Hi, my name is Jillian, I've had diabetes for 8 years, and I'm a freshman in college. I've been having a lot of trouble lately keeping my blood sugars under control. I haven't been checking as often as I need to be either. I've been trying to fix it with my mom's help. I go to a new endo on Monday so hopefully she'll be able to help too. Has anyone else had these problems? Thanks all
Hi Jillian, I'm an old mom, not a college student, but the daughter of a good friend of mine found the first year of college really tough that way. Everything is different -- your schedule, the food -- and there are a lot of new demands in addition to keeping on top of your diabetes. It's just an awful lot to juggle at once. So yeah, I think it's pretty common (but still frustrating!) to have a setback in your level of control at first. But it sounds like you're already on the road to figuring things out, so hopefully you'll find next year a lot easier.
Hi Jillian, I'm Jill First, welcome to CWD. You'll find lots of information and support here. I'm not sure what type of insulin regimen you use, but if you aren't on the pump, I would suggest looking into trying it. I finished college a few years ago, but I found that the pump gave me more flexibility during the unpredictable times of college life. Good luck with your new endo!
Hi Jillian! Welcome to CWD! My son's in college too. I know with different foods maybe at college it's difficult knowing carb counts. Sometimes the colleges have the carb counts available online for places to eat on campus or you could ask on site. I remember freshman year my son texting me or calling me to have me check a particular restaurant's entree and carb count online. Not everything was available though so definitely lots of guessing going on which makes it difficult. Hope you find the upcoming endo appointment helpful!
What diabetic DOESN'T have blood sugar problems? I was diagnosed while in college and therefore have nothing to compare it too, but the other diabetics I've met in college have all three told me that their years in college have been rough on the diabetes, and some adults I've met with D have told me that those were rough years. I think that college is: stressful, doesn't lend itself to a consistant daily schedule, rife with drinking and drug use (though yours truly abstains), and unsupportive of anybody who isn't in the most perfect of bodies. I also think that a lot of endocrinologists don't know how to deal with somebody whose schedule fluctuates rapidly, who might pull an all-nighter here and there, sleep fourteen hours the next day, eat all day one day and nothing the next. If you throw drinking into that mix, it's even worse. My endo would like for me to be on a schedule, and I say to him, "I'm a college student. Being consistant with when and how much I eat and sleep would be a radical lifestyle change that I am not going to make." I believe that being flexible with basals, whether on a pump, Lantus or Levemir, is important in dealing with a life that includes days sleeping and days working frantically. I don't think NPH is likely to work for anybody with a highly variable schedule (ie, a college student). Anyways, that's my two cents. You're not alone in struggling through school. Hope your appt goes well.
