Thread by @JamesRi81958925

1/15
Time for another #thursdaythread 🧵

In collaboration with the brill @diabetes_chat

This week is all about #diabetes diagnosis.

A moment that I personally will remember forever.

#diabeteschat #gbdoc

2/15
Do you remember the date when you or your family member were diagnosed with #diabetes?

Or as I call it 'D-day'.

3/15
Mine was 4008 days ago on 12th February 2012 🗓️

My blood glucose level was 30.6mmol/L🩸

I had my glucose measured in accident and emergency🏥

But the events that led to that moment was not smooth.

Where were you or your family member diagnosed with #diabetes?

4/15
A few weeks before my D-day I started to experience symptoms. I call them the '4T's +'.

The 4T's are some of the main symptoms to suspect of #t1d:
- Toilet🚽
- Thirst🥤
- Tired 🥱
- Thinner⚖️

Let's take a look at each.

5/15
Toilet = increased urination🚽

Bedwetting 🛏️ and urinating during the night🌛 are key signs to also look out for.

6/15
Thirst - being really thirsty but unable to quench it🥤

This symptom I found most challenging to cope with.

My tongue felt as dry as the desert🏜️

It was horrible, drinking lots but still feeling thirsty😭

7/15
Tired - feeling more tired😴

I did notice that I wasn't able to run as much and yawned a lot more🥱

It was very hard to concentrate on things and I felt irritable😡

8/15
Thinner - losing weight / looking thinner

This was probably my least impactful symptom. Other people did mention of me looking a little thinner in the face 🫤

9/15
So they are the 4T's. But I did put a '+' at the end. This is my way of saying that I experienced a few more symptoms than just the 4T's.

I experienced genital thrush and blurred vision 🥸

When my vision started to become affected I then went to see a doctor🥼

10/15
I explained my symptoms and said that 'I think it might be diabetes'.

The doctor then said ''don't worry James you haven't got #diabetes, you are probably just stressed''.

They didn't do a finger prick test🩸
They ordered a fasting blood test for a few days time.

11/15
They also advised me to go to the local sexual health clinic due to my genital thrush and go to my opticians to have my eyes checked.

I did both and the clinic said that I only had thrush. My opticians saw a change in my eyesight and ordered a new pair of glasses 👓

12/15
After seeing the doctor, and with a few days to go until my fasting glucose test I had had enough😡

I couldn't bare coping with the symptoms any longer.

On Sunday 12th February 2012, I got myself assessed at the local hospital🏥

13/15
My first glucose check at the hospital was in the 30's.

I did indeed have #diabetes

I thankfully wasn't in Diabetic Ketoacidosis. But I did need to be on an intravenous insulin infusion for the first day.

14/15
The day after I was seen by a hospital Diabetes Specialist Nurse who gave me essential education👩‍⚕️

I was discharged home a few hours later 🏠

15/15
My diagnosis experience is one I will never forget.

It is the reason why I am a diabetes educator and diabetes specialist nurse today👨‍⚕️

To improve knowledge and confidence to other healthcare professionals.
&
Give the best care and support possible to other #PWD👍