High blood sugars because of consultants advice

[Emmal31]

Hi,

I had an appointment with my consultants on friday my blood sugars had been pretty good mostly below 7 they said that they were good. They asked how much insulin i'd been giving myself for each meal (which has been a lot due to numbers creeping up too high) I told them and they said that's a lot sounds way too much your lantus is really high. They then asked why i'd done that i explained that my readings 2 hours post meal were ridiculously high so i'd been giving myself more to prevent them being high to get them below 7 before my next meal. I was then weighed and found out i've put on a stone since my last appointment which was 4 weeks ago they said this is because i've been giving myself too much insulin which has in turn made me eat a lot.
They told me to drop my lantus by 10 units and take off 4-5 units each meal and that my blood sugar readings should be 'Fine' with doing this and also to try and cut down on meal sizes. Now i've done everything that they told me to do dropped my lantus cut off some units each meal and also eating less each meal but because of their absoultely stupid advice my blood sugars haven't been below 7.4 since friday the highest has been 14.3. I feel so angry 😡 and exhausted and its completely their fault for giving me advice that clearly hasn't worked and has really made me feel terrible let alone what damage it's doing to the baby. I knew that i'd have high blood sugars but i thought well i've got to do what they say cause otherwise i'll put on lots of weight still cause of all the insulin. Now I have no idea what to do and im terrified im going to get ketones because of the idiotic advice given.

I'm gonna give myself more insulin like I had been but still try and cut down on portions and then talk to them tomorrow morning and tell them that it clearly hasn't worked what they told me to do and see what silly advice they give me next.

Sorry about the rant i'm just so angry.

 

[Caroline Wilson]

I hope things have sorted out. Have a good rant here as it helps clear things out of your system. I hope you get better advice when you see consultant again. let them know exactly how you feel too.

 

[HelenP]

Not sure if I'm suggesting the right thing, but is it worth you discussing this with your DSN on Monday, as it's obviously bothering you so much? Must be even more worrying, being pregnant too.

Hope you manage to sort it out somehow.

xx

 

[twinnie]

emma i so sorry you are having problems i was on huge amounts of insulin when i was pregant but i had appoinments to see my consultant every week
and scans every second week
i put a lot of weight on too {have only just lose it now after 4 years}
how many months are you
i am not sure if i could be any help but feel free to pm me
all the best vickie

 

[allisonb]

Oh Emma I'm sorry that you've been given such rubbish advice and it's caused things to go off track. Especially after you'd worked so hard to get your BS low! I have to say I genuinely think that us pregnant diabetics need to do what we know is right for us....rather than do what consultants seem to think we should be doing. How do they know what works or doesn't when they haven't been through a diabetic pregnancy. We're all different! It makes me so cross that they give advice to change things when actually what you were doing was working perfectly fine! Do they not think that your weight gain is down to being pregnant, doh!

My advice would be to do what you know works for you and your baby and just nod in the right places when you see your consultant.

Allison x

 

[rossi_mac]

Blimey I'd knee cap them next time I see them if I were you!

I know they think they're saying the right stuff but sometimes, they might as well naff off!!

I hope you keep your levels in range as much as poss, as I know it is a right stress!

Take care

Rossi 🙂

 

[Emmal31]

emma i so sorry you are having problems i was on huge amounts of insulin when i was pregant but i had appoinments to see my consultant every week
and scans every second week
i put a lot of weight on too {have only just lose it now after 4 years}
how many months are you
i am not sure if i could be any help but feel free to pm me
all the best vickie

I'm 6 months now. I'm being seen friday again and have just emailed dsn an angry email about the silly blood sugar levels i've had because of the advice will see with what advice they come back with because at the minute i'm guessing because my ratio's don't work anymore and my lantus is too low I feel.

 

[Emmal31]

Blimey I'd knee cap them next time I see them if I were you!

I know they think they're saying the right stuff but sometimes, they might as well naff off!!

I hope you keep your levels in range as much as poss, as I know it is a right stress!

Take care

Rossi 🙂

Yeah I had to really restrain myself when I sent them an email to not swear! I feel that although i've put on a stone (which yes is a LOT in 4 weeks) is better for me than blood sugars which have been 13/14 most of the time the past couple of days. I feel that I know my body better than them and I knew what was going to happen I said to my husband my blood sugars will go through the roof when I do what they say but I did so that I can't be told off for not following their brilliant advice! My husband is furious with them because of it as well. My levels are back down again because i've gone back to huge amounts of insulin and not listening to their advice unless it improves.

 

[Emmal31]

Oh Emma I'm sorry that you've been given such rubbish advice and it's caused things to go off track. Especially after you'd worked so hard to get your BS low! I have to say I genuinely think that us pregnant diabetics need to do what we know is right for us....rather than do what consultants seem to think we should be doing. How do they know what works or doesn't when they haven't been through a diabetic pregnancy. We're all different! It makes me so cross that they give advice to change things when actually what you were doing was working perfectly fine! Do they not think that your weight gain is down to being pregnant, doh!

My advice would be to do what you know works for you and your baby and just nod in the right places when you see your consultant.

Allison x

Hi alison,

Yes EXACTLY how I feel I couldn't have said it better myself really. Also I think what is a good point is that I lost a stone in the first few weeks of pregnancy because I couldn't stop being sick and was eating barely anything so all I've done is put on what i lost in the first place. What's wrong with that? I think i'm just gonna do what I think is right now because I tried it their way which has made me feel really ill and tired and just hope I don't put on too much weight because of the insulin.

Emma x

 

[Twitchy]

That it - final proof that our stupid diabetic antenatal teams are really one group of people moonlighting two jobs!!! 😱

I'm pretty sure that in the 3rd trimester you DO just put on a fair bit of weight, not least because of baby!! 🙄 Also, do you think you are just generally plumper "all over", or does it seem to be bump orientated? With M, I had excess fluid (+ lots of comments about expecting twins from total strangers ha bloody ha ha), which the consultant Obs said was probably associated with being on a DAFNE type regime. (No idea why though, it's just in his experience DAFNE & excess fluid seem to have a strong association). Needless to say the fluid would weight a fair bit!

The other thing to keep an eye on is if your face & hands seem to be expanding a bit quicker than everywhere else - make sure they are keeping an eye on your blood pressure as excess fluid retention could be associated with pre eclampsia, which can occur after 20 weeks. Just a thought, worth keeping an eye on. They should also be checking your urine frequently for protein. I was diagnosed with PE at 33 weeks & in hindsight had put a lot of (fluid) weight on prior to that.

During my first pregnancy I did put on a load of weight overall (up 1-2 dress sizes) - but honestly, given the choice between weight gain & poor BG control...pass the big lady clothes please! This time round even my neighbour has commented on weight gain so far (snarl...) but sod them, it's the BGs & beanlet that matter. So what if I have to live on salad for the next 2 years lol! Stick to what you feel is right - my experience both times has been that sometimes these guys just talk C***. You've been doing a fab job so far, you know your body so hang on in there! Don't stress about the BG readings being a bit high recently - the overall picture I'm sure will still be really good, this is just a blip! 🙂

A big hug to you ((((())))) & all the best!

Twitchy x

 

[christina1810]

I'm in the same position, only I have been for 4 years and I've only just become brave enough to change things myself to try and sort things out. Basically what happened is 4 years ago i changed from 2 injections a day to 4, but the consultants figured out my ratios wrong and I have spent the last 4 years in a circle of going hypo and re-bounding, every night. I was refused a 24hr glucose monitor, and trusted the doctors natural authority in the subject, claiming there were other explanations. However, after my recent Hba1c of over 10, I decided to start bringing my insulin down myself as a last resort experiment. So far i've reduced from 22units of long term insulin to 11 and things are improving. (which proves how bloody wrong they were) I'm still a long way off getting things right, but at least I trust myself more now. However my faith in doctors has been demolished...so I completely understand how angry, frustrated and disappointed you feel. I just wish they'd actually realise that individuals ARE individuals when consulting, rather than just using it as an excuse. Good luck to you, and the baby. x