'I tried to do the right thing, but nothing worked'

Jess Storey was diagnosed with type 2 when she was 21 but, after almost a decade of struggling with HbA1c levels, she was re-diagnosed with LADA

- ELLIE GRIFFITHS

“When I was 21, I’d been suffering from recurring boils for a few months. I’d have up to 10 at any time on my arms, belly, back, bum… everywhere. I was on every antibiotic, medical body wash, pain killers, anything they could think of, but nothing seemed to get rid of them. Eventually, my doctor suggested I should get tested for diabetes as the boils could be an indication of high BGLs. So off I went to get the glucose test…

“I don’t really remember what happened after that, all I remember is sitting in the medical centre for what felt like forever - getting my blood taken, drinking this horrible green drink and being told I had type 2.

“I hated my diagnosis. I was young and was out partying and drinking with friends – I didn’t want to worry about taking a tablet every day and changing what I ate and drank. So I ignored it for a little while.

“She’s passed now, but my grandma had type 2 and ended up on insulin later in her life. She was really supportive and would tell me about diabetes and give me tips. The first thing she ever said to me was ‘make sure you wear shoes everywhere. Protect your feet!’ And that’s something that’s stuck in my mind this whole time – despite initially ignoring it.