Lewis was diagnosed age four and initially used insulin pens but they were not helping to achieve good control. He started using an insulin pump when he was six years old. He now has good control and feels that since his diagnosis, he has got all the support and help he needs from his Mum and Dad we learn from each other's mistakes and we sort of help each other. He describes it as team work'. The family feels that learning about diabetes management is an ongoing process. Lewis, his family and the diabetes specialists have worked together to help Lewis control his diabetes and provide a safe space where he can talk about feelings and emotions. Lewis wants to become a mentor and help others.

When first diagnosed he was on Mixtard insulin twice daily and the long acting insulin Lantus. Now he has changed to Novorapid three times daily and Levemir. He has well control diabetes and his last HbA1c test result was 7.7. Recently he has had a series of hypos all happening in the morning that he attributes to the end of school and being more active during the day. In general, his experiences of hypos have mostly been isolated events. His diet hasn't changed much since diagnosis but he eats at regular set times. When first diagnosed he found it difficult to start doing his insulin injections. It took him several weeks before he was confident enough to do the injections himself.

There is a thirty to forty per-cent chance that an identical twin will develop type 1 diabetes. Both brothers were diagnosed within 3 months of each other in 1996. The first to be diagnosed did experience symptoms but the other twin found out he had type 1 diabetes following urine & blood tests. Their great-grandmother had type 1 diabetes. Insulin regime' rapid-acting analogue (Humalog) using prefilled pen three times a day and long-acting analogue (Lantus) in the evening. Now they are attending the young persons diabetes clinic & are seen by the consultant on a one-to-one basis rather than together as they were when children. Both brothers appreciate their individual consultations.

Since diagnosis he has always done his own injections. For several years he injected insulin twice a day at breakfast and with his evening meal. At the age of sixteen his diabetes care team suggested he change to the Basal Bolus Scheme. He was reluctant to change at first because it would involve injecting at lunchtime and at school. In retrospect says that it wasn't much of a problem and that the new regimen is better because it is flexible and offers much independence.

He used to take Insulatard twice daily but now is on NovoRapid three times a day and Lantus in the evenings. His mother used to do his insulin injections until he was eleven years old, but he decided to learn to do them himself. Says he got lots of support from his mother, father, and the diabetes care team. He found that when he went on 'a super diet' he was going low all the time. Says that he has always been aware of the grim consequences of poor diabetes control but that as he grows older that understanding also influences the practice.

Insulin injections turned out to be less of a problem than he originally anticipated. He does not mind injecting at all. He is on Lantus and NovoRapid and says that he likes the flexibility of his new insulin regime. Says that the secret is to be patient, to learn how to control diabetes and then to live life normally. The information given by doctors, nurses and dieticians has really helped him to maintain good diabetes control.

Diagnosed in 2000 and initially his insulin regimen consisted of Lantus and NovoRapid. He found it difficult to manage his diabetes and his blood sugar levels fluctuated a lot between high and low. In retrospect says that he would have benefited from more one-to-one advice and guidance from a diabetes nurse or other specialist. He now has an Insulin Pump and says that his control has improved substantially. For him, managing diabetes well comes down to experience and having the necessary support and information.

He has an injection of NovoRapid with his breakfast, lunch and dinner and one injection of Insulatard in the evening. Last year he had problems in managing his diabetes. He was experiencing many hypos and felt awful and unable to do his surfing. He reduced his insulin dosage and while he was avoiding hypos he started to experience highs (hyperglycaemia). He says that his diabetes has been more difficult to control since becoming a teenager because of all the hormones and other changes. His attitude now is that despite all the problems you have to keep fighting at controlling your diabetes in order to live a normal and healthier life. Says that he knows about the consequences of poor control and does not want to end up blind or plugged into a dialysis machine.

When he was first diagnosed he was on Novomix 30 in the morning and Mixtard 20 in the evening. Initially he hated injections but has become used to the routine of doing them. He has found that he is less likely to forget his insulin injections if he does them before a meal rather than after. Doctors changed his insulin regime to Lantus and NovoRapid but he did not like the new regime and asked to be moved back to the original one. He prefers a daily routine of set mealtimes and snacks and two injections rather than having to inject every time he eats. He stopped smoking soon after he was diagnosed.

He has been on several insulin regimens: Humalog, ActRapid, Insulatard and NovoRapid. Around the age of fourteen, while on Insulatard he started to experience problems with controlling his diabetes. He began to have high blood sugar levels and felt sad and frustrated about it and was compensating by eating chocolate. Six months ago he went to see a new consultant who decided to change his insulin regimen. The consultant explained that Insulatard was not the best choice for him because it is for