10 Things You Didn't Know about Diabetes | Lifestyle

November is National Diabetes Awareness month and so, I'm planning on writing a few themed posts for it. Raising awareness for my chronic illness (I've finally accepted that's what it is) is something I always want to do, but sometimes I feel annoying and embarrassed about it, which is stupid and irrational because I have to live with this condition every minute of every day!

Here's a few things you might not know/realise about diabetes

1. Everything affects my blood sugar levels. EVERYTHING. This is not an understatement. Food, exercise, weather, activity, stress, illness, alcohol, menstruation, sleep, basically everything.

2. Hot baths make my sugars low, which isn't fun when you desperately need sugar and you need to safely climb out the bath without falling because you're a bit wobbly and you can't see straight and you're naked... One of my fears is falling during a bath because of a hypo and being naked and needing medical assistance ffs

3. There are more than 2 types of diabetes.  Type 1, type 2, type 3 and the type pregnant women experience.

4. There's no cure. 

5. I can eat sugar. I can eat chocolate, cake, sweets and all that good stuff, as long as I administrate insulin. I can literally eat everything so PLEASE don't ever ask me whilst I'm eating 'if I can eat that'! 

6. Some diabetics use pens to inject their insulin and some have pumps which attach to your body through a cannula and are set up to administrate insulin automatically. 

7. It can affect my emotional well-being. Depending on whether I'm low or high I experience very different and sometimes extreme emotions, e.g. anger, irritation, sadness and moodiness. 

8. Fortunately in the UK the NHS exists meaning I don't have to pay for my insulin or my diabetes supplies - blood sugar monitor, testing strips, needles, ketone sticks. I have a medical exemption card so when I go to the pharmacy (I go so often I'm friends with one of the women who works there!!!) I get my prescriptions for free. For those in America, diabetics can't always afford their supplies which is honestly, fucking heart-breaking and shouldn't even be allowed because we need insulin to survive. A few days without it could lead to death. 

9. It wasn't my fault I got diabetes. I didn't go anything to cause it. I didn't 'eat too much sugar'. It just happens and it's sad and unfortunate but you gotta deal with it. 

10. For me, I sleep a lot. I'm always napping. Please don't comment on how tired I always am, because I know. I'm always tired because managing diabetes is tiring. I sometimes need to nap to recover from a low blood sugar, it can take a couple of hours for me to feel myself again, the same with a high blood sugar as they make me very lethargic. 

Is there anything you would like to know more about? Because I'm pretty well trained and educated in the world of diabetes and can provide a wealth of information!