Diabetes Symptoms and Study Abroad

[Minerva473]

I'm a 22 year-old female and I think I might have diabetes.  I went to the eye doctor last week after having noticed my distance vision suddenly went down.  He suggested there was a chance I might have diabetes, and that I should check it out just in case.  When I got home I was curious so I looked up the other symptoms, and realized I had a few of them: increased urination for the past two months and increased irritability.  I also lost 10 pounds late last year (around November or December) -- at the time I thought it was a result of the stress from writing my thesis, but I haven't managed to gain them back.  

In any case, I'm seeing a doctor next week to discuss and probably get tests done.  But this is coming a month before I leave for London (from the USA) for a year-long master's program.  Since I will be a full-time student I will have full access to health care, but I wonder if I should put off the trip for a year if I am diagnosed with diabetes.  Would it be better to be home while I learn to manage it?  Or would I be okay if I went next month as planned?

[JDRF-Team-LRS]

Minerva,
We are volunteers here and not medical professionals, so do discuss your question with your doctor this week.  

It is important for all diabetics to be followed by an endocrinologist, who specializes in the treatment of folsk with diseases like diabetes.  If your appointment next week is with a general physician and if your diagnosis comes back positive, do get a referral to an endo.

Listen carefully to the advice from your doctor.  Careful monitoring is important and you are right that a LOT of learning must happen.  If you will have a good support system in London the picture would be different from being "all alone" with no one to help you with inevitable bumps and scary moments.  Again, discuss this with your doctors.

You seem to be a very mature young woman and it's wonderful to hear you already thinking ahead to what will be best for you.  Getting a diagnosis of a chronic illness takes some getting used to.  That adjustment can be eased when we're surrounded by family & friends.  Docs will often focus on the physical demands and the routines of diabetes; be sure to explore the emotional support issues, too.

I have had Type 1 for over 35 years.  I was diabetic for some of HS, all of college, and all of grad school.  I've travelled the world, am happily married, am a college professor and an active community volunteer.  My point, Minerva, is that if you discover that "now" is not the right time to study in London, that's simply a decision about "now" ... That type of opportunity and more is well within your grasp once you're adjusted to the changing nature of diabetes (if you even have it).

What a good eye doctor you have!  Work with your regular doctor and endo to figure out a good course of action for the coming year.

[JDRF-Team-cb]

These are just my thoughts, I am not a doctor, but have had diabetes for 25 years.  First of all, you have not been diagnosed yet-but good that you are going in for testing-a blood test will let you know if you do have diabetes. The sooner the better. When you get the information you will probably be in a better position to make your decision.  

You sound like you are a go-getter-don't let diabetes stop you from anything.  You will have to make adjustments with your diet-learn new ways to manage your diabetes etc.  But just because you have diabetes doesn't mean your life should stop.  And,if you do have it, you will always have diabetes and always have to manage it.  I would suggest making yourself as knowledgeable as possible with diabetes.  This forum is a good way to get more info and ask questions-you can access it from anywhere you have access to the internet.  Before you go, if that is what will work for you, talk to a dietician-make good contacts with people you can ask advice from-doctor, dietician, nurse, diabetes manager.  Have your doctor write you a letter informing of your diabetes.(airports, new doctors, your school or dorm)  Make sure you understand what diabetes is and what you need to handle it.  You are a student, sounds like a good one, act like you are going to school to learn about diabetes.

[Minerva473]

Thank you for your encouraging words.  It means a lot to have someone out there listening.  As you said, depending on what the doctor and tests tell me I will figure things out, but yeah, if at all possible I definitely don't want to put my studies off.

[Minerva473]

Thanks again for your help.  As you can imagine I'm pretty scared right now.  I wish I could stop worrying about this until I knew more, but as I'm sure you know it's difficult, especially when I have all of these symptoms.  It is really good to be reminded that having diabetes wouldn't be the end of the world, and nor would changing my plans.

[JDRF Team SGG]

You can have a very normal life with diabetes... don't stress over it. If this is the problem, you can take the adjustment one step at a time. Many of us who are women have married, had wonderful careers, had multiple children, and don't find that being a type 1 diabetic slows us down at all. Keep your chin up!!!

[JDRF Volunteer CDB]

Hi Minerva,
My daughter was diagnosed with type 1 just three weeks before her big graduation-from-grade-school camping trip: two weeks in the wilds of Arizona and Canyon de Chelly, out of range of cell phones, riding horses and visiting Indian reservations. Not many doctors would let a newly diagnosed 14-year-old go on that trip, but her doctor, and my husband and me, felt it was important to help this scared girl see that she would be able to have a fun, normal life. Because she was still in the very early stages and required a daily check-in with the medical team about blood-sugar levels and insulin doses, we had to rent a very expensive satellite phone, and we had to create a meal plan and send food;  we will forever be indebted to the teacher who agreed to be the point person for all this.

For my husband and me it was nerve-wracking in the extreme. But it was the best decision we ever made. She went on the trip, had a spectacular time, got wonderful support from her friends, and was able to forget about the disease in between shots. She came home ready and able to deal with diabetes and has been in excellent health (with no "rebellious phase") for the last two and a half years.

My point is.... with technology and treatment the way it is today, you can do what you want to do. You're obviously smart, and you're going to London, not Antartica. If you're more comfortable keeping in touch with a doc in the States, a weekly call-in by cell phone is no big deal. I'm sure you can find a good endocrinologist in London for exams. I believe England has better health insurance than we do, anyway!

Good luck with this process. If it is type 1 diabetes, just remember, you still have a great life ahead of you, and you'll still be able to do it all.