diabetes so I thought I may as well change my blog to reflect that.

If anyone ever needs a chat or a diabuddy then I'm here and listening!

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

i lost my job and i am literally begging for help i dont have money for insulin, or food, or anything. i have zero $ i have nothing and i need help to afford my insulin mostly. which is about to cost me 200$ i dont have. if anyone can help, please do, and if you cant, please help me out with a reblog because i need this medication to keep me out of the hospital (which is why i lost my job in the first place, and now have to find a new one before the end of the month so im not homeless)

im so tired and i need help to get through this

becky_l@telus.net is my paypal, and my direct deposit email if youre able to help with donations at all thank you

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

"Diabetes Isn't Even That Bad"

Hey type 1 diabetic here. Let me tell you why the statement above is a load of bullshit.

1. Our bodies are waging war against themselves

2. It takes us longer to heal when we get hurt and it takes us longer to recover from illnesses because our immune system is jacked

3. We could die at any moment without warning

4. Low blood sugars feel like you’re going through drug withdrawals

5. High blood sugars feel like your body is drying out like a fucking raisin

6. Afraid of needles? Well tough titties! We need to prick our fingers 3+ times a day, and either pierce yourself every 3 days for a pump site change or take 4+ injections everyday

7. Our organs are slowly failing

8. We have a high chance of going blind

9. We could lose our feet and legs

10. Insulin is expensive as fuck

11. Testing strips are expensive as fuck

12. The constant highs and lows drain us

13. We can’t just eat food right away. We need need to calculate how many grams of carbohydrates are in our food, test our blood sugar, configure in a correction if need be, dose, and by the time we take our first bite; everyone else have already finished

14. Doctors are expensive as fuck

15. Pumps, Meters, and CGMs are expensive as fuck

16. No one ever takes our illness seriously

17. Having children is VERY risky for lady diabetics

18. The constant fear we have when we go to sleep knowing that we might not ever wake up due to low blood sugars at night

19. The bruises and scars all over our body from YEARS of injections, site changes, and finger pricks

20. How our feet and hands are always freezing due to our poor fucking circulation

So tell me again how our suffering “isn’t that bad”

Make another joke about the worst thing that has probably ever happened to us

Laugh again when you say “All of this food is going to give me di-ah-beet-us”

Just know that you sound like a huge asshole to us actual diabetics.

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

The life of a clumsy diabetic.

Has anyone ever been to a child's soft play centre with an Omnipod?!

I went with my nieces, and my omnipod was on my arm which I was a little concerned about, but more regarding kids being inquisitive and maybe poking it/asking about it. It was all going well until I went in the ball pit! By this point I had completely forgotten about my omnipod. My bloods had been incredible all day, regular testing etc so I was enjoying myself. Then... I very ungracefully attempted to get out of the ball pit. I knocked my pod off which landed in the ball pit! Panic. Not about me, but because it was hidden in this massive ball pit with kids jumping in, and there was a needle sticking up somewhere in there! I didn't want to have to tell a member of staff because they would have needed to empty the ball pit, so I frantically searched and managed to find it. My issue then was I didn't have a new one to change it. I was only 10 minute walk away from home so we just left and my bloods were actually still 5.2 after the stress and walk back! So all was good!

Although me being forgetful and in a blind panic, I just threw my pod in the bin and tried to deactivate it. Well.. of course I forgot that you needed to be near your pod for it to deactivate so after just throwing something in the bin in a play area, I then had to crouch down beside it and use my PDM to try and connect to it through the bin to deactivate it before it started screaming, at which point I'm fairly sure the entire thing would have been evacuated for a bomb scare! 🤦🏼‍♀️

[theawkwarddiabetic-blog]

Happy 2319 everyone!

Only on February 3rd, 2019 (or March 2nd for some other people) are you able to reblog this.