Is it me or ....

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Scrumpyjack65

Scrumpyjack65

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi, is it me or does having Diabetes Type 1 get harder as you get older? I was diagnosed on the 29th January 1977, and diagnosed as a "brittle" diabetic - I'll never forget that day, funny, but my whole life changed as Im sure you who are reading this article have had the same challenge. Im now 40 years on of living with diabetes type 1 but for me the days of living with it are far more complicated than they ever used to be? I have an Insulin Pump (Medtronic 640G) and use a Medtronic CGM Sensor .. what else do I need to be plugged into? Is it that we have more technology available so we can see what our bgs are doing at every minute of every day or do we just want to get it right. Did we ever in the early days really care what was happening minute by minute (in my case no) I have to say Im finding life rather tough right now as the diabetes seems to be in control of me rather than the other way round ...advice required, thanks.
 
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Hi Jack. I sympathise. Some days it feels like a real struggle and it's easy to get bogged down. On the other hand putting the work in and persevering can also pay off and there's something very confidence boosting when you see a lovely smooth line on the graph and you get a good hba1c.
Are you having a particular issue that is making you feel you're not in control? Perhaps others might have suggestions you could try.
 
Hi Radders, I have to say Ive never really felt that nice pay off in all my years of having the disease, although to be fair, sometimes its less of a struggle than others. At the moment is hard, on average having 4 or 5 lows or suspends a day, despite reviewing my doses, food, exercise you name it .. at least the currrent pump does switch off when Im nearing a low, but I long for a night of uninterrupted sleep without any vibrations or beeping going on. Lets hope this is the week 🙂
 
Hi scrumpyjack sorry to hear you're struggling atm - I'm a type2 and not on insulin so I'm unable to advise you - but I send kind wishes that your diabetes becomes easier to manage day by day. take care.
WL

Dx Type 2 April 2016
Metformin withdrawn
Diet control and exercise only
 
Scrumpyjack65 said:
Hi Radders, I have to say Ive never really felt that nice pay off in all my years of having the disease, although to be fair, sometimes its less of a struggle than others. At the moment is hard, on average having 4 or 5 lows or suspends a day, despite reviewing my doses, food, exercise you name it .. at least the currrent pump does switch off when Im nearing a low, but I long for a night of uninterrupted sleep without any vibrations or beeping going on. Lets hope this is the week 🙂
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How low are we talking? I've discovered since having the Libre that very small adjustments in basal rates can lead to big changes in my levels. Would you consider trying a Libre just until you get your settings right?
 
Hello Jack here is another brittle diabetic diagnosed over 50 years ago so I know how you feel. I have the 640g and use CGMs but I found the Libre brilliant for working out the various different basal rates I needed over night and I can tell you I hardly ever go hypo over night now. From early morning onwards it is a different matter and I get fed up with all the alerts I get but I am thankful it suspends insulin when it thinks I am low but often on checking I am not low enough to need it suspending. I switch off the beeping at times and rely on the vibrating as my OH can hear that as well.

jusme
 
Hi Scrumpyjack,

I suppose back pre home bg testing and pre MDI I stuck to my rigid amounts of carbs and I was either conscious or unconscious. It wasn't that I didn't care, I just didn't know or have any means of knowing as urine testing told pretty much nothing about any imminent dangers and there was no correction insulin to use if high. The round the clock worry wasn't there for me. I certainly prefer todays tech but the diabetes conundrum remains as big a challenge as ever with just a lot more information and means to control it available. Experience does count for a lot in knowing what will probably happen although diabetes has a lot of surprises to throw into the mix.

I care a lot more now than I ever did and thanks to the pump and cgm I am able to see exactly what is happening and do something about it if I can. I struggle through the early hours of the night going hypo too often with my pump suspending insulin even though I have the smallest trickle of insulin at these times. I doubt I would be here without the pump and cgm but it is difficult not to worry over every little deviation of blood sugar. My diabetes and complications are most certainly in charge of me, I would love to say it doesn't rule my life or stop me doing what I want but it does. I would rather be in 2017 with information overload than the 1970's - but that doesn't mean it gets easier to live with!

I hope things settle for you and you get a good alarm free nights sleep 🙂
 
@Flower, hello - thanks for your response. Really useful and interesting to read. As you say Id far rather be here in 2017 with all the information and tech available than how it was in 1977 or 1978 when you were diagnosed no doubt with glass syringes (yuk) etc and then not really knowing what was going on. Thankfully after more tweaking before going off to bed last night, it was an uninterrupted sleep, if it did vibrate or make a noise, I certainly didnt hear it! Interesting that you say that it "diabetes" is in charge of you and not the other way round, when I was younger it most certainly was whereas now the tables have turned somewhat .... not my choice but at least Im alive and kicking with a sense of humour. Great to hear there are others out there with similar issues at times .... appreciate you taking the time to share 🙂
 
When I have run the MM640G with sensors I have always had the 'alert before low' switched off. That allows the predictive low glucose suspend to kick in, but you don't get bothered or pestered about it unless the drop is so steep that you reach your low limit at which point you do get an alert.

If smartguard is working well for you overnight, perhaps you could adjust your alert settings so that you only get fewer alarms?
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
When I have run the MM640G with sensors I have always had the 'alert before low' switched off. That allows the predictive low glucose suspend to kick in, but you don't get bothered or pestered about it unless the drop is so steep that you reach your low limit at which point you do get an alert.

If smartguard is working well for you overnight, perhaps you could adjust your alert settings so that you only get fewer alarms?
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Hi, Mike, thanks for the response. Yes since Ive learnt more about how the 640G works, there appear to be less alarms and panic situations, looking forward to a night's sleep without all that going on quite honestly. I have reduced my doses enormously overnight so there's practically no insulin going in, but still I dip, anyway ... another new day ....
 
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