Wish me Luck

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

AndyGlos

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Pronouns
He/Him
When I posted as a newbie recently I had some great help and advice so thank you everyone. Things went from bad to worse and the increase in Gliclazide and Metformin didn't work and I had sore fingers from testing as often as the Nurse said. I had several readings above 20 mml and arranged a meeting with my Nurse. She just said 'Insulin needed'.
Firstly she prescribed a Libre 2 sensor and a reader as I don't have a Smart phone (no point as I live in a signal free area). I've already decided it's a wonderful device and have to resist the temptation to use it too often. The only downside is my arm is still sore where it's attached but I can put up with that.
The Insulin finally arrived yesterday as it proved difficult to get hold of, there seems to be a shortage. First dose this morning, small breakfast as usual, levels have increased but not as much as they used to. I'll give it a couple of days to see what happens and then slowly increase the dose if necessary and as advised to do.
 
Hi Andy. Good to hear that you now have insulin. For anyone else reading this, I believe Andy has been started on NovoMix. Great that you have also been prescribed Libre sensors and been provided with a reader. Yes, it can be a bit addictive can't it. It might be a good idea to read about the limitations of Libre and other CGM and particularly to know about what we call compression lows, which can happen during the night if you lie on the arm with the sensor and can cause it to give false low readings, so do be aware of that possibility if the low alarm goes off during the night. It is always wise to double check any Low Libre readings with a finger prick if you don't feel obviously hypo. I will link to the thread about Libre limitations below....

forum.diabetes.org.uk

CGM limitations and precautions

Moderator Note: This helpful reply was copied from another thread as it details some of the commonly experienced limitations of continuous glucose sensors. My blood sugar has been in perfect range for days now, but although I haven't changed anything, I'm starting to get very short periods of...
forum.diabetes.org.uk forum.diabetes.org.uk

What do you have your low alarm set at? I think the factory setting is 3.9 but most of us prefer to set it a bit higher than that because when you have the technology to warn you of an impending hypo before it happens, why would you have it set so that you are hypo before it warns you.... if you see what I mean. I have mine set at 4.5.

Have you been given advice about carrying hypo treatments with you at all times and what effective hypo treatments are and how much to take?
It is very important to keep your hypo treatment by the bed at night along with your testing kit. You don't want to have to wander around the house and especially not navigate the stairs when half asleep and hypo as it is a very dangerous combination, so always keep them close to hand. I have a jam jar of jelly babies by the bed and little packs of them in all my coat pockets and handbags and a tube of Lift glucose tablets in the car, as they don't melt in the heat of summer like jelly babies do. 3 jelly babies is equivalent to 15g carbs which is the standard hypo treatment or 4-5 glucose tablets or a small can of full sugar coke or a small carton of orange juice. Your levels may be persistently high at the moment but that can change very easily and catch you out so do be prepared.

Other than those bits of advice, just really wanted to "comply" with your thread title request and wish you "Good Luck!"
If you have any concerns or queries do shout up. Using insulin can be a bit daunting at first and it helps to know you have plenty of support out there if/when you need it. This forum has been the mainstay of my knowledge and confidence with using insulin, so hopefully it will do the same for you and you will start seeing some in range levels soon.
 
My sister is on insulin and she is regularly 24. Nobody seems to worry about it! :(

Good luck. 🙂
 
rebrascora said:
Hi Andy. Good to hear that you now have insulin. For anyone else reading this, I believe Andy has been started on NovoMix. Great that you have also been prescribed Libre sensors and been provided with a reader. Yes, it can be a bit addictive can't it. It might be a good idea to read about the limitations of Libre and other CGM and particularly to know about what we call compression lows, which can happen during the night if you lie on the arm with the sensor and can cause it to give false low readings, so do be aware of that possibility if the low alarm goes off during the night. It is always wise to double check any Low Libre readings with a finger prick if you don't feel obviously hypo. I will link to the thread about Libre limitations below....

forum.diabetes.org.uk

CGM limitations and precautions

Moderator Note: This helpful reply was copied from another thread as it details some of the commonly experienced limitations of continuous glucose sensors. My blood sugar has been in perfect range for days now, but although I haven't changed anything, I'm starting to get very short periods of...
forum.diabetes.org.uk forum.diabetes.org.uk

What do you have your low alarm set at? I think the factory setting is 3.9 but most of us prefer to set it a bit higher than that because when you have the technology to warn you of an impending hypo before it happens, why would you have it set so that you are hypo before it warns you.... if you see what I mean. I have mine set at 4.5.

Have you been given advice about carrying hypo treatments with you at all times and what effective hypo treatments are and how much to take?
It is very important to keep your hypo treatment by the bed at night along with your testing kit. You don't want to have to wander around the house and especially not navigate the stairs when half asleep and hypo as it is a very dangerous combination, so always keep them close to hand. I have a jam jar of jelly babies by the bed and little packs of them in all my coat pockets and handbags and a tube of Lift glucose tablets in the car, as they don't melt in the heat of summer like jelly babies do. 3 jelly babies is equivalent to 15g carbs which is the standard hypo treatment or 4-5 glucose tablets or a small can of full sugar coke or a small carton of orange juice. Your levels may be persistently high at the moment but that can change very easily and catch you out so do be prepared.

Other than those bits of advice, just really wanted to "comply" with your thread title request and wish you "Good Luck!"
If you have any concerns or queries do shout up. Using insulin can be a bit daunting at first and it helps to know you have plenty of support out there if/when you need it. This forum has been the mainstay of my knowledge and confidence with using insulin, so hopefully it will do the same for you and you will start seeing some in range levels soon.
Click to expand...
Hi Barbara,

Sorry for not replying before but things have been all over the place. Oh that and my Mother's 80th birthday celebrations. I did make 2 Pavlovas but was very good and didn't eat any although I was tempted.

You're my Guardian angel it seems with all the information. Yes I am on the Novomix. The Nurse was a little surprised when I asked what an App was hehe. Where I live I don't have a mobile phone that goes on the internet as there's no signal so would be a waste of money, so Nursey has given me a reader that I wave over it. The Alarm is set for 8 as anything below that I feel very strange at the moment. That's because I have been so high for so long my body is finding it difficult to get used to lower sugar levels. I now know what low blood levels feel like and I have to bring them up slowly and equally the Nurse is aiming to bring them down slowly over 2 weeks. She hadn't mentioned about the double check with the finger prick so I shall bear that in mind. Much as I love jelly babies I'd be tempted to eat them anyway so I am carrying some dextrose in case there's nothing else to hand.

I am going to see a dietician about food stuff and what I should/shouldn't, can/can't eat and all about carb counts. However I think I am going to learn more by reading through the Forums.

Using this prefilled pen is daunting but I should get used to it fairly soon. I just have to remember to remember to make sure the insulin is mixed before I inject. I have Carers for other problems in the mornings but they aren't allowed to touch medication, but as I know them all well they are helping and prompting me to do things properly. So far the reading are flatlining from when I wake up, take the Insulin, have some breakfast and then check a couple of hours later. I shall need to increase the dose by 2 units every couple of days until I start to get the falls and stability I want and need. Still not below 10 in the morning but equally not having the massive swings I was experiencing.

Thanks for all your help again and we might meet when we're out with some silly old cars soon 🙂

Andy
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top