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Hello

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JaniceAnne

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I have recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Struggling to manage levels, taking levamir morning and evening and novarapid before meals. Have had 2 hypos today so not sure if I should take levemir this evening as level 3.6. Any thoughts?
 
Welcome to the forum, that no one wants to need to jion.

There is a lot take on board at first after diagnosis, at whatever age you are diagnosed.
At the start you are likely to be giong through the ‘honeymoon period’ (totally inappropriate name!!!)
At this stage you may have a few beta cells left that, now that you have given them a bit of a rest by injecting insulin, decide to have another go at chucking out some insulin. This is just to confuse you as they will then send out messages to the antibodies that they are ther, and the antibodies then pop along and knock them out. This could account for the unexplained hypos. You still need to take the Levemir tonight as that will deal with the glucose that your body will release just to keep your body ticking over. We can only use this glucose if we have some insulin on board.

I am pleased to read that they have started you on the Multiple Daily Injections (MDI) including a split Levemir Injection for the background insulin. This is the most flexible system of MDI and you will gradually get to adapt your doses to suit your needs. Your team will help you with this.

Be patient at the start as it will take time to adapt your doses. Have your team introduced you to the idea of carb counting? If not ask them about this your next appointment.

When I was diagnosed (at 53) there was so much to learn. I found that the book Type I Diabetes in Children Adolescents and Young Adults by Ragnar Hanas was very useful. Ignore the reference to ages, T1 is T1. The book is well explained, with clear diagrams. The indexing makes it an excellent reference book which I still dip into. It is regularly updated wi5h the latest technology so it is worth forking out for the latest edition.

I have learnt most of what I know from people on here. There is plenty of support available from people who really understand this. Please ask any questions that you have, and know that no questions are considered silly on here. Just ask.
 
Hello @JaniceAnne and welcome 🙂

As SB2015 says, you will need to keep taking the Levemir, but you may find you need to reduce the dose - the doses of insulin we're started on when first diagnosed are a "best guess" and often have to be adjusted as time goes on. Do you have the phone number or email address of a Diabetes Specialist Nurse (a nurse at a hospital rather than just one at your local surgery)? - if so it is worth contacting them for advice about whether you should lower your Levemir dose slightly to try to stop the hypos, and if so, by how much. If you don't have the contact details for a DSN it's definitely worth asking your GP to refer you to one - and get their details for future reference.
 
TheClockworkDodo said:
Hello @JaniceAnne and welcome 🙂

As SB2015 says, you will need to keep taking the Levemir, but you may find you need to reduce the dose - the doses of insulin we're started on when first diagnosed are a "best guess" and often have to be adjusted as time goes on. Do you have the phone number or email address of a Diabetes Specialist Nurse (a nurse at a hospital rather than just one at your local surgery)? - if so it is worth contacting them for advice about whether you should lower your Levemir dose slightly to try to stop the hypos, and if so, by how much. If you don't have the contact details for a DSN it's definitely worth asking your GP to refer you to one - and get their details for future reference.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Took levemir and back to normal this morning - 7.3
 
JaniceAnne said:
Thank you. Took levemir and back to normal this morning - 7.3
Click to expand...

That is good to hear Janice. I hope you feel well rested.

As has been said your doses will need to be adjusted over time, so it will be worth getting in touch with your DSN and discussing changes. Have they talked to you about keeping a log of your BG on waking, bedtime and before meals, along with the amount of carbs you eat at a meal. This will help them to work with youto make decisions about changes.

When I was diagnosed they suggested I just did two of these tests a day, but I quickly got into diong them at every meal, and once things were settled it is just normal to do it at every meal.

Have a good day
 
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