Type 1 Just about had enough!

[macbob]

I have been type 1 for about 30 years now and am currently contolled by a Dexcom G6 and an Omnipod pump. I lost my hypo symptoms a few years back so I rely on the Dexcom to keep me in touch with my bg levels. I use a Dexcom receiver and I run xDrip on my phone. I live by myself with my 2 dogs and up till a couple of years ago I was able to live a pretty normal life style including excersing the dogs all be it that my bg was too high most of the time.

I then had a really bad hypo and spent a few days in intensive care after which it was decided the Dexcom G6 would solve my no hypo symptoms problem and that a pump would help get my bg levels back to normal. My situation now is worse than it ever has been because of unexpected lows. Today for example I set a temporary basal rate of zero for 2 hours because I wanted to try and get the dogs out for a walk. The G6 had me at 9.2 and after an hour of the zero basal running I took them out. Within about 10 mins xDrip warns me I'm dropping but I keep on hoping it will level but it doesn't and within 30 mins I.m down to just under 6 and just have time to get back to the house before I go hypo. This is pretty typical - I have the pump set that from 0730 to 1000 it only delivers 0.2 mmol/L so that there will be little or no insulin on board when I take them out for a walk at 0930 - doesn't work; I usually have to head back to the house about 30 mins after I start. I have tried to work out my basal rates by going carb free, I have restricted my diet, the hospital consultant added Metformin to the mix to see if that would help but nothing seems to get it under control and let me have some kind of a life SO I am now thinking in terms of giving up on the pump - going back to dmi and just letting my bg run high through the day. At least that way I can do what I want through the day.

As I said I live on my own and I suspect that I may have depression due to my current situation so if anyone has any other thoughts on how I could set about trying to resolve the situation I'd welcome any suggestions.

 

[UK T1]

Sorry to hear you're having this difficult time. Well done for finding this forum and welcome! There are many who can offer support in here, though we shouldn't offer medical advice. Are you able to easily contact your diabetes team? It sounds like they're trying to help so it would be useful to keep them in the picture of your daily difficulties as much as possible so they can provide more targeted useful help.

I just wondered what insulin you use? I don't use a pump but know my bolus can stay in my system for up to 5 hours and my basal can sometimes take a few days before I notice changes (like if it is too high and I lower it due to hypos, I often spend 3-4 days on the same lowered basal dose but only see hypo reductions after 3-4 days).

Do you have a dog walking route you can take where there is a convenient rest spot? You could then plan to maybe stop there and have some sugary snack to prevent the hypo from arriving rather than being forced to return home?

I'm sure others will be on to provide more support, welcome again!

 

[Chloelox]

I’m sorry you’re going through this right now and I understand in a way.

I struggle to stabilise my BG’s During exercise, my BG is either high or really low. I run off Dexcom g6 aswell but find the insertion super painful so am tempted to return to the libre. Downside of that is I won’t get alerts for my highs and lows.

Is there somewhere you could stop on your walks to have a sugary snack to try and avoid the hypo before it hits? Or maybe taking glucose tabs with you that you can suck on when needed during your walk? It really is hard when it affects the things YOU want to do, you kinda feel like the sugars control you more than you control them.

when exercising I usually take a backpack with a sugary snack or drink, (Pepsi or some jelly babies) and I also pack a 15g carb snack (Crisps or rice crackers) to try and stabilise my sugars once I’ve got over the hypo.

I’m pretty new to the diabetic scene so I’m sure I’ve not been much help. Hope it gets better for you soon!

 

[LooperCat]

Hi and welcome! Like you, I use the Omnipod and G6, they’re a brilliant combination once you get the basal rates set up right. Have you tried “basal testing” - there’s a good method to work through on this site that really helped me:

https://www.mysugr.com/en/blog/basal-rate-testing/

I always found exercise very challenging, so will confess to mostly avoiding it. But my job does get quite physical at times, so I keep a close eye on my levels (I have them on my watch) and pop a couple of dextrose tablets on the way if I think I’m a bit lower than I need to be.

Which insulin do you use? I’m on Novorapid for example, and find it has a tail of almost six hours before it’s out of my system. Perhaps try setting your pod to give you that zero rate a couple of hours earlier and see what effect that has? What sort of thing do you have for breakfast, and how are you dosing first that? Sorry for all the questions, but the more we know, the more we can help x

 

[Mete90]

I have been type 1 for about 30 years now and am currently contolled by a Dexcom G6 and an Omnipod pump. I lost my hypo symptoms a few years back so I rely on the Dexcom to keep me in touch with my bg levels. I use a Dexcom receiver and I run xDrip on my phone. I live by myself with my 2 dogs and up till a couple of years ago I was able to live a pretty normal life style including excersing the dogs all be it that my bg was too high most of the time.

I then had a really bad hypo and spent a few days in intensive care after which it was decided the Dexcom G6 would solve my no hypo symptoms problem and that a pump would help get my bg levels back to normal. My situation now is worse than it ever has been because of unexpected lows. Today for example I set a temporary basal rate of zero for 2 hours because I wanted to try and get the dogs out for a walk. The G6 had me at 9.2 and after an hour of the zero basal running I took them out. Within about 10 mins xDrip warns me I'm dropping but I keep on hoping it will level but it doesn't and within 30 mins I.m down to just under 6 and just have time to get back to the house before I go hypo. This is pretty typical - I have the pump set that from 0730 to 1000 it only delivers 0.2 mmol/L so that there will be little or no insulin on board when I take them out for a walk at 0930 - doesn't work; I usually have to head back to the house about 30 mins after I start. I have tried to work out my basal rates by going carb free, I have restricted my diet, the hospital consultant added Metformin to the mix to see if that would help but nothing seems to get it under control and let me have some kind of a life SO I am now thinking in terms of giving up on the pump - going back to dmi and just letting my bg run high through the day. At least that way I can do what I want through the day.

As I said I live on my own and I suspect that I may have depression due to my current situation so if anyone has any other thoughts on how I could set about trying to resolve the situation I'd welcome any suggestions.

Hey
I completely understand it’s very frustrating to have these huge drops, I get it too 9 to 6 within 30 mins walk or sometime 10 mins excercise.
Just don’t let this depress you understand that you’re not the only one going through this. The good thing is that at least you have the glucose monitor, maybe if you carry a fruit juice and carb snack when it goes down to 6 if your out that can add another 30 mins to your outing with the dogs.