This is my first time posting here and I’m not quite sure if this kinda thing happens often her or if I’m a one off, but I’m looking for really any help or advice anyone has to offer. I don’t have any other friends with Diabetes.
For a bit of a background, I’m a 22year old male diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, PTSD, Panic Disorder, & Major Depressive disorder. I was diagnosed with diabetes 7 years ago and have never really had any sort of control over it, my mom noticed the symptoms very early and I had a long long honeymoon, which I interpreted at the time as “I don’t REALLY need to take insulin, I won’t die” A couple years in I tried to get a hold of things, but I had no idea where to start. I would just take as much NovoRapid as I though would help. This ultimately resulted in me taking WAY too much insulin at a music festival 4 years ago. I ended up dropping from over 33.3mmol (600mg/dl) 3.7mmol (66mg/dl) in 20 minutes (my open skittles and only source of sugar was confiscated at the entrance of the festival grounds, so I was without any sugar). After testing at 3.7mmol I shortly started to slip in and out of consciousness until I was helped by my then girl friend rushing Emergency Medics to me. This is the event that caused what I now know is ptsd. From that point on I’ve been terrified of low blood sugars, and the idea of them plummeting out of no-where.
This fear festered for 2 years until I started getting heavy ketones regularly, presumably from the fact I would only take tiny doses of insulin. I have spent the last 2 years trying to focus on my mental and physical health & haven’t worked or gone to school in that time. I’ve made some serious strides from where I started, a 16+ A1C to an 9.3, but it’s been a daily struggle of panic attacks at meal times, not wanting to eat, not wanting to exercise, not wanting to sleep for fear of dropping bloodsugars in the night. This panic and Diabetes mash up has made me feel that life like this is impossible, and I won’t ever get to the point of having a job or a family or being independent at all. I feel hopeless and my goal from this post is to maybe hear from others who battle mental illness & diabetes who live a comfortable life, because at this point it just feels impossible.
Im on MDI of NovoRapid & Tresiba, aswell as a Dexcom G6
Thank you for any of your help or stories, you’re all truly heroes for dealing with this disease ❤️
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