Maxy
Well-Known Member
Hi, I'm not sure if I've posted this to the right thread or not.
I've been a T1 diabetic from age 12, I'm now 23. I've always been (mostly) responsible and health conscious- had good NHS healthcare, advice and supportive family members around me. Incidentally, my best mate I've grown up with is also a type 1 so I've had someone to talk to about these things. I'm a bit scared of sounding pathetic with this, but I feel something isn't right with my diabetes in general; I've always had a reasonable A1C, the highest its been is around 10.something and I'm currently around 7.7. I regularly go through spells of spontaneous highs and lows, ranging from 1.1–to 26 at either extreme.
I'd consider my hypo detection to be intermittent, sometimes I can be below 2- still walking around functioning normally (or so I think) then others be a lethargic mess at the same level. I can detect them the majority of time but it never stays the same. Although I'm struggling to understand what's going on, I've taken measures of getting on a better track such as splitting basal insulin into 2 injections- and begun introductory carb counting course, currently adjusting novorapid insulin. In a couple of months time I have an IDAC course scheduled which should also help me.
I finished university in June and have been searching for work, gone through an internship and a job abroad and throughout this time my levels have been continually yo-yoing. I really feel as if I'm perhaps a little bit oversensitive- my diabetic friend agrees that he feels rubbish during hypos/hypers but it doesn't seem to match anything that I've been feeling- to give a description of both:
Hypo: Trapped in a bubble from the outside world, blank and vacant- people speaking to me doesn't register. Brain doesn't function properly, concentration goes completely downhill to the point I can't do anything. Shaking, sweating, pale, vision goes sharp and jittery with high colour contrast. Feel severe anxiety and delusional, feel completely not like myself. Mouth goes numb and breathing becomes more shallow- heartbeat accelerates, funnily enough I sometimes feel energy at this point assuming it's adrenaline emergency response- (I'd most of the time notice by this point but sometimes lose awareness spontaneously), if untreated at this point I then suddenly get incredibly sleepy and fall asleep in an oddly 'tranquil' way.
I've had a number of serious hypos in my life involving needing medical attention and going to hospital, others have been close calls where someone has woken me up in time. I'm not suggesting these are regular by any means but they still can happen.
Hyper: Extremely lethargic and spaced out- feel let I'm being held back by something like a ball and chain. Eyes feel thick and glazed over as if there's a film coating over them, vision gets bleary and sometimes have to blink repeatedly in order to get clarity. Mouth has an odd taste and feels 'thick' also and when breathing through my nose there's a distinct smell of ammonia. I often feel dizzy and nauseous with absolutely 0 motivation to do anything but lie there and stare into space. Much more so than hypo I feel extremely anxious and depressed- low self worth and can't get much done.
I get high blood sugar readings on a daily basis, in the past week I've had 2 readings a day of 12–18 but mostly on the higher end. I recognise high blood sugars from around 12 onwards and the entirety of symptoms above come from 13–15 onwards.
I feel these constant episodes are affecting my daily performance in all aspects of life and have affected my education. I have embarrassed myself when hypo (said completely ridiculous embarrassing things) which have caused me to feel regret and anxiety when thinking back to this day.
I was told I would potentially be able to change insulin treatment to the pump before I left abruptly to work abroad, was shown all the options for different types of pumps I might be able to get after carb counting education, but since a clinic appointment recently I was told that due to NHS funding cuts and not fitting the NICE guidelines, I wouldn't really be suitable for the pump. The staff and diabetes care in my area has been fantastic and the staff friendly, helpful and caring. [continued in next post]
I've been a T1 diabetic from age 12, I'm now 23. I've always been (mostly) responsible and health conscious- had good NHS healthcare, advice and supportive family members around me. Incidentally, my best mate I've grown up with is also a type 1 so I've had someone to talk to about these things. I'm a bit scared of sounding pathetic with this, but I feel something isn't right with my diabetes in general; I've always had a reasonable A1C, the highest its been is around 10.something and I'm currently around 7.7. I regularly go through spells of spontaneous highs and lows, ranging from 1.1–to 26 at either extreme.
I'd consider my hypo detection to be intermittent, sometimes I can be below 2- still walking around functioning normally (or so I think) then others be a lethargic mess at the same level. I can detect them the majority of time but it never stays the same. Although I'm struggling to understand what's going on, I've taken measures of getting on a better track such as splitting basal insulin into 2 injections- and begun introductory carb counting course, currently adjusting novorapid insulin. In a couple of months time I have an IDAC course scheduled which should also help me.
I finished university in June and have been searching for work, gone through an internship and a job abroad and throughout this time my levels have been continually yo-yoing. I really feel as if I'm perhaps a little bit oversensitive- my diabetic friend agrees that he feels rubbish during hypos/hypers but it doesn't seem to match anything that I've been feeling- to give a description of both:
Hypo: Trapped in a bubble from the outside world, blank and vacant- people speaking to me doesn't register. Brain doesn't function properly, concentration goes completely downhill to the point I can't do anything. Shaking, sweating, pale, vision goes sharp and jittery with high colour contrast. Feel severe anxiety and delusional, feel completely not like myself. Mouth goes numb and breathing becomes more shallow- heartbeat accelerates, funnily enough I sometimes feel energy at this point assuming it's adrenaline emergency response- (I'd most of the time notice by this point but sometimes lose awareness spontaneously), if untreated at this point I then suddenly get incredibly sleepy and fall asleep in an oddly 'tranquil' way.
I've had a number of serious hypos in my life involving needing medical attention and going to hospital, others have been close calls where someone has woken me up in time. I'm not suggesting these are regular by any means but they still can happen.
Hyper: Extremely lethargic and spaced out- feel let I'm being held back by something like a ball and chain. Eyes feel thick and glazed over as if there's a film coating over them, vision gets bleary and sometimes have to blink repeatedly in order to get clarity. Mouth has an odd taste and feels 'thick' also and when breathing through my nose there's a distinct smell of ammonia. I often feel dizzy and nauseous with absolutely 0 motivation to do anything but lie there and stare into space. Much more so than hypo I feel extremely anxious and depressed- low self worth and can't get much done.
I get high blood sugar readings on a daily basis, in the past week I've had 2 readings a day of 12–18 but mostly on the higher end. I recognise high blood sugars from around 12 onwards and the entirety of symptoms above come from 13–15 onwards.
I feel these constant episodes are affecting my daily performance in all aspects of life and have affected my education. I have embarrassed myself when hypo (said completely ridiculous embarrassing things) which have caused me to feel regret and anxiety when thinking back to this day.
I was told I would potentially be able to change insulin treatment to the pump before I left abruptly to work abroad, was shown all the options for different types of pumps I might be able to get after carb counting education, but since a clinic appointment recently I was told that due to NHS funding cuts and not fitting the NICE guidelines, I wouldn't really be suitable for the pump. The staff and diabetes care in my area has been fantastic and the staff friendly, helpful and caring. [continued in next post]
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