Im so happy to have found this site because I am really at my witts end with my diabetes.Ive had type 1 diabetes for 13 years and my control has never been too wonderful.I am not petrified about complications and am doing everything I can to stabalise my bg.I have 2 major problems.First of all I dont feel well at all when my bg is at a normal level I start to feel weak and really hungry..like a hypo.Secondly I am in my final year of school in Ireland and I have the biggest exam of my life at the end of this year .I know I am smart but my diabetes upsets everything.I cant concentrate when my sugars are high and I still cant concentrate when they are normal .I cry everyday because I know if my diabetes was in control I could achieve so much.I am in contact with my endo who keepts telling me that the feeling will passs but It isnt passing and Im getting depressed about it.Im really happy for all diabetics who lead a normal healthy life but I am also soo envious of them.Please help me if there is anything you can say.
Feeling really down...
Hey Betis!
There's no doubt about it--diabetes can be really, really hard.
I agree with Ginger in that a good support team makes a world of difference. Even if you're not able to switch doctors, finding a diabetes mentor, be it a nurse, diabetes educator, or even better, a responsible friend with diabetes, can be really helpful.
I'm in high school too, and I'm stressed about getting into college, managing my diabetes in a new setting, etc., etc. Even if my blood sugar is rocky or I just did poorly on a test in school, talking to a friend on the phone, going for a walk with my dog, or going shopping with my mum can take my mind off diabetes. I know it's really hard to push yourself outside of your comfort zone--especially when you're working so hard on school stuff--but try to get your mind off diabetes when you're not managing your blood sugar.
In my experience, talking to other people and pursuing my passions makes me a more balanced person--diabetes doesn't have to get in the way.
Welcome to Diabeteens :)
Maggie
Ok, so first I would recommend asking your endo if you can raise your target BG? Some endos work from a textbook number. They want to see you between 100 and 120, but for some that is too low! For example, mine is between 120 and 150! Thats a huge difference! What we found was that working between 100- 120, proved that I had too many lows during a 6 hour window and so with my CDE and my endo, we adjusted the number so I wasn't feeling so low! This has worked much better and I am able to make those numbers work for me. As to whether that ratio works for preventing complications? Well, I can't say for sure, but I will have lived with diabetes for 40 years Easter of 2010! And guess what, I have no complications.
You need to find what works for you body! Textbook numbers aren't the answer, they are a "mean" which means some will be higher and some maybe lower, and the good news is that doesn't make you less perfect than anyone else living with diabetes!
Feel free to give us more info to help! Obviously we are all here for you, willing and eager to support you!
PS, Ireland is one of my favorite place to visit! Where do you live? And I have back stage passes to U2, next week! That's the price you pay for being.. older! 
Thanks so much for your reply!I live in Dublin and the endo I see is supposed to be the best the country has to offer!The majority of his patients are leading healthy normal lives.I eat really healthy...no junk at all eat 3 sensible meals a day and snack on fruit when Im hungry in between meals.I even cut down on my fruit intake as I was afraid it was causing high bg.I have to admitt I dont exercise accept for a genlte stroll!Im studying at the moment and spend lots of my time sitting down.There are 3 main reasons why I dont exercise...1.Im terrified of hypoglycemia 2.I dont feel like I have the energy. 4.Im a bit lazy,but if exercising will help me Ill loose the laziness.Another reason is I dont feel well at normal levels.Im so afraid about my future..how will I survive?
Okay, Betis, first off, take a deep breath!
You will survive this.
Diabetes is challenging, every day. When our blood sugars are fluctuating we lose our energy, our ability to concentrate, we just want to take a nap! No wonder you are tired and not interested in exercising. Blood sugars that are up and down all the time will do that.
1. Are you checking often enough? I hate having low blood sugars too, so I keep mine between 100 to 200 for the most part, because I am really really active! Many of us are. I am a competitive powerlifter. Bloggers Maggie & Anna are both awesome avid runners! Ann Bartlett from up above teaches yoga and she's a runner.
You can incorporate exercise. but you have to plan for it! For example, I always check my blood sugar before I start to exercise. If I'm going to be weight training, I want my blood sugar to be around 150 before I start. If it's down near 100, that's okay, sometimes I might pop a glucose tab. But I know that weightlifting tends to increase my blood sugar so I don't worry as much.
If I was going to go for a really long walk or jog or anything cardio like that, I would make sure to have 40 grams of carbohyrates beforehand, or if I'm having a meal like lunch right before, I will just cut back on my insulin by 3 to 4 units.
This works for me. I only know this because I kept track and I studied myself, because I was tired of chasing my blood sugar and tired of guessing all the time.
So my first advice would be to calm down and start to study yourself! Take notes and check often! If your blood sugar has been high a lot you are going to feel sluggish because all of that glucose is sitting in your blood stream and it isn't getting to your muscles and your brain so it can give you energy!
Do you think you can start taking some careful notes throughout the day?
-Ginger
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The 2nd line is supposed to read I am petrified.sorry.
Hi Betis,
You are in a tough time of your life for sure. Has diabetes and your blood sugar always been this hard for you to manage or has this come up more as you've been in college?
Your doctor is dismissing your feelings, and you clearly are very interested in figuring out how to take better care of yourself. My first suggestion would be to find a new doctor. They work for you. When you are frustrated with something, they should be listening and willing to help you solve the problem.
Can you tell me what your lifestyle is like? Nutrition? Exercise? How often do you test and take your insulin? Have you ever been tested for thyroid disorders that are commonly found in people with Type 1 diabetes?
There are a lot of things to look at here that we can sort through and help you figure out, we just need more data! Like a science experiment!
But no matter what, definitely don't give up on this. Diabetes is a manageable disease once we have enough information, tools and understanding of how our bodies work.
Ginger