1 year in and starting to slack

[joelcam]

Hi,

I have been T1 since Aug 09, so just over 1 year.

When I was first diagnosed and given an insulin regime that worked I was happy but a bit anal about being T1. For the first 3 months I recorded every insulin dose / meter reading and meal on a spreadsheet with graphs and flashing red boxes if I went above 7mmol etc!!! Anyway first HbA1C was 5.7%. I then started taking protein shakes and weight training even more than I was but 2nd HbA1c was still very good at 5.8%. During both of these periods I tested my glucose levels 6-8 times a day.

For the last 2 months (since I stopped training as I was a bit ill) I have not bothered training as much, still ate well but had the odd biscuit and even the odd chocolate bar. More worryingly though I have only been checking my levels once or twice a day...whenever I check I am always ok, I just feel like I am slipping a bit and wondered if this has happened to anyone else and if so has it got worse? I think it's because I am no longer terrifie dof losing my sight / legs etc due to managing levels so well.

Also had a glass of cocktail on a works night out on Saturday and my levels went up to 23.5!!! Highest reading I have ever had other than when I was diagnosed on on a drip. Anyone else drunk or eaten anything and had a shock...

JC

 

[moonstone]

Cocktails are absolutely full of sugar - sorry to be the bearer of bad news but you need to inject for them, you might as well eat a Mars bar.... the DAFNE advice on alcohol which contains carbs is to inject half of what you'd inject if it was food (because the alcohol, over time, will eventually make your sugars drop) and they said cocktails have in general got about 30g of carbs in them.

From what I've read here and elsewhere I think the note-taking side of it is something we can all get a bit bored of quite frankly. However I never slack on testing, whether or not I write it down. It's the only way to know I'm safe - I get mad hypos out of nowhere once in a blue moon that hit me like a truck in seconds, and every once in a while I randomly find myself in the low 2s without any idea.... if I were you I'd at least ensure that before every injection, and every time you go to sleep, you test (and before bed, work out when your last shot was before making a decision on whether to eat something to be on the safe side or not). You wouldn't want to inject when you were already low, and you wouldn't want to go to sleep while clearly on the way down. Note-taking provides a lot of information but when things are going well it can feel like a huge time-taker so I don't blame you for letting it go. I do feel a bit ruled by diabetes when I'm writing down every last thing I eat or inject and every blood sugar reading. I do however start writing it all down again when I realise things are changing (ie going low too often or having to correct too often) and I need to reassess my insulin needs. Then it's best to get it all on paper. Don't worry Joelcam, just keep testing though, that's my opinion.

 

[yipster29]

Hi
I've had very similar experience. Diagnosed T1 in Mar 09 and anal about things an understatement!!
Very low carb, lots of exercise, loads of testing!
After a year and 2 HBA1C of 6 and 6.5 I got very relaxed!! Like you the odd choc bar, days of little testing, less exercise and more carbs.

The more carbs and thus more insulin has made me put a few pounds on and I've had a few dizzy spells though still no blood above 13..... which I realise is bad enough!!!

Anyway after 6 weeks or so of that I've shaken myself back to my senses and am back on the straight and narrow, albeit slightly less anal with the odd piece of nimble bread thrown in!!

Last HBA1C was worse at 7 but not awful so I guess I've not done too much long term damage!!

I guess it's something which will always happen at times! we are only human!

 

[Catherine_h]

I have been diagnosed for a year my HBA1C last week was 7.9 is that really bad? I'm not sure?

I know what my problem is I'm terrified of going too low! and struggle to take enough insulin!

I'm trying my best to take one unit to ten carbs but find myself counting the carbs then taking a unit or two less! just in case!

Also, I struggle to go to sleep at night if my blood is not at least 9!

I know I have to be braver! I'm trying!

Any advice would be helpful!

Catherine

 

[yipster29]

HI

I'm only fairly new to this myself too so I'm sure someone more experienced will have something to add but I was very much like that Catherine.

I found dropping a bit at a time rather than trying to do it all at once helped! Then once you've edged down to 8 say and felt OK then go lower after meals. Keep testing so you know you're OK and test lots to see what is happening.

The night time thing I had one hypo over night that made me paranoid but the same there... a bit at a time! I still tend to eat something now if I'm not 7 or above!!

 

[sugar2]

Well, I have been t1 for over 30 years...so can identify where you are coming from. Persoanlly, like has already been said, as long as you test, and your blood sugar stay in the acceptable range for you, you don't HAVE to receord it...although if you notice that you are having erratic blood sugars, then it is always worth doing to see if there is a pattern.

7.9 isn't the worst HbA1c in teh world...I know many drs would be quite happy with that. It is, however, above the goal limits, so you do need to wrk on it. Please be aware, that depending on where youget your care from, some Drs/nurses will not be too concenred at a level of 7.9...as sadly, they will see many readings far higher than that everyday. thsi doesn't mean that you can relax though, as you really should be aiming for 7 ish or below. You will see on teh boards here, that different people have different levels they aim for...me I want to be about 6 to 6.5 (still working at it!)

Another point to note though is not to get too hung up about the odd drift of 0.1 or so. My GP and my diabetes consultant are in differnt PCTs, and both insisist on doing their own blood tests. I had 2 HbA1Cs done on consequtive days...one at 7.1, one at 7.4....so it does seem that there is a certain level of uncertaintity in these things! Aim for as low as you can, without being hypo all teh time..best of luck!

 

[Daver]

Hi,

I'm not quite a year in yet and the constant writing of the test results was not only time consuming but making it more of an issue than I wanted it to be. I can completely see the point of why it needs to be recorded and it makes it so much easier when you're chatting to the doctors about it but was getting me down with it being a constant reminder. I've since invested in the new Contour USB meter which is great as you can plug it into your computer and all the details are there - readings, graphs, hypos, hypers, target ranges. I can highly recommend this. Plus you can print off your results for your check ups (or email it).

As far as drinks are concerned; Jack Daniels sent me sky high when I had a couple (literally - 2 shots with diet lemonade) so wont be having that again!

I hope it all goes ok and, maybe this might help for you too.

Best regards

Dave

 

[yipster29]

Agree with Dave.... contour USB really does the hard work!! I couldn't be doing with writing everything down, far more interesting things to be doing!! The contour usb makes it much easier!

On the spirits front.... I have no issues with vodka or Bacardi with diet mixer!!

Oh... or red wine!!!

 

[Debloubed]

Hi Joelcam, I think what you are saying sounds pretty normal, you are adjusting to having diabetes in your life, sounds like you are doing a grand job with your charts :lol: as for falling off the wagon with chocolate, this is all normal and to be expected, you will learn to count the carbs and adjust your doses the more often you actually do it. Have you been on the DAFNE course or a similar one? Nothing has to be off the menu, the same as a non diabetic, you just have to remember to test before and after injecting.

One thing to remember is if you are only testing once or twice a day, how can you know how much insulin to use? Breakfast, lunch and dinner testing should really become habit, and I don't have to tell you about the safety aspects of testing before you go to sleep and again when you wake up :wink:

And cocktails. The joys of cocktails! a good alternative is to ask them to make you a mixed drink and put it in a cocktail glass. Cocktail menu's tend to be all the spirits then mixed with juices and pulp and sugary stuff! You can never reply on bars or pubs to serve no added sugar juices either which just ups the carbs even more. I ask for a gin and slimline with a slice of lime and in a cocktail glass, or I bolus for the cocktail based on the juices in it (usually around 15-20g carbs).

Keep smiling!!