Samantha Walsh has lived with type 1 diabetes for over five years since 2017. After her T1D diagnosis, she was eager to give back to the diabetes community. She is the Community and Partner Manager for T1D Exchange and helps to manage the Online Community and recruit for the T1D Exchange Registry. Prior to T1D Exchange, Samantha fundraised at Joslin Diabetes Center. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelors degree in sociology and early childhood education.
I didn’t have any symptoms of T1D, but stayed in the hospital two days to make sure I was using the correct amount of insulin, when they figured out it was not type 2 after about two months of using the wrong medication. Epilepsy and Hashimoto’s were already present.
In the hospital? Heck, I went to work the next day. 1977. I don’t remember what my glucose level was, and may have never been told. I know it was high, but life just kept going on. No hospital stay.
I only went to the hospital to have a glucose tolerance test. After they saw what my fasting blood sugar was, they said my doctor had all he needed for his diagnosis.
The only time I’ve been to the hospital related to my diabetes since then, before CGM days, was when my husband couldn’t wake me up in the night when he knew it was extremely low blood sugar. I didn’t stay very long at the hospital but I sure didn’t get a good night’s sleep when I finally got home in the wee hours of the morning! ( Never again! )
Back in the dark ages of type 1 care you were in the hospital for a couple weeks as it was the only
Place to check your blood sugar as they tried to get you regulated with insulins. I was in 2 weeks and about every couple years I’d be in when I hit teenage years. Upside as you had a lot of training and your poor parents got a break.
Ditto about the stressed out parents and grandparents getting a break and an opportunity for everyone involved getting some much needed problem solving training!
When I was dx’ed in 1956 hospital stay was 4 days. When Mt son was dx’ed in 1987 his stay was two days, when his daughter was dx’ed in 2020 she was not hospitalized.
Dx as an adult and never in the hospital. A answer choice for never-in-the-hospital would be useful. For most adult onset, plus with so much more awareness of T1 symptoms, and the availability of pre-screening options for antibodies hospitalization for new onset T1 will be less common.
this was in 1962. I never even got near a hospital. A few days after the blood test, my parents and I had a chat in the doctor’s office. My mother was a trained RN and knew how to give shots. All in all, she was better informed about diabetes than the family GP.
Three weeks from December 26, 1962 to Jan 14, 1963. Originally it was supposed to be for 10 days, however they put me in a room with another young girl who did not have diabetes, but had pneumonia. Consequently I developed a nasty respiratory infection from exposure to whatever she had and they kept me in hospital for preventive observation.
In 1982 I was in the hospital a week. My brother diagnosed in 1972 was in for awhile (1 was only 2 at the time) but in DKA coma, then obtained a hernia and needed surgery, then last but not least developed chickenpox before being discharged home and giving them to me. My oldest niece was in for 2 or 3 days; just long enough to get her sugar under control and her Mom to learn everything, that was in 2004.
I worked in a medical center at the time and was diagnosed by a diabetic colleague using his own blood glucose meter after I complained to him about rapidly worsening eyesight and unrelenting hunger and thirst. He walked me directly down to the endo clinic when my BG was too high to measure. Thanks to my colleague catching it before I progressed to DKA, I never had to be hospitalized. I was encouraged to stop by the clinic every day on my way in to work where they checked my BG. They confirmed I had Type 1 and started me on insulin injections a few days after metformin had no effect.
Because I had a family member with T1, when I started having symptoms, I knew I, too, had T1 (my 4th autoimmune disease) and never went to a hospital. I went straight to an endocrinologist who got me in quickly with my 350-400 blood sugar levels.
I was in the hospital for a month – between Thanksgiving and released Christmas Eve.
The hospital was more than an hour away from home and I have 2 siblings. I was on my own for most of the day. My Mom came as often as possible, but my Dad’s job would not allow him to visit. All grandparents who were alive at the time were too far away to visit.
I stayed in a private hospital for a few days (don’t actually remember the exact number) and then, since I was in the USAF at the time, was transferred to a military hospital, where I remained for about a month. I am not sure why I was retained for that long. I’ve always thought it was due to paperwork issues, I was in the USAF and in a Naval hospital. Also the hospital was in California and I was assigned to a base in North Carolina.
Mis-Dx’d with T2D (back when the names were juvenile/adult onset and I guess they only used the age criteria) with a few weeks I was found by a neighbor in a coma from DKA. Hence the correct Dx. I was in a coma for at least 8 days. Once I had the correct Dx, I was an inpatient for 5 days or so.
I was in dka when diagnosed and was let out after one week. I had to come back for diabetes training every morning for another 7 days
I didn’t have any symptoms of T1D, but stayed in the hospital two days to make sure I was using the correct amount of insulin, when they figured out it was not type 2 after about two months of using the wrong medication. Epilepsy and Hashimoto’s were already present.
In the hospital? Heck, I went to work the next day. 1977. I don’t remember what my glucose level was, and may have never been told. I know it was high, but life just kept going on. No hospital stay.
This was 1972. I was in a coma for a few days until they figured it was T1D.
Caught early. With routine labs. Never in the hospital
I only went to the hospital to have a glucose tolerance test. After they saw what my fasting blood sugar was, they said my doctor had all he needed for his diagnosis.
The only time I’ve been to the hospital related to my diabetes since then, before CGM days, was when my husband couldn’t wake me up in the night when he knew it was extremely low blood sugar. I didn’t stay very long at the hospital but I sure didn’t get a good night’s sleep when I finally got home in the wee hours of the morning! ( Never again! )
I was not in DKA at diagnosis. I was admitted to the hospital over the weekend to start insulin and be trained to take care of myself (T1D bootcamp).
It was so many years ago 57 years I don’t remember
Back in the dark ages of type 1 care you were in the hospital for a couple weeks as it was the only
Place to check your blood sugar as they tried to get you regulated with insulins. I was in 2 weeks and about every couple years I’d be in when I hit teenage years. Upside as you had a lot of training and your poor parents got a break.
Ditto about the stressed out parents and grandparents getting a break and an opportunity for everyone involved getting some much needed problem solving training!
When I was dx’ed in 1956 hospital stay was 4 days. When Mt son was dx’ed in 1987 his stay was two days, when his daughter was dx’ed in 2020 she was not hospitalized.
Dx as an adult and never in the hospital. A answer choice for never-in-the-hospital would be useful. For most adult onset, plus with so much more awareness of T1 symptoms, and the availability of pre-screening options for antibodies hospitalization for new onset T1 will be less common.
this was in 1962. I never even got near a hospital. A few days after the blood test, my parents and I had a chat in the doctor’s office. My mother was a trained RN and knew how to give shots. All in all, she was better informed about diabetes than the family GP.
Three weeks from December 26, 1962 to Jan 14, 1963. Originally it was supposed to be for 10 days, however they put me in a room with another young girl who did not have diabetes, but had pneumonia. Consequently I developed a nasty respiratory infection from exposure to whatever she had and they kept me in hospital for preventive observation.
I was diagnosed in 1945. I was six years old and in the hospital for almost a week.
In 1982 I was in the hospital a week. My brother diagnosed in 1972 was in for awhile (1 was only 2 at the time) but in DKA coma, then obtained a hernia and needed surgery, then last but not least developed chickenpox before being discharged home and giving them to me. My oldest niece was in for 2 or 3 days; just long enough to get her sugar under control and her Mom to learn everything, that was in 2004.
I chose 3-4 days but it might have been 5-6. I was DKA and so that time is a bit fuzzy. 🙁
I worked in a medical center at the time and was diagnosed by a diabetic colleague using his own blood glucose meter after I complained to him about rapidly worsening eyesight and unrelenting hunger and thirst. He walked me directly down to the endo clinic when my BG was too high to measure. Thanks to my colleague catching it before I progressed to DKA, I never had to be hospitalized. I was encouraged to stop by the clinic every day on my way in to work where they checked my BG. They confirmed I had Type 1 and started me on insulin injections a few days after metformin had no effect.
Diagnosed by doctor. No hospital at all.
when I was diagnosed it was not a hospital admission but I am a nurse.
I did get DKA 5 yrs later and stayed couple days in 1982
Because I had a family member with T1, when I started having symptoms, I knew I, too, had T1 (my 4th autoimmune disease) and never went to a hospital. I went straight to an endocrinologist who got me in quickly with my 350-400 blood sugar levels.
I said “Other” because I was not admitted to a hospital. 0 days should have been a choice.
Doctors were quite sure ” diabetes” would go away. Hahaha. Idiots!
I was in the hospital for a month – between Thanksgiving and released Christmas Eve.
The hospital was more than an hour away from home and I have 2 siblings. I was on my own for most of the day. My Mom came as often as possible, but my Dad’s job would not allow him to visit. All grandparents who were alive at the time were too far away to visit.
Unable to answer, I was 3. Those who would have known are all now dead
11 days because mom couldn’t get herself to give me insulin injections (I was two) and doctor kept me under hospital arrest until she learned
I was diagnosed with T1D 60 years ago I don’t remember.
I honestly don’t remember how long I was in the hospital. To my 2 year old self, it felt like a lifetime, but I’m not sure how long it actually was.
I personally did not stay in the hospital over night. My oldest son was in CHOP for one week and my youngest son only 2 days.
I was a youngster in 1966. Hospitalized at Yale-New Haven Hospital (pediatric ward).
I stayed in a private hospital for a few days (don’t actually remember the exact number) and then, since I was in the USAF at the time, was transferred to a military hospital, where I remained for about a month. I am not sure why I was retained for that long. I’ve always thought it was due to paperwork issues, I was in the USAF and in a Naval hospital. Also the hospital was in California and I was assigned to a base in North Carolina.
Mis-Dx’d with T2D (back when the names were juvenile/adult onset and I guess they only used the age criteria) with a few weeks I was found by a neighbor in a coma from DKA. Hence the correct Dx. I was in a coma for at least 8 days. Once I had the correct Dx, I was an inpatient for 5 days or so.
I was diagnosed 49 yrs ago at a university clinic. I don’t remember any hospital stay.