Advice wanted

[OliveBarton]

Hi i'm a 23yr old female living in greater london and I am looking for some advice.

I've been under immense stress the last month with different things such as family and a new job and my sugar levels have suffered. I've also not been very well. I am currently taking medication for an acid reflux problem that has developed recently.

I've hit over 20 three times this week (and had a few too many hypos) and am getting more and more frustrated that I am not seeing the results I want and that my bloods are yoyoing. I've tried taking my insulin earlier before meals, upping dosages and watching what I eat but it's not helping.

I just wondered if anyone had any advice or tips about managing their diabetes (particularly when stressed). My diabetic team are difficult to get hold of (i.e. it takes a couple of days for a response) so I am anxious to get some ideas from others that I can put into practice. I am worried about my long term health and that i'll lose my pump funding but its not been easy.

Let me know what you think.

Best wishes,

Olive

 

[grovesy]

Welcome.

 

[Robin]

Hello Olive, sorry you're having such a bad time. Everyone's different, but I find when I'm yoyoing ( and we all do form time to time) the way out I've found is to cut carbs to the minimum,temporarily, which means I'm not going to spike so much from the food I'm eating, then gently increase doses if I need to. It's easy to get into the pattern of overcorrecting, then craving carbs as a result, then spiking, etc, etc, going round in circles. Remember, though, that if you've cut carbs, your body will process protein into glucose, but more slowly, and eventually it will convert some of the fat you eat to glucose, so keep your insulin doses under review.

 

[trophywench]

If it's constant stress - you may need to adjust your basal but if you're high and feel it's time for a correction - restrict the amount of that to HALF what you'd need if not stressed etc - OK you may run a tad higher generally than you are used to or really want to - but it prevents the violent swings between HI and LO on your meter - which are more dangerous complication inducing wise, than levelling out at bit at 10 or something - as long as this combination of circumstances isn't going to last forever and you can't allow it to anyway because otherwise you'll end up having a mental breakdown if it doesn't start sorting itself out, frankly.

Hopefully the newness of the job will wear off soon, and if you possibly can (don't know your actual circs in this area obviously) - tell your family to get off your case cos they're contributing to making you ILL. The last thing is, do any of your conditions, be it the stress effects or the acid prob (which is likely from the same cause but might need other investigations) - get help or more help, for those from your GP.

 

[brabazon73]

Hi i'm a 23yr old female living in greater london and I am looking for some advice.

I've been under immense stress the last month with different things such as family and a new job and my sugar levels have suffered. I've also not been very well. I am currently taking medication for an acid reflux problem that has developed recently.

I've hit over 20 three times this week (and had a few too many hypos) and am getting more and more frustrated that I am not seeing the results I want and that my bloods are yoyoing. I've tried taking my insulin earlier before meals, upping dosages and watching what I eat but it's not helping.

I just wondered if anyone had any advice or tips about managing their diabetes (particularly when stressed). My diabetic team are difficult to get hold of (i.e. it takes a couple of days for a response) so I am anxious to get some ideas from others that I can put into practice. I am worried about my long term health and that i'll lose my pump funding but its not been easy.

Let me know what you think.

Best wishes,

Olive

Hi Olive.
I would imagine that your blood oxygen levels are low due to air pollution in London. If loss of sleep is a problem then you could suffer nocturnal hypoxia. Can you check your own blood levels?

 

[graj0]

I would imagine that your blood oxygen levels are low due to air pollution in London.

Information about pollution levels in London can be found at http://www.londonair.org.uk/london/asp/nowcast.asp