Hi! I was recently diagnosed with LADA, a bit of a blow at age 77. I was started on 4 units of Semglee in the morning, plus 500 mg of Metformin morning and evening. In the first couple of months my blood sugar level stabilised. I was in range up to 90% of the time, with an average of between 7 and 8. In the past few days levels have soared, although I have not altered my diet (which is pretty careful). My post-breakfast spike today was over 19, my time in range for the past 24 hours was 27% and the average is 12. Any idea what is going on? Could it just be a dodgy sensor? Anything I should be doing? (Sod’s law that this is a bank holiday weekend.j
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Just diagnosed
- Thread starter Chris27
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42istheanswer
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Since LADA is effectively type 1 as I understand it, it's possible that what has happened is that you have lost some more beta cells (I e. Producing less of your own insulin).
But I'm wondering why you're asking us if it's a dodgy sensor - have you not checked unexpected readings with a finger prick test to check if the sensor is giving accurate results?
Inka
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Welcome @Chris27 🙂 A few possibilities: dodgy sensor - you need to double check with a finger prick glucose meter; impending illness (can push blood sugars up); and a deterioration in your insulin-production, as mentioned above.
I’d fingerprick so you can be sure of what’s going on, and, if your high numbers persist, seek medical advice. Although it’s a Bank Holiday, 111 will still be available to phone.
I’d fingerprick so you can be sure of what’s going on, and, if your high numbers persist, seek medical advice. Although it’s a Bank Holiday, 111 will still be available to phone.
42istheanswer
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They really should have made sure you understood how to do finger pricking as well, checking the sensor is accurate can be very important for hypo treatment (both to check it's accurate if it says your blood sugar is low and you don't have symptoms, and to check if it has recovered after treating any hypos as the sensor is based on readings of interstitial glucose which is about 15 minutes behind blood glucose - so if you treat a hypo with glucose then it will think you are still dropping when you aren't). Hopefully you haven't had any hypos yet if you are very new to it.
Your kit will hopefully have a picture guide in it to show you how to use it, if not then if you Google your meter name it should find you instructions
Leadinglights
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It was very remiss of whoever prescribed your sensor not to tell you about the circumstances where you need to check with a finger prick. The Libre which I assume is what you have is less accurate outside of normal range 4-10 I think so high or low readings should be checked with a finger prick.
I hope other folk who use it will explain a bit more.
I hope other folk who use it will explain a bit more.
TheClockworkDodo
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I am wondering why they've given you Metformin, as that's a med for type 2 and you are effectively type 1.
The rise in your blood sugar may mean you need more insulin because you're not producing enough of your own - you may need a bolus insulin to cover the carbs in your meals as well as the basal they've given you, which gives you a background of insulin all the time. It's usual for people with type 1 (and LADA) to need both - in the case of LADA you might be able to manage for weeks or months or even years without the bolus, but eventually you're going to need it and I believe the sooner you get it the better.
It may also, as has been said, just be that your sensor is not working properly and your blood sugar is not high at all - this is quite common. If you get an unexpected reading, a high reading, a low reading, or a reading which doesn't match the way you feel, always check it with a finger prick. I hope you can work out how to use the kit you've been given - if not let us know the make and model and someone here will probably be able to help. They are fairly straightforward though - the trick is to make sure you only prick the sides of your fingers - not too close to the nail, but not on the pads.
The rise in your blood sugar may mean you need more insulin because you're not producing enough of your own - you may need a bolus insulin to cover the carbs in your meals as well as the basal they've given you, which gives you a background of insulin all the time. It's usual for people with type 1 (and LADA) to need both - in the case of LADA you might be able to manage for weeks or months or even years without the bolus, but eventually you're going to need it and I believe the sooner you get it the better.
It may also, as has been said, just be that your sensor is not working properly and your blood sugar is not high at all - this is quite common. If you get an unexpected reading, a high reading, a low reading, or a reading which doesn't match the way you feel, always check it with a finger prick. I hope you can work out how to use the kit you've been given - if not let us know the make and model and someone here will probably be able to help. They are fairly straightforward though - the trick is to make sure you only prick the sides of your fingers - not too close to the nail, but not on the pads.
Thank you guys for really helpful advice. I’m simply so inexperienced at this stage that I couldn't guess what was going on. I worked out the instructions on the finger prick kit, got a sample after three goes, and the reading was 5.1 as against 13 on my sensor. Sensor changed, all in order again. Very grateful.
42istheanswer
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It is worth messaging the manufacturer of your sensor (Abbott if it is a Libre2 which I think is most likely) and telling them how far out the sensor is as they will usually replace faulty ones (post you another). Usually they ask for 3 paired readings (sensor and meter) to show it is really out, but hopefully with it being that far and you being new to using them they will still send you a replacement for that one if you explain that you didn't feel comfortable keeping that one when you realised how far out it was
Clarelryxx
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Hi I was diagnosed oct 22 as lada type 1 I also had very limited and this forum helped so much and got libre2 dec but I can’t rely on this as reading s are way out in comparison to finger prick test so always finger prick before meals to ensure correct insulin is given before each of my meal s I have tried sensors on both arms but makes no difference good luck and you will get there
Thanks for the encouragement. I don't inject insulin before meals - yet - so at least I'm spared your hassle for the time being.
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