Post Time: 2025-07-26
My Type One Diabetes Diagnosis Story: A Journey You're Not Alone In 🧃💉 #diabetes #t1d
The day I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) was a day that changed everything. It wasn't just a doctor's visit; it was a turning point, a moment that reshaped how I understood my body and its limitations, but also its incredible resilience. Before the diagnosis, I was just living life – working, hanging out with friends, and tackling daily challenges without a second thought to my internal systems. That is, until things started to shift, seemingly overnight.
The symptoms didn’t appear as one big dramatic event but rather as a gradual accumulation of small signals. I felt incredibly thirsty all the time, often waking up in the middle of the night craving water. This was accompanied by an unusual need to visit the bathroom constantly, far more frequently than what was normal. At first, I thought it was perhaps a minor bug or that I was simply dehydrated, but it became too persistent to ignore. This fatigue was unlike anything I had previously experienced. It was a heavy, draining kind of tired that no amount of sleep seemed to shake off, making simple daily tasks feel monumental. The strange part is that, despite all of this, I was hungry. Like, really hungry. I could eat and feel ravenous again an hour later. Yet, despite eating quite a bit, I was losing weight, a lot of it, fast, despite a normal diet. That is where the concern started. It was this cluster of changes in my body that was enough for me to realize that something was not right, and a doctor's visit was overdue.
My journey began with a standard check-up, just to see what was happening with my persistent fatigue. After explaining the constellation of thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, and extreme hunger to my doctor, she recommended an initial blood test. The blood test is a standard blood panel but is particularly focused on blood sugar levels. What I learned was shocking. My blood glucose was so high that the doctor was concerned it was dangerous and she recommended a hospital stay to better monitor my levels and make a diagnosis. It was only then, did the reality of the severity of my symptoms hit me and what could possibly be wrong.
My Initial Symptoms Summary:
| Symptom | Description |
|---|---|
| Excessive Thirst | Constantly feeling thirsty, drinking large amounts of fluids |
| Frequent Urination | Need to urinate often, including multiple times throughout the night |
| Unexplained Weight Loss | Losing weight rapidly without dieting |
| Extreme Fatigue | Feeling tired and drained even with sufficient rest |
| Increased Appetite | Feeling hungry all the time despite regular meals and recent eating |
The diagnosis was Type 1 Diabetes, an autoimmune condition in which my body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. This meant I could no longer produce insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.
Life Post-Diagnosis: A New Normal
Following the confirmation of the Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis, my life changed rather suddenly. There was an initial period of information overload, an influx of learning what T1D was, how to manage it, and, most importantly, how to live with it. The medical team was fantastic, walking me through the critical aspects of T1D management such as how to inject insulin, use a glucometer to check my blood sugar levels, and the importance of diet and exercise.
This wasn't just a matter of taking medications; it was a complete lifestyle shift. Before this, meals were enjoyed without much thought; now they required precision. Every meal became an exercise in careful calculation, counting carbohydrates, considering fiber, and making sure I took the correct dose of insulin to balance my blood sugar level. I now had to think about what to eat, what was in it, and how to counteract that food in order to avoid severe hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
My day became a series of routines aimed at keeping my blood sugar levels within a safe range: checking my glucose levels multiple times per day using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), adjusting insulin doses based on those readings, and constantly monitoring how I felt and managing all the daily triggers that could cause fluctuations. Physical activity, too, had to be managed, planned, and thought about before it was engaged in. While exercise was still healthy and needed to stay in my routine, I could not go to the gym without preparing a plan first and always ensuring that I had extra blood sugar checking devices on hand in case things took an odd turn.
The mental load of this routine is a part that sometimes can be hard for others to understand, because this disease affects all aspects of one's life. Not just meals, exercise, or routines, but travel, emotions, special occasions – you always have to think ahead to ensure you stay well.
Key Aspects of Daily T1D Management
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Insulin Therapy | Multiple daily injections (MDI) of insulin or using an insulin pump to deliver precise doses. |
| Blood Glucose Monitoring | Regularly checking blood sugar levels using a blood glucose meter or continuous glucose monitor (CGM). |
| Carbohydrate Counting | Measuring and accounting for carbohydrates in meals to adjust insulin doses appropriately. |
| Diet and Nutrition | Making informed dietary choices to maintain stable blood sugar levels. |
| Regular Exercise | Maintaining regular physical activity while monitoring blood glucose changes. |
| Emotional Management | Handling the psychological impacts of living with a chronic disease. |
Sharing My Story and Spreading Awareness
I decided to document and share my journey online for several important reasons. Firstly, it's a therapeutic outlet. Writing and talking about my struggles, small wins, and the daily realities of living with Type 1 Diabetes can often help lift the burdens I experience. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, is to raise awareness. Many people do not fully understand what Type 1 Diabetes is or how it is different from Type 2 Diabetes. By sharing my experience, I want to spread the message that this is an autoimmune disease that needs consistent management and doesn't just happen because of one's eating habits or activity levels. I am advocating to try and clear the many misconceptions out there about T1D to create more of an understanding for all of those diagnosed and their families.
Another powerful reason to go public was the desire to connect with others. Having the community has made a large impact on my own journey by not feeling like I am alone in these struggles. This condition can often feel quite isolating, and I hope others going through similar experiences know they are not. Whether someone is newly diagnosed or has been living with T1D for years, knowing you are not the only one dealing with these changes and challenges can make such a profound impact and make it all feel more manageable. By sharing my story, I hope to offer support and information to those who are recently diagnosed with the condition. I’m not a doctor but have experience and can answer questions from another person living with the condition. In addition, I hope that those that see my journey and are not diagnosed can see and understand the complexities and challenges of T1D to gain more perspective and consideration.
I will be putting up a video on my page to share in greater detail about my experience; I invite you to follow me and come and check it out if you'd like to know more about what I experience! Thank you for reading my story, and hopefully, you can understand how this small, yet life-changing condition impacts so many lives. Let's continue to spread awareness and support for everyone touched by Type 1 Diabetes. Remember, you're not alone!
Even though I prepare wild-caught salmon weekly for my family, how long does soda raise blood sugar I still take Nordic Naturals Pro-Omega 2000 every day *it’s avail in my dispensary in my bio And the research I’m referring to can be found at PMID: 29538286 💜 #bloodsugarhack #bloodglucosemanagement blood sugar of 30 #bloodsugarhacks ___________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for more? Sign up to be a part of our community (and get ONLY things I talk about over email!) sent out a few times a month: Find me: Instagram: Pinterest: ----------------------------------------------------------------- *This content is strictly the opinion of Dr. Francesca LeBlanc, and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician. All viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. LeBlanc nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. why does black coffee raise blood sugar All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.