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Insomnia

Millie Brown

Member
Messages
14
Diagnosed T1 last month & taking gliclazide which appears to have stopped working. Have an appointment on Friday where I understand I will be shown how to inject insulin. Bloods have been creeping up despite increasing tablets. Experiencing neurological pain at night and not getting to sleep until 3/4am. When I get to sleep, I do sleep but I'm exhausted. Will take ANY advice going. I'm exercising and keeping hydrated, avoiding caffeine and doing the right things!
Diabetes nurse thinks this is unrelated to T1. I beg to differ because I'm generally a great sleeper!
Thanks in advance!
Amanda
 
Why would anyone prescribe gliclazide to a T1???? That's a T2 drug, so it's not surprising that's it's stopped working.

To explain: T2 is linked to insulin resistance, your body can't process carbs properly and you have to produce more and more insulin to cope. This can result in burnout of your insulin producing cells and an ultimate move to insulin injections.

T1 is insulin destruction, your insulin producing cells are killed as an autoimmune defect, and you stop producing insulin.

Both diseases have the same symptoms, high blood sugar, but no other similarities.

I have no idea as to the cause of your insomnia, but if it is the diabetes the insulin should be a massive help.

Lots of hugs

Edited by Mod
 
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Why twould anyone prescribe gliclazide to a T1???? That's a T2 drug, so it's not surprising that's it's stopped working.

That's just what I was thinking.

In fact @Millie Brown if it is definitely T1, you need to talk to a doctor/diabetic nurse right now to get and be shown how to use the insulin (ie. don't wait til Friday)

Edited by Mod
 
Last edited by a moderator:
It definitely seems unusual to be prescribed gliclazide with type 1.
Perhaps it has something to do with trying to manage the lowered amount of insulin your body is producing as you are in teh honeymoon period and still have some insulin producing cells.

There are many different reasons for insomnia.
It could be the stress and concern of diabetes and seeing your BG rising.

It could be related to your BG.
For me, if I wake in the middle of the night, the first thing I do is to take a BG reading. Nine times out of ten, my BG is too high or too low and once I treat this (with insulin or glucose), I am able to go back to sleep without any trouble.

Or, it could be something else.

I agree with @EllieM that, if the insomnia is related to your high BG, the insulin should help.

My only suggestion in the meantime is to try eating low carb until then. This should help keep your BG lower or at least avoid high spikes.
Once you get the insulin you should be able to go back to your usual diet although some people with t1 choose to maintain a low carb diet.
 
Thanks guys.
In their defence, it was a short term fix whilst full bloods came back and to get my bloods down asap. I still had a bit of insulin according to one of the tests.
Low carb is definitely a sound suggestion until Friday.
I'm a wreck without sleep.
 
Hello @Millie Brown Welcome to the forum :)

Some good advice from members above, hopefully this will settle down soon once you are administering insulin, good luck and let us know how you get on.
 
It definitely seems unusual to be prescribed gliclazide with type 1.
Perhaps it has something to do with trying to manage the lowered amount of insulin your body is producing as you are in teh honeymoon period and still have some insulin producing cells.

There are many different reasons for insomnia.
It could be the stress and concern of diabetes and seeing your BG rising.

It could be related to your BG.
For me, if I wake in the middle of the night, the first thing I do is to take a BG reading. Nine times out of ten, my BG is too high or too low and once I treat this (with insulin or glucose), I am able to go back to sleep without any trouble.

Or, it could be something else.

I agree with @EllieM that, if the insomnia is related to your high BG, the insulin should help.

My only suggestion in the meantime is to try eating low carb until then. This should help keep your BG lower or at least avoid high spikes.
Once you get the insulin you should be able to go back to your usual diet although some people with t1 choose to maintain a low carb diet.
Given I just have to hold out until tomorrow, I went very low carb yesterday. I love carbs and feel poorly if I don't eat them but I was feeling MORE poorly with sleep deprivation!
Your advice was spot on.
MUCH better sleep last night.
Thank you!!!
 
That's just what I was thinking.

In fact @Millie Brown if it is definitely T1, you need to talk to a doctor/diabetic nurse right now to get and be shown how to use the insulin (ie. don't wait til Friday)

Edited by Mod
Definitely T1 unfortunately.
They thought it was LADA initially - I still have a little insulin. Perhaps that's the reason they went down the Gliclazide route.
Bloods better yesterday. I went very low carb and it did help.
Hospital tomorrow!
Thanks for your reply.
 
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