h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thanks for that entry. I've just been diagnosed and have had to go straight into injecting insulin. I was so surprised at how easy it was to inject myself, I had been dreading it, imagining foot long needles and excrutiating pain! In truth, after three injections I feel like a pro. It's so easy and almost completely pain-free.

I'm still on a voyage of discovery, but I think the info in your entry was brilliant as an attempt to make non-diabetics more aware.

G'day. I've been diabetic for 23 years and lead a fairly active life. I'm a keen climber, winter mountaineer, world traveler and motorbike nut. A few hints I've incorporated into my life are: 1) Lucozade tablets don't go hard over time so good to keep spares in your pockets (small plastic seal bags are ideal) for the odd emergency. 2) Cutting blood glucose test strips into 4 means that you only need a very small amount of blood in order to test (does mean that you can't use a meter. 3) Alcohol inhibits the release of glycogen from the liver making any next morning hypo's more severe (other drugs of recreation can also cause problems though nowhere near as serious). 5) Use a Frio cooling pouch to store/carry insulin in warm climes - it's water activated and keeps cool for 5 days to 2 weeks without refrigeration. 6) Join the British Diabetic Association (Now called Diabetes UK), the magazine is a mine of useful information. 7) Excessive exercise can lead me to reduce my insulin by 80%. 10) Lispro insulin acts imediately so there is no need to wait before eating. 11) And finally - play round with your insulin dose, adjust it for differing circumstances/meal sizes and enjoy life (btw - my HbA1 level was 6.8 at the last test so this does work wonders).

Yo! I'm 31years old and have had diabetes for 28 years. The worst thing about it (apart from insulin injections) has to be the endless visits to one kind of doctor or another, and of course premium loading on car insurance policies (although this is improving).

I tend tho eat what I like when I like and alter my insulin intake accordingly.

I now have a healthy hatred of doctors since they'll tell me not to eat something and then a few years later will tell me that I SHOULD be eating it. I don't at times think that they know what they're talking about.

Tally Ho!

G'day Beattie, sounds like you have a good attitude to it all. Doctors - some are good and discuss ideas with you, some try to play it by strict rules. I've been pretty lucky with them over the years. I've always managed to find insurance companies who don't load premiums (there is actually no statistical data suggesting increased claims risk for diabetics). Though with the premiums they charge for bikes these days... *grumbles*
Anyway - keep having fun.