Struggling

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bigpurpleduck

bigpurpleduck

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi all,

I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle at the moment.

After a more involved chat with the doc about my symptoms & the blood test, we've come to the inclusion that I did indeed suffer a very early miscarriage, at around 4-5 weeks. I'm struggling a bit with this. I feel incredibly sad, & guilty. And the worst of it is that I still have symptoms - cramping, sore boobs, exhaustion. These symptoms are just a slap-in-the-face reminder when I'm trying to take my mind off it.

This I think I could handle - but my crazy BG is just a bit too much on top of the loss. I'd been hypoing constantly for about a week, so since the beginning of this week I've been using a TBR of 80%. I was quite a bit higher on Monday, slightly lower than that yesterday and today BG seems to be getting lower & lower, despite the TBR. Last BG test was 5.1, and I'm worried about the hypos returning. I'm also rising quite rapidly at night - my last three 2am tests have been way too high (I'm not using a TBR overnight - just during the day). I suspect the night-time highs are because I'm not sleeping well & am stressing a bit. I don't really know where to start in sorting out my BG. I don't want to make too many changes, because when the pregnancy hormones finally settle I'll end up stupidly high.

Should I just continue with TBR until things settle down? Or should I change my basals? And what about overnight? I'm exhausted & desperate for a full nights sleep without checking at 2am & correcting highs, but I'm scared to up my basals and have yet more hypos.

I wish the diabetes & crazy BG would just leave me alone for a while until I'm feeling better. Feel like I'm peeing against the wind right now.

Any advice would be much appreciated!
 
I'm sorry to hear things are not going too well. I hope things start to get better soon.

I am not sure how to advise, but hopefully someone else will be along soon who can.

Big hugs (((0)))
 
bigpurpleduck said:
Hi all,

I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle at the moment.

After a more involved chat with the doc about my symptoms & the blood test, we've come to the inclusion that I did indeed suffer a very early miscarriage, at around 4-5 weeks. I'm struggling a bit with this. I feel incredibly sad, & guilty. And the worst of it is that I still have symptoms - cramping, sore boobs, exhaustion. These symptoms are just a slap-in-the-face reminder when I'm trying to take my mind off it.

This I think I could handle - but my crazy BG is just a bit too much on top of the loss. I'd been hypoing constantly for about a week, so since the beginning of this week I've been using a TBR of 80%. I was quite a bit higher on Monday, slightly lower than that yesterday and today BG seems to be getting lower & lower, despite the TBR. Last BG test was 5.1, and I'm worried about the hypos returning. I'm also rising quite rapidly at night - my last three 2am tests have been way too high (I'm not using a TBR overnight - just during the day). I suspect the night-time highs are because I'm not sleeping well & am stressing a bit. I don't really know where to start in sorting out my BG. I don't want to make too many changes, because when the pregnancy hormones finally settle I'll end up stupidly high.

Should I just continue with TBR until things settle down? Or should I change my basals? And what about overnight? I'm exhausted & desperate for a full nights sleep without checking at 2am & correcting highs, but I'm scared to up my basals and have yet more hypos.

I wish the diabetes & crazy BG would just leave me alone for a while until I'm feeling better. Feel like I'm peeing against the wind right now.

Any advice would be much appreciated!
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Sorry to hear about your bother I know its no comfort but thing will settel down your sore boobs and the exhaustion Bgs will come down I have had 6 miscarages I know how you feel But it is never anygood saying anything people are kind but it dosent help. Just keep doing what you are doing you will get there.
 
Sending you hugs, the trouble is it's a vicious circle, stress = high b/g, high b/g = stress but then the D thinks just for a challenge it'll send a few hypos your way. I don't know whether the cold weather is affecting you as well. I find I get a lot of hypos when it's cold. Wish I could make a useful suggestion but it's probably a case of riding it out until things settle - not easy though. xx
 
Hope you are feeling better soon.
 
hope your feeling better soon, big hugs xxx
 
O Emma - nothing I say will help, I know, but you will get out of this dark place soon. You have been such a help to me and i wish I could do or say something for you. Sending (((hugs)))

Someone else with more experience will probably correct me - but I wouldnt worry about getting up in the night to check your levels just get some sleep if you can. Recommend Lavender for calming and stress - spray some on your pillow (if you like the smell of course, if you dont it wont help at all!) Works for me if my IBS is playing up.

(((more hugs)))
 
I am so sorry about the miscarriage...............

Its a struggle, but if anyone can make sense of it and get through it, I believe you can..............
 
*hugs* I'm so sorry you're going through all this :(

When I started on steroids my BG went a bit nuts, and I dealt with it mainly through temp basals. I think the most important thing is to try and reduce the hypos, as that will be draining, and you're probably better running a little bit on the high side until things sort themselves out.

If you're always high at 2 am, you could try a very small increase in your basal to cover it, or a small temp basal over that time, but I'd say it's probably more important that you try and get a good night's rest if you can.

It's so frustrating when you're going through such a stressful time, and then diabetes decides to make it even more complicated. I'd suggest persevering with the temp basals, and don't be afraid to drop even lower if you need to. If you can keep a note of the TBRs you're using, you may find there's a pattern emerging, but I wouldn't change your basals until it's a bit more settled.

*hugs*
 
Hi Emma

Really sorry to hear your news. As others have said the fact that others have been there (we did while trying for our first) doesn't really help lift the weight.

As has been suggested you could think about easing back on the night-time tests for a few weeks until you and your body have had a little time to get over the loss. I don't know if this would help as I find it distressing/frustrating to think I might be 'high all the time' and not keeping it under control with correction doses, but if you can relax your own targets for a short while and try to get some rest you might find some peace and clarity.

Some people go for years with very high and/or erratic BGs with no apparent ill effect. Taking some time out to look after yourself will do you no long term harm I'm sure.

Hope you begin to feel better very soon.
M
 
randomange said:
*hugs* I'm so sorry you're going through all this :(

When I started on steroids my BG went a bit nuts, and I dealt with it mainly through temp basals. I think the most important thing is to try and reduce the hypos, as that will be draining, and you're probably better running a little bit on the high side until things sort themselves out.

If you're always high at 2 am, you could try a very small increase in your basal to cover it, or a small temp basal over that time, but I'd say it's probably more important that you try and get a good night's rest if you can.

It's so frustrating when you're going through such a stressful time, and then diabetes decides to make it even more complicated. I'd suggest persevering with the temp basals, and don't be afraid to drop even lower if you need to. If you can keep a note of the TBRs you're using, you may find there's a pattern emerging, but I wouldn't change your basals until it's a bit more settled.

*hugs*
Click to expand...

I second this, try to get rid of the hypos, more basal wont help this.

If your high at 2am, dont test just stay asleep. Your body uses enegry while you sleep so chances are it will be lower when you wake anyway.

Try not to get stressed, sorry i know its impossible.

Take care, thinking of you xxx
 
Thanks so much, everyone. Don't know what I ever did without you before I joined. The support means a lot.

I think I'll continue with TBRs during the day - it seems to be doing the trick so far in avoiding hypos &, as has been said, I can always reduce basals even more if need be.

My 2am tests have been around the 13 mark, & one of them was 18 - I dread to think what I would have woken up on had I not corrected this one. I've found waking on high BG is much more tiring than lack of sleep due to testing. Maybe a 110% basal for the night, so I can get some sleep without worrying too much? What do you guys think?

I'm sure I would normally be more than capable of making these decisions on my own, but I don't trust myself to be rational at the moment.
 
Hi... I'm so sorry you're going through this, it must be awful... (Hug!) I wish I had some words to make things better for you. :(

I was wondering what you tweak the basals by? When I've tweaked mine before I've kept it to small changes, initially from say .6 to .65 & only changed basals over an hour or two (not sure how pukka that is, seems to work for me!). Would it be worth trying to increase your basal rate just for the block 1-2am by a small amount? I know what you mean about waking on a high BG - I don't feel like I've slept when that happens! I guess you could tweak & check for a couple of nights - not ideal when your shattered I know... personally I'm not terribly confident on tbrs at night, but maybe that's just (lack of) experience?!

The only other thing I can think of to say is hang on in there - I know it's really hard with the BG levels but I guess your body is settling down - maybe it will just take a few weeks for hormone levels to reset as it were?...

Thinking of you, xx
 
Hi Emma, my heart goes out to you, so sorry you have had a miscarrage. I can't help you with your BGs at all. But if you need a shoulder or just a rant PM me. I know what you are going through with mc's - I've suffered these xxx

PS sorry I am so late posting on here, been a little spaced out the last couple of days xxx
 
Di - Please don't apologise! I really appreciate your post.

So, I had a hypo just before bed last night - treated with Lucozade, then ate two custard creams and had no bolus, because I just wanted to sleep (I know I shouldn't need extra carbs after a hypo with the pump, but... I do. If I don't eat something, I will hypo again within a couple of hours). Obviously I didn't set a higher TBR overnight, since I'd been low.

Woke on 7.0, without a 2am test, and was very relieved to have had a full nights sleep without waking on a punishing high.

One hour later, hypo again 😱

So I treated this with Lucozade, then took a smaller bolus for breakfast aswell because the drop had been so quick.

Set TBR to 70% for today - so now on 30% less insulin than normal. I have never needed this much less before.

Just checked BG 2 hours after breakfast & am still only 10.2 - with so much less insulin and only 2 hours after eating I'd hoped to be a bit higher to avoid later hypos.

It just seems to be getting worse every day. I'd thought it would be the other way about - improving every day as there are less and less hormones. Can't wait until the weekend so I'm not worrying about hypos at work, & feeling exhausted from the 6am rises & long days.

I'm despairing right now :(
 
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Hi Emma, so sorry to hear about your loss and the subsequent trouble with BGs. the emotional turmoil as well as the changing hormones can be having an effect (I expect you know this only too well!). Is there a DSN or anyone you can call for advice? glad you got a good night's sleep 🙂
 
Sorry to hear about your miscarriage and all your BG problems.
Hope you're feeling better soon.
 
So sorry to hear your news Emma :(

Sending lots of hugs xxxx
 
Thanks so much to everyone for the replies, it really means a lot.

Yesterday was a better day - I only had the 1 hypo, and didn't go above 11 (apart from a 14 post set-change, but I was too scared of hypos to use my normal TBR for this). So I think the 70% TBR is doing the trick for the moment.

I slept much better last night. Full 8 hours and didn't move a muscle. Then BG at 6am was 9.0 - very happy with this at the moment!

And of course I'm chirpier 'cos it's Friday.

Trying really hard to focus on the wedding at the moment to keep my mind off things - so am going to the bridalwear shop tomorrow with my bridesmaid to try my dress on again 🙂

P.S - Runner - I don't really want my DSN to know about the miscarriage. The consultant at the clinic has been trying to ram hormonal contraception down my throat for months since I stopped taking the pill, so I really don't want them to know about the unplanned pregnancy.

P.P.S - Twitchy - (sorry it's taken me so long to respond to your questions!) I tend to change basals by about 0.1u/h. But I've slept right through the past couple of nights instead of checking (& with no TBR), & it seems as though my BG is coming back down by itself 'cos my morning readings haven't been too bad. Once things settle down a bit and I've had a few decent sleeps I'll start checking at 2am again.

Thanks again everyone 🙂 Cross your fingers for me that I manage to get through an entire day without a hypo!
 
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