Looking for advice

[Tally]

Evening everyone,

I was diagnosed 10 days ago as type 1. I've been taking Levemir twice a day (12 units upped to 13 on Friday last week) and I was hitting on average between 7-9 throughout the day. I'm also taking Novorapid with my food with 1 unit to 10g of carb.

Yesterday and today I've had a hypo as I seem to be dropping from around 6.9 to below 5 in a reasonably short space of time around mid afternoon. I'm now worried that my levels will drop overnight too.

I know most folks would be happy with those numbers but as soon as I hit the 5 mark I start to get hypo symptoms

Any suggestions as to how I can maybe stop this from happening? I wondered if maybe my background dose might need to be lowered.

 

[Copepod]

Please ask your diabetes team. You're so newly diagnosed and started on insulin that someone should be in regular contact so that you adjust your doses gradually.
Nearly everyone diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as an adult has a honeymoon period when their pancreas irregularly produces insulin for weeks, months or a couple of years, so getting dose right is virtually impossible.

 

[Tally]

Please ask your diabetes team. You're so newly diagnosed and started on insulin that someone should be in regular contact so that you adjust your doses gradually.
Nearly everyone diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as an adult has a honeymoon period when their pancreas irregularly produces insulin for weeks, months or a couple of years, so getting dose right is virtually impossible.

Thanks 🙂 I'm going to give the nurse a call tomorrow and have a chat about it as I don't want to go back to being as anxious as I was when I was diagnosed, somehow I don't think I'll get much sleep tonight for worrying that my levels will go too low overnight

 

[Lucy Honeychurch]

If you're worried about going low in the night then perhaps do a test between 2-3am to see what's happening.

 

[Copepod]

Agree with Lucy, set alarm and check blood sugar in wee small hours of worried. You should always have meter and hypo treatment close at hand. At night, that means without getting out of bed. Hope nurse is helpful in the morning.

 

[New-journey]

Evening everyone,

I was diagnosed 10 days ago as type 1. I've been taking Levemir twice a day (12 units upped to 13 on Friday last week) and I was hitting on average between 7-9 throughout the day. I'm also taking Novorapid with my food with 1 unit to 10g of carb.

Yesterday and today I've had a hypo as I seem to be dropping from around 6.9 to below 5 in a reasonably short space of time around mid afternoon. I'm now worried that my levels will drop overnight too.

I know most folks would be happy with those numbers but as soon as I hit the 5 mark I start to get hypo symptoms

Any suggestions as to how I can maybe stop this from happening? I wondered if maybe my background dose might need to be lowered.

Excellent advice to check numbers in the night and ring your team in the morning. Also I remember feeling hypo symptoms when I was 5 at the beginning but that is what is called a false hypo, as you are used to higher levels. 5 is safe for you so don't worry. You are doing so well and hope you can sleep tonight.

 

[Tally]

Agree with Lucy, set alarm and check blood sugar in wee small hours of worried. You should always have meter and hypo treatment close at hand. At night, that means without getting out of bed. Hope nurse is helpful in the morning.

I keep my meter and hypo stuff beside me on the bed, I've set my alarm for 3am so I can check my levels then too

 

[Tally]

Excellent advice to check numbers in the night and ring your team in the morning. Also I remember feeling hypo symptoms when I was 5 at the beginning but that is what is called a false hypo, as you are used to higher levels. 5 is safe for you so don't worry. You are doing so well and hope you can sleep tonight.

Thanks 🙂 I'm sitting at 7.4 at the moment so I'm less worried about going to sleep, but I have all my stuff on the bed beside me (much to one of my cats dismay lol) as well as some crackers in case I need them. I hate this feeling of lack/loss of control

 

[New-journey]

Thanks 🙂 I'm sitting at 7.4 at the moment so I'm less worried about going to sleep, but I have all my stuff on the bed beside me (much to one of my cats dismay lol) as well as some crackers in case I need them. I hate this feeling of lack/loss of control

That is a good number to go to sleep on and sure you will be fine, you are very prepared. Your poor cat, does that mean less room? 😉
I resonate with your feeling of lack/loss of control (((hugs)))

 

[Tally]

That is a good number to go to sleep on and sure you will be fine, you are very prepared. Your poor cat, does that mean less room? 😉
I resonate with your feeling of lack/loss of control (((hugs)))

Less room for me maybe, mainly as she has half the bed 😉🙄 but I can't complain as the motorboat purr can be very soothing when I'm anxious 🙂

 

[New-journey]

Less room for me maybe, mainly as she has half the bed 😉🙄 but I can't complain as the motorboat purr can be very soothing when I'm anxious 🙂

Motorboat purr sounds very soothing!

 

[Amberzak]

Hi tally. Hope you're okay.

When I was in my early days I also found eating a lump of cheese helped prevent nighttime hypos.

 

[Copepod]

Thanks 🙂 I'm sitting at 7.4 at the moment so I'm less worried about going to sleep, but I have all my stuff on the bed beside me (much to one of my cats dismay lol) as well as some crackers in case I need them. I hate this feeling of lack/loss of control

I didn't have a cat when I got diabetes, but I quickly decided that keeping hypo kit, meter, insulin pens, glasses, contact lenses in a bumbag that I hang from bed frame made sense. It's easy to reach, but no risk of rolling onto items or knocking them off bed. Within a few years, I had a cat, who still sleeps on my bed. Fortunately, she usually sleeps on duvet near my feet in summer, but sometimes sleeps in more awkward places. When it gets cold, she goes under duvet.
She certainly makes life better and she now volunteers with me at junior parkrun, where she helps me answer questions from children about cats.

 

[New-journey]

I didn't have a cat when I got diabetes, but I quickly decided that keeping hypo kit, meter, insulin pens, glasses, contact lenses in a bumbag that I hang from bed frame made sense. It's easy to reach, but no risk of rolling onto items or knocking them off bed. Within a few years, I had a cat, who still sleeps on my bed. Fortunately, she usually sleeps on duvet near my feet in summer, but sometimes sleeps in more awkward places. When it gets cold, she goes under duvet.
She certainly makes life better and she now volunteers with me at junior parkrun, where she helps me answer questions from children about cats.

Sorry to turn this into a cat thread now but how amazing your cat sounds! I wish I could come to your parkrun to see your cat By the way if I go to my local parkrun, am I likely to be the only one walking?

 

[Copepod]

Sorry to turn this into a cat thread now but how amazing your cat sounds! I wish I could come to your parkrun to see your cat By the way if I go to my local parkrun, am I likely to be the only one walking?

I hope Tally will excuse a detour to cats and parkrun...
My cat usually only volunteers at junior parkrun, although I took her once to 5km parkrun, when I had a cold and didn't want to run. I'm taking her to a Friends of a Park Show on Saturday, as she likes meeting people, while sitting on my shoulders / rucksack.
You certainly won't be the only walker, and you won't be last - it's the job of tail runner to cross finish line last. They will walk with you, if you want. Many walkers actually jog or even run short sections, so you are welcome to vary your pace, if you like.

 

[Tally]

I hope Tally will excuse a detour to cats and parkrun...

I don't mind at all if it hadn't been for my fur babies I think I would be a hell of a lot slower at adjusting to my diagnosis than I am. The cat that sleeps on the bed with me knows when I'm distressed so she cuddles into my side and purrs like a motorboat until I've calmed down again.

I think it's awesome you take your cat to parkrun 😎

 

[Tally]

Hi tally. Hope you're okay.

When I was in my early days I also found eating a lump of cheese helped prevent nighttime hypos.

Thanks for the tip I will give that a try

 

[Copepod]

I don't mind at all if it hadn't been for my fur babies I think I would be a hell of a lot slower at adjusting to my diagnosis than I am. The cat that sleeps on the bed with me knows when I'm distressed so she cuddles into my side and purrs like a motorboat until I've calmed down again.

I think it's awesome you take your cat to parkrun 😎

Since moving cities with me when she was 12 years old, I tried her with harness and lead, when she came with me for 2 weeks live in care work for an old friend in previous home town when she was 14. She wore harness, with lead attached to a screw up ground anchor when I worked in garden. Then, thus summer, when she was 16, I decided to take her to watch triathlon, as I've worked at lots. She enjoyed the attention and we were interviewed by a local radio reporter who saw us walk past, cat on my shoulders. Then I started volunteering at junior parkrun, and after one solo duty, I started taking cat, who is gaining fans, who meow when they see her in course. We go to finish after last child has passed. Children often ask detailed questions about whiskers, fur, night vision, retractable claws etc. I'm turning into my mum, who used my sister and me to demonstrate bathing babies, bandaging children etc, when teaching teenagers.

 

[New-journey]

I don't mind at all if it hadn't been for my fur babies I think I would be a hell of a lot slower at adjusting to my diagnosis than I am. The cat that sleeps on the bed with me knows when I'm distressed so she cuddles into my side and purrs like a motorboat until I've calmed down again.

I think it's awesome you take your cat to parkrun 😎

Your cats sound wonderful. So wishing I had a cat, my oldest daughter was trying to persuade me to get a cat yesterday. I worry as there are so many cats near where I live and I am away through work loads.

 

[Copepod]

Your cats sound wonderful. So wishing I had a cat, my oldest daughter was trying to persuade me to get a cat yesterday. I worry as there are so many cats near where I live and I am away through work loads.

Perhaps a mainly indoor cat, who goes out with harness and lead? That's what my cat does, as we moved to near a railway 4 years ago when she was 12. A retractable lead clipped by karabiner to tree / seat / washing line / screw in ground anchor gives her 3m radius of freedom. She still tries to be as close as possible to me, and prefers sitting on my shoulder, which isn't always easy when I'm pruning bushes, cutting down leylandii, leaning over pots to plant seeds etc. When I'm away, I leave her dry food, clockwork feeder to reveal tinned food every 12 hours, plenty of water, and she sleeps more than when I'm around. She stays with my parents when I go away for more than 2 nights, which suits humans as well as cat.