Diagnosed T1 yesterday; high readings

[pawprint91]

Testing before each meal is the first step, assuming you have 3 meals a day, with 5 'ish' hours between those meals.

The '2hrs after' mantra for Type 2 diabetes not using insulin does NOT apply to you and me. It is not 200% essential to avoid post meal rises because fast acting insulin does not 'just stop' working after 2 hours - in fact by now in my relationship with it (24 years) it's 'ramping up' for the first 45mins-1 hour then consistently effective for the next 2 hours, then slides downwards fairly gradually for the next hour -ish. I reckon approx 4.5 hrs in total. It kicks in pdq for me so if I was out for a meal and jabbed it all in before my starter, which deliberately wasn't carby, say prawn cocktail, because I had ordered fish and chips for my main which was carby (ie the batter and the spuds) - I'd be hypo before my main arrived and have to start drinking someone's fullfat coke ..... DO be careful!

And for 20 -odd years people on forums have been saying 'Novo-not so-rapid' to me. (Well how bloomin quick do you want it? ) I'm not going to guess how quick it will kick in for you - just saying, is all!

To begin with, you're trying to get your basal insulin dose as near 'right' as you can. Please do start studying the carb content of whatever you eat as soon as possible, cos it's something we all absolutely do have to do. Start getting used to what X amount of Y food, looks like in your real life - aaah, so if I use one of these dishes to have my breakfast cereal in, and put up to this line of cornflakes, then add milk up to that line, It will be Z grams of carb. If I use this serving spoon for mash, 2 spoons of it will be ~grams.

It's OK saying 'an egg sized spud = 10g' but as I commented in 1972, they haven't told me though, who laid that egg - a wren, a hen or an ostrich? Aaaarrgghh.

You'll get there!

I have a bigger gap between lunch and dinner (probably more like 7 hours - but with snacks!) - would it be worth doing an extra afternoon test?

I'm keen to start learning the carbs, I want to be really good at it but I know it is a long journey.

Eating out is one of my biggest questions I think - it's something I really enjoy doing. How truly feasible is it? Do you have to split up your novorapid injections throughout your meal? Sorry if this is a silly question, just desperate from advice from anyone, and someone as experienced as yourself with managing type 1 is a source of great knowledge and hope for me!

 

[trophywench]

It depends on both your hospital (ie the keenness of the consultants and nurses to get people on pumps) and also the CCG (who don't all like spending their money by any means!) as to whether or when a pump is on the cards. Your first task in every case is to try and find out what your body does in most situations. As we don't come across the entire gamut of likely situations very quickly - it takes time!

Right now - the one you're in is a 'one off' - since you will never ever again in your entire life, be newly diagnosed!

Take your time.

 

[Rob Oldfield]

Thank you. I'm not sure how I feel about insulin pumps; I think I'd be happier sticking to injections to be honest! Sorry if this is a silly question, but does it hurt to put your libre on, and does it ever get knocked about?

No silly questions here. For me - a tiny impact when putting it on - not even worth saying 'ouch' for, and they can get knocked but it's rare. Think I've lost one from knocking against a door frame in about four years of use.

 

[Robin]

Thank you. I'm not sure how I feel about insulin pumps; I think I'd be happier sticking to injections to be honest! Sorry if this is a silly question, but does it hurt to put your libre on, and does it ever get knocked about?

No, it doesn’t hurt, I’d say it feels like someone brushed past you in a tight space, more of a tap than a scratch. People do lose their Libres by knocking them on door frames etc, and one of mine once just worked loose towards the end of the two weeks. I overtape it with a bit of micropore tape for the first couple of days, some people use tegaderm and you can buy specially designed straps from places like Amazon and Etsy. Other folk find they cling like a limpet with no problem, it probably depends what sort of skin you’ve got!

 

[trophywench]

Yep - what they both said about the Libre the bathroom door in our motorhome is a sod for it. A right mixture of being narrower than a house door, on an angle, and not being made out of anything very substantial paired with an old mare who leaves it too late to walk calmly into the bathroom and take a comfortable seat before she has an accident! Why? - because I'm far too busy interfering in other people's lives, obviously!

Edit
Oh, I meant to say 'chatting with mates' .......

 

[trophywench]

Oh, and I defo don't jab for dessert before my main. How would I know beforehand whether I might fancy sticky toffee pudding and custard or creme brulee when I haven't even yet seen someone else's one being waitered past our table? Even if it's a fixed meal - don't jab before the plate's in front of you - you never know what might be on the plate - you well overestimate the size, the thickness of the pastry/batter, the size of the Yorkshire or whatever .......

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Sorry if this is a silly question, but does it hurt to put your libre on, and does it ever get knocked about?

I think I disagree slightly with other comments, and yes, it can hurt a little when you apply it. Not much, and sometimes I barely feel it at all. And (obviously) I consider it worthwhile (I've been using them for a few years now).

It's certainly possible to knock the thing. It's held by glue, in my experience quite securely (but some people seem to have skin that it doesn't stick to quite so strongly), but it's certainly possible to knock the thing off if you're not reasonably careful.

 

[Rob Oldfield]

I have a bigger gap between lunch and dinner (probably more like 7 hours - but with snacks!) - would it be worth doing an extra afternoon test?

I'm keen to start learning the carbs, I want to be really good at it but I know it is a long journey.

Eating out is one of my biggest questions I think - it's something I really enjoy doing. How truly feasible is it? Do you have to split up your novorapid injections throughout your meal? Sorry if this is a silly question, just desperate from advice from anyone, and someone as experienced as yourself with managing type 1 is a source of great knowledge and hope for me!

On the eating out question, it's definitely feasible. Some of the apps will give an estimate of the amount of carb in a particular meal. Obviously the exact number will be dependent on ingredients used and the amount on the plate - which you've got control of if you're cooking at home but not if eating out. You also will - over time - just develop an eye for it and be able to estimate carb on the fly. It's also one of the situations where a Libre/Pump combo really kicks in - for example post meal you grab a reading from the Libre and see that your level has gone through the roof (because you underestimated the carb in that sticky toffee pudding?), and the pump then allows you to give a correction dose with a couple of button presses.

 

[trophywench]

@Rob Oldfield - Not unusual for me to do that whatever - I always omit to remember they'll have put sugar in the custard and i no longer enjoy it. Wish I'd asked for a dollop of vanilla ice cream with it now ......

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Eating out is one of my biggest questions I think - it's something I really enjoy doing. How truly feasible is it?

Very.

Do you have to split up your novorapid injections throughout your meal?

Not usually. Novorapid has its peak a bit less than an hour after injection (I think) and is active over about 4 hours or so. Usually that's fine, so you can just inject once (when the food's actually started arriving). If you have a long meal (like a tasting menu, for example) maybe you'd inject twice. Some foods (like pizza) can be awkward and can take a long time to digest, and in those cases maybe split the dose (so have part of it a couple of hours after eating).

Or just accept that eating out isn't that common, so make a best effort with a single injection and don't worry too much about a spike afterwards. Control is much more a long term thing rather that something we're going to get right all of the time. Sometimes it's worth just enjoying the food and occasion.

 

[pawprint91]

Not usually. Novorapid has its peak a bit less than an hour after injection (I think) and is active over about 4 hours or so. Usually that's fine, so you can just inject once (when the food's actually started arriving). If you have a long meal (like a tasting menu, for example) maybe you'd inject twice. Some foods (like pizza) can be awkward and can take a long time to digest, and in those cases maybe split the dose (so have part of it a couple of hours after eating).

Would you just pop to the loo to give yourself your injection? Sorry if this is a private question, just thinking about the practicalities of it all! (I wouldn't imagine we're going to start derobing at the table to get the needle in ).

Thank you so much everyone for all your answers and help! 🙂

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I wouldn't imagine we're going to start derobing at the table to get the needle in

I inject into my arm or stomach at the table. Female clothing might make injecting into the stomach awkward, I agree, but commonly there's some suitable part of the body exposed that you can use.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I inject into my arm or stomach at the table.

And if I need to roll up a sleeve, I'll just do that.

 

[pawprint91]

I inject into my arm or stomach at the table. Female clothing might make injecting into the stomach awkward, I agree, but commonly there's some suitable part of the body exposed that you can use.

Do you ever feel self conscious doing so? It is crazy for me to think I must have been in a restaurant where people have done this and I just wouldn't have noticed/been aware so possibly not obvious.

 

[Rob Oldfield]

Do you ever feel self conscious doing so? It is crazy for me to think I must have been in a restaurant where people have done this and I just wouldn't have noticed/been aware so possibly not obvious.

No. I tended to do it though trousers and into thigh (and thus below table level). Chance of anyone non diabetic really noticing what's going on is really pretty much zero. (Edit.... And if they do, then really there's nothing there for anyone to get upset about.)

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Do you ever feel self conscious doing so? It is crazy for me to think I must have been in a restaurant where people have done this and I just wouldn't have noticed/been aware so possibly not obvious.

It doesn't really take enough time to be self conscious. It's 15 seconds or so, so I just do it, as though I've done it thousands of times before and it's completely routine and normal. Remember that ignoring such things is the normal British thing to do, and almost everyone will, if they notice at all.

 

[pawprint91]

It doesn't really take enough time to be self conscious. It's 15 seconds or so, so I just do it, as though I've done it thousands of times before and it's completely routine and normal. Remember that ignoring such things is the normal British thing to do, and almost everyone will, if they notice at all.

I can currently count on 1 hand the number of injections I have given myself, so I think I need to remember how routine for me it will become - thank you!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I can currently count on 1 hand the number of injections I have given myself, so I think I need to remember how routine for me it will become - thank you!

Injecting at a table is easy, especially if you’re wearing something that allows access to midriff. In the beginning you might want to position yourself with your back to the majority of diners… but as others have said it is all over and done so quickly, often below table level, and the equipment is discreet enough that in all my 30 years the one person who has ever actually noticed me jabbing at a table waved their blood glucose meter at me across the room

The trickier ones I felt were crouched down by the side of the pavement… but yes, I’ve done that too 😱

Enjoy your meals out! It won’t be long before you can fairly accurately eyeball the carbs on a plate of food from 50 yards 🙂

 

[pawprint91]

Enjoy your meals out! It won’t be long before you can fairly accurately eyeball the carbs on a plate of food from 50 yards 🙂

Thank you! That day feels a long way off, but today is only day 4 of learning to carb count, so ... small steps!

 

[Zoombie]

I find the Carbs and Cals app helpful. I’m on a pump now but when I was on mdi I used to inject into my thigh when eating out.