New to diabetes

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otb666

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Hi
I was diagnosed 10days ago and it has be a rollarcoaster ride and it is a bit confusing still.
My HbA1C went from 44 to 105 in 3 months.
My doctor got the results but made me wait 28 days before they told me and gave me Metformin 500mg a day for a week then 1000 a day
the 7 days after i got to see a diabetic nurse who took a finger blood prick which was 30.6 and sent me to A>E
Once i was seen at A>E i was given a insulin pen and they took bloods to see if i am type 1 or 2 . ( still do not know)
I cannot get my bloods down below 13.7 even with insulin and metformin normally they are 13.7 to 22.9 highest i have had is Hi on the reader than means over 33.6.
I have now been prescribed a faster acting insulin but got to get it from the pharmacy in the next few days.

Since i have been diagnosed the information i have been getting is not great about diet. I eat 3 small meals aday but get told i am not eating enough carbs etc

Breakfast is normaly oats with a bit of jam Dinner is chicken with 2-3veg and a sweet potato tea is normally a wrap with chicken lettace and cucumber. I drink coffee no sugar and lots of water .

Every time i eat my sugars spike 6 points and they are small portions.

Thanks
 
Welcome @otb666 The very good thing is that they’re actually considering Type 1. With such a big jump in HbA1C over such a short time, that does seem a possibility. Have you been given a means of testing for ketones eg Ketostix?

What’s the name of the basal (slow) insulin you’re on? And what’s the name of the bolus (fast) insulin you’ve been prescribed?
 
I had a ketones test it was 1.4 before i went to A>E but when i ask for a self test kit the nurse said i don't need as i am on insulin.
I am on lantus solostar pen 20 units
I will be going on to Humalin M3

I just done a test and i am 18.7 atm
 
The nurse is wrong. People on insulin can get diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) if their blood sugar becomes too high. Please get some Ketostix (urine test strips that cost around £5 a tube) so you can keep an eye on things.

Humulin M3 is a mixed insulin. It contains both fast and slow insulin. I wonder why they didn’t prescribe a proper fast insulin to cover your meals?

As you know, 18.7 is too high. I really hope you get support to bring your blood sugar down. Can you tell us a little about your diagnosis? Did you have any symptoms?
 
lots of symtoms for about a year. always thirsty, cramps in calf , thrush, breathing when using mouth was blocked by thick saliva, hot flushes, pains in arms like feeling heavy all the time.
I have been going to the doctors nearly every month had a ton of tests xrays on lungs and half body ct scan .
Waiting on results for the ct scan still.
 
Any weight loss over that time @otb666 ? Sudden, unexpected weight loss is a symptom of Type 1.
I hope the Humulin M3 helps you control your sugars better, and I hope your CT scan is ok.
 
lost about a stone in weight over the last 6 weeks was pretty stable before that.
Got up this morning and was 15.2 need to get it below 10
 
otb666 said:
lost about a stone in weight over the last 6 weeks was pretty stable before that.
Got up this morning and was 15.2 need to get it below 10
Click to expand...

Right, well if that weight loss was unexpected that could indicate Type 1. To be honest, as you need insulin anyway, I’m not sure why you’re not being treated as Type 1 in the meantime. The tests that determine your diabetes type takes ages to give results.

The Humulin M3 is a mixed insulin and so it’s inflexible. It means you’ll have to eat at similar times every day. As you’re on Lantus already, it would have been better to add a fast mealtime insulin. This would give you more flexibility and probably better control too.
 
Hoping to be more stable and sorted a little more in the next week or so.
Took a test just before dinner and was 12.7 best so far
Had scamble egg small tin beans /sasusages one slice brown bread for dinner hope that will not spike me 6 points.
Already getting annoyed as this is all i think about atm.
 
It does get easier once you get used to it @otb666 Also, once you have the correct tools to control your blood sugar, you’ll find it a relief as things will begin to make sense more.

Personally, I’d ask if you could have a bolus/fast/meal insulin like Novorapid or Humalog to add to your Lantus, rather than go for the mixed insulin (Humulin M3). Humulin releases in waves and you need to match your meals to it else you could have a hypo. Novorapid, Humalog and similar insulins allow you to eat when you want and adjust the dose according to the carbs in your meal. More flexibility, better control.
 
otb666 said:
Hoping to be more stable and sorted a little more in the next week or so.
Took a test just before dinner and was 12.7 best so far
Had scamble egg small tin beans /sasusages one slice brown bread for dinner hope that will not spike me 6 points.
Already getting annoyed as this is all i think about atm.
Click to expand...
You get used it it. Blood sugar control is much easier with quck acting meal time insulin...you can prebolus for spiky meals ( ie inject a little while before you eat...15 to 25 min works for me)
I find tinned beans, even sugar free, rather spiky but if you feel like making your own that works better. Used to love tin beans and the lil sausages. Similar bread can be a bit spiky but single slice not too bad with other things.
To be honest it becomes second nature and takes up less head space as time goes
 
was 11.8 at 5pm just had Tea a beefburger cassorole 4 veg 1/2 sweet potatoe and 3 tiny normal potatoes .

My beans and scambled egg i had spiked me to 19.8 from 12.7 it was not a big portion but i will find things that work. only eating food we have in freezer atm before i do shopping so testing really atm
 
Welcome to the forum @otb666

I’m with @Inka on this one - you should be being offered a rapid insulin for meals to go alongside your Lantus.

Pretty frustrated on your behalf to be honest!

A very rapid onset, with a skyrocketing HbA1c, and unintentional weight loss plus ketones just screams T1 to me.

I may not have any medical qualifications, but my experience over more than a decade is that the forum’s ‘hive mind’ has a pretty good nose for these things.

Shifting you to mixed insulin is what would have happened 30 years ago. These days T1s should be started on basal:bolus. No point trying to get to grips with bimodal mixed insulin only to find it too restrictive and be swapped to basal:bolus in a few month’s time in my opinion.

You’ll find it MUCH easier to manage food and balance meals with insulin doses (sometimes called ‘carb counting’) once you are on a proper insulin regime.

The nuts and bolts of carb counting

When you live with type 1 diabetes, carb counting is a great way of managing your blood sugar or glucose levels. It can give you more freedom and flexibility in what you eat when you're preparing meals at home, grabbing food on the go or eating out. Carb counting does take some time and effort...
www.diabetes.org.uk www.diabetes.org.uk
 
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