Too many highs and hypos Type1.

[Jimmy92]

Hay everybody,
I've been diabetic for 16 years, I'm 23 now, and would like to think I'm an Ok diabetic but to be honest I've been having a lot of hypos and therefore a lot of highs as well. I'm talking sometimes 2 or 3 a day. This has also messed up my hypo awareness so my hypos have been more drastic last one I had I was down at 1.9mmol/l while I was in work. I work full time in a very busy coffee shop as a supervisor and I've been struggling to set aside time to deal with my own health when I have several baristas I need to manage an general a massive que of people staring at you going make my coffee faster! I find it quite hard to put myself before others needs and have had a bit of a drastic change to my life of late that I broke up with my fiance 6 mouths ago. We were together for 6 years and she really helped me look after myself. Since then I moved back home and then out again with a flat mate. I've been having a hard time getting the motivation to make myself meals and eat well. Don't get me wrong my diet is normally cereal for breakfast salad and fruit plus a sandwich for lunch bt then when I'm working till about 11pm half the week I wnt really have time for dinner and dont want to make anything when I get in so late. I've also been slacking on weighing my food and calculating accurately what I've eaten an injecting accordingly. I've not been to the hospital for a check up for about 8 or 9 months so don't know what my hbmo1 thingy (can't really remember the name of it right now) is so kinda feel a bit blind on what ti do and where to go from here. Just getting frustrated and general having feelings of just giving up. I'm still trying but just would like some help or some pointers on how to get bak in track. Special cause when i try talk to people about this their like "oh well if your having hypos why don't you just take more insulin" or "mabey just try harder with it" so some support that actually makes sense or is helpful would be greatly appreciated.

P.s I'm dyslexic so if I've missed spelled anything I apologise xP

Thanks in advance for the help

 

[noblehead]

Welcome to the forum @Jimmy92

It sounds like you already know where your going wrong and there's not a lot more to add, the first rule is to start with your basal insulin and get that dose right, once you do that then you can then start to look at your insulin-carb-ratio's and carb counting skills, if your unsure on how to do a basal check then do come back and ask.

 

[pleinster]

Hi Jimmy, I'm Type 2 and getting used to a low carb diet to bring my levels down...not on insulin...probably not well placed to give advice on what to do and not do in your specific case. I just noticed your post there and wanted to say something...even just a wee ****** response to try and help motivate you. Sometimes one reply triggers more etc etc....and someone in a similar situation might respond. I do know that being motivated is everything though, and setbacks along the way...normal life stuff....hinders that. I ha a transplant which slowed me done for a bit, had to adjust a bit. prior to that, I'd given up a career to move from England back up to Scotland...where I did a second degree to help me change direction...to find no jobs...and then the transplant...and then diabetes from it... **** happens. Sounds like you've had a rough time recently with hypos...and well..what I'm saying is...looks like there's a hell of a lot of stress around you - the job alone...relationship breaking...etc. And, that stress definitely won't be helping. I know you can't just switch stress off and pretend everything's lovely..but recognising that stress is adding to everything is important. Avoid it where you can, factor it in to your thinking and accept that its totally reasonable to be ****** off at everything and less than 100% focused due to frustration. But..you are still a very young guy with tons of stuff ahead, so thin about what's important and make changes if you have to to lessens the stress. easier said than done, I know, but with different circumstances maybe less stress, less hypos, more determination....get out, get a buzz from something new and refocus...coz you owe it to yourself to get to the future ahead...where there's probably nice stuff waiting. I don't think it's a about trying harder...I think it's about realising what's going on around you, what you want, and making it happen...and while you may think...that's miles away...you need to start the walk somewhere..and trying is all we can do. Don't expect yourself to be superman...you're human...there's ups and downs...just do what you can and don't bottle things up. Use this site, mate..I've found it really helpful. My life still has its ****** bits, but they are much less important than the good bits, and at least my blood sugar level is on track now. I still get stressed though, eh? Anyway, sorry not to be able to help more directly. Take care.

 

[Jimmy92]

Welcome to the forum @Jimmy92

It sounds like you already know where your going wrong and there's not a lot more to add, the first rule is to start with your basal insulin and get that dose right, once you do that then you can then start to look at your insulin-carb-ratio's and carb counting skills, if your unsure on how to do a basal check then do come back and ask.

I don't know how to do a basal check tbh. Probably been told about it before but if you could refresh my memory that would be amazing

 

[Jimmy92]

Thank you for the wee insperational speach there Pleinster. I find it hard to let my self relax a lot of the time have a lot of ups an downs in general as well as with the diabetes. So thank you for taking the time to write that, means a lot to hear that.

 

[noblehead]

I don't know how to do a basal check tbh. Probably been told about it before but if you could refresh my memory that would be amazing

The first link explains how to do a basal test in different time frames, it's aimed at pump users but it works just the same for those on MDI:

http://www.salforddiabetescare.co.uk/index2.php?nav_id=1007

The following link gives a good explanation on what role the basal insulin plays and why it is important to get the dose right:

http://integrateddiabetes.com/basal-testing/

Good luck.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Sorry to hear about your problems. If you are on one Basal injection per day in the evening then it's fairly easy to adjust. You just do a morning fasting test and over several days gradually adjust to get the reading between 5 to 7 mmol. If you split the Basal it gets a bit more complicated and there is guidance on this forum and the web on how to approach the test by fasting in stages during the day; others may be able to help. Once you get the Basal right then the Bolus as usual it injected using the right ratio for you which I'm sure you know by now. I'm surprised you mention weighing your food. I didn't know anyone still did that and knowing the carbs in food from the packaging and portion size usually avoids the need but sometimes it is guesswork.

 

[Jimmy92]

I thought weigh food was really common tbh just to get the exact amount for whatever you eating.
Like cornflakes for example if you want to figure out the exact amount your having in carbs just weigh x amount an then figure out the carbs via the amount per 100gr on the packet.
Is that not what everyone does?
What I've always been told by the diatician in the hospital

 

[Dean2015]

Hi

I understand how difficult sticking to it is you have to remember that the emotions you are feeling are physical and will have an effect on your body and you Db, if your struggling ask for help, it is out there and there is no point in working and not looking after yourself. There are some great aps for monitoring your symtoms so maybe try them also try the carbs and cals app it's great for looking at your carbs. Good luck

Dean

 

[azure]

I thought weigh food was really common tbh just to get the exact amount for whatever you eating.
Like cornflakes for example if you want to figure out the exact amount your having in carbs just weigh x amount an then figure out the carbs via the amount per 100gr on the packet.
Is that not what everyone does?
What I've always been told by the diatician in the hospital

You're right - it is normal for Type 1s to weigh food, especially something like cereal where it's easy to underestimate how big your portion is.

I worked in a cafe once so i quite understand how hectic your job is and how hard it must be to stop and test, etc, but it will help you get back on track. When I've had stressful or really busy times and haven't tested as much as normal and/or just grabbed food without my normal care, my blood sugar has been far more of a rollercoaster.

Could you set alarms at work so you could stop and test?

 

[Jimmy92]

I'm allowed to stop an test there's nothing really stopping me but myself. I'm a supervisor so I can just walk away an do what I want really but I let the social pressure get to me too much tbh an then it skips my mind. I'm sure you can all relate to the train of thought when ur saying oh ill do it in a min then turn round an it's 2 hours later. Then your sitting going **** what was I injecting for again...

 

[azure]

Absolutely, Jimmy. I can imagine that happening when you're busy serving and making sure everything's running smoothly. That's why I thought an alarm might be an outside thing that'd automatically make you stop. Of course, you're probably going to tell me that you'd put the alarm off to finish what you're doing and then still be in the same situation : D

So do whatever works for you. Getting your sugars smoother will make you feel better. I also find that I function best when my blood sugar stays steady, so it could be good for your work too. It might be hard changing to start with so maybe you could try doing one segment of the day at a time eg make a point of testing in the morning first, etc.

I hope you get it sorted

 

[lizdeluz]

Being in a supervisory role means that you can call the shots. So call them. The social pressure thing can take second place to your diabetes at test times. If it doesn't, you will start to feel 'not quite right', grotty or downright ill. Psychologically speaking, think of yourself as the expert on your own diabetes. You know the things to do to keep on track - weighing food sometimes, adjusting basal, testing at regular times. Testing is really difficult to fit in to a busy day, but tbh we don't have any other option, and we have to make it a priority.
Keep consulting the forum. The comments you get from people who know nothing about diabetes - like those you quoted in your first post above, - are funny but just not worth bothering with.