So fed up!!!

[Seriously_Sax1989]

I need to get this off my chest and have a good rant so firstly I should apologise for my woe is me attitude and secondly I do understand we all have days like this! So thank you for reading this

I have been on 4 injections since 11 August this year. I'm 23 and had diabetes for 18 years.

When I was injecting only twice a day I was really strict with myself, or perhaps my mum was in the early days. When I got into my teens and discovered alcohol etc I didn't test ever and ate whatever I wanted!

When I got to 20 I decided I needed to be more responsible and take diabetes by the horns and rule it, not the other way round... This worked for months, perfect readings, sooo happy! Then for some unknown reason I let myself slip and it all spiralled out of control...

Now I'm 23 and at the start of this year I again realised the importance of diabetes management! It was trial and error but I somehow managed to gain some sort of control over my sugar levels and my skin looked healthier, wasn't in the loo every 5 mins, and had loads of energy!! However this seemed to only work for a while then it was back to how it was with high sugars and me not caring!

Last month I went to see the specialist nurse and we talked about everything and decided to go for the basal/bolus regime. She's started me off on 30 units levemir in the morning and then 9 humalog 100 in the morning and 5 lunch and tea time. But I'm carb counting now so humalog changes. This worked lovely for a few weeks as my target is 6mmol, but now it seems nothing works!! I can't eat anything without my levels spiking and I wake up every single morning with the feeling I've eaten a tonne of salt and my levels are always between 12 and 26mmol!!!

I don't smoke, and I exercise regularly.
My next appointment is on 11 October so hopefully it'll be sorted

Thanks for reading Laura




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[robert72]

Hi Laura

Sorry to hear you're having troubles, just when you thought it was all working perfectly. I'm sure this happens to all of us.

Insulin-wise, the first thing to look at is your Levemir - probably some overnight testing. You shouldn't be waking up that high. I find that I have to split my Levemir as it doesn't last the full 24 hours for me (didn't need to with Lantus though). I'm also having to adjust by basal rates up a little, now that the cooler weather is here.

The dry mouth is possibly from the high overnight BG levels. The only time I had 'really' dry mouth is when I had oral thrush (from persistently high BGs) so I had to get some stuff from the doctors to sort that out.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. I've been on Basal/Bolus for 6 months. I inject my Levemir once a day but at night (I find the bedtime routine easier than doing it in the morning as it's effect on driving is a bit more predictable and my DN recommended it anyway). Yes, Levemir doesn't last 24 hours but instead of splitting my dose my DN added Bolus instead which gives more flexibility. Your 30 units of Levemir is much higher than mine which is 10 units. I wonder if you are slightly overweight and hence have some insulin resistance? If so this makes insulin control more difficult. If you are overweight then do lower the carbs and try to get rid of any insulin resistance. If you can then control should be easier (watch out for hypos and reduce insulin units if necessary). BTW many talk of insulin 'honeymoons'. I've not experienced this but it can affect dosage.

 

[Seriously_Sax1989]

Hi thanks for your reply I'm not over weight either so it can't be that although that would explain by "insulin honeymoon" do u mean where your pancreas still shoots a bit out?? If so I wouldn't think it was that as I've been t1 for 18 years, I've asked to change my levemir to bedtime as I think that will play a big part in stabling my levels but my nurse said I have to wait until my appointment


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[Seriously_Sax1989]

Hi robert72 splitting my levemir sounds like it might be better as well then? I'm just going to have to wait til my appointment I think.

Yeah dry mouth is a sign of high levels... It's pretty much the only sign I get of being high!

Hopefully I'll get sorted!


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[Kimbag73]

I take levemir it twice a day as only works for 8-14 hours. I have jut completed a DAFNE course and it is amazing at enabling you to self adjust your insulin and calculate ever changing carb to insulin ratios. If you really want to improve your diabetes management and understand how it all works and what affects your sugar levels it is the best thing to do. Ask your diabetic care team about being referred.


Kim x

 

[robert72]

Just to complicate matters, Levemir's curve and duration seems to vary according to how many units per kilo of bodyweight your dose is:

http://www.diabetesdaily.com/wiki/Levemir_Speed_Versus_Dose

I'm taking 9u+9u and weigh 67 kilos and get a fairly flat response from this. We are all different, so it depends what works for each of us. :crazy:

 

[noblehead]

Very few find that levemir lasts 24 hours, as suggested split the dose or ask for an alternative insulin such as lantus, with lantus I find it does last the full 24 hours.

Once you get your basal insulin right your 50% there and you can work on your mealtime insulin.

 

[Kimbag73]

With me lantus only lasted 18 hours. Levemir is supposed to be taken twice a day, if only taken once you have to take extra quick acting to deal with the glucose which means that you have to eat three times a day to sustain good BG control.


Kim x

 

[Daibell]

Hi Kimbag73. I sort of agree. My once a day Levemir at bedtime allows me to have breakfast with no Rapid acting. I can usually also miss a lunchtime Rapid if it's small as the Levemir is still working a bit. In the evening I now know what Rapid ratio to use and it takes account of the fact that the Levemir has disappeared by then. I still have some islet function left so a full T1 might need 3 Rapids during the day

 

[Seriously_Sax1989]

There is no straight forward solution then... I might have guessed that anyway I just wish sooooo much that someone would say "oh to get yourself sorted u have to do this..." Instead of all this trial and error stuff. My specialist put me on levemir as I use the gym quite a bit and she said it would be better for me, never mentioned anything about splitting the doses, but perhaps that's because I've not been on it long so she is waiting to see how I've been getting on at my next appt? I HATE DIABETES!!!


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[Juicyj]

Seriously... it's a pain in the a** !!

I am surprised she didn't put you onto split doses straight away, maybe so thought this might be too much for you.. I would contact her and ask about changing this, doesn't take long to get into the swing of things once you're doing it and it does make it easier to manage.

I call Diabetes 'work in progress' whenever anyone asks as whenever I start getting something right, then something else happens and I have to change ratios/doses to keep my BG down to the 'normal range' - still without the joys on this forum to rant on every once in a while i'm sure I could do alot worse, at least this keeps me sane !!

Good luck you will get there, just keep positive x

 

[Seriously_Sax1989]

Juicyj I like that "work in progress" as you say you get one thing right then something else plays up!

It's hard trying to stay positive as, ( and sure u understand) it all seems like its against me! It's weird tho because like I said in the first post, for years and years I've not looked after myself properly but the occasional times I did check my BG they were perfect! But now I'm actually trying, they do what they want, only in the mornings tho and sometimes at night!

I'm sure it'll sort out eventually but it's like waiting to win the lottery at the mo lol! xx


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[Juicyj]

Hey I know exactly how you feel, it's always there, it's the neediest thing out there !! Still when you get it right it makes you feel good and your health benefits..

I did DAFNE this year and one guy on the course had near on perfect BG all the time, he was pretty chilled out, liked a pint and didnt eat desserts but had a good sense of humour, where as I work hard on it all the time and feel like i'm losing my sense of humour and my levels are all over the shop - sometimes I think with this you have to chill out a bit, get on with life and dont give it too much attention, as soon as I get on my diabetes case it starts being naughty. I am going to try meditation in a few weeks and i'm hoping it will help me relax more and get more balanced levels, so if it's any good i'll let you know !! :thumbup:

 

[Seriously_Sax1989]

Thanks! Feeling better this eve actually! Have registered with a new doctor and they are taking me right back to basics ( as you would expect from a new medical person) and want to take a few blood tests etc to see what's going on

I am sure that it will be more manageable once I get properly to grips with carb counting and correct doseage etc but I still think (even after ALL 18 years of type 1) I just haven't seriously accepted it!

I must admit tho I am currently baking a chocolate cheesecake as its my nans 70th tomorrow lol but I will have just one slice with her!

Take care xx


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[DonnaC-T]

Seriously-Sax I could have written that, 18 years here too and never taken it seriously. Trying really hard at thd mo here too. Good luck x

 

[andrianna1981]

Hi could I suggest doing s few nights of testing around 3 am it's could be that your going low in the night.which could explain high numbers in the morning.

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[Seriously_Sax1989]

Good luck to u to Donna!!

I don't understand how by going low in the night I can wake up so high?

Thanks x


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[blink]

Good luck to u to Donna!!

I don't understand how by going low in the night I can wake up so high?

Thanks x


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you can have a high reading due to your body releasing sugar to try and combat your hypo while you sleep. well thats my understanding of it anyway i could be wrong.

 

[Seriously_Sax1989]

Ahh ok, but do u think it would raise them as high as they have been which is now anywhere from 16-24? I'll have to ask at my next appointment as its really getting on my nerves. Also a lot of people on here have said that levemir isn't particularly good stuff.


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