Let’s talk about the other side of diabetes when you are first diagnosed
I was diagnosed in 2012, my life changed over night. I will never forget that day. I will back up a bit, I went for routine blood work in September, I got a phone call from the receptionists of my doctors office, Hi Dr —— would like you to come in to go over your bloodwork, I said oh is there something wrong, she said oh it’s probably your cholesterol so we have to make an appointment for you, my appointment was for September 11th, it was about a week away, so of course things go through your mind. September 11 th came went to my appointment my doctor came in the office rather quickly, and said” I’m sorry to say you have Type 2 Diabetes. I was silent my mind went blank, after a few seconds I said what do I eat, not sure where that came from, but that’s what I said, he said stay off all whites, I know I was stunned. I drove to my husbands work and told him. Then came home and phoned my mom and told her, but don’t remember the rest. You see when you get a diagnosis, you’re in shock. I do remember the next day I poured a cup of coffee, and thought can I put the powdered whitner in my coffee it’s white can’t have sugar. This was going through my mind, so I put the whitner in only, it tasted awful. Put it this way I didn’t know what to eat or how to drink my coffee, I muddled my way through this not knowing anything, days went on, I went for walks, still didn’t know what to eat, asked my husband he didn’t know, didn’t know anything so went back to talk to my doctor I was in tears I was so upset, he kind of gave me some ideas. Oh and I forgot to say when he told me I have diabetes, he told me my sugars were 9, and not having any advice on what to eat when I went for my first A1c it was 11, it was a mess because he never gave me any diet to go by. Then I made another appointment and was in tears, I said What do I eat, he gave me a sheet of paper it had about vegetables and fruits I think it was from the Canadian diabetes asssociation, I put it on my fridge. And went by that. But why didn’t he give me this in the first place. As weeks went by I still was nervous told a my sons care giver about my new diagnoses and she said I have diabetes to. Then she went on to tell me about when her sugars went low when she was pregnant with her second child and couldn’t get them to go back up she said they were real low as she’s telling me this I was getting really scared something I didn’t want to hear as a new person with diabetes. So I was freaked out, and still not knowing anything about diabetes and a doctor who didn’t give a rats ass about me, and didn’t even know I needed a glucose meter, he never mentioned that either. So needless to say I was unsure of all this and stressed from the story I heard. Went back to my doctor in tears, I was fustrated and scared, he asked me how I was feeling and I said scared, so he said are you depressed I didn’t know what I was except stressed and scared, he said take these they will make you feel better, he handed me a sample pack of antidepressants called Pristq. Looking back on all this, I wasn’t depressed I was stressed and scared after hearing Ashley’s story about going low. And saying to that diabetes can cause certain cancers, I was so petrified after her telling me all this.
See doctors need to be more informative, and people should not tell a newly diagnosed person horror stories. That stayed in my brain, and then it turned into distress and worry.I will never tell others except the people in my family that I have diabetes, because they continue to tell you all the bad things that have happened to someone they know or a family member. Or they tell you how to manage your diabetes.
The stress of dealing with others who don’t have diabetes and think they can tell you all the bad things is unexceptable. So my diabetes journey has been full of negativity right from the start.
As my journey continued, I was getting overwhelmed more and more and antidepressant didn’t help at all, it just made me groggy, told my doctor this to he told me to suck it up. By this time I had enough and ended up in hospital, with what I call a break down. There so much more to my story over these 12 years you would not believe it.
Going through all this the tears which was grief, and being overwhelmed with what you have to do everyday living with diabetes is not an easy task.
I totally understand what you all go through on a daily bases. And sometimes all you can do is cry. My experience was hell, because of the hands of others who had no empathy no understanding, and just down right nasty, and if you don’t get the proper support right from the beginning you feel very alone and defeated. So I strongly recommend you get good healthy support for all those who are brand new in this journey of living with diabetes. This is a picture of me after losing the weight this is from Christmas 2024. I’m proud of myself and I’m by no means am I perfect diabetic I still struggle in this journey I have good days and not so good days and that’s okay❤️
Hi
. I love this photo. You look terrific! Thanks for sharing it. It's inspiring. Thank you also for sharing your story. I think of your journey often when other people tell us they are struggling with no guidance from their doctors. What your doctor did is inexcusable. He placated your concerns about type 2 diabetes with an antidepressant. I remember you were trying to taper off it. Have you managed to get off it yet?
For those reading this who are also struggling, please ask your doctor for a referral to a diabetes educator or, even better, to a dietician who specializes in diabetes. Most insurance companies cover the visits. Here is a wonderful article about coping with a new diagnosis that might also help: https://type2diabetes.com/living-with-t2d ., I hope someday, you reach a place of peace with your type 2 diabetes, where you are less stressed and more able to more fully enjoy life. Sending lots of gentle hugs your way. - Lori (Team Member) No I have not been off the antidepressant and clonazapam, I tried once and had no sleep, this was the Pristq, then was put on Effexor extended release 75 mg been on this for 8 years, and have the tiredness, I don’t have much faith in doctors. Seems they just don’t want to hear what I have to say in the matter of the side effects and the withdrawl you go through on both medications. I’ve been told to many ways to get off these medications and don’t know which route is safe for me to do. One is a long taper it could take up to 2 years to get off with withdrawl. So I don’t know what to do. And this new doctor said clonazapam you can get dependant on it which my doctor who retired never told me this. So he said your on a low dose I guess to stay on it but I don’t want to stay on it. I’m so tired of the merry go round.
I really wish it was handled better when first diagnosed, by my doctor. I’ve heard of others who have had not so good doctors upon diagnoses through other stories online, Im not the only one. And other things that took place a few years after my diagnosis, we’re not supported either, my mom’s death, and other deaths in the family that were quite overwhelming. There’s no one to really confide in when you’ve had numerous blows of difficult events. Counselling isn’t always the answer unless you have someone who knows a lot about diabetes and the grief you go through after losing so many people, my husband to has diabetes now and is on about 4 medications for it, Im on none by choice talking to so many people who have had awful side effects, I know some don’t get them, but I’m not chancing it.
Especially what I’ve gone through with friggin psych meds that I shouldn’t of been put on in the first place, and your only suppose to be on these drugs for up to a year and clonazapam up to two to 4 weeks and I have been on it for 12 years my old doctor should of told me this. This is sooooo unexceptable and I’m mad.
Hi Tula I certainly can empathise with you as I went through a similar experience, I never got much info when first diagnosed......my first glucose test was 21 and the doctor thought it was a mistake and redid it 4 days later which went up to 24 and was called in urgently whilst I was at work.....I felt really exhausted and spaced out at the time. I was told to take Metformin and insulin immediately and cut out bread and sugar.....not even a slice of quiche.......I was devastated! .......just too scared to eat anything and lost heaps of weight in the process.
I saw him a few days later and told him I got a Glycometer to which he said " why on earth did you do that".....duh, to get my sugar readings! How else does one deal with this new reality?!
I think doctors need to re educate themselves with diabetes by the sounds of
it as they're our first point of call.
A friend of mine also has diabetes and when first diagnosed went through a endocrinologist who put her onto some tablets to remove sugar from her blood via urine before she was put onto insulin.
Well now my blood work is really good but quite honestly I'm not sure where I stand......doctor says I could reduce or even get rid of the insulin injections, but am scared.Hi
. I can see why you are scared given how high your blood sugars were when you were first diagnosed. Have you ever considered a continuous glucose monitor? If you decide to taper off insulin, the CGM could give you peace of mind and, if your blood sugar climbs to high, it could save your life. Since are on insulin, insurance might cover it. Best of all wishes. - Lori (Team Member)
