Update

[lizabetic]

I'm generally doing alright! Back at university and yet again my diets 100% changed around, I eat so differently here. First night I was here I couldn't get out of the 4's!! Now i've reduced my novorapid to 2 - 4 units according to what I eat, I've come to know rough ideas of carbs well. I even managed pasta! On 3 units! I injected 1/2 way through eating (pasta is not pasta without cheese!) and 2hrs later a 5.6, I then ate some popcorn so I gave another 3u and was 8 after that so I can't see if/where it had gone up further!

With lectures I haven't seen a problem with hypos yet, was a little high in my first but I didn't worry since I knew why! I have only had 2 so far, and I do have an outdoor/practical lecture to start next week... will see how that goes. Fortunately I know the lecturer pretty well, and my flatmate does my course and is always with me. Seem to be taking on average 3u breakfast, 3u lunch and 2u for dinner. I saw the BF on wednesday too who was all intrigued by it all as I haven't seen him since 🙂

I had a nurse appointment on tuesday just so I could ask a bunch of questions... She sounds happy with my numbers, I said to her they could be tighter but i'm worried of losing hypo awareness and she said yep and you need to live a little haha. I also asked if I was 'doing it right' as honestly I have never been correctly told or shown how to inject! Seem to be doing fine though.

She has also been great in finding me a 0.5u pen as well as 5mm novo needles... apparently they are new 'novotwist' which i'm happy about. I also bought a cute little bag, suppose make up bag, to put everything in including my meter! Its a Cath Kidson one hehe 🙂

On another note I managed a great night out drinking, we went to our union club and I stuck to my norm of vodka diet coke! Went out with a 7.7 and home with a 5.6 so managed it well. I didn't take any insulin with my dinner that evening which actually only took me to ~8!!! I did wake up the next morning with a 3.9 though, I also slept in pretty late 😛

Also, i've bruised really bad around a few of my injection sites!!! They are really quite dark purple with a red dot in from the actual injection. Is this normal? I've had bruises before but not this bad! They're about 1cm width, so not big. Its just the colour that worries me!

Only thing I have noticed since my levels are better is that my fatigue syndromes are back These aren't even following hypos or anything. Its just there most of the time, I want to lie down and sleep and I haven't actually been this bad in ages! Should be hearing from CFS team soon I hope!

 

[AlisonM]

Sounds like you're getting the hang of it. Well done. Does the Kidson Kit Bag come with a cute little purse for your jelly babies?

 

[Northerner]

Sounds really good liz - well done! 🙂 Might be worth having a little snack before bed if you go out drinking though, as the alcohol can send you low overnight by occupying your liver.

The bruises are probably just where the needle has passed through a small capilliary and shouldn't be a problem, just don't look very nice! I bruised quite a bit in the early days of injecting, but it seems to happen rarely now *maybe because I've out on a bit of weight since diagnosis!)

 

[Copepod]

Sounds like you're doing OK and enjoying life, Lizabetic, which is the main thing. University is more than what you learn in lectures 🙂

From my experience of 2 hour lectures in my MSc, which I started within 18 months of starting insulin, I occasionally needed to (quietly and discretely) unpeel & eat a muesli bar - I reckoned these were the quietest and least smelly food items to eat, as I didn't want to either leave lecture or disturb my fellow students. For outdoor visits, keeping food in pockets was the solution. For my MSc I didn't have any lab classes, as I had for BSc (before diagnosis) - and that would have been a bit more difficult, as I'm sure that I would have had to eat occasionally during 3 hour lab sessions 4 afternoons a week.

I also share your view that having slightly higher blood glucose levels and HbA1c, in order to maintain good hypo awareness is the way to go, especially if you have a driving licence. However, I know some people prefer to maintain tighter levels and acceot lower hypo awareness if that comes with that approach.

 

[daisymoo84]

Hi Liz, glad you're settling back into uni life 🙂 It's good to hear you have a good nurse there! Enjoy it and I hope you have many more nights of good drinking 😉

 

[imtrying]

I'm generally doing alright! Back at university and yet again my diets 100% changed around, I eat so differently here. First night I was here I couldn't get out of the 4's!! Now i've reduced my novorapid to 2 - 4 units according to what I eat, I've come to know rough ideas of carbs well. I even managed pasta! On 3 units! I injected 1/2 way through eating (pasta is not pasta without cheese!) and 2hrs later a 5.6, I then ate some popcorn so I gave another 3u and was 8 after that so I can't see if/where it had gone up further!

With lectures I haven't seen a problem with hypos yet, was a little high in my first but I didn't worry since I knew why! I have only had 2 so far, and I do have an outdoor/practical lecture to start next week... will see how that goes. Fortunately I know the lecturer pretty well, and my flatmate does my course and is always with me. Seem to be taking on average 3u breakfast, 3u lunch and 2u for dinner. I saw the BF on wednesday too who was all intrigued by it all as I haven't seen him since 🙂

I had a nurse appointment on tuesday just so I could ask a bunch of questions... She sounds happy with my numbers, I said to her they could be tighter but i'm worried of losing hypo awareness and she said yep and you need to live a little haha. I also asked if I was 'doing it right' as honestly I have never been correctly told or shown how to inject! Seem to be doing fine though.

She has also been great in finding me a 0.5u pen as well as 5mm novo needles... apparently they are new 'novotwist' which i'm happy about. I also bought a cute little bag, suppose make up bag, to put everything in including my meter! Its a Cath Kidson one hehe 🙂

On another note I managed a great night out drinking, we went to our union club and I stuck to my norm of vodka diet coke! Went out with a 7.7 and home with a 5.6 so managed it well. I didn't take any insulin with my dinner that evening which actually only took me to ~8!!! I did wake up the next morning with a 3.9 though, I also slept in pretty late 😛

Also, i've bruised really bad around a few of my injection sites!!! They are really quite dark purple with a red dot in from the actual injection. Is this normal? I've had bruises before but not this bad! They're about 1cm width, so not big. Its just the colour that worries me!

Only thing I have noticed since my levels are better is that my fatigue syndromes are back These aren't even following hypos or anything. Its just there most of the time, I want to lie down and sleep and I haven't actually been this bad in ages! Should be hearing from CFS team soon I hope!

Hi Liz,

Sounds like you are doing great!! well done you!

Great readings and brilliant to see what Vodka and diet coke does (especially as that's what I drink if I do drink). But as Alan said, a bit of toast or something before bed would have been a good idea for a more safe level in the morning.

Are you changing your needles every time you're injecting? What size needles are you using? Are you pinching the skin? Or is this since you've had the new needles?

 

[lizabetic]

Thanks for all your replies!!

Hi Liz,

Sounds like you are doing great!! well done you!

Great readings and brilliant to see what Vodka and diet coke does (especially as that's what I drink if I do drink). But as Alan said, a bit of toast or something before bed would have been a good idea for a more safe level in the morning.

Are you changing your needles every time you're injecting? What size needles are you using? Are you pinching the skin? Or is this since you've had the new needles?

Regarding the needles, yep I am changing them each time. I pinch the skin as well as I can, Except I find I have to let go for a second to actually inject. Also the bruises are where i've injected lower down where less fat is so perhaps that is why! I use 6mm needles but am hopefully getting 5s this week 🙂



Levels are still going steady anyway, even though i'm ill and they are slightly up but only talking 9/10s! Will be interesting to see how this first week of having all my lectures go!!!

 

[imtrying]

Thanks for all your replies!!

Regarding the needles, yep I am changing them each time. I pinch the skin as well as I can, Except I find I have to let go for a second to actually inject. Also the bruises are where i've injected lower down where less fat is so perhaps that is why! I use 6mm needles but am hopefully getting 5s this week 🙂

Levels are still going steady anyway, even though i'm ill and they are slightly up but only talking 9/10s! Will be interesting to see how this first week of having all my lectures go!!!

well sounds like you are doing great! (apart from the bruising...though don't forget alcohol thins your blood - i think - and so you are more likely to bruise when you've been drinking...explains all those random bruises I used to wake up with!).

hope this week goes ok 🙂