Amie Plunkett was 11 or 12 years old when she first noticed the symptoms of anxiety, but the cause was very unexpected.
One woman has talked about the anxiety she has suffered as a result of fighting diabetes since she was little.
Amie Plunkett, 26, of Newcastle, NSW, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was only 15 months old.
Until the age of 10, he had to have four injections each day before his main source of medication became an insulin pump.
But then, when he reached early adolescence, his diagnosis began to cause him anxiety.
“I was very aware of the weight and worried about what my body was like,” Amie told news.com.au. “I was worried about gaining weight because people with diabetes, and especially type 1 diabetes, have trouble losing weight and that was always on my mind.”
She was also constantly worried about having episodes of hypoglycemia, that is, when the blood sugar level is too low and when it is severe, it can lead to adjustment and become unconscious.
“I used to run high, that is, either I wouldn’t be given insulin to eat or I wouldn’t be given the full dose, to avoid having a hypo hypoglycemia and not having to eat extra carbs or sugars because my big fear was having to eat more food than my daily intake “.
He added that there was also stigma when it came to having diabetes.
Amie, a registered nurse, said many confuse type 1 and type 2 diabetes and constantly ask her about the foods she consumes or why she is not overweight.
“I find it condescending, but I just rule it out,” he said.
Her mother often told her a story about how, when she tried to enroll Amie in daycare, the facility refused because of her diabetes.
“Mom said they were very scared, like they just didn’t want to know,” Amie said.
“So the mother, who is a legend, offered to talk and educate the staff. She said that if at the end of their talk they were still not comfortable, she would understand.
“After their talk, they accepted me.”
Amie said she only had a horrible episode of hypoglycemia when she was younger and luckily she got the attention she needed.
Now that he’s big, he can recognize when a hypo episode appears.
“If you ask my partner, Braeden, he’ll say I get irritable,” Amie joked.
“He’ll ask me if I need a box of juice, and indeed eight out of 10 times I’ll take a low test.”
Other symptoms include becoming sticky, brain fog, dizziness, and generally feeling weak.
Amie has to think about things because of her condition, such as when she fills out job applications she has to consider whether she can meet the obligations or whether allowances like food breaks will be allowed.
With going to the gym, you need to check your glucose levels and never leave home without juice or jelly beans.
Amie is not the only one who has suffered from stigma, depression or anxiety due to her diagnosis of diabetes.
A study by the Australian Center for Behavioral Research in Diabetes (ACBRD) found that four out of five people with diabetes have suffered from some form of stigma and that having diabetes doubles the risk of developing depression.
This has inspired National Diabetes Awareness Week, held July 10-16, to focus on the stigma caused by the disease.
At the same time, Blooms The Chemist has announced that people with diabetes or at risk can take advantage of free blood glucose control.
Claire Ross, a pharmacist and diabetes expert at Blooms The Chemist, said: “With 1.4 million people in Australia living with diabetes, it’s important that people at higher risk control their blood glucose levels. that this test will not confirm if you have diabetes, a high blood glucose reading may indicate that there may be a problem.
“It’s important to actively participate in your own healthcare and partner with a trusted healthcare professional to make sure the right diabetes management plan is in place to optimize your chance to live life to the fullest without that is overwhelming. “
Amie thinks the initiative is amazing. “Some chemists even offer diabetes education for both type 1 and type 2,” he said.
“I think this will really help prevent hospital admissions and make people feel worse or suffer more illnesses as a result of living with uncontrolled diabetes.”
For those suffering from anxiety as Amie did, she recommends using trusted support networks for help.