7 years in and still have no idea on control.

[Cherrytree preserves]

Hi everyone,
I’m Liam, a little about me,
I’m 24
Struggled mentally since diagnosis.
Crushed all my future plans of being in the forces.
(Was in training when diagnosed)
Found it so so difficult to come to terms with it all, 7 years later and I’m desperate to sort it and be controlled.
Healthy and fit.
Never drink alcohol.
Seem fine on the outside just wish everyone knew how I was on the inside.
New to the forum world.
I work 10 1/2 hour days with one 20 mins break.
I go to the gym 4 times a week, I have 4 children.

What on earth do I eat!!!

Last blood test came back at around 90!

Please help.

Previous diet

05:30 Oatmeal/skimmed milk
08:30 Apple, protein shake
13:00 Homemade 5% lasagne
15:30 2 boiled eggs, Nectarine
18:00 Chicken 200g potatoe veg/beans
19:00 Double bounty.

 

[Kaylz]

Hi and welcome to the forum 🙂

Are you on a basal/bolus regime? if so then in theory you can eat whatever you please as long as you carb count and adjust your insulin to cover it, in practice that doesn't always work though, it takes a lot of testing to find what works for you personally

could you maybe be more specific in what you are wanting to know? like are you wanting suggestions for lower carb? etc
xx

 

[Thebearcametoo]

Have you been taught to carb count?

 

[Cherrytree preserves]

Hi guys, thanks for replies.

So I am on degludec and nova rapid.

30 units of degludec 06:00am

Nova rapid at around 1 unit for every 10g carbs

Corrections at 1 unit for every 3 mmol over 7

I am just always so so hungry, so tired and work long hours without breaks. (I am allowed to do tests in between etc)
I operate machinery, forklifts, responsibility of being head cook.

I have major fears of lows, as soon as I try to keep my levels below 8 I have loads and loads of lows. And I’m talking 2 or 3 a day, sweating and crawling to the kids treat cupboard.

 

[Kaylz]

@Cherrytree preserves so what are your levels like throughout the day? Your hba1c came back at 90 but from what your saying it sounds like this is due to you running your numbers higher rather than it being due to spikes etc

Have you done a basal test at all? if your carb ratio is correct (which it may not be as it can also change) your basal needs may have changed and you may need less, I assume it's Tresiba you are taking? I'm on it too and it isn't exactly flexible so increase in activity etc will effect the amount you need as well but as it takes 3 days to notice any difference in changing the dose its not really ideal, have you spoken to your team about this?
xx

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sounds like you are having a tough time Liam

Do you feel like your have had enough help with dose adjustment around the many (MANY!!) factors that can affect BG? Not just carbs, but stress, activity, weather etc etc?

Would something like the BERTIE e-learning sessions help? https://www.bertieonline.org.uk/

Constant hypos whenever you try to get below 8 are certainly not ideal, and you should be able to get rid of the vast majority of those with some small tweaks and changes to dose strategy.

If you are running above 8 all the time (especially if spending a lot of time in double figures), then this could well be affecting your mood and may be making you feel very tired.

Hope you find a way to get things a bit more adjusted to your needs.

 

[Cherrytree preserves]

Hi Kaylz, so I havnt done a basal test. (No idea what it meant until I used google) yes tresiba is the one I am on. So for me to get the idea I was getting spikes is due to a silly plan I had a couple months ago, I basically gave myself far to much degludec in the morning then tried to eat fruit every two hours to stay afloat. This was working to the point of no major highs and not really any hypos BUT every time I was having the fruit I was at around 14 an hour later then if I didn’t eat my next lot then I would be heading for a low. ( I thought I would reach a better average this way) clearly not. It was as bad as when I ate anything I wanted.

My team/hospital are just impossible to get appointments etc, I recently moved house so have changed gp surgery. But I have had terrible experiences with the nurses at my last one.

 

[Kaylz]

Hi Kaylz, so I havnt done a basal test. (No idea what it meant until I used google) yes tresiba is the one I am on. So for me to get the idea I was getting spikes is due to a silly plan I had a couple months ago, I basically gave myself far to much degludec in the morning then tried to eat fruit every two hours to stay afloat. This was working to the point of no major highs and not really any hypos BUT every time I was having the fruit I was at around 14 an hour later then if I didn’t eat my next lot then I would be heading for a low. ( I thought I would reach a better average this way) clearly not. It was as bad as when I ate anything I wanted.

My team/hospital are just impossible to get appointments etc, I recently moved house so have changed gp surgery. But I have had terrible experiences with the nurses at my last one.

Yeah it's best to have your basal suited to keep you ticking over and using your novorapid to cover whatever food you have, up until last year I was only taking 1 unit of Tresiba as anymore and I was low all the time, I'm now on 14 units at 10pm and 1:10g for my novorapid, you can still eat carbs just bolus for them accordingly, it may take time to nail it down but it's worth it to feel normal again, I've had my fair share of diabetes related problems - diagnosed with diabetic macular oedema only a month after my Type 1 diagnosis so numerous eye injections but a fellow Type 1 told me it was all my own fault as I'd been eating carbs and because of that I developed an eating disorder and fear of carbs, I've got myself through that now though and am now back to a healthy weight but because of that I'm not a supporter of going low carb, do whats best for you my lovely and we're always here for a bit of advice etc xx