Not posted in a while

kaylz91

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Messages
1,090
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
Hey guys not posted in a while and I don't know any of you very well but just thought I'd post an update on whats happening with me, I've been struggling for a while now regarding food and developing a fear, I finally built up the courage to talk to my DSN about it and the plan moving forward is to see him more often, have a few appointments with the dieticians, try and get my appointment with the consultant brought forward and finally see a psychologist anyway that is all :) x
 
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noblehead

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Sensible move @kaylz91 and I'm sure the support and advice will help matters, welcome back btw :)
 

Scott-C

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Messages
2,474
Type of diabetes
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@kaylz91 , sorry to hear you're having problems.

If I recall rightly from earlier posts, you've been dx'd recently.

One of the things which sometimes happens in newly dx'd is that they're fairly upbeat about it to begin with, they spend a lot of time figuring out carbs, ratios etc. etc., feel hopeful that, yeah, this ain't too bad, just need to do a bit of carb counting, I can manage that, then they get a run of unexpected, "sorry, what the f just happened there?" results, and it doesn't seem that easy anymore. There's frustration that they've followed the rules but it still hasn't worked out. Believe me, I've been there.

You've not said what the nature of the food problems is, and I'm not going to ask, but I wonder whether you've maybe reached that stage where you've been doing everything right re carb counting and are getting frustrated that it's not working out as much as you like.

There's no easy answer to that, other than accepting that honeymoon can throw a few blinders, and even once that's gone, there is always an inherent randomness in T1 which means it'll never really go to plan all the time.

It's a bit like starting a new sport or job. To start with, you're learning the basics so there'll always be a few flyers, but over time you'll pick up more and more experience which'll let you do those Andy Murray net shots that you would never have thought about a few months in (and AM still screws it up from time to time - see recent Wimbledon results!).

I don't know what factors you're taking into account when you bolus. Carb count and bolus for that particular meal are the obvious ones and I'm sure you're doing that, but I think sometimes newbies just look at those two things without realising that they don't exist in isolation.

I always try to bear in mind that every bolus isn't fire and forget - it'll be kicking around for 4 to 5 hours, and that will have a bearing on how I dose if I'm eating again within that 5 hours, as will how much I've exercised in the 6 hours before a bolus, anticipated exercise after the bolus, what the GI of the food is, how I've generally been running for the last few days, what level I'm at when bolusing, how far in advance to pre-bolus.

That's a lot of variables to think about, and you're not going to learn it all so shortly after dx. But you will as time goes by. I hesitate to call it intuition, because that sounds too much like guesswork, but you'll reach a stage where you've dialled up x units, got the needle in you, and then instinct from experience just tells you, nah, I reckon another 1 or 2 plus or less would be better and you'll dial it up or down as accords - they don't teach that in hospital, fiddling with a dose while the needle is in!

I've got my head round it by accepting that it is random (the liver does odd things like releasing or taking back glucose without asking me about it), so I don't expect it to play by the rules.

Instead, I think, ok, I've carb counted for this meal, most of the time, it'll be fine, but, despite best efforts, I know that it won't work all the time, so I'm fine with a 10g tweak up or 2u nudge down a few hours later if need be. Co-operate with the randomness - it's not a failure, it's part of the treatment.

That approach is actively encouraged by docs who understand cgm. If you can afford cgm, get it. It makes life much easier, being able to see levels moving and pro-actively taking steps to stay in range instead of reacting after the event once they're already out of range.

Best of luck!
 

kaylz91

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,090
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
@Scott-C thank you for your response, its just that I know my ratios and can adjust the amount of carbs I want to have but I tend to stick to the same as a kind of 'safety net' you know what I mean? I've been diagnosed just over 8 months now, no problems on the carb counting and it not going right, that front is all fine at the moment! just feel 'odd' around food etc, I don't really know how to explain it! :(, yes I take into account by bs at the time (well my meter does) but sometimes an unplanned trip out obviously isn't taken into account as it cant be lol, also yes I do pre bolus and have got lunch down to a pretty fine art, breakfast bolus doesn't go too well, I have to eat within the most 6 minutes after bolus or I tend to go low, I'll live with that just now though, also unfortunately I cant afford a cgm as not working at the moment, anyway thanks again, sometimes I just need people who 'get it' to have a chat with! :) x
 

isjoberg

Well-Known Member
Messages
268
Type of diabetes
Type 1
@Scott-C thank you for your response, its just that I know my ratios and can adjust the amount of carbs I want to have but I tend to stick to the same as a kind of 'safety net' you know what I mean? I've been diagnosed just over 8 months now, no problems on the carb counting and it not going right, that front is all fine at the moment! just feel 'odd' around food etc, I don't really know how to explain it! :(, yes I take into account by bs at the time (well my meter does) but sometimes an unplanned trip out obviously isn't taken into account as it cant be lol, also yes I do pre bolus and have got lunch down to a pretty fine art, breakfast bolus doesn't go too well, I have to eat within the most 6 minutes after bolus or I tend to go low, I'll live with that just now though, also unfortunately I cant afford a cgm as not working at the moment, anyway thanks again, sometimes I just need people who 'get it' to have a chat with! :) x
I also on occasion feel 'odd' about food... I've been diabetic for twenty years and every now and again I have to make a real effort to break out of psyching myself out of eating! I can now kinda acknowledge to myself when its happening and normally can address it before it gets too bad :)
 

Dan87

Well-Known Member
Messages
54
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
@kaylz91
One of the things which sometimes happens in newly dx'd is that they're fairly upbeat about it to begin with, they spend a lot of time figuring out carbs, ratios etc. etc., feel hopeful that, yeah, this ain't too bad, just need to do a bit of carb counting, I can manage that, then they get a run of unexpected, "sorry, what the f just happened there?" results, and it doesn't seem that easy anymore. There's frustration that they've followed the rules but it still hasn't worked out. Believe me, I've been there.

Nail on head.