I need help, please :(

[Sharnanike]

Hi all, I’m new here. 26 years old, been diabetic for almost 19 years, type 1. I’m really struggling to keep doing my blood sugars and monitoring properly. Does anybody have any tips to help me please?
I have increasing diabetic complications and being a single mother.. I am scared but no matter what, I can’t seem to do as I should!

 

[Colin Crowhurst]

Just a quick thought but as a single mother what are you playing it? Want your child to find you in a less than perfect state one morning?

I know I am a bit harsh but sometimes a kick up the backside is also required, but I am sure there are others here to both support and sympathise with you!

Edited by Mod

 

[Pipp]

I don’t think it is sympathy that @Sharnanike needs, @Colin Crowhurst , but some understanding and empathy that I am sure our friendly T1 members will offer.

 

[Sharnanike]

Just a quick thought but as a single mother what are you playing it? Want your child to find you in a less than perfect state one morning?

I know I am a bit harsh but sometimes a kick up the backside is also required, but I am sure there are others here to both support and sympathise with you!

I get what you mean and respect your brutal honesty, thank you. But, I’ve been scared to let my sugars go low because I could have a hypo and that could also be catastrophic.. I know with higher sugars, that can also lead to catastrophic events but the hypo with being single does scare me.
I don’t want sympathy, I want to hear from others if they have any advice. I can do it, I have done and am brilliant at it when I do manage m diabetes properly, I just want to know if there are any tips to help me maintain in the long run.

 

[Guzzler]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I'm sorry, being T2, I can't offer much in the way of advice but our T1 members will be along shortly and I am sure they will have positive tips and hints to help you manage your Diabetes a little better. Best wishes.

 

[Sharnanike]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I'm sorry, being T2, I can't offer much in the way of advice but our T1 members will be along shortly and I am sure they will have positive tips and hints to help you manage your Diabetes a little better. Best wishes.

Thank you ever so much!

 

[Colin Crowhurst]

well as a driver for a living I am not allowed to go below 5 to drive, I just keep snacking when I am below 6 and test 2 hourly whilst at work, testing is the key I can easily stop eating what I cant do is start guessing! Do you have a local help-group or diabetes clinic? Perhaps you are a bit over-loaded at the present.... any family to help with your little one(s)?

 

[Grant_Vicat]

I get what you mean and respect your brutal honesty, thank you. But, I’ve been scared to let my sugars go low because I could have a hypo and that could also be catastrophic.. I know with higher sugars, that can also lead to catastrophic events but the hypo with being single does scare me.
I don’t want sympathy, I want to hear from others if they have any advice. I can do it, I have done and am brilliant at it when I do manage m diabetes properly, I just want to know if there are any tips to help me maintain in the long run.

Hi @Sharnanike There have been many instances where a very young child has "saved" Mummy frrom a hypo. The first thing I want to say is that obviously hypos are not to be treated lightly, but I spent at least 7 hours unconscious back in 1980 and woke up with total memory loss. Glycogen from my liver must have played a part. Secondly, how old is your child? Do they know what to do? My daughter, when she was two, was able to assist. I only know this because she did so before we moved house in April 1987, which was when she was just over two and a half. If you have Glucogel or use Lucozade, once they know what to do, it is amazing how dependable pre-school children can be. Hope this helps.

 

[Juicyj]

Hi and welcome @Sharnanike

Ok first things first, call your DSN tomorrow and get into see them, a lot of members are getting access to a Freestyle Libre which is a flash monitor system for checking your blood glucose levels, it would help you monitor your levels more carefully and gain confidence in managing your insulin and staying in range.

It strikes me that your fear of going low is affecting your confidence and getting a Libre would improve that greatly.

I too am a mum but my fear is complications from running high, not going low, fortunately I've not required assistance with a hypo but I am fearful of losing my sight through going high and not being able to see my daughter grow up or worse still being dependent on her because of health issues, so this keeps me on track.

 

[Sharnanike]

well as a driver for a living I am not allowed to go below 5 to drive, I just keep snacking when I am below 6 and test 2 hourly whilst at work, testing is the key I can easily stop eating what I cant do is start guessing! Do you have a local help-group or diabetes clinic? Perhaps you are a bit over-loaded at the present.... any family to help with your little one(s)?

Oh I see, yes with driving, I understand why you test every 2 hours! That’s very true, I need to test more.. try to rewire my brain! Yes I have an appointment booked to see my joint consultants so that should help too. Always overloaded I’m sure! But yes, my mum helps with my son due to me working nights.

 

[Colin Crowhurst]

where I uk are you?

 

[Sharnanike]

Hi and welcome @Sharnanike

Ok first things first, call your DSN tomorrow and get into see them, a lot of members are getting access to a Freestyle Libre which is a flash monitor system for checking your blood glucose levels, it would help you monitor your levels more carefully and gain confidence in managing your insulin and staying in range.

It strikes me that your fear of going low is affecting your confidence and getting a Libre would improve that greatly.

I too am a mum but my fear is complications from running high, not going low, fortunately I've not required assistance with a hypo but I am fearful of losing my sight through going high and not being able to see my daughter grow up or worse still being dependent on her because of health issues, so this keeps me on track.

Thank you for your reply. What’s DSN mean please? I used to use the freestyle libre as someone in my family works in the place that makes them but due to various reasons, I couldn’t afford them anymore and Cornwall wouldn’t allow them on the NHS. When I used the libre sensors, I was testing loads!
Thank you for telling me your fears, I think I need to feel more like that rather than the fear of going low.

I already have a list of complications that have bombarded me in a short amount of time. Hopefully if I knuckle down on it and can actually make it my main focus, I can reverse and/or maintain the complications!

 

[Jaylee]

well as a driver for a living I am not allowed to go below 5 to drive, I just keep snacking when I am below 6 and test 2 hourly whilst at work, testing is the key I can easily stop eating what I cant do is start guessing! Do you have a local help-group or diabetes clinic? Perhaps you are a bit over-loaded at the present.... any family to help with your little one(s)?

Hello,

I'm a driver too. Done it as my duties in my job & know the score.
What I ain't, is a mum. What I am inclined to do is tag in T1s who are..

@mahola T1 with a diabetic daughter. & @Diakat

 

[Juicyj]

Thank you for your reply. What’s DSN mean please? I used to use the freestyle libre as someone in my family works in the place that makes them but due to various reasons, I couldn’t afford them anymore and Cornwall wouldn’t allow them on the NHS. When I used the libre sensors, I was testing loads!
Thank you for telling me your fears, I think I need to feel more like that rather than the fear of going low.

I already have a list of complications that have bombarded me in a short amount of time. Hopefully if I knuckle down on it and can actually make it my main focus, I can reverse and/or maintain the complications!

Diabetes Specialist Nurse. Please talk to your team about your fears, things have changed a lot in the last few years, my trust doesn't offer the Libre on prescription but many do now, and if you can get it because of your current fears and the effect on your health with complications then you can turn this around. I hate hypos I really do but self fund a sensor which monitors my levels and my hypo fear is minimal. Just set yourself a target in the meantime to stay below 10, unrealistic targets can knock your confidence so try and set something like this to focus on and your team really should support you if you ask for help.

 

[Colin Crowhurst]

The recent changes from NICE regarding Libre might make things easier to get sorted, perhaps a long conversation with your GP might help convince them of your need, each CCG (clinical commissioning group) I being funded for 20% of their type 1's to be on Libre through NHS. Don't forget you can use the advocacy service on here (diabetes.co.uk) to have an expert supporter in your corner

 

[Sharnanike]

Hi @Sharnanike There have been many instances where a very young child has "saved" Mummy frrom a hypo. The first thing I want to say is that obviously hypos are not to be treated lightly, but I spent at least 7 hours unconscious back in 1980 and woke up with total memory loss. Glycogen from my liver must have played a part. Secondly, how old is your child? Do they know what to do? My daughter, when she was two, was able to assist. I only know this because she did so before we moved house in April 1987, which was when she was just over two and a half. If you have Glucogel or use Lucozade, once they know what to do, it is amazing how dependable pre-school children can be. Hope this helps.

Thank you ever so much. Yes this helps a great amount! My son is 6, 7 next month. He doesn’t yet know what to do but I’m definitely going to teach him. He’s so caring, I know he would help if he needed to, he would be so scared though bless him. Wow.. over 7 hours is a long time! I have bottles of lucozade, I’m quite lucky as I have always known in my adult life when I’m going low but there’s always that fear of the unknown. Just need to teach my son and get testing!!

 

[Sharnanike]

Diabetes Specialist Nurse. Please talk to your team about your fears, things have changed a lot in the last few years, my trust doesn't offer the Libre on prescription but many do now, and if you can get it because of your current fears and the effect on your health with complications then you can turn this around. I hate hypos I really do but self fund a sensor which monitors my levels and my hypo fear is minimal. Just set yourself a target in the meantime to stay below 10, unrealistic targets can knock your confidence so try and set something like this to focus on and your team really should support you if you ask for help.

Thank you. I do definitely think that I should use the sensors again, I was doing soooo well on them! I’m going to call tomorrow and get an appointment, I’ll ask about the sensors then and if the region I’m in will do them on the NHS. If not, I think self funding them is a must really! I have to stay between 15 and 20 because bringing my sugars down so quickly could affect my eyes and it was only yesterday I found out my left eye has a bleed. Thank you for tour help, I do hope me reaching out will give me the support I need!

 

[Sharnanike]

The recent changes from NICE regarding Libre might make things easier to get sorted, perhaps a long conversation with your GP might help convince them of your need, each CCG (clinical commissioning group) I being funded for 20% of their type 1's to be on Libre through NHS. Don't forget you can use the advocacy service on here (diabetes.co.uk) to have an expert supporter in your corner

Thank you, I do know that Cornwall would not fund them on the NHS beforehand but that was probably 2 years ago now so maybe things have changed. I’ll definitely be having a word with the specialists and going down that route! And thank you for your suggestions and support, I appreciate it so much.

 

[JAT1]

Thank you. I do definitely think that I should use the sensors again, I was doing soooo well on them! I’m going to call tomorrow and get an appointment, I’ll ask about the sensors then and if the region I’m in will do them on the NHS. If not, I think self funding them is a must really! I have to stay between 15 and 20 because bringing my sugars down so quickly could affect my eyes and it was only yesterday I found out my left eye has a bleed. Thank you for tour help, I do hope me reaching out will give me the support I need!

I'm type 1 and from what I understand being between 15 and 20 is too high, between 5 and 9 would be much better. The way to get your blood sugar 'under control' is to finger prick before eating and 2 hours after starting the meal. Learn how different foods affect you, learn to carb count and take the corresponding correct amount of insulin - too much insulin and you'll hypo, too little and the sugar in the blood escalates. Plus the combination of foods matters. For instance if you eat vegetables with lots of fat and protein the impact on your blood sugar is much slower and lower whereas if you just eat the vegetables the impact is much quicker and higher. Learn as much as possible about your diabetes.

 

[Grumpy ole thing]

Thank you, I do know that Cornwall would not fund them on the NHS beforehand but that was probably 2 years ago now so maybe things have changed. I’ll definitely be having a word with the specialists and going down that route! And thank you for your suggestions and support, I appreciate it so much.

as @Colin Crowhurst note above NHS England from April 2019 will refund CCG part of the cost towards 20% of the number of T1's in their area;, this might be worth a read; https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/flash-glucose-monitoring-national-arrangements-funding.pdf . It might also be worth reading up on the NICE guidelines for the clinical info, and you could also check the guidelines your CCG use so at least you know what they are looking for/expecting from you. Good luck x