Running a bit high...

[DonnaC-T]

But no idea why. I'm doing everything the same, normally don't go over 7 but it's lurking at 9/10. I did an extra unit of Novorapid and it's going up. I don't like it when I can't explain it.

 

[ConradJ]

Everything?

Drunk any alcohol in the last 24hours? Changed the basal insulin (Lantus/Levemir/...) cartridge last night? Injected somewhere new (or continued with the same place too many times?) Have you eaten the same meal, but injected later than normal? Are you unwell at all - even a slight cold? Or is it that time of the month? Stressed out at work / home / other, or something niggling at the back of your mind?

It's amazing how almost anything and everything can play devils advocate with diabetes!

Believe me, I'm with you and I hope you get to the bottom of it.

Do you log book things? Do you cab-count? It's worth having a relaxed think about it as you may be surprised... otherwise, it;s another example of the DMF: 90/9/1.

 

[ConradJ]

Do you cab-count?

Errm, carb-count - unless, of course, you have a fetish for taxis!

 

[DonnaC-T]

I had the same things for breakfast and lunch as always. Carb count- yes. Cabs- no! Lol
I really can't think if anything, I was low first thing 3.1, it went up to 6 after breakfast. I was a little stressed then (car clutch).
I tested two hours after dinner, 9.9, 1 1/2 after that, 6.5 an hour later (bed) 7.5 so it's come down but I've only had water and its back up a little. Not drastically now though so that's good.
I know 9 is not high for everyone but at that point I get so thirsty. Thanks Conrad x

 

[ConradJ]

You could have rebounded after the morning hypo - the 6 you had post breakfast is excellent, but without doing another test - say an hour after, you would not know if you were still rising.

Also, the stress may have induced some insulin resistence through the day.

Anyway, it sounds like you're doing great - you should put some of your scores on your signature! I'm envious

 

[DonnaC-T]

Sounds good maybe until you know I ignored the diabetes for 18 yrs, sure I took my insulin but that was all. Never, ever tested, didn't care what I ate. I'm a reformed character who feels rather stupid/ guilty and is aiming for redemption. Or trying to stave off any damage those 18 yrs have done! X

 

[noblehead]

I had the same things for breakfast and lunch as always. Carb count- yes. Cabs- no! Lol
I really can't think if anything, I was low first thing 3.1, it went up to 6 after breakfast. I was a little stressed then (car clutch).
I tested two hours after dinner, 9.9, 1 1/2 after that, 6.5 an hour later (bed) 7.5 so it's come down but I've only had water and its back up a little. Not drastically now though so that's good.
I know 9 is not high for everyone but at that point I get so thirsty. Thanks Conrad x

Stress, that will be reason why your bg was higher than normal.

 

[ConradJ]

Sounds good maybe until you know I ignored the diabetes for 18 yrs, sure I took my insulin but that was all. Never, ever tested, didn't care what I ate. I'm a reformed character who feels rather stupid/ guilty and is aiming for redemption. Or trying to stave off any damage those 18 yrs have done! X

You and me babe... although, I did test - and usually very frequently, my biggest problem was not stopping to look at what I was doing and so I went through at least 18 years of Himalayan mountain BGs. There's no reason to feel stupid or guilty - by all mean, kick yourself a few times, but understand that the symptoms that lead to diagnosis still exist and play havoc once you're on medication.

The highs and lows send emotions in all directions and induce carb/sugar cravings, etc. Your behaviour was not inevitable if the right approach had been given throughout your diabetic life. Many of us were sold a half-truth with the DAFNE / "You can eat just like anyone else, just carb count, etc., etc." Many of us are now seeing the devastating consequences of an approach that could work properly IF all the information, technology, medication and mentoring was in place to support the 'freedom' it offered.

I went onto a pump in 2005 without any diabetes education and found that my Himalayan mountain BGs never went away. When I went on a carb-counting course last June and learnt that carrots and parsnips had carbs - and even more depending on how you cooked them, well it blew me away and made me sit up and realise that I was given the tech and the basic knowledge of how to use it, but that I didn't get given or directed to good sources of information about type 1 diabetes as a whole.

The world has changed and we know so much more than we ever did knowabout diabetes, but just as we think we're getting it nailed, we discover something else that upsets the proverbial apple cart (take, for example, the recent study that discovered that possibly the majority of type 1's still produce some insulin even 30+ years after diagnosis and insulin)!

So, yeah, give yourself a kick, then take a deep breath and say to yourself: "Now I know what I know, what am I doing from this moment to do things better." You can't change the past, but you can affect your future.

Good luck and very best wishes.
C.

 

[DonnaC-T]

What a wonderful post, thank you. Woke to a 5.3, normal brekkie and 2 hours it's 11.5?!?!
I've walked for an hour (car clutch) and its now 7.
You're right about information/education. I knew nothing about diabetes until last year. I had to beg to go on a carb counting course as my surgery don't do it that way. It was fixed dose only. My dsn is still a bit humpy about my carb counting ratio business. When my A1C was 7.5 she said it needed to be lower, when asked what I should do her response was 'oh, the usual'
Super helpful :/
Thanks X

 

[AlexandraMarnie89]

What I wouldn't give for a reading of 9 right about now! I'm back up in the 30s. Not sure what to suggest for keeping it down other than doing a basal test maybe if you haven't done one for a while? But it could just be a slight viral infection etc

 

[ConradJ]

What I wouldn't give for a reading of 9 right about now! I'm back up in the 30s

Jeez, I remember those days

Sorry to hear that. Have you worked out what it is that's set your levels off?

 

[AlexandraMarnie89]

Yeah been in hospital with DKA. They let me home this afternoon and since coming off the sliding scale I've just shot up...and up and up and up. Considering having to phone the ward and going back in but man that place was driving me insane! And talk about **** food choices and no way of accurately carb counting for the purposes of bolus-ing!! -__

 

[ConradJ]

Woke to a 5.3, normal brekkie and 2 hours it's 11.5?!?!
I've walked for an hour (car clutch) and its now 7.

Walking is great - for BG levels, for cholesterol (blah, blah), and especially the mind... there's so much that can be resolved with a 30-60 minute stroll!

You're right about information/education. I knew nothing about diabetes until last year. I had to beg to go on a carb counting course as my surgery don't do it that way. It was fixed dose only.My dsn is still a bit humpy about my carb counting ratio business. When my A1C was 7.5 she said it needed to be lower, when asked what I should do her response was 'oh, the usual'
Super helpful :/

It's not just the lack of education for us, the professionals are suffering as well: standards of care for diabetes can range from appalling to excellent depending upon the individual who is delivering the healthcare. My DSN (Stoke Mandeville) is absolutely A1, but many - like you, are not so lucky. The world is rapidly changing and the power of information has shifted from 'professional experts' to 'patient experts', with many professionals finding themselves behind the curve when it comes to things like low-carb, double-dosing long acting insulins, etc.

I've found that by going right back to basics: 3 meals a day, with only very light snacks (e.g. an apple), lots of testing and several morning to night-time basal tests have really sorted out my daytime shifts. I've also lost around 3KG in the process, dropped 2" of my waistlineAND lost my sweet-tooth / carb-craving! Consequently, my basal rate has lowered by 2U/day over the last two months, and I'm sure it'll be dropping again as my levels continue on their smoothed, lower transition. I've done this by reading lots of forum posts, blogs and various medical sites/papers, and by having a helpful and supportive DSN who has continually reminded me of the simple things, like noting things in a log book to help me review and learn from what has been going on!

In one way, it's all so simple, and yet it isn't.

 

[ConradJ]

Yeah been in hospital with DKA. They let me home this afternoon and since coming off the sliding scale I've just shot up...and up and up and up. Considering having to phone the ward and going back in but man that place was driving me insane! And talk about **** food choices and no way of accurately carb counting for the purposes of bolus-ing!! -__

That doesn't sound good. Howlong has this been going on for? What meds are you on? Have you thought about changing the vial / cartridge? (Just to b sure it's not the insulin that's causing your highs.)

 

[AlexandraMarnie89]

Since - Tuesday evening? I have changed the insulin in my pump (novo rapid) about 5 times since then and have had it all checked by the hospital for bubble or anything that could cause problems. Have also changed my sites at least 7 times and my pump is currently on a temp basal of 200%. Just bolused a correction of 30 units (scarily that's 20% of my TTD from the last 24 hours!)about an hour and a half ago and still running at 33.6 -_- I am TIRED!

 

[ConradJ]

Do you have an alternative BG meter you can double check against?

Have you caught a virus / got an infection (e.g. graze or dirty nail) or had something that's really stressed you out, that could have sent you off the tracks like that?

Something else it could be is if you've started eating something new / different, e.g. supplements, bread, other, or stopped taking etc? Perhaps your scales have gone wrong at home and so you're not bolusing accordingly because you not getting accurate weights?

Are you logging your results and actions? If not, it's essential you start now so that you and the health care team can review and try to solve this.

My heart goes out to you.

 

[AlexandraMarnie89]

I have 8 bg meters all lined up in a neat little row and are all reading within 0.6 of each other. I have NO idea why I have so many.

According to hospital I have a viral infection

I don't weigh my food any more - I used to but found that an easier (and forever accurate if my scales fail me) way of doing it was to weigh in the first instance but then see how that weight transferred to alternative measures e.g tablespoons and now I use that to measure things like bulgar, quinoa, lentils etc. so I know that's not it.

Think I'm just run down in general - knocked the pump up to 250% but thinking I might have to go back in as ketones are creeping back up. All fun and games, NOT.

 

[ConradJ]

Sounds like you need to get the viral infection checked out. Did they offer you antibiotics?

Have you tried bolusing using a syringe / pen and needle in a completely different area?

I've sometimes found that my cannula sites would just not 'register', and I could shoot through the roof despite bolusing and doubling the basal, etc. My DSN reminded me that I should adminster emergency doses using a non-pump method in such circumstances - although you have to remember / log them otherwise you can find yourself filling up with insulin that's just sitting around in a fat node or something, only to release itself sometime later sending you back down through the basement!

Oh, how I hated being like it - you have my sincere empathy.

If your ketones are rising, I'd get on the phone and call the hospital. Good luck.

 

[DonnaC-T]

How are you this morning, Alexandra? I hope you're beginning to feel better? X

 

[ConradJ]

How are you this morning, Alexandra? I hope you're beginning to feel better? X

Hear, hear!