How to get back on track

[Ali11782]

OK, so due feeling low in the evenings I have slipped back to not taking evening dose. I know it is hard to think why someone would do this when their health is a stake but it is a very long story with me, complicated. it was why I was offered Tresiba instead of continuing with my levemir.
Anyway that's three days of waking up at like 18 to 20. And yes I feel awful. This morning i feel really sick. I've no one to blame but myself but I can't get myself back on track.
Firstly what do people do in the morning if they wake up high? Take insulin?
My head is in a muddle. No one has answers for me I get that. just needed to get it out.
Also part of the problem is I hate dinner. I feel it is hard to get it right, when to take my insulin because it works before my food does. I need to think of a plan for tonight and stick to it.

 

[Inka]

When I wake up high I use my fast-acting insulin to correct my blood sugar @Ali11782 At that level I’d also check for ketones and drink plenty of water.

Could you just have the same simple dinner every night for a few days or even a week - just to remove some pressure? Eg potatoes are easy to carb count, so you could have potatoes, cheese omelette and green veg?

 

[Inka]

If your insulin is working before your food does at dinner, you could try injecting just before you eat - ie as you sit down in front of your meal, or even after eating.

High sugars will be making you feel muddled and cr*p. It’s a horrible feeling.

 

[Ali11782]

If your insulin is working before your food does at dinner, you could try injecting just before you eat - ie as you sit down in front of your meal, or even after eating.

High sugars will be making you feel muddled and cr*p. It’s a horrible feeling.

Hi.
I've taken 4 units, usually one unit reduces by 3. That's me at 7.1, did just walk a mile also. So I'm now thinking about having breakfast. I have to crack this, not perfectly but I'm spending everyday thinking about the evening and it's ruling my days. So I think yes that would be good, same meals. In fact in my house tonight it's baked potato night. I'm struggling so much with it, I don't know whether to phone DSN.

 

[MrDaibetes]

When I wake up high, I just take a correction dose and that usually brings me back in range, depending on how high I am I might check for ketones too.

Do you pre-bolus for food, or just inject and eat? Maybe reach out to your diabetes team for some support.

 

[Inka]

If you’re really struggling, do phone your DSN. They might also be able to refer you for additional support.

You know you need the Levemir and I’m sure you know it won’t make you fat. I totally understand your head is giving you other messages but they’re false messages. What’s important is your health and your family. Don’t let that nasty little voice inside sabotage things for you.

Take your insulin. It’s your friend not your enemy. Sending you a big hug. XX

 

[Ali11782]

If you’re really struggling, do phone your DSN. They might also be able to refer you for additional support.

You know you need the Levemir and I’m sure you know it won’t make you fat. I totally understand your head is giving you other messages but they’re false messages. What’s important is your health and your family. Don’t let that nasty little voice inside sabotage things for you.

Take your insulin. It’s your friend not your enemy. Sending you a big hug. XX

It's just a mental battle in my head that I need to win. I just have to put the effort in today. So hard when there is external influences that I can't control.

 

[Inka]

Yes, there’s so much in life we can’t control. Some days it can feel like stuff is just being thrown at you non-stop.

I try to plod through the diabetes stuff on automatic on days like that.

 

[helli]

Hi @Ali11782
I agree that it would probably help you to talk to someone. You have mentioned problems with food in another thread which you may also get help with.
I don't believe changing your basal insulin is the solution as the problem is a mental one not a physical one.

If your diabetes team are not able/willing to help or don't understand, have you thought about calling the Diabetes UK helpline? Their number is at at the top of the page.

I hope you feel better soon.

 

[rebrascora]

Do you have a partner or someone else who could perhaps take over that evening basal injection for you. Even an older child perhaps? I know I used to give my mother injections when I was about 16 and whilst not insulin, it was more daunting needles and syringes than our insulin pens or even just task them with supporting you with taking the injection. I appreciate that it is a mental issue and connected to your difficult relationship with food but maybe someone else taking responsibility for that evening Levemir might just relieve a little of the strain on you to deal with your evening bolus. I felt quite honoured that I was able to help my mother with her injections, so I think it can be quite a bonding process. Even if you take a lower dose each night than you think you will need, any insulin is better than none and as others say, you can then correct in the morning.
Hope you can find a solution. Feel free to post on here each night as you are wrestling with the problem and we will try to support you with it.

What time do you normally take your evening Levemir? Maybe adjusting the timing of it would help? If you have a lot going on earlier and taking your Levemir is just something else to cope with and perhaps the last straw then try changing the timing a bit. I take my evening dose anywhere from 10pm to 1am... essentially bedtime, but my morning dose is almost always 7am when I wake up. Doing it then means that I have no other distractions. I know they recommend 12 hours apart for Levemir but this works pretty well for me although I have needed to adjust the day and nighttime doses accordingly.

Also, try to focus on how well you were doing when you were injecting twice a day and the great TIR results you were getting. Ok, you have lost your way for a day or two, but wipe the slate clean and start afresh tonight.

Just want to say that it is really brave of you to come on the forum and acknowledge the difficulty you are having and that alone is a big step forward in dealing with it, so hopefully with some of the suggestions in the posts above you can get back on track. Please let us know how you get on and what strategies or support works best for you, as that may be helpful to others having similar issues.

 

[Ali11782]

Thank you everyone. During the day it's all. Ok
Just need to crack the next few hours till bed. I do plan on using Tresiba for the reason I can take in morning then not think about it. If it doesn't suit me then I can go back levemir. Thanks again everyone

 

[rebrascora]

Fab trace for today and a fantastic achievement getting levels down and stable so quickly. Well done!
Good luck with the Tresiba. You have to find a best fit for you in your circumstances and having 24hr basal cover with Tresiba is far better than having the option of better control with split dose Levemir but finding it too difficult to take the second dose..... and as you say, you can always try it and go back if you don't find it better.

 

[Inka]

When you try the Tresiba, make sure you say that it’s a trial and that you want to go back on Levemir if you prefer it. I found my GP likes to mess my prescription around when I try anything new 🙄

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Be really proud of yourself for both identifying your challenges, and wanting to tackle them head-on. This is such a huge part of the battle!

Really hope the Tresiba forms a part of the solution for you, even if only temporarily.

Hope you can reach out for support with your clinic too. We are always here for you, and will try to encourage you every step of the way, but it’s important to keep your HCPs in the loop too - hopefully they have some psychological support available that you can be referred to?

 

[Lucyr]

I’ve been through this a few times, not being able to motivate myself to take insulin even though I know I feel rubbish and sick without it. I’d really recommend trying to get an appointment to talk about it with one of your team, that has usually helped me to get started again.

Other things that have helped me are keeping my diabetes stuff easy to access so for me it’s all out in a box on the kitchen side as a visual reminder. Then keeping my testing to the basics, so testing before meals to calculate insulin but not worrying about post meal spikes or using libre, just testing a few times a day and taking the right insulin is usually a step forward for me. Then also picking some repetitive, lower carb, or easy to carb count meals for a while. The meat with potatoes and low carb veg for example, easy to just weigh the potatoes and no worrying about managing difficult post pizza or whatever bgs.

After a couple of weeks of giving myself a little break as much as is possible from diabetes, the improved bgs usually makes me feel physically better and then more able to carry on and go back to being more adventurous

 

[Ali11782]

Usual night mess up. But I did take my levemir, I just ate too much food due to feeling down and did match my carbs to insulin.
So how does everyone feel about me documenting my journey in this thread to getting back on track, to having a healthy relationship with food and insulin. Might help me.
After speaking to DSN yesterday it turns out I should have done the Libre academy.. Never knew about it. Was just given libre, so now I should get prescription for the Libre 2 which I'm hoping hearing then alarms might make help me to get back on track. Because who wants to be hearing alarms going off during the night lol.
So I am phoning GP today as have been suffering sciatic symptoms in my thighs etc and its affecting me so need to do something about it rather than ignore. Esp when I couldn't do my daily morning walk today.
So anyway morning levemir taken, and corrective dose.
Have a good day everyone x

 

[rebrascora]

Getting the Libre 2 with alarms sounds like a good suggestion to help keep you on track a little better and I am sure we would all be very happy for you to document your journey with this problem here on the thread. I hate it when people are having problems and then disappear and you are left wondering "Are they OK?" "Did they manage to sort things out?" Hope they are back on track" I am sure it also helps other people who are struggling to read that they are not alone and to learn strategies which might work for them through your experience.

Sorry to hear about your sciatica. It is something I get from time to time and it can be very debilitating. I find doing exercises and using anti inflammatory painkillers (Ibuprofen) works for me, but it usually takes a week or so to go. Hope you find a treatment option that works as walking is so helpful with diabetes management.

 

[Ali11782]

Getting the Libre 2 with alarms sounds like a good suggestion to help keep you on track a little better and I am sure we would all be very happy for you to document your journey with this problem here on the thread. I hate it when people are having problems and then disappear and you are left wondering "Are they OK?" "Did they manage to sort things out?" Hope they are back on track" I am sure it also helps other people who are struggling to read that they are not alone and to learn strategies which might work for them through your experience.

Sorry to hear about your sciatica. It is something I get from time to time and it can be very debilitating. I find doing exercises and using anti inflammatory painkillers (Ibuprofen) works for me, but it usually takes a week or so to go. Hope you find a treatment option that works as walking is so helpful with diabetes management.

It's been a good couple of months like this now. Feels like it getting worse. I've just been taken ibuprofen and paracetamol. Started my walk this morning and just couldn't manage, usually eases off. I came home. Took pain relief and relaxed and now it's easier.

 

[Lucyr]

You are welcome to document here if that helps! But don’t feel you have to if it feels like it adds to the diabetes workload though.

 

[rebrascora]

A trip to an osteopath might help if it has been going on that long and they will give you exercises to do as well as manipulate you to try to realign things. Hope you can get some help to find relief from it. That sort of pain makes everything in life that much more difficult, so getting that sorted will help to make your diabetes more manageable.