Hello from Snowdonia

[Plucker]

Hello everyone!

Weather's been a bit rough today and I've been rough too. Luckily my diabetes was spotted on Wednesday and I've been having treatment. BG was 33 (!) when my doctor tested it on Wednesday morning and I got sent straight to hospital to get it sorted. 18 hours of insulin infusion got it down to a sensible level and since then we've been managing it pretty well since then with a daily basal insulin injection.

This is all extremely new to me, the processes, the terminology and the injections (actually they don't bother me) but we'll get there and I'm sure these forums will be an enormous help.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome

Hope things are not too wild in Snowdonia today or you are at least keeping safe and warm indoors.
I see that you are a Type 3c. I am guessing that you have had problems and/or surgery on your pancreas in the past, so you would perhaps be aware that diabetes was a possibility at some stage. Pleased it got picked up without you going DKA and you are now on insulin therapy and hopefully feeling better, even if it did involve a trip to hospital.
Which basal insulin have they given you?
I assume they have provided you with a Blood Glucose Meter to test yourself?
If you drive, then hopefully they have given you guidance on what you need to do to comply with the legal requirements of driving as an insulin user.... If not, please ask, as it is very important. It is good that you are finding the injections OK. Have they explained that there are several suitable sites on the body for injecting and to rotate the injection site so that you are not jabbing the same place too regularly?

 

[Wirrallass]

Hello Plucker and a warm welcome to our friendly & helpful forum. Lots of experienced & knowledgeable people here who will accompany you on your Diabetes journey.

Being dx (diagnosed) comes as a shock doesn't but you've come to the best place for support & advice. Below is a link that you will find interesting reading as there's lots of information that will help you get started on your Diabetes journey:~
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/threads/useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes.10406/

I'd highly recommend you buy a copy of the book CARB & CAL COUNTER. It can be bought from Diabetes UK and Amazon. It's a Diabetics bible. Lots of info about Carborhydrates Protein Calories Fat Saturated fats and Fibre values. They are displayed in colour-coded circles beneath each photo (There are 1700 of them🙂)


Please feel free to ask just about anything you need to know Plucker and we will be only to happy & willing to answer your queries.
Good luck and do please update us as to your progress.
Take care.
WL

Edited to add photo of Carbs & Cals

 

[Tee G]

Hi @Plucker, Welcome on this wet and windy day! Im really impressed with your attitude, "luckily your diabetes was spotted" and you are absolutely right - what an inspiration you are, when i got the news last year i was horrified! LOL im doing ok now though. I cant begin to advise you as i have no experience of your situation, but i will wish you a very happy time on this forum. There are so many wide and varied type of diabetes here that im sure when you get to reading through it all, like me you will have a thorough appreciation of the fact that you are not alone, we are all together. Folk on here are so knowledgeable and kind im sure you will fit right in, so pull up a chair, grab a cupper and enjoy. All the best

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Plucker

Hopefully with the insulin infusion you will begin to feel better very soon.

I notice you’ve chosen 3c as your diabetes type - what have the medics told you about your diabetes?

I’ll tag @eggyg, who is also 3c and might be able to give you some useful pointers.

 

[MrDaibetes]

Welcome to the forum. I don't know much about 3C but I hope you will find this forum helpful.

 

[Plucker]

Hi and welcome

Hope things are not too wild in Snowdonia today or you are at least keeping safe and warm indoors.
I see that you are a Type 3c. I am guessing that you have had problems and/or surgery on your pancreas in the past, so you would perhaps be aware that diabetes was a possibility at some stage. Pleased it got picked up without you going DKA and you are now on insulin therapy and hopefully feeling better, even if it did involve a trip to hospital.
Which basal insulin have they given you?
I assume they have provided you with a Blood Glucose Meter to test yourself?
If you drive, then hopefully they have given you guidance on what you need to do to comply with the legal requirements of driving as an insulin user.... If not, please ask, as it is very important. It is good that you are finding the injections OK. Have they explained that there are several suitable sites on the body for injecting and to rotate the injection site so that you are not jabbing the same place too regularly?

Hi Barbara and thank you for your words of welcome and advice. I have a history of pancreatitis and over the years it's sustained damage and has ceased to produce enough insulin. It's still producing some, just not enough. I think they've given Novolin N and I also have NovoRapid to help iron out the spikes. They have given me a Contour Plus meter but I'm looking at getting a more accurate one, maybe the Contour Next One but open to suggestions? I'm a bit of a gadget freak so one that has bluetooth to transfer data is most likely.mYes to the DVLA advice and yes to the suitable sites (tummy, thigh, bottom)

 

[eggyg]

Hi Plucker. Sorry I missed this post. I too am a weirdo 3c. Caused by distal pancreatectomy due to acute pancreatitis and subsequent tumour ( pre cancerous luckily). Things have definitely moved on in the 10 years I was initially diagnosed as Type 2! Have only been on insulin for half of that time and was still told I was a type 2, had a fight on my hands but I’m a stubborn b***h and was eventually re categorised two years ago. It can be difficult when you are stilling producing some insulin, which I obviously was in the early years, so test, test, test. It’s the only way. Are you on Creon too? Because that too can affect your blood glucose. Don’t be too disheartened though, I’m still here aren’t I? I would imagine your insulin requirements will change in time, it’s a steep learning curve and not many HCPs ( health care professionals) know about 3C, so educate yourself and then educate them. Ask away if you’ve any questions and I’ll do my best to answer them or at least point you in the right direction. 🙂

 

[Plucker]

Hi Eggyg and thank you (and to everyone else who has responded) - I too have a malfunctioning pancreas after about 4 pancreatitis attacks over a period of about 10 years, last one was 4 years ago but the damage has obviously been done and it's producing some, though obviously nowhere near enough insulin for my needs. SO I'm on a basal dose of of Abasaglar with a small dose of NovoRapid to deal with my post breakfast (just breakfast for some reason) sugar spike (it's working, yesterday my BG was about 10 all day long after breakfast) but as you say it's a steep learning curve and every day brings a little surprise wen I eat something different, eat at a different time or do a bit more or less exercise.
I'm not on Creon. My biggest problem is that I'm constantly hungry!

 

[trophywench]

Er, a fairly constant BG of 10 isn't what I'd call healthy myself - what does your consultant/whoever is supposed to be taking care of you medically, say about it?

 

[Plucker]

Well it's better than it was and it's been spiking after meals up to 16 or 18 in the first week so I'm quite happy these spikes are now only up at about 10. My consultant is happy with progress so far and it is still early days in the treatment regime and I need to stay positive to be able to manage it better. I'm sure we will tweak things as we go along. I can do without the criticism at this stage to be honest, it's only just over a week since I was diagnosed.

 

[rebrascora]

I am a year down the line and I still get the odd peak of 15 and I eat a low carb diet, so I think you are doing really well. It is better to bring it down slowly rather than try to go from readings in the high teens-20s to normal range readings, which would inevitably involve hypos, so I would say you are doing exactly what you need to be doing.
As regards hunger, it helps to find low carb snacks which you enjoy and surprisingly you will find that fat is your friend in this respect because it is much slower to digest than carbs and keeps you fuller for longer. Things like nuts and cheese and boiled eggs make great filling snacks and shouldn't affect your BG much providing you don't go overboard, so you don't need bolus insulin for them. Incorporating more fat and protein into your main meals will also help along with large portions of leafy green veg as the fibre in those will also help keep you full. I can eat nearly a whole cabbage sweated in butter and served with gammon or bacon and non of that will need insulin and it tastes great. A large plate of salad leaves with a big dollop of cheese coleslaw and a couple of boiled eggs is another one that doesn't need bolus insulin, so if you are hungry try a plateful of one of those.