Feeling so fed up. Need to sound off?

[gillrogers]

Still haven't got this thyroid problem sorted. Supposed to have an hba1c check this month but darn gp practice is in the process of being taken over so theyrr only doing energency appointments. Cant get my next thyroid blood trst until January. My blood sugars just dont know what they are doing with their evening meal. Yesterday i took a nose dive and hour after dinner and today im.up at 16 hanging around for an two hours before starting tocome back down with an extra 1.5 units. My lyumjev has as good as turned to water. After 8 years of mis diagnosis with 4 years not getting below an hba1c of 11, im.so worried whatball of this is doing to me. I feel like im.litterally waiting for the day i get carted off in ambulance.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi Gill

Really sorry to hear you are struggling with your levels. I don't suppose you have had a Covid vaccine recently or Covid infection? The reason I ask is that @freesia is also struggling with her levels at the moment and I wonder if you are both experiencing your honeymoon period coming to an end. I had a similar experience about 20 months ago after my first Covid vaccine and whilst I can't prove it was the vaccine it would make sense considering that vaccines are designed to trigger the immune system and it is our immune system which kills off our beta cells, so if you give it a bit of a prod and wake it up it might decide to kill off a few more/the remaining ones if it is feeling grumpy. I had 3 months of frustration from February to May before it settled down and during that time my basal insulin needs doubled. They have been pretty static since then give or take a couple of units for more or less exercise.

Anyway, I just wanted to say, that I hear your frustration and anxiety and can empathize. Hang in there it will settle down and get better eventually, but don't be resistant to doing some basal testing and increasing your basal insulin if you are persistently needing corrections. I was increasing by 2 units every few days-week until it eventually levelled out. Your ratios might also need adjusting if I am right that you have lost more beta cells, but you need to get the basal right first.

Have you had or been offered a DAFNE course or whatever your local equivalent is?

 

[gillrogers]

Hi Barbera, lovely to hear from you. What youve said makes perfect sense to me. I have thought it was the covid jab back in beginning of october. Doc and dn nurse said ohh no not that . Well timings tie in with it and the decline in my thyroid and now im more convinced and ive always found your guidance spot on.

Basal.is up and down like a yoyo and i have alreafy changed ratios , interestingly needing to lower though last nights efforts showed my evening meal may need to go back up again.

I noticed an odd phenomenon for me on Wednesday, i was out in tgr cold wrapped up but my bg shot up by 2 whole numbers , was outside for about an hour. Half hour after i came back in they came back down. Mind you it was bitter!

Thanks Barbera

 

[gillrogers]

Ooh yes ive done Dafne, perhaps i ought to go do a refresh.

 

[gillrogers]

Opps nooo it wasnt Dapne , it was Bertie. Ive just emailed daphne for remote access.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear you’ve been having a frustrating time @gillrogers

Chasing the moving goalposts of diabetes can be exhausting!

Hope Dafne (or a Bertie refresher) give you some additional clues, and options to try 🙂

 

[freesia]

Hi @gillrogers sorry you've been having a rough time. As @rebrascora said, i too have been having big problems with highs and lows. I've been going much higher since this covid jab than i have with the others, often shooting to 18/19 before a correction makes it crash then rebound. All i can say is hang in there, alter your basal and correct if needed. I know how you feel, its been exhausting.

 

[gillrogers]

Yep, been there done that. I find if I apply the sensor slightly inwards under the arm (towards the body) it prevents one sleeping on the sensor.

Thats what i do.................... Until i lie on the other arm and hubby puts his arm over sensor arm to cuddle ne! Then that plan goes out tge window!

 

[gillrogers]

Hi @gillrogers sorry you've been having a rough time. As @rebrascora said, i too have been having big problems with highs and lows. I've been going much higher since this covid jab than i have with the others, often shooting to 18/19 before a correction makes it crash then rebound. All i can say is hang in there, alter your basal and correct if needed. I know how you feel, its been exhausting.

Thanks @freesia , yup basal raise is needed again for tomorrow. Had planned to do a basal test this afternoon but as i had a repeat of last night after my breakfast and hadnt come back down by a full unit lije last night then that indicated to me a basal change is in order. So had to do a correction to bring me back in range so couldnt do the test. Trying again for this evening as ive been back in range after no lunch and that correction. Must be the freezing weather change thats done it. Hopefully it wont need going up again after tomorrow.

 

[helli]

@gillrogers sorry to read of your problems.
As has been said "many times many ways", there are many things that can affect our blood sugars from the weather to covid jabs and more.
It may be that more of your beta cells have died off but I would be reluctant to suggest it is the end of your honeymoon period as I think mine lasted 8 years. We need to be very careful suggesting all our insulin production suddenly stops on the same day.
Frustrating as it is, constant tweaking of basal rates is an ongoing feature of managing diabetes. Don't be surprised if your insulin needs do slowly rise over the next few years. But also be ready for them to drop if the cause is illness or jabs.
And, if you are increasing your basal, don't forget to check your bolus ratios are correct: if your body is producing less insulin it will affect both basal and bolus. You need a stable basal foundation before tweaking your bolus ratios.