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Newish LADA from Canada!

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
J

JoeC

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1.5 LADA
Greetings from Canada, these are indeed sad times in the Commonwealth

Unlike a lot of the internet, this seems like a good place with factual content and frank answers, there is so much bad info out there

I was diagnosed as Type 1 at 60 - Happy Birthday to me!

There is no question I am fortunate, we have an Endocrinologist here in our small town, so I went directly on a pump and monitor (mostly subsidized by Public Healthcare) within a week of diagnosis

But my timing was poor because the Diabetes clinic nurses got pulled off to the wards to fight the Covid wars

They just had time to give me a pump and say, hey be careful with that you can kill yourself with it before they disappeared

So two years later we are just getting back on track with clinic meetings

I must say it has been quite a journey, a life changing event just as I was nearing retirement, my golden year plans have changed dramatically, and not for the good

The medical establishment has given me potions and pumps, they now seem quite satisfied with things

Hopefully I can get some real world advice from you who haved lived with this for years

To kick it off; how to deal with lows when you have things to do and places to go right now (never was a concern for the first 60 years)

Keep calm and carry on!
 
Welcome to the forum @JoeC from another late starter (Aged 53 at dx). I am very glad that you have found us.

If you are happy to tell us which pump you are using and which insulin that will help us with our replies.

With regard managing lows, apart from having your jelly babies or whatever hypo treatment you use absolutely everywhere, one tip I would give is if you need to to drive somewhere at a specific time check your levels one hour before so that you can address a low in good time and then wait the required 45 min before driving.

Do you use any sort of sensor? Libre? I find this particularly useful in heading off hypos (and hypers) It shows your level but also the direction in which your levels are going with arrows up or down. If you use one that links to your pump it can suspend your nasal insulin before you go low.

Do keep the questions coming. I have learnt most of what I know from others on here. No questions are considered silly on here. Just ask.
 
Hi @JoeC, welcome to the forum,

Glad you've been able to get on track with the right team around you as it does make things more difficult w2hen you're having to piece things together in the dark.

Sorry to hear that your plans have changed but hopefully you may be able to learn from others and how they manage their condition and lead a normal life.

Your question is a great one so feel free to start a new thread in the general section for further advice.

We've got a wealth of info so do have a look around and ask as many questions as you can.
 
Welcome @JoeC 🙂 Yes, Type 1 is an unwelcome guest that likes to turn up when least expected. Don’t let it ruin your retirement. It’s a pain in the behind, but just try to fit it into your life rather than the other way around.

The best way to deal with lows is to spot them before they happen and ward them off eg if you’re normally 7.5mmol two hours after breakfast but today you’re 4.8, eat a small amount of carbs to push yourself a little higher. That way you can get in with your life. It’s tempting to just carry on when you have an actual hypo, but it really is best (and safest) to stop and give the treatments a chance to work. Obviously if you were about to drive, you’ll need to follow the guidance and wait longer.

For bad lows when I’m out and about, I suspend my pump eg if I was out for a walk, but, again, I try to spot the fall early and bump my blood sugar up a bit. I now have the Libre which makes that a lot easier with its alarms.
 
Thanks for the replies so far.

I really have not been able to lead anything like "my old normal life", I hope there is hope...

I have Medtronic 770G pump and use a CGM. I run in auto mode all the time. I use Carelink to upload data for the clinic and endo. Lucky to have access to all the new stuff.

My care team says I am doing "pretty good"

I was active before, get up in the morning and "giv er" working all day long. Jump on the bicycle and ride 60 K before lunch just for fun.

Now it seems I am being punished with lows for trying to do anything close to my old normal life

I loved home renovations (you have great DIY shows). I have a complete basement gut and redo at my daughters house underway. I am only good for an hour or so of work now...grrrr.....in fact I just ripped off a one day old sensor on a door frame....grrr...I hate to sit on my a$$

How are active people dealing with this? I would love to hear from a plumber/framer/electrician/plasterer - how do you work all day? How do keep infusion sites and sensors from getting caught on everything? Do you just treat lows and then power through it and stay at it?

Hard for an old dog to learn new tricks after 60 years...

Cheers - it is an absolutely beautiful late summer day here in southwestern Canada, I realize how lucky I am to be here to enjoy it
 
Do you use a temporary basal rate for your bike ride? If not, do. It needs a bit of experimentation. You might also need to reduce the bolus for the meal before you exercise, as well as taking some carbs onboard as you go. It takes a lot of experimentation. It is a pain, but with your CGM it makes it easier.
 
Inka said:
Do you use a temporary basal rate for your bike ride? If not, do. It needs a bit of experimentation. You might also need to reduce the bolus for the meal before you exercise, as well as taking some carbs onboard as you go. It takes a lot of experimentation. It is a pain, but with your CGM it makes it easier.
Click to expand...

I’m not sure if the MM770G in Automode allows TBRs - it’s a bit like the MM780G that @SB2015 uses who may be able to confirm.

I think there’s an ‘exercise mode’ you can use, but if it’s similar to exercise mode on the tSlim my experience it isn’t bullish enough to cope with my body’s silly reaction to any kind of increased activoty with ‘insulin on board’. Perhaps the 770‘s is better though?

Extra carbs and under-bolusing for the previous meal are handy strategies though
 
So what do people do @everydayupsanddowns ? Can you override the automode or switch it to manual so you can ‘take over’ and put the basal right down? Or can you suspend it?
 
Inka said:
So what do people do @everydayupsanddowns ? Can you override the automode or switch it to manual so you can ‘take over’ and put the basal right down? Or can you suspend it?
Click to expand...

I am sure there is a workaround that 780 / 770 users who need it will have worked out.

For me, I mostly know when the tSlim exercise mode will work well. and use it in those curcumstances. Handily though the tSlim bases its adjustments on the active profile I have running, so I’ve set up a profile with a flat rate of basically zero basal (0.1u/hr) which is very like me setting a 0% TBR when I need that instead.

I just have to remember to switch back after whatever I was doing! 😱
 
JoeC said:
Thanks for the replies so far.

I really have not been able to lead anything like "my old normal life", I hope there is hope...

I have Medtronic 770G pump and use a CGM. I run in auto mode all the time. I use Carelink to upload data for the clinic and endo. Lucky to have access to all the new stuff.

My care team says I am doing "pretty good"

I was active before, get up in the morning and "giv er" working all day long. Jump on the bicycle and ride 60 K before lunch just for fun.

Now it seems I am being punished with lows for trying to do anything close to my old normal life

I loved home renovations (you have great DIY shows). I have a complete basement gut and redo at my daughters house underway. I am only good for an hour or so of work now...grrrr.....in fact I just ripped off a one day old sensor on a door frame....grrr...I hate to sit on my a$$

How are active people dealing with this? I would love to hear from a plumber/framer/electrician/plasterer - how do you work all day? How do keep infusion sites and sensors from getting caught on everything? Do you just treat lows and then power through it and stay at it?

Hard for an old dog to learn new tricks after 60 years...

Cheers - it is an absolutely beautiful late summer day here in southwestern Canada, I realize how lucky I am to be here to enjoy it
Click to expand...
Hi Joe and welcome

I am empathise with being active before and now very different. I found it very frustrating when just painting my back fence became a several day job. I am learning how to increase what I need to enjoy things like that again for longer. What I also did as exercising for me is important but found I was struggling even with a 15 minute powerwalk was to go onto Youtube and find 4, 7 and 10 minute exercise routines I could start with to build myself up. I have even found a 20 minute Zumba routine I can do on a small amount of carb intake.

As for my sensor I tend to put it more on the inside of my upper arm as I found I caught mine on my car seat if it was on the outer part as well as clothes etc. Also it is more comfortable for me when sleeping.
 
What I have brought and find useful is a cover for my sensor on a band. It just slots over the top and stops me catching it on things. I also use it when exercising and I am happy with it.
 
Cherelle DUK > Thanks, I see this thread is expanding beyond saying Hello, can a moderator please move it to where it belongs?

Some great replies so far – this means so much to me, it is a great help

Inka > I solved my bike rides lows by stopping exercise altogether, I am afraid I will die

everydayupsand downs and inka > the Medtroninc 770G does have temp basal called temp target.

I do use it before “activity” and also will suspend delivery

everydayupsand > you said “temp basal it isn’t bullish enough to cope with my body’s silly reaction to any kind of increased activity with ‘insulin on board”

Wow, this is what I have come to understand lately, if I have any active insulin at all before activity, I am going low.

Temp basal and even suspend can’t help me.

Lately I check active insulin and pound down an orange juice to try to give it something to deal with before I start activity. Weight gain baby

Donerg > the definition of exercise tripped me up.

My diabetes clinic nurses started out saying to carb up and set a temp target before exercise. It made good sense so I did as told

But in my mind exercise means 70K bicycle ride. After lots of painful lows they have now suggested I think of “activity” instead of exercise.

They feel I am super sensitive to insulin. I can go low just walking across the shop floor or climbing a ladder.

Donerg > Thanks I have moved to sensor on my upper arm and use skin prep and a Tegaderm patch over it. I will try a band to cover it as you suggest, I am always amazed what I get hooked on, seatbelt for sure, trees, t-shirt sleeve, door frame, even a ladder once.

Still would love to hear lived experiences from a plumber/framer/electrician/plasterer - how do they work all day?

Maybe they aren’t here on the forum. Or maybe they no longer work? Sure hope not.
 
My Medtronic Sensor 3 CGM gives me a buzz if my blood sugar goes above or below pre-set levels. I’m on a Medtronic 640G pump for last twenty. years and Type 1 for 66 years. Getting older but still making furniture on commission and singing and dancing every week.
Adam
 
Inka > I solved my bike rides lows by stopping exercise altogether, I am afraid I will die

That’s so sad @JoeC :( As I demonstrated above, I know very little about looping but I do have a pump. If you’re constantly teetering close to the edge of hypoglycaemia, perhaps your insulin needs reducing? I find my basal needs can change for no apparent reason eg at the moment I’m taking about 25% less than a few months ago. I also find my meal ratios can change over the year - and change more than once.

I’m very sensitive to insulin and yes, it does make exercise harder, but I find reducing insulin across the board + topping up with glucose/carbs makes it possible. I know @helli is quite sporty and adjusts her pump to compensate. @Jimmy2202 has a physical job and just gets on with it, eating extra as needed.

Did you ever use your pump without the loop? If so, how were things then? Can you set up a much reduced exercise profile and higher target blood sugars for when you exercise?

Starting out small and doing short bike rides is best. I know it’s incredibly frustrating and irritating when Type 1 interferes with your life, but most things can be adjusted for, even if it means a slight reduction in your exercise - but not stopping it altogether. Having said that, I remember someone years ago who walked to the South Pole. Obviously I’m not suggesting you do that, but when I get frustrated with Type 1 and feel a bit feeble and like giving in, I remember him and others like him:


https://www.clinidiabet.com/en/infodiabetes/news/2004/04.htm

I’m not a sporty person at all, but I am quite energetic, and fitting the Type 1 in is often a nuisance. Even going shopping affects my blood sugar. I suppose I’ve just got used to mindlessly tossing some glucose/carbs in my mouth and getting on with it. Don’t let the b******* win, is my motto :D
 
Please allow me to whinge (is that right?) a bit more and then I will stop and get on with life

As a LADA type 1.5 diagnosed at 60, I started my journey as a diabetic with a pump and GCM from day one

It is all I know, so I don’t appreciate how good I have it…

I missed peeing on a stick, boiling glass needles, sharpening vet needles with a rock, Mom & Dad up all night, teachers checking, severe diets, new finger prick meters, then pumps and CGMs and who knows what other horrors you all went through

Mostly I missed 60 years of dealing with it

I am finding it hard to amass 60 years of knowing how my body will work in any given situation in just 2 years – but I have come a long way and will keep going

Believe it or not, it really helps just to hear that this is hard and that there are no easy answers

At least I’m not doing it wrong

That makes me feel better – thanks!
 
Whinge as much as you like @JoeC Sometimes it’s good to get the feelings out. There are plenty of whinges, moans and rants on here 🙂
 
Is there a thread to share Medtronic charts? Would love to have experts look at my data, see what is hiding in there.
Just coming back from a bad low, started to do some fun renovation work and got punished for it.....
 
JoeC said:
Is there a thread to share Medtronic charts? Would love to have experts look at my data, see what is hiding in there.
Just coming back from a bad low, started to do some fun renovation work and got punished for it.....
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear you’ve been having some BG wobbles.

This is a public forum, open to guests as well as registered members, but if you are happy to share some of your BG data for ideas and observations from others you can create a thread - perhaps in the pump and technology board?
 
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