Newbie Looking For Any Tips Or Advice

[Jim Ch]

Hi everyone. New to the group and my first post, so please be gentle. Lol.

I have metastatic liver cancer, for which I have been receiving Immunotherapy since March, with no side effects.

I visited my GP last Friday feeling incredibly ill and was immediately sent to hospital, where it was established that I had ketoacidosis. I had no idea that I was diabetic and they are unsure if I have Type 1 or Type 2.

My readings in hospital bounced between 8.9 and 19.7, but were mainly around the 12-15 mark and I was sent home yesterday with insulin and a blood/sugar/keto reader.

I have to take 10 Levemir first thing in morning and last thing at night. Plus 7 NovoRapid 3 times a day, 15 mins before eating breakfast, lunch & dinner.

My first reading this morning was 12.7, but my pre-lunch reading was 22.0, having only eaten a bowl of corn flakes with a little sugar and a packet of crisps.

My pre-dinner reading was 16.5, still high, but coming back down. The hospital told me not to worry too much about my readings, as it is a balancing act at the start and they need to take a note of my readings, then balance them out with the amount of insulin that I need.

At 57 y/o, this has come as a huge surprise to me and any advice that anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Daibell]

Hi and welcome. I suspect your nurse/GP will increase you insulin shots shortly. One thing you need to know is that to provide optimum balance, it is normal to adjust the Novorapid to match the carbs in each meal. They should explain this shortly. If they don't then ask for guidance on that. As you are on insulin, your actual type isn't critical but there are two tests that could be done if needed for T1.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi everyone. New to the group and my first post, so please be gentle. Lol.

I have metastatic liver cancer, for which I have been receiving Immunotherapy since March, with no side effects.

I visited my GP last Friday feeling incredibly ill and was immediately sent to hospital, where it was established that I had ketoacidosis. I had no idea that I was diabetic and they are unsure if I have Type 1 or Type 2.

My readings in hospital bounced between 8.9 and 19.7, but were mainly around the 12-15 mark and I was sent home yesterday with insulin and a blood/sugar/keto reader.

I have to take 10 Levemir first thing in morning and last thing at night. Plus 7 NovoRapid 3 times a day, 15 mins before eating breakfast, lunch & dinner.

My first reading this morning was 12.7, but my pre-lunch reading was 22.0, having only eaten a bowl of corn flakes with a little sugar and a packet of crisps.

My pre-dinner reading was 16.5, still high, but coming back down. The hospital told me not to worry too much about my readings, as it is a balancing act at the start and they need to take a note of my readings, then balance them out with the amount of insulin that I need.

At 57 y/o, this has come as a huge surprise to me and any advice that anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Jim,

Sorry to hear of all your troubles! First off, cornflakes with a bit of sugar, and a packet of crisps.. That's practically pure carbs, and practically all carbs turn to glucose once ingested. I'm thoroughly impressed you were given something to read on low carn/keto, but this is shorter, and might help you bridge the time between reading all of that: https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html Do keep in mind you have to test your heart out because on a low carb diet, combined with insulin, the chances of hypo's are very, very present. But the Nutritional Thingy'll give you some of the basics, even if you don't implement any of it due to getting your footing with the insulin first, you'll at least know what's what a little. (Like, cereal's basically nowhere near as healthy as Kelloggs would like to have us believe. ).

Learn, and try not to panic. Just keep in mind, if you have high blood sugars levels and you feel sick, confused or otherwise off, get help immediately. DKA is NOT something to play a waiting game with.

I'm off to bed, but there's a lot of people here who'll be of more help than my sleepy brain currently can be. Just... Keep an eye on your levels. Keep testing. Keep a food diary to go with the numbers. It'll be an eye-opener. And likely, a life-saver.

Hugs,
Jo

 

[Jim Ch]

Hi and welcome. I suspect your nurse/GP will increase you insulin shots shortly. One thing you need to know is that to provide optimum balance, it is normal to adjust the Novorapid to match the carbs in each meal. They should explain this shortly. If they don't then ask for guidance on that. As you are on insulin, your actual type isn't critical but there are two tests that could be done if needed for T1.

Thanks Daibell, that's very helpful. I have a meeting with the Diabetes Team on Friday morning and hopefully will have more explained to me then. If they don't mention a carb adjustment, I will ask the question.