Panic is setting in

Dudette1

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Hi guys, as you all know I’ve quit smoking and yayyy or so I thought! now I can’t control my blood sugars, they are erratic and I’m getting frustrated and if I’m honest, extremely upset. I thought it was the vape pen causing levels to go high, so I stopped that, I’m usually always in the 5’s and I’m not snacking or eating anymore than usual, the only thing that’s changed is I’ve stopped smoking.. now I’m hitting 10’s and 11s before bed and 8’s in a morning. It’s taking the p*** seriously, if I’m gonna get readings like this I might as well carry on smoking because stopping is not helping me control sugars yet they were fine before.. I know smoking is bad for you, but so are raised blood sugars so which do I choose,I felt better smoking than how I feel now...help!
 

luceeloo

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Hi,
This article is a few years old, but seems to describe what you are experiencing... that there can be a temporary increase in blood sugars after stopping smoking. However, as it points out, the benefits to health of stopping smoking still outweigh the risks of having temporarily elevated blood sugar.
It's definitely worth speaking to your GP or Nurse about to see if you can get some help to control your glucose in the interim.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diabetes-smoking-cessation-idUSKBN0NT1ZV20150508
 

Dudette1

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Hi,
This article is a few years old, but seems to describe what you are experiencing... that there can be a temporary increase in blood sugars after stopping smoking. However, as it points out, the benefits to health of stopping smoking still outweigh the risks of having temporarily elevated blood sugar.
It's definitely worth speaking to your GP or Nurse about to see if you can get some help to control your glucose in the interim.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diabetes-smoking-cessation-idUSKBN0NT1ZV20150508

Appreciate this thank you, I’m just so mad I lost all this weight, blood sugars have been under control and you stop doing something that is bad for you and it makes something else worse. I’m devastated, thought it was vape pen, then is it the lozenges, when I stopped last time for a couple of weeks my sugars were fine, so now I’m thinking is it the vaccine..I’m so stressed seeing these numbers x
 

MrsA2

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I'd think its the stress of giving up...but still so worth doing and going through. Short term pain for long term gain. You can do this!
 
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lucylocket61

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Hi guys, as you all know I’ve quit smoking and yayyy or so I thought! now I can’t control my blood sugars, they are erratic and I’m getting frustrated and if I’m honest, extremely upset. I thought it was the vape pen causing levels to go high, so I stopped that, I’m usually always in the 5’s and I’m not snacking or eating anymore than usual, the only thing that’s changed is I’ve stopped smoking.. now I’m hitting 10’s and 11s before bed and 8’s in a morning. It’s taking the p*** seriously, if I’m gonna get readings like this I might as well carry on smoking because stopping is not helping me control sugars yet they were fine before.. I know smoking is bad for you, but so are raised blood sugars so which do I choose,I felt better smoking than how I feel now...help!
give it time. You only recently stopped smoking, and vaping. Our bodies need time to just to new normals.
 
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lucylocket61

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Appreciate this thank you, I’m just so mad I lost all this weight, blood sugars have been under control and you stop doing something that is bad for you and it makes something else worse. I’m devastated, thought it was vape pen, then is it the lozenges, when I stopped last time for a couple of weeks my sugars were fine, so now I’m thinking is it the vaccine..I’m so stressed seeing these numbers x
when did you have the vaccine? It can raise blood sugar levels for three or four weeks, while your body builds up immunity. Until then, your body is acting like you are fighting an infection. Thats why they say that the vaccine takes a few weeks to work, even after the second dose.

The stress wont be helping your blood sugars either.

We are not machines, where something responds instantly when you take something else out or stop something. It takes time, sometimes several weeks, for our bodies to adapt.
 

Dudette1

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@Dudette1
Just checking back in on my fellow smoker/vaper.
How are them bloods looking, did you get to the bottom of it yet ?

Thanks for the check in I’m in the 6’s and I’ve taken to the 0 nicotine in the vape pen now and just sticking with the lozenges, and only using the vape in case of I really really crave a Cigarette. still smoke free so that’s a bonus
 
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Dudette1

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when did you have the vaccine? It can raise blood sugar levels for three or four weeks, while your body builds up immunity. Until then, your body is acting like you are fighting an infection. Thats why they say that the vaccine takes a few weeks to work, even after the second dose.

The stress wont be helping your blood sugars either.

We are not machines, where something responds instantly when you take something else out or stop something. It takes time, sometimes several weeks, for our bodies to adapt.

I had the vaccine about 2 weeks ago today. I think it’s been an accumulation of things. Especially when I see the high numbers I’m used too, I just go into panic mode. Not helping myself at all. Hba1c results are still at normal levels so I just need to stay calm
Thanks for the reply x
 

Ronancastled

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Thanks for the check in I’m in the 6’s and I’ve taken to the 0 nicotine in the vape pen now and just sticking with the lozenges, and only using the vape in case of I really really crave a Cigarette. still smoke free so that’s a bonus

Great to hear your back in the 6s.
It's terrible how a bad reading can ruin our day or even week.
I'd months of perfect postpriandials then one day, after pizza, I saw a 9 & freaked out.
That's the only reading I could think of over that whole period, it's crazy.
I'm starting to think even non-diabetics have variable days only they are not pricking their fingers.
I had my first shot of Pfizer a week ago, sore arm but did nothing to my glucose levels.

Really sounds like your issues were a reaction to the vaccine, good luck.
 
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VashtiB

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Well done on managing the vaccine, giving up smoking and life. Great news that you are back in the 6s. Stress itself an make such a difference and then of course the higher levels create more stress.

Giving up smoking is hard. Take care of yourself it is a great thing to do but hard.
 
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Dudette1

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Thanks guys, I really appreciate your kind words. I’m over the worst of smoking and I can see the benefit, I can actually smell my washing powder instead of stale smoke, and my bank balance definitely looks even better