Working and BG levels

[Robert 2170]

Hi i am Newley diagnosed at the end off last year and trying to get my levels right .i work shifts and start at 6 in the morning till 4 and work 2 on and 2off then 3 on and 2 off .my problem is when I am at work I find it hard toget my levels right .i always end up going hypo in the afternoon and then when I get home it will go up befor I get to bed at night .could it be the days on then days off that is affecting it as the days I am not working I manage ok.i fell as if when you are diagnosed and get out of the hosp you are left to get on with it and I am starting to get feed up with it all .. Please can any one give me some advice. I am type 1 on insuline

 

[phoenix]

I don't think its easy in the first few months after diagnosis for anyone and working shifts must make it more difficult. Unfortunately your insulin needs will vary both according to activity but also in the first few months because your remaining 'own' insulin can be unpredictable.
How you adjust will depend on the insulin(s) you are using. Are you using a mixed insulin or a basal bolus regime (on the latter you would be taking a rapid insulin before meals and a separate insulin once or twice a day as a background) .
By the way, you are protected at work by the Disability Discrimination Act.(/is that the latest incarnation?)" Your employer has to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to allow you to do your job, for example by giving you time off for appointments, or making sure you have enough breaks to eat regularly."
source
http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/healt ... tab=Common questions#textBlock215733

 

[Robert 2170]

I have been told I am on the honneymoon period but my levels are doing there own thing .what I mean if I don't take any insulin my levels are ok and go down bye there self it is doing my head in. I am on novorapid 6 in the morning and ten midd afternoon and ten ant night with lantus 16 at night .
When I told the doctor that I did not take my insulin for a day he wa not very happy .said I must keep taking it but it keeps giving me hypos .

 

[Prosperity89]

This might be a little late, hopefully you've sorted out your problem. It's all about adjustment with diabetes. I've had it for nearly 16 years (I'm 24) and I'm still tweaking now. It might feel as though Diabetes is taking over your life where you need to constantly check what you're eating and being confused when something isn't working, but it becomes second nature to double check whenever you change your routine or do something new. Heck, whenever I get ill, my levels shoot right up into the 20s!

It sounds like if you're suffering from hypo's in the afternoon your afternoon insulin dose needs to be reduced. As for being higher later on, perhaps increasing your long-active dose will fix it.

 

[copepod]

Just wondered about the times you are taking your novorapid - are you taking each dose with a meal? Are you eating the same amount of carbohydrate at each morning / midday / evening meal?

 

[iHs]

I have been told I am on the honneymoon period but my levels are doing there own thing .what I mean if I don't take any insulin my levels are ok and go down bye there self it is doing my head in. I am on novorapid 6 in the morning and ten midd afternoon and ten ant night with lantus 16 at night .
When I told the doctor that I did not take my insulin for a day he wa not very happy .said I must keep taking it but it keeps giving me hypos .

Hello Robert

If you inject your Novo mid afternoon, what time are you eating your lunch? Is it midday or mid afternoon?

 

[Robert 2170]

I am injecting 6 units in the morning at 530 then at ten I have a break .when lunch time I will take 6 or 10 units depeding on what I eat other day I hade pasta with peppers and 5 small potato a tea and a biscuit .
I took ten units and 2hrs later it went down to 2.8 .When I checked my BG before eating it was at 11.1 so I though what I was eating and injecting would have been ok it always happening at work I cant keep it above 4 in the after noon

 

[Belteshazzaruk]

I'm hoping to be on a pump soon. Then it's possible to have different basal (background) programmes for different scenarios -so you could have different basal schedules saved for different shift patterns and days off.

 

[Robert 2170]

Don't think that is a option just now mabay in the future .Hope the pump works for you ..