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I Need Help

T

Tarapaige

Member
Messages
7
I’m new to this page but I literally don’t know where else to turn....

So I’ve been type 1 for 15 years and it’s never been easy, but it just doesn’t seem to be getting any better!
My blood sugars are always high, ALWAYS! And when I try getting them down they go down too low, I’ve told my nurses I don’t understand my regime and how to correct. And they don’t seem to want to help at all! And now if I try to get my blood sugars down I feel so ill and as stupid as it sounds I have gave up trying now I feel like I’m stuck in a massive hole and have no idea how to get out, I’m fed up of feeling constantly depressed...

I take novorapid and tresiba, I just want to know how everybody finds the motivation to keep on top of blood sugars and injection etc. Sometimes I will go days without injecting, yes I know it isn’t good and I know the risks but I just can’t bring myself to have a daily fight with my own body.

It’s now affecting my work and relationships, any help or advice would be amazing

Thank you
 
Hi there and welcome to the forum :), sorry to see you have been having such a rough time :(
You say you don't understand your regime, what do you mean exactly? you obviously know what each insulin is for but do you have a meal ratio? do you have an established correction factor?
The complications scare the h**l outta me and that's the only thing that keeps me motivated to do the best I can to stay on top of things, I was diagnosed with diabetic macular oedema just a month after my Type 1 diagnosis so that's another reason to keep on top of things xx
 
Hello and welcome to the forum. Going to tag @daisy1 first, she will post some relevant info for you.
Motivation to stay on the straight and narrow?...I have lost the sight in my left eye and am stage 4CKD due to poor control in my twenties. Really hate needles (other people taking blood etc) so if I don't look after myself I will be needing dialysis 3 times a week with other people poking BIG needles into me and will go blind! That's all the motivation I need now :).
Are the nurses actual Diabetes Specialist Nurses (DSN)? If so they need a kick up the behind!!
As @kaylz91 has asked/ What do you not understand??
 
Welcome to the forum. I see @daisy1 has been tagged for you with some good information. There are people who can advise you from their own experience but you have to do the work. What do you mean by 'high'? What is the regime you are following? The chances are that your lack of control is making you feel down, so please keep on trying your best. There are times when the best we can do is resort to routine and paste on a smile, but never neglect the routine medication. It is hard, but there will be a day that you will appreciate being able to enjoy life to the full, see things you never dreamt you would see, do things that seem impossible now.
 
Hello, welcome to the forum.

I don't feel as if I'm fighting my body, when I'm trying to control my diabetes, I feel as if Im helping my body. Me and my body are on the same side, the diabetes isn't though, the diabetes is the thing me and my body are fighting against.

I think that might be what keeps me motivated. I'm trying to look after my body, because I need it.

Me and my body also have some friends who help us, I see healthy food as a friend, as well.

Maybe if you see your body as not the enemy that might help, be kind to it, poor thing It didn't ask to have type 1 diabetes, poor thing, there are most likely a number of things that can cause it, but it wasn't your body's fault. Be a friend to your body, don't see yourself as at war with it.

That would be my starting point.
 
kaylz91 said:
Hi there and welcome to the forum :), sorry to see you have been having such a rough time :(
You say you don't understand your regime, what do you mean exactly? you obviously know what each insulin is for but do you have a meal ratio? do you have an established correction factor?
The complications scare the h**l outta me and that's the only thing that keeps me motivated to do the best I can to stay on top of things, I was diagnosed with diabetic macular oedema just a month after my Type 1 diagnosis so that's another reason to keep on top of things xx
Click to expand...

No I have no established correction, I have no idea how to carb count I just feel like I’m fighting a never ending battle. And when I do try and correct and do my meals correctly my blood sugars go low and I get bad migraines..
 
Phoenix55 said:
Welcome to the forum. I see @daisy1 has been tagged for you with some good information. There are people who can advise you from their own experience but you have to do the work. What do you mean by 'high'? What is the regime you are following? The chances are that your lack of control is making you feel down, so please keep on trying your best. There are times when the best we can do is resort to routine and paste on a smile, but never neglect the routine medication. It is hard, but there will be a day that you will appreciate being able to enjoy life to the full, see things you never dreamt you would see, do things that seem impossible now.
Click to expand...

By high I mean my sugars are constantly around 20-30 I know that’s really bad, but now when they are around 15 I feel like I’m having a hypo. I just don’t know what to do
 
Ok, now we know a little more about what you are trying to cope with. We all know that double figures is not good control in the long term, yet that reducing it down can cause the body to think it is going into a hypo, which is totally false. I can't remember the time mine went into double figures. You need to bring it down gradually and probably diet will be key to helping you do this, but I will leave that advice to my T1 colleagues. Thank you for coming to our site and remember - you are never fully dressed without a smile:);). Good luck
 
Tarapaige said:
No I have no established correction, I have no idea how to carb count I just feel like I’m fighting a never ending battle. And when I do try and correct and do my meals correctly my blood sugars go low and I get bad migraines..
Click to expand...


ok so how much insulin do you inject and when?

Where in the country are you? have you considered doing a DAFNE course?
 
Welcome to the forum, Tara, we’re all here to help. Can you tell us how you decide how much to take for your “as and when” doses?
 
Tarapaige said:
I inject 34 tresiba in the morning and then normally about 16 units of novorapid as and when through the day.
I’m in UK
Click to expand...

Are you at a hospital or under GP care?

You need to go on a DAFNE course, have you been offered one? DAFNE teaches you how to dose adjust your insulin for normal eating.

I am glad you have joined the forum, could you let us know what County you live in? There may be some groups of some members here that meet up that you may want to go along to? Some hospitals like mine in Cambridge have groups of T1s that meet at a pub..via the hospital putting them in touch with the pub T1 friends.

We can help you through, but we are not medical specialists.

Have you got anybody in your life to confide to and to support you through this time of gaining control and confidence? I am worried as depression is very relevent to handling your diabetes.

We are here for you and will support you through. You arent the only one to go through this, you arent alone...
 
Hi there, although the advice from diabetes 'specialists' is to virtually eat what you want and then match the insulin to it, this is very hard to do for a lot of people and so they swing from very high to very low. Can you tell us the type of foods you eat?, I know that type 1's do not HAVE to lower their carbs but my opinion is that if you can't match up the insulin to cover those carbs (no matter how you try) then something needs to change. If it was me, I would lower my carbs very gradually and then in a carefully controlled way and with PLENTY of testing, I would adjust my insulin accordingly. If you carb count anyway then you would already know how much insulin you need to cover your carbs. You may find that after a while you need less insulin and this may help the swings (smaller amounts of insulin have smaller effects). I'm guessing you don't have a pump but is it possible to get one?, at least that way you would be able to see the (almost) immediate effects of your insulin and food. x
 
Tarapaige said:
No I have no established correction, I have no idea how to carb count I just feel like I’m fighting a never ending battle. And when I do try and correct and do my meals correctly my blood sugars go low and I get bad migraines..
Click to expand...

Hi, @Tarapaige, are you in the U.K.? If you are then ask to go on a Dafne course asap - it may go by a different name in your area. You’ll learn how to carb count, what doses should be good for you and how to make corrections.
If your GP and nurses are reluctant then either change GP or ask to be referred to a hospital clinic.
 
Ah, I see @donellysdogs has said the same thing so there you have it in stereo!
 
KK123 said:
Hi there, although the advice from diabetes 'specialists' is to virtually eat what you want and then match the insulin to it, this is very hard to do for a lot of people and so they swing from very high to very low. Can you tell us the type of foods you eat?, I know that type 1's do not HAVE to lower their carbs but my opinion is that if you can't match up the insulin to cover those carbs (no matter how you try) then something needs to change. If it was me, I would lower my carbs very gradually and then in a carefully controlled way and with PLENTY of testing, I would adjust my insulin accordingly. If you carb count anyway then you would already know how much insulin you need to cover your carbs. You may find that after a while you need less insulin and this may help the swings (smaller amounts of insulin have smaller effects). I'm guessing you don't have a pump but is it possible to get one?, at least that way you would be able to see the (almost) immediate effects of your insulin and food. x
Click to expand...

The OP told us she doesn’t carb count. That has to be the first thing to tackle. Whether you low carb or not, without that ability things will be very tough. Also, I too am interested to know where medical support is obtained as it sounds somewhat lacking.

On the plus side well done @Tarapaige for asking for help. Onwards and upwards from here.
 
Ok, so you have an appointment coming up any time soon? Perhaps you could call to make one if you don’t, so that they can give you the tools you need to start feeling more confident to take care of yourself properly?
 
donnellysdogs said:
Are you at a hospital or under GP care?

You need to go on a DAFNE course, have you been offered one? DAFNE teaches you how to dose adjust your insulin for normal eating.

I am glad you have joined the forum, could you let us know what County you live in? There may be some groups of some members here that meet up that you may want to go along to? Some hospitals like mine in Cambridge have groups of T1s that meet at a pub..via the hospital putting them in touch with the pub T1 friends.

We can help you through, but we are not medical specialists.

Have you got anybody in your life to confide to and to support you through this time of gaining control and confidence? I am worried as depression is very relevent to handling your diabetes.

We are here for you and will support you through. You arent the only one to go through this, you arent alone...
Click to expand...

Hi I’m under hospital for the diabetes, but I never have the same doctors and I always have to repeat myself constantly and tell them all of my issues etc.. I’m currently living in Coventry. One of the hardest points is my job as I work with horses so I don’t have set dinner breaks etc so it’s hard to remember to eat/inject.

It so hard because I know most of the issue is my own doing
 
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