Good results but feeling down

[Flower]

At my pump clinic today I got my HbA1c of 43 or 6.1% and the other results were ok, my kidney function had risen a bit from being in the 30's last time. The trouble with technology and downloadable pumps and meters is there are no hiding places and hypos are there in multi-coloured graph glory.

I know I've been having too many hypos and I am trying my best to stop them happening but it is hard. I was told to aim higher and to stop being so hard on myself. They would rather see 10's in place of the 2's I've been getting. It is so hard to aim higher when I'm desperately trying to protect the 25% sight I've got left and save my precious leg. Finding that elusive balance where you are doing the best for everything is so flipping hard.

On the plus side I was told to go and eat some chocolate which are orders I find very easy to obey and the first time anyone has said that to me! Three Walnut Whips are now in my kitchen - breakfast, dinner and tea sorted 😉 that should get some double figures on my meter!

 

[Northerner]

Aw Flower, I can understand about that instruction to 'aim higher' 'Just let your levels run a bit higher for a while' - they really do not understand how difficult that can be to achieve when you are constantly trying to keep tight control 🙄

I'm pleased that your results were good, and I hope that the WWs encourage you to a few slightly higher numbers 🙂 I know what I will be looking for in the shop when I go tomorrow! 😱 😉 {{{HUGS}}}

 

[Lindarose]

Oh Flower I can only say well done on your lovely hba1c. You're doing brilliantly. It's such a hard battle. I understand why you don't want to aim higher. However those walknut whips sound like pure heaven! Enjoy them. I'd call them starter main course and dessert!

 

[Flower]

It is such a challenge, all my life I've been trying to get better and lower results then all of a sudden you tip over and are told to aim higher instead. It isn't as if I'm deliberately aiming for 2's they just happen as I can't detect hypos . I really don't know how to aim higher in a controlled manner it's so easy to derail your control completely. I was told to start by reducing every hour of my basal rate by 0.1 unit and see how that pans out after a month.

WW starter, main course and dessert, hhmmm now that is a brilliant suggestion😛

 

[Robin]

Aargh! That is so frustrating. You do the best you can to walk the tightrope and whichever way you've wobbled, they want you to have wobbled the other way. Congrats on the figures, anyway.
Edit. Just had to un-autocorrect titrate for tightrope. You can tell this iPad belongs to a diabetic person!

 

[Rosiecarmel]

Good news on the hba1c and other results so you should definitely feel happy about that!

Does your pump talk to your CGM? Im just wondering if it's possible for your pump to suspend insulin if it knows you're going too low? I think I've heard stuff on here about that unless I'm misunderstanding?

Enjoy your WWs. Takes me back to my childhood!

 

[AlisonM]

Something I've found in dealing with so many chronic conditions is that the medicos are always focussed, understandably, on the one they know about, ignoring all the others. Meanwhile, anything I do regarding one condition affects all the others and I have to find the median for myself. So, now, if I get a row from one expert I simply point out that, if I do it his/her way, the other experts will complain so I have learned to interpret the results of the many, many tests and draw my own conclusions. You have to do what works best for you @Flower and hope no more wheels fall off.

Congratulations on your results.

 

[Amigo]

At my pump clinic today I got my HbA1c of 43 or 6.1% and the other results were ok, my kidney function had risen a bit from being in the 30's last time. The trouble with technology and downloadable pumps and meters is there are no hiding places and hypos are there in multi-coloured graph glory.

I know I've been having too many hypos and I am trying my best to stop them happening but it is hard. I was told to aim higher and to stop being so hard on myself. They would rather see 10's in place of the 2's I've been getting. It is so hard to aim higher when I'm desperately trying to protect the 25% sight I've got left and save my precious leg. Finding that elusive balance where you are doing the best for everything is so flipping hard.

On the plus side I was told to go and eat some chocolate which are orders I find very easy to obey and the first time anyone has said that to me! Three Walnut Whips are now in my kitchen - breakfast, dinner and tea sorted 😉 that should get some double figures on my meter!

You've had such a tough time one way and another Flower that I think you've done brilliantly! And I lovvvve Walnut Whips but why don't they have a walnut at the bottom any more these days? I'm sure they did years ago.

 

[Bubbsie]

At my pump clinic today I got my HbA1c of 43 or 6.1% and the other results were ok, my kidney function had risen a bit from being in the 30's last time. The trouble with technology and downloadable pumps and meters is there are no hiding places and hypos are there in multi-coloured graph glory.

I know I've been having too many hypos and I am trying my best to stop them happening but it is hard. I was told to aim higher and to stop being so hard on myself. They would rather see 10's in place of the 2's I've been getting. It is so hard to aim higher when I'm desperately trying to protect the 25% sight I've got left and save my precious leg. Finding that elusive balance where you are doing the best for everything is so flipping hard.

On the plus side I was told to go and eat some chocolate which are orders I find very easy to obey and the first time anyone has said that to me! Three Walnut Whips are now in my kitchen - breakfast, dinner and tea sorted 😉 that should get some double figures on my meter!

Hi Flower...sorry to hear you feel down after getting such a brilliant result with the HbA1c result...hard work choosing one against the other...enjoy those Walnut Whips.. hoping you.find a way to balance those figures out.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Yay 43. Boo 2's. *hugs*

 

[Flower]

Thanks everyone 🙂 It is a balancing act and I do need to find the right path to protect all my damaged bits to my best abilities and to stop any more wheels falling off. I know their advice was in no way a criticism but it is hard not to feel that way when you put so much sustained effort into getting good results. Chin up Flower, you've got a Walnut Whip for pudding tonight.🙂 Amigo you are right, they did used to have an extra walnut in the bottom and I'm pretty sure they have shrunk a fair bit since I last had one.

 

[Stitch147]

Great HbA1c result Flower. Shame about the hypos and slight telling off. It's hard when you try your best but feel like it's still not good enough. Hope your enjoy your walnut whips. Sending you a hug. X

 

[Redkite]

Great a1c Flower 🙂. If you're having lots of hypos, do you need to adjust the thresholds for your "predicted low suspend" on the pump? Or does this function not help prevent the hypos? I have to say it doesn't catch all my son's lows, especially if he's dropping fast.

 

[Flower]

If you're having lots of hypos, do you need to adjust the thresholds for your "predicted low suspend" on the pump? Or does this function not help prevent the hypos? I have to say it doesn't catch all my son's lows, especially if he's dropping fast.

It is a balancing act once again setting a threshold that catches hypos without suspending insulin unnecessarily. I will raise the threshold by a small increment but like your son if I am dropping fast I can end up in the 2's very quickly. Oh for a working pancreas 🙄

 

[trophywench]

Conversely to what seems popular belief - it is my own personal belief that for me running ever so slightly higher is actually healthier overall than lower.

OK - I did manage a 49 (8?) = 6.5% last time but really TBH the majority of my life I've been in the 7s with occasional excursions into the 8s. I actually said at the time, how the hell did that happen then? I don't mean 'through the roof' higher, but just a tad.

I think knocking the 0.01 off all your basals sounds a good one - what %age of your TDD basal is it though? It's near enough 0.01% of my own for instance, so not at all radical. My parameters for bolusing are to a halfway point of 5.5 - leaving enough leeway either side.

 

[Matt Cycle]

Well done on the HbA1c Flower and on your other results too. 🙂 My hypo awareness is pretty much non existent and I was told the same as you to run levels higher. It was as if I'm having hypos on purpose and can flick a switch and straight line between 8 and 12 instead. 🙄

Enjoy the walnut whips but like everything they'll have shrunk in size. You need to get one of these.

 

[Carolg]

Thanks everyone 🙂 It is a balancing act and I do need to find the right path to protect all my damaged bits to my best abilities and to stop any more wheels falling off. I know their advice was in no way a criticism but it is hard not to feel that way when you put so much sustained effort into getting good results. Chin up Flower, you've got a Walnut Whip for pudding tonight.🙂 Amigo you are right, they did used to have an extra walnut in the bottom and I'm pretty sure they have shrunk a fair bit since I last had one.

Well done flower. I agree about walnut whips. Really tiny now, but enjoy anyway

 

[AlisonM]

That's far past it's best before date @Matt Cycle, what are you trying to do to her?

 

[Matt Cycle]

That's far past it's best before date @Matt Cycle, what are you trying to do to her?

I wondered why it was so cheap. 😉 Anyroad it'll be allreyt. Us Yorkshire folk are like the Scots - careful with our money.

 

[Flower]

I think knocking the 0.01 off all your basals sounds a good one - what %age of your TDD basal is it though? It's near enough 0.01% of my own for instance, so not at all radical. My parameters for bolusing are to a halfway point of 5.5 - leaving enough leeway either side.

I was told to reduce all hourly basal rates by 0.1u so it is quite significant and has reduced my total basal by 2.4 units which should make a noticeable difference.

Enjoy the walnut whips but like everything they'll have shrunk in size. You need to get one of these.

Thanks Matt that is a Walnut Whopper! I really enjoyed my much smaller sweet, gooey treat 🙂