A tad confused.

[kandiekane87]

I am a serious diabetes.co.uk forum stalker but have finally bucked up the courage to post. I'll start with a bit of history about myself I have had diabetes for almost my whole life had high birth sugars but wasn't followed up either due to a lack of knowledge or no family history (it was over 27yrs ago) was diagnosed when in acute DKA that resulted in a a coma for 3 days at age 2 after my mum had tried to get the doctors to take her concerns took serious for over a year I went bald, swollen stomach, and really thin my mum said I looked like a horror character but no one would listen. Anyway enough about the beginning my question I have never had hypo awareness Dr seems to think as it was diagnosed too late too much damage was done I have a son of 18months so I test at least 10 times a day I hypo frequently but it's not caused by the amount of insulin I take it is directly linked to my emotional state if I am stressed it will either drop to 1.2(old measure not sure of new rates) or sky rocket to 19. But my question: since having my son I have been having vivid dreams/nightmares usual parental stresses and they are messing my sugar up horrendously. My partner is a teacher so needs to be up bright and early and I am waking him with hallucinations and it's causing stress to us both he's tired and I'm waking feeling hungover. Does anyone else experience this I think to ask if it was normal is a bit silly as I've never done things normal especially when it comes to the diabetes. Questions are welcome I just need to know if anyone else has my troubles with emotions and blood levels.
Thanks.

 

[Clivethedrive]

Hi kandykane , sorry to hear about your distressing situation, may I ask are you or have you been assessed by a psychologist if not you need to go to your doctor and get referred to a psychologist . Well done for posting here , please keep in touch

 

[nancyb]

Maybe it is the low blood sugar causing the nightmares, not the nightmares causing the messed up blood sugar. My daughter used to have night-terrors due to low blood sugar.
I think you need to get some proper help with your diet and insulin to get yourself into a better state of balance. If you can't get that help from your doctor/diabetic nurse, then you will need to get help from people on this site, and they will help if you keep posting your questions.
Regarding your stress, some of that may have come about because of your swinging blood sugars, not the other way round. Having an 18 month old child is stressful too. I would try to find some strategies to ensure a good night's sleep as a priority. Lack of sleep messes up everything, including our thoughts! (I know, I've been there!)
Keep posting

 

[Andy12345]

hi, welcome

although I'm afraid i can't help with your questions, i just wanted to say hi and well done for taking the plunge and talking to us, best of luck with everything

 

[Tweetypie]

Are you taking any medication, vitaimins or supplements that may be effecting you? I have to be very careful when trying new things because they have a very profound effect on my mind and sleep.
Ones I have had problems with are:
Amytriptyline (major reaction)
Co enzyme q 10
inositol
Antihistimenes
possibly Alpha lipoic acid

Certain foods can also do it, for example shellfish. I am o.k with prawns but lobster effected me (this was the one and only time i ever tried lobster, too expensive and didn't like it anyway). Cheese?

 

[Charles Robin]

Hi Kandie Kane, welcome to the forum, congratulations on deciding to post .
Wow, your diagnosis was practically the same as mine. I'm guessing the 87 in your username is the year you were born? If so, we are the same age. I was diagnosed at three and a half, after doctors continually missing the signs. Same as you, slipping in and out of a coma was what it took. Just out of interest, what area of the country are you from? I grew up in Essex. It would be interesting to know if it was the same all over the country, or if you were left undiagnosed in a nearby location.
Regarding swinging blood sugars, have you tried keeping a log of what you are eating/injecting? My sugars used to be all over the place too, but by monitoring things closely, I managed to drastically improve my control. I also decided to start eating a low carbohydrate diet at the beginning of this year, and I have never, ever been happier or healthier. I get few hypos, and I have not seen a result in the teens for at least nine months. It sounds drastic, but it really is a fantastic way of eating. My suggestion is to at least look into it. My iPad is being stupid and not letting me copy the link to a video at the moment. Go to YouTube, and search for Dr Troy Stapleton. He is an Australian doctor with type 1 diabetes, and he eats low carb himself. The video you want has a picture of different foods in the description.
Best of luck, and keep posting about your progress.

 

[noblehead]

The vivid dreams could be you going hypo in your sleep, set your alarm and test your bg levels for a few night to see what's going on with your bg levels.

As for your bg levels in general, perhaps a pump might be a better option for you if you've lost your hypo awareness symptoms, has your Consultant discussed this with you, if you've not been on a carb counting course such as DAFNE then take a look at the following which is an on-line version of the course:

http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

 

[kandiekane87]

Thanks for all the speedy replies! I am from the west of Scotland so weather and diabetes care givers are not the best in my area. Psychological wise I doubt a psychologist would be able to help with the terrors of an almost 2 year old and an ability to touch everything my Christmas tree is bald at the bottom with him! I have neuropathy due to a number of reason but the main one being puberty and no knowledge of sick day insulin so yet another coma 3 days before my twelfth birthday woke up unable to move now left with muscle waste and lack of strength on right side walk with a crutch but don't let it hold me back too much. I still use the old rules of exchanges and everything is calculated to make sure I am running nice and smooth between 4.4 and 5.0. Dairy seems to mess up my sugars so limit tea and also sweet sauces in foods. I never have over 200 carbs a day. My hba1c was 5.4/37 lower than it was when I was pregnant. I take dihydrocoedien (spelling?) and a birth control pill I can't even attempt to spell. I went to bed last night 8.4 a bit higher than usual but I was feeling a rough after wrapping presents and getting to bed late so thought it best to leave it and deal with a high in the morning. That's what confuses me, my diet wasn't different I ate what I always do 100 carbs for my tea then nothing else til 10pm when I had a digestive normal for me I seem to have these nightmares once a month but I never had them before having a baby it's somewhat new and causing more stress. Maybe it's just cause it's close to Christmas and the shopping is done so my body telling don't feel too cocky!
Thanks.

 

[Charles Robin]

Clearly you need to find out what your blood sugars are doing at night, before you can work on a solution. Have a chat with your diabetes team and see if they can do a sensor test. This is where they fit a continuous blood glucose monitor to you for a week. It records your sugar levels continuously during this time. It does not give you any info, but after the week is up, your health team takes it back and downloads the data. They will then discuss the results with you, and show where you are having highs and lows in particular. You have to fill out a food/insulin/exercise diary during the test, so they can verify the results and make sure the sensor is working properly.

 

[Clivethedrive]

It would help if you keep a food diary....sometimes even the best of us start to eat items that we know spike us,wishing you a happy outcome

 

[Daibell]

Hi and welcome. Can you give us some idea of your BMI, what insulins you use and the number of shots. Do you carb-count?

 

[kandiekane87]

Hello. BMI is 21 I think I'm 8st4lb take levemir 10am+pm 14 units I take rapid when I eat could be 5 times a day could be twice a day take 1 unit per 2 exchanges or 20 carbs. Carb count meticulously I have been through my rebellious stage as a teenager and don't wish to repeat it so I keep an eye on my weight and sugars rigorously. Any other questions just ask!

 

[noblehead]

Hello. BMI is 21 I think I'm 8st4lb take levemir 10am+pm 14 units I take rapid when I eat could be 5 times a day could be twice a day take 1 unit per 2 exchanges or 20 carbs. Carb count meticulously I have been through my rebellious stage as a teenager and don't wish to repeat it so I keep an eye on my weight and sugars rigorously. Any other questions just ask!

Do the basal testing, it pays dividends to get that right.

 

[Brunneria]

Hi, and congratulations on posting.

Can't comment on your type 1ness, but I do get very vivid dreams if my nutrition is particularly good.
And I get nightmares and night sweats if my BG is screwy during the night.

How that combines with a toddler - I can only imagine!

 

[kandiekane87]

Hi, and congratulations on posting.

Can't comment on your type 1ness, but I do get very vivid dreams if my nutrition is particularly good.
And I get nightmares and night sweats if my BG is screwy during the night.

How that combines with a toddler - I can only imagine!

The vivid dreams have only happened since I had the Baboo before him I just sort of went to sleep then couldn't remember if I dreamt. My blood sugar was rather crazy yesterday felt as though I was constantly testing it was too high then too low then normal which it should have stayed but it decided to go low again. I am glad the dreams are waking me as I am prone to hypoglycemic seizures and lucozade and morning correction is always better than a glucogon in bum! Just a shame it's stressing my partner out as well as myself I'll be glad when the holidays are here at least he'll have one less stress at least.