Does it take time for body to adjust to lower sugar levels?

[Lizzy78]

Hi

Just wanted to ask if it's "normal" to feel a bit out of sorts 3 weeks after diagnosis? My sugar levels are for most part of the day now in the normal range, but there's been days here and there since I got out of hospital (DKA), where I have felt a bit nauseous and jittery, and my sugars have been ok. Last night I felt pretty bad, checked blood and it was ok, nowhere near a hypo (6.9).

So what I'm really asking is is it normal to feel this way, and should things settle down for me in time?

Thanks

 

[zuludog]

In a word - yes

I can't remember the details now, but I think it took a couple of months before I regained my confidence and felt like facing the world again.
The physical stuff of changing my diet and controlling my blood sugars was straightforward enough, that was just a question of following the rules. Fortunately I didn't get any problems like hypos or nausea
But it did take a while to get back to feeling normal - well, normal for me!

You've almost certainly had very high blood sugars before you were diagnosed. This means that when your blood sugar levels are controlled to give you normal levels ( let's say between 5 & 9), your body reacts to this new lower level as a hypo, even though the levels are normal.
It will take a while to adjust back from high to normal blood sugar levels

 

[Lizzy78]

In a word - yes

I can't remember the details now, but I think it took a couple of months before I regained my confidence and felt like facing the world again.
The physical stuff of changing my diet and controlling my blood sugars was straightforward enough, that was just a question of following the rules. Fortunately I didn't get any problems like hypos or nausea
But it did take a while to get back to feeling normal - well, normal for me!

You've almost certainly had very high blood sugars before you were diagnosed. This means that when your blood sugar levels are controlled to give you normal levels ( let's say between 5 & 9), your body reacts to this new lower level as a hypo, even though the levels are normal.
It will take a while to adjust back from high to normal blood sugar levels

That's reassuring. My sugar level was 20 when I was admitted to hospital, but my sugars were starting to go higher from the start of the year. I just wasn't sure if this was normal but I guess I had just become used to functioning with higher sugar levels.

 

[mikeyB]

Yes, Lizzy, don’t worry. Your body is used to you having high BGs. When you start to bring things back to normal levels, your body gives you signals that you should be eating something. It’s called a false hypo, and it’s very common in the early days.

So yes, it will settle down, and once your body has reset itself all the odd symptoms will disappear, and only reappear if your BG really is low.

 

[Lizzy78]

Yes, Lizzy, don’t worry. Your body is used to you having high BGs. When you start to bring things back to normal levels, your body gives you signals that you should be eating something. It’s called a false hypo, and it’s very common in the early days.

So yes, it will settle down, and once your body has reset itself all the odd symptoms will disappear, and only reappear if your BG really is low.

Good to know Mike. Thanks. Hopefully things will settle sooner rather than later. 🙂

 

[SB2015]

Hi

Just wanted to ask if it's "normal" to feel a bit out of sorts 3 weeks after diagnosis? My sugar levels are for most part of the day now in the normal range, but there's been days here and there since I got out of hospital (DKA), where I have felt a bit nauseous and jittery, and my sugars have been ok. Last night I felt pretty bad, checked blood and it was ok, nowhere near a hypo (6.9).

So what I'm really asking is is it normal to feel this way, and should things settle down for me in time?

Thanks

As others have said the answer is Yes.

Since your body was used to such high levels for a while before you even knew about your Diabetes, it is going to be sending you weird messages for a little while to tempt you into feeding it. That is why in these early days it is well worth testing if you feel weird. I can’t remember how long it took me to feel normal, I just know that having insulin to jab in was better than DKA.

Also you are already doing well with those levels basically in range. So whilst you are there do some stretching and give yourself a big pat on the back.

 

[Lizzy78]

As others have said the answer is Yes.

Since your body was used to such high levels for a while before you even knew about your Diabetes, it is going to be sending you weird messages for a little while to tempt you into feeding it. That is why in these early days it is well worth testing if you feel weird. I can’t remember how long it took me to feel normal, I just know that having insulin to jab in was better than DKA.

Also you are already doing well with those levels basically in range. So whilst you are there do some stretching and give yourself a big pat on the back.

Aww thanks SB. For the past week or so, I've been averaging between 5 and 7, so pretty happy with that. The area I am still working on is between my evening meal and bedtime, as it's been up between 8-10 before bed. But considering it's just coming up to the 3 week mark, I can't complain with that progress. There's just been some occasions where I have felt jittery, but sugar is ok, so must be my body trying to now adjust to these numbers again.

Can't believe how high it got to be fair without feeling too bad.

 

[JMyrtle]

I'm "a year in now" and I still get them!
I tested about an hour ago two hours after eating, reading 6.3 but I am definitely feeling shaky and light headed now, I know if I ignore it it will pass.
"Steady the Buffs" as we say round here.

 

[Lizzy78]

I'm "a year in now" and I still get them!
I tested about an hour ago two hours after eating, reading 6.3 but I am definitely feeling shaky and light headed now, I know if I ignore it it will pass.
"Steady the Buffs" as we say round here.

Wow, after a year! I'm just going to need to test regularly especially in these early stages.

 

[JMyrtle]

You would have thought the "Diabetes Fairy" would have realised by now I am not giving in!

 

[Lizzy78]

You would have thought the "Diabetes Fairy" would have realised by now I am not giving in!

😉🙂

 

[Carlos]

Aww thanks SB. For the past week or so, I've been averaging between 5 and 7, so pretty happy with that. The area I am still working on is between my evening meal and bedtime, as it's been up between 8-10 before bed. But considering it's just coming up to the 3 week mark, I can't complain with that progress. There's just been some occasions where I have felt jittery, but sugar is ok, so must be my body trying to now adjust to these numbers again.

Can't believe how high it got to be fair without feeling too bad.

I wouldn't obsess about those 8 to 10, it may take a while to work out what works for you. It is the long term measure, the hba1c reading, that will indicate how well you are doing. With the figures you mentioned I am sure you are going to get good hba1c values.

 

[SB2015]

Wow, after a year! I'm just going to need to test regularly especially in these early stages.

I am still testing regularly, 10 years on. It justbecomes the normal thing to do. The Libre helps as I have fewer holes in my fingers.

 

[Lizzy78]

I wouldn't obsess about those 8 to 10, it may take a while to work out what works for you. It is the long term measure, the hba1c reading, that will indicate how well you are doing. With the figures you mentioned I am sure you are going to get good hba1c values.

Yeah I'm not gonna be too hard on myself. Gonna speak to my nurse about the timing of my levemir dose, my wake up reading this morning was 4.8, so I would like it a wee bit higher on the morning, and a bit lower in the evening, but I guess this is what they are trying to figure out is best for me.

 

[Lizzy78]

I am still testing regularly, 10 years on. It justbecomes the normal thing to do. The Libre helps as I have fewer holes in my fingers.

I'd imagine it's probably good practice to keep texting regularly anyway. I am probably going to invest in the libre for my holiday next summer.

 

[Lizzy78]

Testing even!

 

[Carlos]

I'd imagine it's probably good practice to keep texting regularly anyway. I am probably going to invest in the libre for my holiday next summer.

Testing often is a fundamental part of the successful long term management of diabetes. The DCCT study in the early nineties showed that intensive control helped to delay significantly the development of complications due to diabetes, see here for a summary
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/about-nid...ose-control-studies-type-1-diabetes-dcct-edic

 

[SB2015]

Yeah I'm not gonna be too hard on myself. Gonna speak to my nurse about the timing of my levemir dose, my wake up reading this morning was 4.8, so I would like it a wee bit higher on the morning, and a bit lower in the evening, but I guess this is what they are trying to figure out is best for me.

The DSns can work with you to find the correct ratio of night time and morning time Levemir if you split your dose. You will get there it just takes time. Trial and improvement is the name of the game.

 

[Lizzy78]

Thanks.

Yeah definitely got a regular pattern of steady from morning till evening meal, then a wee spike before bedtime. Will speak to the DSN on Tuesday and see what she suggests. Feel like I'm covering my carbs at evening meal ok with novorapid, so not sure what's going on.