Beyond ‘I’m a Diabetic,’ Little Common Ground – New York Times
Since I choose to treat my diabetes with a insulin administrated with a pump, I’m in the middle of the two worlds.
I actually fit few of the Type 2 stereotypes, other than weight. However, it has been theorized by my medical team, that the weight is a result of my medical conditions, not the other way around.
I’ve been treated for sleep apnea for over 10 years now, but it was untreated for about twenty years. In the last 5 years before treatment, I was sleeping two to three hours a day. I still have trouble sleeping.
Right now, I’m going through a period of stress — ending up the school year, and have had some problems with sleeping for months, and binge eating the last week. I keep hoping it is over but not yet. The good news is that we only have 3 days with students and one more day after that.
But on to the sterotypes.
I often feel ostracised by the online diabetes committee because it is primarily made up of Type 1 diabetics, even though I was here first. I do have to clarify that there are really two online communities of Type 1 diabetes that I know of. The first is the insulin pumpers and the second is the bloggers.
The insulin pumpers have been the least easy to deal with, and in fact, I recently reduced stress by unsubscribing from the insulin pumpers list.
I understand the frustration the Type 1 group has with Type 2 diabetes. They don’t understand it any better than the non-diabetic community and maybe even less. Many Type 1 were diagnosed as children and don’t remember living any other way.
It is extremely difficult for someone in their 40’s and even later to change their life style. Since Type 2 has such a strong genetic component many of us grew up with grandparents and even parents who have had to deal with diabetic complications.
For example, there was absolutely no understanding of Type 2 diabetes when my grandparents were diagnosed. They were told not to eat sugar and had no tools in which to manage their diabetes. Both of my grandparents died of cardio vascular compliments — in the form of strokes.
My father was diagnosed with diabetes when I was about 20. I know a bit more about how they dealt with him. He chose to try the Pritiken diet, tried to lose weight through exercise, told not to eat sugar and even test strips to test his urine. There were no pills and no meters at that point. He contracted congestive heart failure two years later, and was confined to the house and on oxygen for three years.
Changing my own life style even with all the knowledge we have now is difficult.
I started this post describing my sleep problems — They are the root of my weight problems and some of my stress problems. Right now, I am having difficulty even going to sleep. Once I get there, lately I’m falling asleep well, but I am waking up. Part of the problem is that my CPAP mask get uncomfortable, and part of the problem is GERD sympthoms. I know if I can get a good handle on my GERD sympthoms sleep will be better. I also know that getting a handle on stress will help me actually get to bed.
Because I am tired all the time, I tend to eat more. I know mentally that eating does help me be less sleepy, but I can’t tell my body that. I also tend to make poorer choices when I’m tired. It’s easier to eat food that is preprocessed. I help that by using a good food service, but I still have to deal with “extra” food.
I’ve always been very active, competing in dog sports, I have been competing in dog agility for the last 5 years. I’ve had a regular exercise program for even longer, but I still dread working out. Lately it is even harder since I’ve been experiencing knee pain.
The point of all this? Remember, changing decades of life style habits is difficult, and many of those life style habits contribute to making diabetes worse.
I haven’t even mentioned that the worst sympthom of uncontrolled diabetes is sugar craving, have I?
Don’t worry, I think I’ll spend more time whining these week about being an ostrasized diabetic.