10 months in ... still got some queries!

[pawprint91]

Hello again all, hope everyone's doing well since I last lurked on here a good few months ago now. I'm disappointed with myself that I stopped logging onto here as frequently, as you were all such a support when I was diagnosed last June, something I have reminded myself of frequently in these past few weeks when I have been experiencing a few frustrations with my diabetes, so I'm back to pick your brains... given that I can count on 1 hand the appointments I've had with medical professionals since being diagnosed (but that's a rant for another day), I do apologise if I've overlooked something obvious here!

Probably my biggest frustration is that for seemingly no reason, my bg will on some days just randomly shoot up between about 9pm and 10pm in the evening. I would say it could go from 5/6mmol to 10-12mmol within the space of 20 mins, without any activity or food intake. It doesn't do this everyday, but I would say on a day I am in my normal routine it is more likely to do this, and it also seems to happen regardless of when or what I have eaten for dinner ( I eat carbs, and after a tentative approach upon first diagnosis now just eat pretty much what I want, not sure if this is a wise idea or not, but I do monitor bg very closely with libre and my TIR is on average around 96%). I can have eaten at 5pm and this can still happen - obviously with some foods like pizza you might expect this, but I could have a meal that is relatively simple to digest and it still happens. Then it will stop for a few days/weeks and then begin again - is this a basal need? I am on levemir and usually take it 12-16 hours apart (which I believe it is the time it is said to last for) - should I be doing a bigger overlap? My other thought here - and probably the answer I would lean to given that this isn't something that occurs every single day - is that it could be hormonal (using contraception means I don't really have a cycle to track) which could explain it's slightly unpredictable stop/start nature - does anyone have any thoughts?

Secondly, as I mentioned, my TIR is about 96% on average, but within the target range some days my bg can look like a map of the alps (sometimes because I overcorrect if it's heading high and then end up heading towards the hypo, then try and intercept the hypo - but this isn't always the case - today for example I came back after walking the dog for 30 mins to randomly to find myself 11.8 - walking usually makes me drop. I'm going to put this down to a basal miscalculation on my part though for now, as today has been particularly inactive compared to normal, plus it's the school holidays so as a teacher I have my term time basal nailed but not so much my holiday one) - but my question is, does having a graph that's quite up and down (but in range of between 4 & 10) do you any harm?

I am sure I have more queries, but these are the two that are getting me for now. Any advice greatly received, I hope everyone has had a nice Easter/weekend/bank holiday, whatever you might be celebrating! 🙂

 

[Inka]

@pawprint91 First of all, your TIR is brilliant! Yes, truly brilliant. You shouldn’t be focussing on tiny blips - you’re clearly doing really, really well. People without diabetes have an up and down graph within the normal range, and it sounds like you do too. Not an issue with your fab TIR 🙂

Yes, hormones can definitely affect blood sugar. Also, sometimes blood sugar just doesn’t play ball for no discernible reason. To be clear, you’re not aiming at 100% TIR. The target is 70%+ as great control.

As you’re fairly recently diagnosed, your own erratic insulin prediction is probably causing some of this occasional randomness too. But - most importantly - chill. You’re doing incredibly well 😎

 

[pawprint91]

@pawprint91 First of all, your TIR is brilliant! Yes, truly brilliant. You shouldn’t be focussing on tiny blips - you’re clearly doing really, really well. People without diabetes have an up and down graph within the normal range, and it sounds like you do too. Not an issue with your fab TIR 🙂

Yes, hormones can definitely affect blood sugar. Also, sometimes blood sugar just doesn’t play ball for no discernible reason. To be clear, you’re not aiming at 100% TIR. The target is 70%+ as great control.

As you’re fairly recently diagnosed, your own erratic insulin prediction is probably causing some of this occasional randomness too. But - most importantly - chill. You’re doing incredibly well 😎

@Inka Thank you so much (as ever) for your lovely and reassuring words, just what I needed to hear on this Sunday evening.

I think I put pressure on myself to be 100%, and need to remember the tip sometimes about blood sugar just having a mind of it's own sometimes plus all of the myriad of things that can come along and affect it!

Thank you again & hope you're keeping well!

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I think I put pressure on myself to be 100%

Yes, so try not to do that. Even people who don't have diabetes might not be 100% every day, and with us doing the hard work it's much too hard to do it every day.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1610714864422469650

 

[Inka]

@Inka Thank you so much (as ever) for your lovely and reassuring words, just what I needed to hear on this Sunday evening.

I think I put pressure on myself to be 100%, and need to remember the tip sometimes about blood sugar just having a mind of it's own sometimes plus all of the myriad of things that can come along and affect it!

Thank you again & hope you're keeping well!

Thank you @pawprint91 🙂 Yes, I’m well - I hope you are too and have enjoyed some Easter goodies!

When we think about control for diabetes, we focus on blood glucose control, of course, but to me the meaner is broader than that. Type 1 can be very wearing day in day out, so some of the control is controlling your mental and emotional responses to that, and dealing with the diabetes while also keeping it in its place. It’s a sneaky little thing and it can easily take over your thoughts far more than it should. Obviously we need to do our ‘diabetes duties’ but our thoughts, hopes and dreams should be far more than the daft old D.

Good to see you back 🙂

 

[pawprint91]

Thank you @pawprint91 🙂 Yes, I’m well - I hope you are too and have enjoyed some Easter goodies!

When we think about control for diabetes, we focus on blood glucose control, of course, but to me the meaner is broader than that. Type 1 can be very wearing day in day out, so some of the control is controlling your mental and emotional responses to that, and dealing with the diabetes while also keeping it in its place. It’s a sneaky little thing and it can easily take over your thoughts far more than it should. Obviously we need to do our ‘diabetes duties’ but our thoughts, hopes and dreams should be far more than the daft old D.

Good to see you back 🙂

Pleased to hear all is good with you, and yes, I have enjoyed some Easter treats 😉

I am well thank you, think I am getting used to the actual sugar control, but sometimes still get caught up in the mental/emotional responses side. But my diabetes is not even a year old yet, so I have time to carry on refining. Thank you for the excellent advice

 

[freesia]

@pawprint91 i also work in a school and i find holidays tricky. I'm on Trediba as a basal so its not as flexible. Term times i mostly have it sorted but come holidays, activity levels change and by the time i've sorted it i"m back at work again. (I'm not sure whats going on this holiday but so far its been ok, i've probably jinxed it now!). 96% average is a fantastic result so don't beat yourself up. Keep up the good work.

 

[SB2015]

Well done @pawprint91 . Good to see you on here again.

As others have said people without diabetes also have levels that go up and down. So don’t worry about the variation within the range, and DONT WORRY about trying to get 100%. It really is Impossible. It took me a long time to believe that and I did myself no favours as I pushed myself to constantly improve things.

You have clearly got your head round things very quickly and found a way to manage your levels that works for you. It is a lot of work and our sensors make visibility of levels a lot easier. That can be a positive using the patterns to help us make decisions about any changes we might want to make.

Bear in mind that Diabetes just doesn’t behave properly all the time, so whatever we do and as we get things sorted there will be days when eating the same, doing the same still gives us a different outcome.

You are doing brilliantly. Keep questions coming.

 

[pawprint91]

Well done @pawprint91 . Good to see you on here again.

As others have said people without diabetes also have levels that go up and down. So don’t worry about the variation within the range, and DONT WORRY about trying to get 100%. It really is Impossible. It took me a long time to believe that and I did myself no favours as I pushed myself to constantly improve things.

You have clearly got your head round things very quickly and found a way to manage your levels that works for you. It is a lot of work and our sensors make visibility of levels a lot easier. That can be a positive using the patterns to help us make decisions about any changes we might want to make.

Bear in mind that Diabetes just doesn’t behave properly all the time, so whatever we do and as we get things sorted there will be days when eating the same, doing the same still gives us a different outcome.

You are doing brilliantly. Keep questions coming.

Thank you so very much - I should have come back sooner. Trying to work on being kinder to myself, I think!