Interviewing Those with Diabetes
The next part of my diabetes series is going to be interviews. I have interviewed family and friends who either have, knows, or lives with someone who has diabetes. I hope that these interviews will show you, the reader, that you are not alone and that you will hopefully not give up on yourself just because you have been diagnosed with diabetes. I also hope that it reaches my readers who knows someone or lives with someone with diabetes and can take comfort that they too are not alone. I hope that these interviews give you strength to keep pushing forward whether you have diabetes or if know someone with diabetes and wish to help them keep moving forward.
Let’s jump into the interviews. The first several interviews will be of those living with diabetes. The next set will be from those who know or live with those with diabetes. My hope to continue to post more interviews on this subject in the future.
For privacy reasons, I will not be writing anyone’s name throughout my posts. I will only be using the first initial of their name during the interview. I am also interviewing those in America as well as other countries so the lingo may be different than what you are used to.
First Interview: Name: J., Gender: male, Location: UK
- What type of diabetes were you diagnose with?
J: I am Type 1
2. Did you suffer from any symptoms before being diagnosed with diabetes?
J: I lost about two stone in a month and was peeing constantly. Also had an unquenchable thirst for about two years prior to my diagnosis.
(For those who may not understand, two stone is talking about weight here.)
3. When were you diagnosed?
J: I was diagnosed in 2007 or 8.
4. How did your doctor discover you had diabetes?
J: He asked me to pee on a test strip after telling him my symptoms which revealed a massive amount of sugar in my system.
5. What information did your doctor give you about your type of diabetes?
J: None, he told me i looked fine for the moment and he would send me to the hospital in the morning after taking some blood samples. later that day an emergency ambulance turned up at my house and rushed me to hospital, I was shown how to inject myself with insulin using an orange and an insulin pen. given a sugar tester and sent home the following day.
6. What does your diet consist of in order to manage your diabetes?
J: In the beginning, I was told not to eat sugary things like sweets and chocolate but after several years I was taught how to do carb counting and adjust my insulin based on what I eat which gave me a bit of freedom in what I could eat. Now, I’m fully independent and can eat and drink pretty much anything I want.
7. Are you taking any medication to help? And what type?
J: I’m fully insulin dependent now with a closed loop insulin pump called a Meditronic insulin pump which delivers insulin at a constant rate according to my current sugar levels.
8. How has this affected your mental health?
J: It’s ruined my life in all honestly so it’s had a very negative effect on my mental health.
9. Have you had to change a lot in your life in order to manage your diabetes?
J: See above answer.
10. How has having diabetes affected your overall lifestyle?
J: Again see above answer.
11. Have you tried any consumer products in order to help manage your diabetes? What are they? Have they helped?
J: No, I haven’t, the NHS decides what products I take to manage my diabetes.
12. Have you ever heard of VIANA Stevia before I mentioned it in a previous blog?
J: I’ve not heard of it before. Thankfully I don’t need to worry about using normal sugar anymore.
13. Would you be willing to try it instead of granulated sugar in your diet? Why or Why not?
J: See above answers. And no thank you.
I want to take the time to thank J for doing this interview with me. I truly appreciate him taking the time out of his day to answer the questions for my blog. I also want to thank you, the reader, for reading this interview. If you are interested in learning more about Type 1 Diabetes, here is the link to my other blog that has more information and links to help you better understand it.
To read up more about the other diabetes, Type 2 and Gestational, here are links to my blogs that provides more information as well a links to websites I learned these topics from.
To read more about VIANA Stevia, a great sugar substitute, please click on the link below to be redirected to my blog on the subject.
Here is a link to buy the product for yourself to give it a try. Help ween yourself from real sugars to stop diabetes in its tracks by using a healthier substitute called VIANA Stevia.
