Memory issues.

[shiv]

Hi all,

Hope you are all well.

I'm currently 21.5mmol. Why? I am having serious memory issues at the moment. I have bolused for everything I have eaten today, but I have only tested myself twice all day. I just keep forgetting. I know that sounds pathetic, but it's as simple as that: I will eat and bolus without testing. Even with the prompt of entering a BG into my pump, I just don't make the connection.

I've been pretty stressed recently which I figure is causing me the memory issues (I am forgetting everything: conversations I have had, arrangements I have made, things I have told people, etc), so hopefully this will pass.

For a while, it wasn't affecting my control. I have been very slack with my control recently, and I'm hoping being referred to a team in London will pick me back up.

But in the mean time, I am finding myself in situations where I am not automatically doing the things that once came totally seamlessly to me. For example, I went out for dinner with a friend on Wednesday and just as I started eating, they said to me "did I miss you do your pump?" and I think the look of horror on my face said that no actually, I had just forgotten to bolus.

I know we all forget things every now and again, but I am worried about the consequences.

Does anyone have any tips on remembering to bolus and test? I mean these things are normally total instinct for me so I feel stupid asking that! But I am getting a bit worried about the high numbers I have seen recently (thankfully this 21.5 is the highest I have been in quite a while).

My pump automatically alarms 2 hour post bolus, but I am in the habit of switching the alarm off and ignoring it. I am aware I am doing it so I am making my best effort to respond to the alarm (it's why I tested and found the 21.5). I normally test and bolus when I wake up, but recently I have caught myself thinking "oh, I'll just do it later." Anyone who knows me will know this is NOT typical behaviour for me.

I am off to see the Dr soon to discuss my stress/anxiety levels, but if anyone has any tips I would be amazingly grateful.

🙂 Shiv x

edit: and let's not even go there with my atrocious concentration at the moment. I can't grasp hold of any task for more than a couple of minutes before I do something else. It's making work really tough!

 

[rachelha]

Shiv

I think this is one of my major problems at the moment, I have that much on my mind I just forget to inject and then cant remember if I have injected. The other lunchtime I had 2 injections, but I only knew as one of the people as was sat with commented on it.

I was sent to see a psych. once about this as I think they thought I was deliberately not having injections,but that was not the case. He did not come up with anything useful apart from keep a diary, but what if you just forget that too. One suggestion was I should paint a nail each time I injected. Can you imagine in the work canteen whipping out a bottle of nail varnish - ludicrous.

I wish I had some useful suggestions for you, and myself. Are you particularly anxious about things at the moment. I guess getting to the bottom of the anxiety so we have a bit more brain to think about our health would help.

Rx

 

[Robster65]

Firstly, stress will always make you forget. I'm a bugger at the best of times, but when stressed, I can't remember names, addresses, numbers, etc.

I do forget to bolus occasionally and forgot basal a couple of weeks ago.

So, do your best to destress and maybe prioritise, with yourself somewhere near the top.

Can you set multiple alarms on your mobile or PDA to remind yourself to bolus ?
If it's something other than your pump, you might not ignore it. Or ask yoru friends to set their alarms if you regularly meet up with them. Just until you've got back into the groove.

But the stress thing is the most important. It'll upset your control and never does any good for the rest of your body or mind. Nobody is going to be better off if you topple over. They'll have to learn to wait for you to get yourself sorted !🙂

Rob

 

[shiv]

Thanks Rachel. I honestly do feel that I have so much information going *in* my head, there's just not enough room for it all. It has been like this for a while, and up until now it hasn't affected my diabetes, but now it is getting silly.

I am hoping to see a psych, or at least a DSN a few times when I get transferred (here's another example of my memory: I have been meaning to book a GP appointment all week, normally I am on top of these things), to help get things back on track.

I def agree that painting nails is not a way forward! I have a diary, but I haven't logged any BGs in a year (hello burnout) so using it again is a strange habit - but I keep it on my desk at work, at least I can record everything during the week.

Not sure what has triggered my anxiety but it is the worst it has been for several years - but I know I can get on top of it with a bit of help from my GP.

S x

 

[shiv]

Thanks Rob. I suppose I can have the luxury of saying I have never truly been stressed before as this has never happened before!

 

[rachelha]

Shiv
I think I am going to try and put things in the DAFNE on line diary, so that when I am at my desk I can just quickly put things in their. Not sure how that would work at weekends though...

 

[Natalie123]

Hi Shiv, sounds exactly like me at the moment, I am doing a little better with writing things down at the moment. Stress / anxiety can cause big problems with control, concentration (I couldn't work at all about a month or two ago!) and forgetting things, although I think for me I didn't forget things I just thought I'd do it later and put it off because I couldn't cope with doing it at the time. Definitely worth talking through things with your GP, he / she could then refer you to a psychologist. Do you know anyone else in your area with type 1? I find that when I talk to other people with type 1 it gives me motivation to carry on. Sorry I can't be much more help, I feel similar to you so I'm still trying to find a way out too