Finding diabetes so hard to manage I don’t know what to do or where to begin

[A’93]

Struggle

 

[ert]

Welcome. I have been standing where you are. Being a detective with a glucometer is where I started. There are so many experienced members here to help guide you on your way. Keep asking questions.

 

[Fairygodmother]

Hi @A’93 and welcome to the forum. So sorry you’re finding it a struggle! I think we all have time’s when we have to get it back together again.
There are lots of people here who’ve been T1 for long enough to know some of the ins and outs of getting to grips with it. Like @Knikki says it’s be useful to have a bit more information about you and what you’re finding difficult. We can’t tell you what to do, and we’re all a bit different, but we can say what’s worked, or hasn’t, for us.

 

[A’93]

Hello @A'93 welcome to the forum, I assume your type 1 as you have posted in this part but it would be useful if you could update your Profile with which type you are and what medication your on

Next questions:

How long you been diabetic and what is it your struggling with?
Medication?
Blood sugars?
What to do?

Hey
Been diabetic since I was 2years old
Struggling with it all staying on top of it all controlling it etc
I’m on insulin Lantas twice a day and nova rapid when I eat
Blood sugars up and down
Dunno how to start getting myself focused on sorting it all out
I have a lil boy aswell I wanna be up and well doing things with him

 

[MeiChanski]

Hey
Been diabetic since I was 2years old
Struggling with it all staying on top of it all controlling it etc
I’m on insulin Lantas twice a day and nova rapid when I eat
Blood sugars up and down
Dunno how to start getting myself focused on sorting it all out
I have a lil boy aswell I wanna be up and well doing things with him

Hello, Welcome!
When you say novorapid when you eat, did you do a carb counting course? like DAFNE? Or at least been given guidance by your DSN on a carb ratio to work with? If not, if you speak to your DSN about your concerns and get you on the waiting list it might help to give you a deeper understanding. You're not alone, we are sailing the same ship

 

[Fairygodmother]

Hi @ A’93, are you in the U.K.? If you are then have you done a Dafne course? It’s called different things in different parts of the country. I expect you have. It’s the one that helps with carbs to doses that are right for you.
It can be hard when you have a little person to look after as well as yourself! I remember thinking sometimes that chaos reigned! It’s hard to concentrate on keeping records when there may be all kinds of mayhem going on at the same time.
Can you get hold of a freestyle libre or a dexcom? Both have sensors that follow interstitial blood sugars and both chart your blood sugars on a graph. @Knikki and @Mel deCP have linked their sensor readings to their phones. It’s also possible to set alarms for blood sugars that are higher or lower than you want to have. I’m tagging @tim2000 who’s also expert with the tech.
If you’re in the U.K. then see if your Consultant can prescribe you a freestyle libre. And see your DSN about your worries about keeping on top of T1 too?
Another thing that sometimes happens to us all is a period of T1 burnout. People look at us and think we’re healthy, it doesn’t look like anything’s wrong with us, but unless you’ve got T1 it’s impossible to imagine the sheer hard work and attention it takes to stay more or less healthy! Don’t fret if you’ve got burnout, it happens to most of us from time to time!

 

[LooperCat]

Hi and welcome! My control went out the window when I had my own small child thing, so I can totally relate on that. How old is your little fella?

 

[therower]

@A’93 . Welcome to the forum.
Life can be a struggle at the best of times, throw in diabetes and the joy and worry of children and anyone will struggle.
As above...we have all been where you are to some degree.
I strongly suspect you actually have a fairly good idea how this diabetes malarkey works. Problem is we often forget, especially when more important things come along.
The only place you can start to get the control you desire is in your own head. Don’t try to find all the answers and solve all the problems tomorrow. Select one part that you want to get right, maybe getting the mornings right. Aim to wake up with a reasonable BS 60 or 70% of the time. I aim to be below 10 on rising, some are far stricter than me but I’m comfortable with how I do it. Once you get the rising BS right then aim to keep it within range until midday. Small steps and breaking the challenge down into bite size bits can often be far easier and give better results.
Along with all the suggestions above I’m sure you’ll start to get the control you want. And hey if stuff doesn’t work then let us all know, we’re not judgemental just helpful.

 

[A’93]

Hi and welcome! My control went out the window when I had my own small child thing, so I can totally relate on that. How old is your little fella?

Hey
He just turned 9 months
Tough pregnancy had him 2months early aswell but his great lovely

 

[A’93]

Hi @ A’93, are you in the U.K.? If you are then have you done a Dafne course? It’s called different things in different parts of the country. I expect you have. It’s the one that helps with carbs to doses that are right for you.
It can be hard when you have a little person to look after as well as yourself! I remember thinking sometimes that chaos reigned! It’s hard to concentrate on keeping records when there may be all kinds of mayhem going on at the same time.
Can you get hold of a freestyle libre or a dexcom? Both have sensors that follow interstitial blood sugars and both chart your blood sugars on a graph. @Knikki and @Mel deCP have linked their sensor readings to their phones. It’s also possible to set alarms for blood sugars that are higher or lower than you want to have. I’m tagging @tim2000 who’s also expert with the tech.
If you’re in the U.K. then see if your Consultant can prescribe you a freestyle libre. And see your DSN about your worries about keeping on top of T1 too?
Another thing that sometimes happens to us all is a period of T1 burnout. People look at us and think we’re healthy, it doesn’t look like anything’s wrong with us, but unless you’ve got T1 it’s impossible to imagine the sheer hard work and attention it takes to stay more or less healthy! Don’t fret if you’ve got burnout, it happens to most of us from time to time!

Hey yes I’m in uk
Doctor has told me about the patches for blood sugars then I can scan with my phone told me to have a think and get back to him

 

[A’93]

Hello again.

Well got diagnosed when I was 18months old so almost a bingo

You have a small child thing? Yep they certainly keep you on your toes all day, great bundles of fun, I used to have one of those as well but he is now 26.

Ok blood sugars up and down, well that's sort of normal unless your going to the extremes and back, which is not the best way but do you have a DSN, or Dr you can talk to and get advice about insulin regimes?

Do you carb count and adjust insulin dosage to match?

Everything is fixable just requires a bit of thought and will power

I'll tag @Mel dCP , @helensaramay , @WuTwo , @therower , @porl69 and I'm sure others will be along to offer some help and guidance also @Robinredbreast

Hey
Did try carb counting but didn’t get on with it at all so I stopped,
Yea doctor told me to think about the patches for blood sugars so I can scan with my phone or something said to think bout it and get back to him does sound helpful tbh.
So many times I try getting on top of it all but I end up worse off or right back to square one
I just find it difficult

 

[Fairygodmother]

Hey yes I’m in uk
Doctor has told me about the patches for blood sugars then I can scan with my phone told me to have a think and get back to him

Try it, it makes things easier. You have to use the finger prick too to see if they’re accurate, but the graphs show you patterns and trends, amd it’s so much quicker and easier if you’re busy.
Hope you’re feeling a bit better about things now that you know you’re not the only one to find good control hard with a small person to look after too!

 

[Fairygodmother]

Hey
Did try carb counting but didn’t get on with it at all so I stopped,
Yea doctor told me to think about the patches for blood sugars so I can scan with my phone or something said to think bout it and get back to him does sound helpful tbh.
So many times I try getting on top of it all but I end up worse off or right back to square one
I just find it difficult

Did you get given your own ratio of carbs covered by a unit of insulin? There’s a thing called Carbs and Cals that you can get as an app that tells you what’s in common foods, and if you use a set of scales that weighs grams and has a return to nought function you can assess each bit of carb as you put it on a plate and use the calculator on your phone if it’s not a straightforward sum. Might be a good task for your little lad when he gets into maths. I’m lucky, I have a ratio of one unit of Fiasp (short-acting insulin) to 10 grams of carb, but more awkward ratios usually need a calculator.
The info on food packets is really useful too.
It really helps us have an idea of what short acting insulin we need for the things we eat and what they’ll (probably) do to our blood sugars. Might be worth another go?
You might also have something called the dawn phenomenon when the liver pumps out a bit of glucose at a particular time in the morning to get you going, or the feet on the floor syndrome when it pumps out glucose at the time you first start moving. I only know how much I need for feet on the floor by watching the numbers on the freestyle libre: it can be anything from 1.5 units to 4 units. Grrrrrrrrr!

 

[Robinredbreast]

Hey
He just turned 9 months
Tough pregnancy had him 2months early aswell but his great lovely

Hi, so sorry to read of your diabetes worries. I had my daughter at 42 1/2 years and she was 7 weeks early. It can be a struggle, but post natal depression may be a cause. I had that in 2000, my GP and health visitor made a home visit.
I hope you don't mind me asking, are you a lone parent or do you have a a partner, a best friend or family that you could talk too, sometimes just having a hug off someone, who listens as well, can be a great help.
Being on the forum and talking to other's, especially with type 1, will be a help, as we all know diabetes doesn't always play ball, even when we try our hardest.
Sending a virtual ((((( hug ))))) x

 

[A’93]

Hi, so sorry to read of your diabetes worries. I had my daughter at 42 1/2 years and she was 7 weeks early. It can be a struggle, but post natal depression may be a cause. I had that in 2000, my GP and health visitor made a home visit.
I hope you don't mind me asking, are you a lone parent or do you have a a partner, a best friend or family that you could talk too, sometimes just having a hug off someone, who listens as well, can be a great help.
Being on the forum and talking to other's, especially with type 1, will be a help, as we all know diabetes doesn't always play ball, even when we try our hardest.
Sending a virtual ((((( hug ))))) x

Hey ahh bless hope she’s all well
Yea have partner and my mum etc
But I find sometimes people who don’t have diabetes don’t really understand why you may feel the way u do or be thinking way u do
Like maybe to others it’s easy like what’s hard bout it
Lil do people know it is a tough part of ur life
Thank u (Hug)

 

[Fairygodmother]

Oh yes, pregnancy’s hard for we T1s. And it’s hard now too if you’re not getting much sleep.
Sending big hugs from me too, and for your little boy. it seems eons since my two were that age, and ages since my grandsons were. You’ve got all the pleasure of first words, walking, snuggles, discovery of the world as well as the nappies, the washing and the nose wiping.

 

[A’93]

Did you get given your own ratio of carbs covered by a unit of insulin? There’s a thing called Carbs and Cals that you can get as an app that tells you what’s in common foods, and if you use a set of scales that weighs grams and has a return to nought function you can assess each bit of carb as you put it on a plate and use the calculator on your phone if it’s not a straightforward sum. Might be a good task for your little lad when he gets into maths. I’m lucky, I have a ratio of one unit of Fiasp (short-acting insulin) to 10 grams of carb, but more awkward ratios usually need a calculator.
The info on food packets is really useful too.
It really helps us have an idea of what short acting insulin we need for the things we eat and what they’ll (probably) do to our blood sugars. Might be worth another go?
You might also have something called the dawn phenomenon when the liver pumps out a bit of glucose at a particular time in the morning to get you going, or the feet on the floor syndrome when it pumps out glucose at the time you first start moving. I only know how much I need for feet on the floor by watching the numbers on the freestyle libre: it can be anything from 1.5 units to 4 units. Grrrrrrrrr!

Hi
Yea I had that carbs book actually a lil handbag one
Maybe I should try again but doubt I’ll get on with it but hey never know

 

[A’93]

Try it, it makes things easier. You have to use the finger prick too to see if they’re accurate, but the graphs show you patterns and trends, amd it’s so much quicker and easier if you’re busy.
Hope you’re feeling a bit better about things now that you know you’re not the only one to find good control hard with a small person to look after too!

Yes seriously thank u
It’s nice to speak with someone who knows exactly what I mean etc
Yes think I have to give it a go may actually benefit me
Defo haha his so full of energy I wanna be apart of that uno

 

[MeiChanski]

Hey
Did try carb counting but didn’t get on with it at all so I stopped,
Yea doctor told me to think about the patches for blood sugars so I can scan with my phone or something said to think bout it and get back to him does sound helpful tbh.
So many times I try getting on top of it all but I end up worse off or right back to square one
I just find it difficult

The freestyle libre is indeed helpful in identifying trends and how foods and insulin affects your blood sugar. But again you will still need to do finger prick tests for high or low blood sugars to confirm it due to its inaccuracies.
Have you thought about giving a carb counting course another try? It might help slightly fine tune your control in combination with a sensor. I can confirm that DAFNE did help me to a certain extent, before DAFNE it was like playing a blind date with diabetes. Once you record everything you eat and write down the carbs for that amount and organise it into an A-Z book, it’ll become second nature. Like oh I’m having 40g of rice again, I’ll flick through my book to see the carb content. Taking into account hormones, stress, job, children etc as well. If you’ve been given a carb to insulin ratio to work with, the book - carbs and cals is a good start (theres also an app) and also a bonus if you have food scales in your kitchen. The limitation that I can think of is that carbs and cals doesn’t take into account hormones, dawn phenomena, stress etc and the plate sizing that we own is different to the one in the book. So you might have to ask your DSN about corrections guidelines. Once you are feeling better diabetes isn’t too bad.

 

[Fairygodmother]

Hi
Yea I had that carbs book actually a lil handbag one
Maybe I should try again but doubt I’ll get on with it but hey never know

Take it slowly. Try one food at a time? If you can get to grips with it for one then each additional one might be easier. For instance, I know that I’ll need one unit of Fiasp for 65 grams of boiled potatoes and I can weigh that out, or 130 grams if hungrier and give myself two units of Fiasp for it.