Newly diagnosed and super confused

Nozza1234 said:

Thank you. That’s all so helpful. Came back no keystones but not been checked since that night in a&e. Trying to catch low sugars early not leading to another hypo. I just feel like the last 2 days I’m trying to just keep from having a hypo constantly even the hours following a balanced meal I’m having to have some sweets as dropping to 4mmol.
Appreciate you and all the helpful threads on here!

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You really need to talk to someone who can give you proper guidance - to be constantly going low is not good at all.
Please insist on consultation before the weekend, don't put yourself in danger.

I'm one year in from being diagnosed type 1, so hope this helps;

I've had an abnormal first year (according to my Diabetes nurse & consultant); I'm in the mother of all honeymoon periods, and am currently taking NO basal, and only 1 unit of Fast acting per 25g carbs on bigger meals. If i'm doing any form of exercise after a large meal, I don't take any fast acting either. (Time in range 94%, rarely, if ever above 12mmol). HBA1C 2 months ago was 45mmol.

The reason for telling you that is I was suffering constant Hypos similar to you, and ended up having a seizure because of it. I had been telling the specialists about it, but they didn't know how to help. I suggested stopping basal, and almost stopping bolus.

I am NOT telling you to stop taking insulin!

I AM telling you to talk to your Diabetes nurse/Consultant/GP. Your reaction sounds very similar to mine, and it's at the unusual end of the scale so you may have to be proactive if you think that you are taking too much insulin.

Eating less carbs isn't really a 'thing' if you're on a basal/bolus. In time you'll learn (or be taught) to change your doses based on the number of carbs you eat. In the mean time, eat carbs. And don't worry if you go over 10mmol for a while - so long as you're not constantly high.

Good luck.

Hi @Nozza1234

As Ellie has said the reason your now experiencing many hypos is that you are in the honeymoon phase, this happens as the once highly stressed pancreas experiences a period of revival after taking insulin, it's confusing as can lead you to believe the diagnosis was incorrect and I experienced the same questioning my diagnosis and thinking I could reverse it, that won't happen sadly, over time your insulin need will increase as this wears off.

You need to keep in close contact with your team and reduce your insulin to avoid going low, always take glucose with you at all times so next to the bed and in your pocket/side pocket of the car etc. In regards to treating a hypo always use fast acting glucose and follow up with 10g of carbs, test every 10 minutes and retreat if necessary until levels are back in range. Things to be wary of are exercise as this can cause levels to drop, even shopping can drop me, anything that involves alot of brain power, your brain is the biggest organ using glucose so it's affected first and cognitive ability diminishes quickly because of this hence why using quick acting glucose is the best way to treat it, also trust your gut if you're feeling shaky/weird it's probably because your dropping so getting hypo treatment quick is vital.

Please shout if you need any support, it can be a while adjusting and getting used to the new diagnosis but happy to help if I can.

It’s very sad that you were not immediately given support in the first few weeks. Following hospital admission I was in clinic next morning, hitched up with a DN who rang me up every day for a fortnight changing doses as we went. Then she was available by email or phone for questions or help. I also started on carb counting from day 1.
The fact that you immediately went low carb this would not match with the doses that they put you on. Low carb is an option but not on fixed doses you cannot change. I’m not surprised you keep going low. You must get help from wherever you are going to be attached to.

insist on a C peptide test and insist on the antibodies test immediately. Sometimes the pancreas beta cells are stunned and they recover , If no antibodies and you are making your own insulin then somethign needs to be done to help you. Please get good advice. It makes sense for not immediately doing C peptide after hyperglycemia rates described but you cant continue like this, its too hard.

I’m insulin dependent, type 3c, and was left to get on with it 11 years ago…I got my head around the two types of insulin better when I also got prescribed a Libre Freestyle continuous blood glucose monitor…are you on that or similar? It’s a bit more complex than just carb counting as you no doubt are discovering but what you eat with other things, and order you eat them…very simply fat and protein with the carbs can alter how the later appears to work, and that takes some time to get your head round! I’m currently having a couple of months of odd BG levels as I have withdrawn from one antihypertensives drug to another, upping a dose….so it’s not just food that can do odd things to your BG…virus/illness,pain, stress etc etc all play a role. I find night-time nuts ( hazelnut and walnuts but not cashews), even cheese, good to help with am hypos…hate nights/dawn when you seem to be on hypo watch with bag of jelly beans…good luck.