Jen's Diabetes Blog - May 2007

8th May 2007

Children with Diabetes - the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Type 1 and your Child

This organisation is focused on Type 1 diabetes and aims its research in a really positive way at discovering the causes and cures for children and young people affected.

We first joined when Alissa was diagnosed as we wanted to know what was happening in kids research and were keen to know how close the researchers were to a "cure".

Trawling the internet for juvenile diabetes, we came across the Research Foundation (JDRF) and signed up to receive their regular magazine - it was one of the best things we did.

Suddenly instead of being filled with doom and gloom, we were reading about some really cutting edge research that was done by committed individuals, targeted at reducing dependence on insulin for children.

Although we find the UK magazine Balance interesting reading, I still find that it can be depressing and that's partly because it tries to encompass the needs of both Type 1 and 2 diabetics - whilst it's probably read and funded mostly by Type 2's.

If you're newly diagnosed, I'd recommend signing up for a years subscription to JDRF, simply to help you feel more positive and focused on what CAN be rather than on what might not. 

Also, if you do regularly give to charity - you might want to consider donating to this cause which can make a positive difference to all diabetics.  Even grandparents might feel that this is worth an annual cheque donation!

1st May 2007

Dreaded Diabetes Complications !

I don't know about you, but I was kind of doing OK with my daughter being diabetic until I heard about complications.

I mean, we'd been all brave about coping with the symptoms of diabetes for weeks and we'd managed to cope in those first few frenetic days at the hospital, shortly after diagnosis, and thought we'd reached a point of coping with it all.

Then "IT" arrived - a popular diabetic magazine that wrote dismally about complications and I could feel my heart sinking into my boots.

However, after I recovered and my heart started beating again - it was time to find out more and get informed - a journey which I'm still on today.

If you're waiting for your hospital consultant to tell you anything - well, our experience is that consultants vary immensely - from those who offer a sharp intake of breath as they open your medical file, to those who smile and are genuinely interested in how you're coping and what they can do to support you.

The Info - What You Need to Know and Why It Matters

The basic news is that there was a BIG STUDY called the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial - known as the DCCT - that showed that better control of your blood glucose levels can dramatically reduce complications such as eye and kidney disease.

That's one of the reasons that insulin pumps are now funded by the National Health Service in England - in order to try and reduce the number of days the average diabetic patient will spend in hospital every year from hypos, hypers and other wicked problems that are associated with diabetes.

If you can prevent days of high blood sugar levels, you can probably reduce your chance of complications.

For type 1 diabetics, it's even more important to get a hold of the info and ask a few relevant questions.  You've been diagnosed far earlier than most type 2 's (typically before the age of 40) and so have longer to live, so your chance of having health complications later in life are far higher than those diagnosed age fifty or sixty.

The statistics make pretty interesting reading - diabetics with good control are up to 40% less likely to suffer from microvascular complications - for you and me, that means problems with your eyes, kidneys or nerves.

This is the reason that your consultant or doctor will be looking so closely at the latest HbA1C result - it not only tells him how you're managing or controlling your diabetes - but if it is too high, he'll want to work with you to help reduce it and improve your chances of good health in the future.

What You Can DO

It can get so complicated wondering just what you should do, that it can be easier to do nothing.

However, here's seven things that you can do to help reduce your chance of complications in the future:-

1. Test regularly - that's at least four times each day
2. Work with your doctor to improve your control - if you don't find them supportive, find a family member or friend who will hold you accountable and be helpful and encouraging
3. Eat more vegetables and pulses
4. Drink green tea - the anti-oxidants can help reduce the damage caused
5. Know what your last HbA1C result was - challenge yourself to equal it next visit
6. Always go for those check ups - however annoying.  A simple eye scan can reveal any damage and help prevent further problems.
7. Know more about your diabetes than you do now - whether it's getting a magazine (the JDF one is great and so positive), joining a support group or finding some great healthy recipes that you enjoy eating.

Don't however let your health rule your life - you can life a full and fulfilling life, not ruled by diabetes, if you will just take some time out to make sure that you're looking after yourself as well as you can.