Chloelox

Well-Known Member
Messages
131
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I was diagnosed type 1 diabetic at 12 weeks pregnant Christmas just gone.

I had a brilliant diabetes team that helped me keep levels stable through my pregnancy to Protect me and my baby from complications. I managed to drop my hba1c from 47 to 32 by the time I was in my third trimester.

since giving birth to her 6 weeks ago I have really struggled with my levels, one day 1 unit of novarapid with a 20g carb meal will send me hypo, other days 2units novarapid will barely touch a 40g carb meal. I’m also taking 4 units of humulin I at night time because 5 would send me hypo overnight but I still find it difficult to keep levels above 5 before getting into bed to sleep. Yet I wake up with BG’s of 7-8 and 0.9 ketones.. which I know means I need more insulin.

My diabetes doctor thinks I might be honeymooning but I’m not sure if that’s correct, I’ve developed a severe fear of Hypoglycemia and hyperglycaemia especially with caring for my baby as she has extra needs and I also really struggle to get glucose strips and ketone strips from my doctors surgery as they don’t believe I need more than one pack of each a month.

I don’t fully understand honeymooning or very much of anything really, I’ve not experienced DKA yet and I’m very careful that my blood sugar does not reach 10.5. My diabetes team have said not to worry about ketones unless they reach 3. And anything above 0.6 requires more insulin. But I find some days I’m more resistant to insulin and others I’m very sensitive.. I really don’t want to end up in hospital myself poorly especially with my baby at home.

does anyone have any tips or tricks to help regain control or could ease my mind a little bit that it is absolutely possible to get diabetes under control and I won’t feel like this forever :(.
 

MrsA2

Expert
Messages
5,575
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Sorry Chloe, it's not my area at all, but I just wanted to say Hi and Welcome. What a .
Lot you have going on but I am sure you will come through with flying colours. Those first few months with a baby are such a blur
Xx
 

Wayward Blood

Well-Known Member
Messages
77
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi Chloe, welcome to the forum! It's great that you're putting so much effort into managing your diabetes right from the offset. I know that it can be frustrating when things don't seem to go according to plan though, especially when you're putting so much effort in.

For me, I manage my type 1 diabetes with a low carbohydrate diet, which has really done wonders for my control. This can be a contentious subject; you'll find people who believe that it's the only way to live healthily with diabetes, and others who feel that it's completely unnecessary and too restrictive. My advice is to do some research and make your own mind up. I was convinced by reading Dr Richard Bernstein's book 'Complete Diabetes Solution'. It's extremely in-depth, but really does cover an enormous amount. I'd also recommend the following video featuring Dr Troy Stapleton, who was diagnosed with Type 1 in adulthood.


Regarding your specific circumstances: I have no experience as a parent with Type 1 (although that's due to change this month when my wife gives birth to our first child!). I'd therefore suggest googling for groups of Type 1 mums, and/or seeing if there are blogs out there. I'd particularly recommend this if you decide to give a low carbohydrate diet a try, or if you decide to adopt any other specific ways of eating. There will be people out there who've been in your shoes and documented the experience.

All the best and I hope you find the perfect answers to help you. :)
 

porl69

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,647
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Stupid people
Hi @Chloelox and welcome to the forum.
When you are first diagnosed type 1 your pancrease is still trying its hardest to produce insulin, it does this in fits and spurts until it packs in completely....this is the honeymoon period and makes your control very difficult, and can vary in how long it lasts (PITA). With your insulin and the effects it has will depend on the type of food you eat....fatty foods will release their carbs a lot slower than not fatty foods, so you would possibly hypo early on then BGs would rise after a few hours. Its a massive learning curves with food that will come to you when you get to terms with what effects your bloods. Hope that makes sense? Your diabetes team looks like they are doing good for you and they will always help you out, don't be shy in phoning them and asking for help OR pop a question on here and someone will be along to give guidance. You seem to me coping fairly well so far. Get onto your DSN (diabetic specialist nurse) and tell them the difficulties that you are having with your GP and test strips and they will write to your GP for you.
PS....congratulations on the birth of your daughter :)
 
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Juicyj

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
9,018
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Pump
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Hypos, rude people, ignorance and grey days.
Hello @Chloelox congratulations and welcome :)

Firstly get onto your diabetes team and tell them about your surgery and their inability to supply you with the amount of test strips you need, they may well offer you the libre to help with your testing, either way you test as much as you need to hun, I know some guidelines suggest around 6-7 times a day, so upon waking, before meals and then before bed as well as if you're feeling off, but the fact you are suffering anxiety because of this means you need some extra support. Testing blood glucose levels is vital to know where you are and if necessary to take action. Your team should be able to either call or fax a request to increase your strips, if you don't get anywhere write a complaint to the practice manager at the surgery explaining you are a newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic and require these strips to help you manage your condition, either way this should get resolved, hopefully quickly too.

Personally I only test for ketones if running above 15 mmol/l, it's not necessary if your levels are in range, ketoacidosis is an issue if you run high, are feeling generally very unwell and present high ketone levels so above 1.5, here's a guide to sick day rules: https://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/services/medicine/links/DAFNESickdayrules2018.pdf

As a newly diagnosed t1 and more importantly a new mum, you have to remember your hormones will take time to settle down, unsure if you're breast feeding too as this will affect your control as your body is responding to your baby's need for food and eating a good diet and keeping your energy levels up is important. I don't think going low carb will help much at this stage if your breast feeding as it's vital you are able to produce milk. Perhaps later on when your out of this phase and have issues with glucose control. It's no surprise you're up and down, again a libre would be really useful to help you keep a monitor on this so press your team for it if you can.

Running at around 7-8mmol/l is fine by the way, I only take action with my control if I am running above 10mmol/l, so don't fear running high too much, please remember these are just numbers, don't get too obsessed by them, I know it's hard not to, but your priority is baby and a happy mum is a happy baby, around alot for a chat if you need to, I had gestational with mine although it went after she was born it came back as type 1 a few years later, now using a pump and a Dexcom G6, best wishes J x
 

KK123

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,967
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
One pack of test strips a month, so that amounts to around less than 2 tests a day! Ridiculous, your surgery clearly does not know WHAT they are on about which places you in a dangerous situation when you can't test adequately. You need at least 4 for testing before meals and before bed, plus any for driving, plus any for when you are feeling low or off, plus any for exercising! That's to begin with. As others have said you must contact your Diabetes team and tell them that your surgery is being ignorant. x
 
Last edited:

Mrs T 123

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,800
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Chloelox just wanted to say Hi and Welcome. Sorry I am not able to advise you as this is not my area.

Congratulations on the birth of your baby! Take good care of yourself and your new baby x
 

JMK1954

Well-Known Member
Messages
520
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I agree with juicyj. Your hormones may cause fluctuations in your BS levels for quite a while, until they eventually settle down. If you are already close to a hypo regularly, you do not need to worry about DKA. Levels around 10.5 mml are not life-threatening. The very low level of ketones you have noticed should not require more insulin. It is more likely to be a result of the frequent hypos. This can happen. If you can lessen the frequency of the hypos, the ketones will disappear.
 

Fairygodmother

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,045
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Type 1
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Insulin
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Hi @Chloelox, welcome. Congratulations on the birth of your baby!
I wonder if your surgery’s mistakenly applied the guidelines for the number of strips allowed for those who are using the freestyle libre when they issued your prescription? If I were you I’d contact your GP as soon as possible and tell them your difficulty keeping track of your blood sugars with so few strips.
If you share your home with someone who’s competent to administer a hypoglycaemia-treating injection, then you could also ask your GP to prescribe a couple of glycogen kits. This is a substance that stimulates the liver to release glucose into your bloodstream if you can’t treat the hypo yourself. It’s for emergencies, and even if you never need it, and I hope you don’t, having the kit there might help you to relax. I always have a stock of jelly babies (1 jelly baby = 5g carbohydrate) by the bed in case I get low, and sometimes just need half a one. I also take some with me, usually in a sealable bag, when I go out.
Your blood sugar control sounds very good. Personally, a blood sugar of 7-8 in the morning wouldn’t be anything to be alarmed about; it sounds to me as though you’re doing well.
 
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kev-w

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,901
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi and welcome, NICE says- https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng17/chapter/1-Recommendations#blood-glucose-management-2

'Frequency of self‑monitoring of blood glucose
1.6.10 Advise routine self‑monitoring of blood glucose levels for all adults with type 1 diabetes, and recommend testing at least 4 times a day, including before each meal and before bed. [new 2015]

1.6.11 Support adults with type 1 diabetes to test at least 4 times a day, and up to 10 times a day if any of the following apply:

  • the desired target for blood glucose control, measured by HbA1c level (see recommendation 1.6.6), is not achieved

  • the frequency of hypoglycaemic episodes increases

  • there is a legal requirement to do so (such as before driving, in line with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency [DVLA] At a glance guide to the current medical standards of fitness to drive)

  • during periods of illness

  • before, during and after sport

  • when planning pregnancy, during pregnancy and while breastfeeding (see the NICE guideline on diabetes in pregnancy)

  • if there is a need to know blood glucose levels more than 4 times a day for other reasons (for example, impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia, high‑risk activities). [new 2015]
1.6.12 Enable additional blood glucose testing (more than 10 times a day) for adults with type 1 diabetes if this is necessary because of the person's lifestyle (for example, driving for a long period of time, undertaking high‑risk activity or occupation, travel) or if the person has impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia. [new 2015]'

so it could be worthwhile contacting your doctors surgery and requesting a call back from a dr to discuss the NICE guidelines with, don't ever be afraid to nag pester and cajole your gp as sometimes they need a little push :)

Good luck.
 

JC Durant

Active Member
Messages
25
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I read this with horror. Get yourself the Abbott Freestyle sensor as it is fast and painless and plots your readings My dosage changes a great deal and sometimes I need twice the short acting insulin and 50 per cent more long acting for the same carbs intake. No one knows why the requirement changes but it does in my case it settles back a few week later below my old levels and creeps back to old levels.Having a baby and looking after him will make it a lot more complex. It is frustrating but the Abbot sensor will change by our life rather than strips I promise and enable to worry more about your baby than your self .I have no idea why as a type 1 you are not given a sensor especially being a new mum and restricting strips is nuts. I have had to be forthright with my doctor to get it prescribed but there is no reason not to give it u.I am old and my children adult but I do test sometimes 50 times a day and my HB1c is 5.8 Sure I get over frustrated and worried like you. Those are good live saving emotions. All best
 

ljd0601

Newbie
Messages
1
I was diagnosed type 1 diabetic at 12 weeks pregnant Christmas just gone.

I had a brilliant diabetes team that helped me keep levels stable through my pregnancy to Protect me and my baby from complications. I managed to drop my hba1c from 47 to 32 by the time I was in my third trimester.

since giving birth to her 6 weeks ago I have really struggled with my levels, one day 1 unit of novarapid with a 20g carb meal will send me hypo, other days 2units novarapid will barely touch a 40g carb meal. I’m also taking 4 units of humulin I at night time because 5 would send me hypo overnight but I still find it difficult to keep levels above 5 before getting into bed to sleep. Yet I wake up with BG’s of 7-8 and 0.9 ketones.. which I know means I need more insulin.

My diabetes doctor thinks I might be honeymooning but I’m not sure if that’s correct, I’ve developed a severe fear of Hypoglycemia and hyperglycaemia especially with caring for my baby as she has extra needs and I also really struggle to get glucose strips and ketone strips from my doctors surgery as they don’t believe I need more than one pack of each a month.

I don’t fully understand honeymooning or very much of anything really, I’ve not experienced DKA yet and I’m very careful that my blood sugar does not reach 10.5. My diabetes team have said not to worry about ketones unless they reach 3. And anything above 0.6 requires more insulin. But I find some days I’m more resistant to insulin and others I’m very sensitive.. I really don’t want to end up in hospital myself poorly especially with my baby at home.

does anyone have any tips or tricks to help regain control or could ease my mind a little bit that it is absolutely possible to get diabetes under control and I won’t feel like this forever :(.
hi Hun
ive been diabetic type 1 for 26 years now !
I was diagnosed type 1 diabetic at 12 weeks pregnant Christmas just gone.

I had a brilliant diabetes team that helped me keep levels stable through my pregnancy to Protect me and my baby from complications. I managed to drop my hba1c from 47 to 32 by the time I was in my third trimester.

since giving birth to her 6 weeks ago I have really struggled with my levels, one day 1 unit of novarapid with a 20g carb meal will send me hypo, other days 2units novarapid will barely touch a 40g carb meal. I’m also taking 4 units of humulin I at night time because 5 would send me hypo overnight but I still find it difficult to keep levels above 5 before getting into bed to sleep. Yet I wake up with BG’s of 7-8 and 0.9 ketones.. which I know means I need more insulin.

My diabetes doctor thinks I might be honeymooning but I’m not sure if that’s correct, I’ve developed a severe fear of Hypoglycemia and hyperglycaemia especially with caring for my baby as she has extra needs and I also really struggle to get glucose strips and ketone strips from my doctors surgery as they don’t believe I need more than one pack of each a month.

I don’t fully understand honeymooning or very much of anything really, I’ve not experienced DKA yet and I’m very careful that my blood sugar does not reach 10.5. My diabetes team have said not to worry about ketones unless they reach 3. And anything above 0.6 requires more insulin. But I find some days I’m more resistant to insulin and others I’m very sensitive.. I really don’t want to end up in hospital myself poorly especially with my baby at home.

does anyone have any tips or tricks to help regain control or could ease my mind a little bit that it is absolutely possible to get diabetes under control and I won’t feel like this forever :(.
hi Hun . I've been type 1 for 26 years now and after having my little boy I know EXACTLY how your feeling..it was awful. every morning wake up when I had him it was never above 2! I'd go too bed fine then it would shoot down in the night my advise too you is have a small bottle of lucozade before bed ....even if your blood levels are 5! because this is the only way after months of trying that my blood would be around 6 in the morning .
also ketones 0.6 does NOT mean take more insulin without some kind of food .....blood levels can be perfect yes you can still have a small amount of ketones but never take more insulin without food . reduce your nightime insulin before bed ...before I fell pregnant I was on 37 units of levimir . during pregnancy and months after pregnancy it got reduced down too 18!!!!
I was so poorly with my blood sugar no matter what I would do it just wouldn't cooperate . take hardly any insulin running up too bedtime ! honestly ! if you need too know anything message me (I don't know if you can do this on here ) but things will get better ...it's a long haul after pregnancy too try and get the right balance. but honestly please reduce your insulin levels . x
 

ArtemisBow

Well-Known Member
Messages
302
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Just wanted to say - you are doing fantastically well. I’ve had 2 children since being type 1 and personally, I found the first 3 months with a newborn the hardest diabetic time, far worse than pregnancy. If you’re breastfeeding, babies don’t feed consistently AT ALL in those early days, so you have random amounts of sugar being taken at random times of day. Add to that your hormones are all over the place, sleep deprived.... it’s a terrible combo. Please don’t worry too much about short spikes, just try and get through each day. Things do eventually calm down but it takes quite a bit of time. That’s ok, it’s a marathon not a sprint.

My second baby is now 9 months old and I’m still having days where it all goes wrong, but less often. It does get better.

Congratulations on your baby!