Type 1 and struggling!

Messages
18
Hi! Just need some help/guidance, I’m 20 and have been diagnosed for 9 years, I’ve never really been good with my blood sugar level, I’ve always been on the higher side and never really in target, I’ve noticed it more since I started using the freestyle libre sensor in February which is handy because it’s made me much more aware of this but I’m starting to worry. I feel like I’m taking way too many units of insulin then I should be and it’s not really doing much, so just wondering if anyone is similar or any bit if advice would be such a help. I’ve been in touch with my diabetic nurse as well! Thank you!
 

kitedoc

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,783
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
black jelly beans
Hi @Samanthajayne98,
Could you tell us what insulin and how much you take of it (or them) and when?
Also what types of food do you eat for each meal and snack?
And is your weight said to be in a normal range?
 

Jollymon

Well-Known Member
Messages
431
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Not having good chocolate, and not cycling
@kitedoc is correct. 1/2 of the control is in what we eat. The other half is in the insulin dose. The more you eat, the more you’ll need to dose for. That’s the I:C ratio.

There’s another 1/2 in activity. The more active you are the more insulin sensitive you can be. I use this to help me become more efficient with less insulin, and have my numbers hit where they’re supposed to be.

I know all of those 1/2’s add to 150%, but sometimes that’s what we have to give this crummy condition.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EllieM

DCUKMod

Master
Staff Member
Messages
14,298
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
@Samanthajayne98 - in addition to the questions @kitedoc has asked, do you have many hypos, along with the higher numbers, or are they just consistently higher than you'd like?
 
Messages
18
Hi @Samanthajayne98,
Could you tell us what insulin and how much you take of it (or them) and when?
Also what types of food do you eat for each meal and snack?
And is your weight said to be in a normal range?
I take novorapid and lantus, I dont usually take lower than 14 of novorapid and I take 34 of lantus, I don’t eat to much I’m basically on my feet all day so I dont have much time to snack. So just porridge or something for breakfast. Sandwich or salad for lunch and then I don’t usually eat loads for dinner usually jacket potato or something.
Yeah my weight is a normal range
 
Messages
18,448
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bullies, Liars, Trolls and dishonest cruel people
Hi! Just need some help/guidance, I’m 20 and have been diagnosed for 9 years, I’ve never really been good with my blood sugar level, I’ve always been on the higher side and never really in target, I’ve noticed it more since I started using the freestyle libre sensor in February which is handy because it’s made me much more aware of this but I’m starting to worry. I feel like I’m taking way too many units of insulin then I should be and it’s not really doing much, so just wondering if anyone is similar or any bit if advice would be such a help. I’ve been in touch with my diabetic nurse as well! Thank you!

Hi sorry to read you are going through a bit of a rough time, it's good that you have been in touch with your diabetes nurse, can i ask what they have advised ? can you email a 3 day food, carbs and Insulin doses to them so they can get a picture of what is actually going on ? My DSN was helpful with timing of my doses and also splitting the dose, but as we know Type 1 doesn't always play ball. Take care
 
Messages
18
Hi sorry to read you are going through a bit of a rough time, it's good that you have been in touch with your diabetes nurse, can i ask what they have advised ? can you email a 3 day food, carbs and Insulin doses to them so they can get a picture of what is actually going on ? My DSN was helpful with timing of my doses and also splitting the dose, but as we know Type 1 doesn't always play ball. Take care

Hiya! Nothing at the moment really as she’s not back in until Tuesday, so I’m just noting down what my readings are and what dose I’m giving so hopefully she will have a idea where I’m going wrong, thank you!
 
  • Like
Reactions: kitedoc

kitedoc

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,783
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
black jelly beans
Hi again @Samanthajayne98,
Just some thoughts to discuss with your DSN:
I wonder whether you are injecting your insulin close to the same areas you have been using over the years.
Some of us find that scar tissue builds up and the insulin does not absorb as well from that tissue under the skin than if we use new sites or a slightly different length needle?
Best Wishes :):):)
 
Messages
18
Hi again @Samanthajayne98,
Just some thoughts to discuss with your DSN:
I wonder whether you are injecting your insulin close to the same areas you have been using over the years.
Some of us find that scar tissue builds up and the insulin does not absorb as well from that tissue under the skin than if we use new sites or a slightly different length needle?
Best Wishes :):):)

I’ll ask when I speak to her!! Thank you for your help and advise
 
  • Like
Reactions: kitedoc

Jollymon

Well-Known Member
Messages
431
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Not having good chocolate, and not cycling
Have you ever tested your mdi basal rate? Basal rate testing is not a pump only term. It’s done on mdi. It’ll tell you if the amount you’re taking is enough to cover.

I don’t like basal rate testing either. But sometimes it just has to be done.
 
Last edited:

JAT1

Well-Known Member
Messages
563
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
So just porridge or something for breakfast. Sandwich or salad for lunch and then I don’t usually eat loads for dinner usually jacket potato or something. [/QUOTE said:
Hi there! Your meals would be too carby for me. If you want to reduce your insulin, you have to reduce your carbs. Do you count your carbs? It's a good habit to get into. You don't want to take more insulin than you need for the amount of carbs you eat otherwise you will hypo, so be careful.
 
Messages
18
Have you ever tested your mdi basal rate? Basal rate testing is not a pump only term. It’s done on mdi. It’ll tell you if the amount you’re taking is enough to cover.

I don’t like basal rate testing either. But sometimes it just has to be done.

I’ve never heard of this? No idea what it is, sounds interesting
 

Scott-C

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,474
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I’ve never heard of this? No idea what it is, sounds interesting

Hi, Samantha, definitely look into basal testing, it makes a huge difference to managing T1.

Your basal insulin, Lantus, is meant to hold your bg steady overnight and between meals when your novorapid shot has worn out.

Inject too much lantus, your bg will be dropping slowly all the time and you might find yourself having to snack a lot to keep above 4.

Inject too little, and it'll be constantly rising after the last bolus has worn off, so you might end up injecting novorapid between meals to calm it down a bit.

Get it right, though, and you should end up riding more or less steady between meals, and that makes a huge difference - trying to adjust a wrong basal rate by tweaking with food and bolus shots is never going to be pretty.

Basal testing isn't difficult. It just involves not eating stuff and being lazy for about 8 hours or so, and watching to see if your bg goes up or down or stays about the same.

I sometimes just have a long lie in on a Saturday till afternoon and watch a few movies to see how things are working.

If it goes up or down a lot (say, 3 to 4), raise or lower lantus by about 10%, and see how that pans out over the next few days.

Once you get basal more or less right, all the other stuff, like ratios for meals, is a whole lot easier, because you're not having to use novo for the sort of thing which lantus should be taking care of.

We can't advise on doses here. My weight in kilos divided by 5 seems to work well for me, your diabetes may vary.

Use your libre to help figure this out. Watch the lines you're seeing each morning, whether they're rising or falling and tweak the lantus dose.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Samanthajayne98
Messages
18
Hi, Samantha, definitely look into basal testing, it makes a huge difference to managing T1.

Your basal insulin, Lantus, is meant to hold your bg steady overnight and between meals when your novorapid shot has worn out.

Inject too much lantus, your bg will be dropping slowly all the time and you might find yourself having to snack a lot to keep above 4.

Inject too little, and it'll be constantly rising after the last bolus has worn off, so you might end up injecting novorapid between meals to calm it down a bit.

Get it right, though, and you should end up riding more or less steady between meals, and that makes a huge difference - trying to adjust a wrong basal rate by tweaking with food and bolus shots is never going to be pretty.

Basal testing isn't difficult. It just involves not eating stuff and being lazy for about 8 hours or so, and watching to see if your bg goes up or down or stays about the same.

I sometimes just have a long lie in on a Saturday till afternoon and watch a few movies to see how things are working.

If it goes up or down a lot (say, 3 to 4), raise or lower lantus by about 10%, and see how that pans out over the next few days.

Once you get basal more or less right, all the other stuff, like ratios for meals, is a whole lot easier, because you're not having to use novo for the sort of thing which lantus should be taking care of.

We can't advise on doses here. My weight in kilos divided by 5 seems to work well for me, your diabetes may vary.

Use your libre to help figure this out. Watch the lines you're seeing each morning, whether they're rising or falling and tweak the lantus dose.

Thank you this makes so much sense!! I was thinking it could be something to do with my lantus dose, so this is so helpful thank you! I’ll give it a go!
 

Lulu9101112

Well-Known Member
Messages
378
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Football, Rugby, Sweede, Parsnips, Beetroot
I take novorapid and lantus, I dont usually take lower than 14 of novorapid and I take 34 of lantus, I don’t eat to much I’m basically on my feet all day so I dont have much time to snack. So just porridge or something for breakfast. Sandwich or salad for lunch and then I don’t usually eat loads for dinner usually jacket potato or something.
Yeah my weight is a normal range

That’s very similar to me lol. For breakfast I tend to have weetabix, milk and banana and do 15 units, at lunch I tend to have sandwich, crisps and fruit this usually is no more then 5 or 6 units (since I have low carb bread), supper is anywhere from 8-15 units depending on what I made, I make pasta dishes, aubergine dishes or chicken fillets with veg and chips and other dishes occasionally. I also rarely have a snack as I’m also on my feet most days and do 41 units of Lantus every nighttime. When ever I was told to move my lantus up this would make me hypo a lot. However by trial and error eventually found out 41 units was the right amount for me

So I agree with others.
 

MeiChanski

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,992
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I take novorapid and lantus, I dont usually take lower than 14 of novorapid and I take 34 of lantus, I don’t eat to much I’m basically on my feet all day so I dont have much time to snack. So just porridge or something for breakfast. Sandwich or salad for lunch and then I don’t usually eat loads for dinner usually jacket potato or something.
Yeah my weight is a normal range

Hello, I assume you haven't done any carb counting course such as DAFNE, which might help you adjust insulin for different amount of carbs. As for lantus, I agree with others to try and do a background insulin check. Which might help you indicate whether lantus needs reducing or increasing.