Tuesday 28 September 2010

Sugars

My sugars have starting behaving at last! *woooooo*

Apart from a blip yesterday the carb counting is going well and I'm seeing a great difference in my results :D I think it's my new Bayer meter bringing me luck!

I also went to see my DSN today to get the new strips added to my prescription and she said to keep going with the carb counting and not to worry about the three readings of 13.0 I got yesterday for no apparent reason, just to up my lantus a couple of units and to come back if they remain constantly high. She also asked me if I'd booked my flu jab (which I'm having this weekend) and then said they might give me a pneumonia jab as well!!

As if I don't get enough injections already????

It's only one in 10 years, but the thought of two injections in a day killing my arms is not fun. Hopefully it's not like the swine flu jab which hurt for about a week..

She now wants to see me in February (giving me a chance to recover after Xmas XD) and I may have promised her that I'd be extra extra good at Xmas... might regret saying that :)

Speaking of Xmas (which technically doesn't start until the Coca Cola advert comes on), the work 'do' has now been organised and I've booked Friday off to possibly start some early Xmas shopping. Can't believe I'm pressie shopping when Halloween hasn't even arrived yet! Also it will be my 2-year anniversary on Friday when I started my job, which is really scary as I was 19, two stone heavier and a non diabetic when I started... what a difference a couple of years can make =/

Anyways, wish me luck for Saturday!

xx

Wednesday 22 September 2010

New meter!

I gots a new BG meter!

A lovely lady from the Diabetes Support Forum had a spare Bayer Contour meter that she didn't need kindly sent it to me for free and it arrived today!

So far so good, I've set the high & low settings and the little pre-meal or post-meal markers. Not sure whether to buy the online software that goes with it or to wait a while and possibly buy the Bayer Contour USB meter that I saw a little while ago...

Plus my readings are actually okay! 7.6 before evening meal and 8.1 two hours after, just hope it stays down before bed. I keep waking up with 10+ readings and it's getting very frustrating!! I was hoping to talk to my GP at my meds review but that's not until next month when it should have been in August!! I decided to make an appointment with the Diabetic nurse at the surgery so I could discuss whether I need to split my dose or change to a different long acting insulin. That's next Tuesday so wish me luck!

It's now only 94 days until Xmas!! My second one as a diabetic which is a little scary - time is going too fast! I hope I can keep my sugars at a reasonable level and my will power holds up!

Now when to start Xmas shopping.....

xxx

Friday 17 September 2010

Bad bad bad

Had a pretty rough 24 hours and still not feeling 100% now...

Blood sugar reading before bed was 19 so took my correction dose and waited over and hour to do my lantus, got down to 11.8 so I was much happier. Next thing I know is that I'm awake at nearly 1am having a hypo. One of my worst ones yet.

Woke up again at half 4 and decided to check again and I was at 20! Looked around my room to find bits of Caramel nibbles paper on the floor... luckily I hadn't eaten the whole lot but not really remembering that I'd eaten them wasn't a great feeling. Gave myself another dose of novorapid and woke again at 7am to another 11.8.

Felt awful and ashamed that I'd almost binged completely on chocolate like a crazy person. The choccies were for friends on monday evening! Still have a bad headache now but luckily my boss didn't mind me going home at lunch and making the 3 hours up tomorrow.

Feels like someone's bashed me on the head :'(

Think I need a sleep then a really sad film.

xx

Thursday 16 September 2010

30 things you may not know...

So it's nearly the end of Invisible Illness week, I've seen a few of the 30 things meme blogs and am jumping on the bandwagon as it's my first one as a diabetic....

1. The illness I live with is: Type 1 diabetes

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 25th August 09


3. But I had symptoms since: I dread to think! Maybe a year or so on and off?

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: injecting myself 4 or more times a day, what I'm eating is kinda ongoing :P

5. Most people assume: I can't eat any sugar or drink alcohol

6. The hardest part about mornings are: waking up with high blood sugar most mornings..

7. My favorite medical TV show is: holby city

8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: my freelite meter

9. The hardest part about nights are: not snacking before bed, if I have high BG readings

10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins. (No comments, please) None

11. Regarding alternative treatments I: I don't agree with them but it's up to the individual

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: invisible but i'd rather choose neither!

13. Regarding working and career: only really affects my work if i'm doing a lot of lifting and running about

14. People would be surprised to know: I hate my diabetes, sure I'll manage it and look after myself but I'll always despise it for changing everything

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: It's 24/7 for the rest of my life, I'm never to to get a break from it and I doubt they'll find a cure in my lifetime =/

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: injecting myself

17. The commercials about my illness: I've never actually seen any!

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: lie-ins, eating what I liked, coming & going as a pleased without constantly worrying

19. It was really hard to have to give up: galaxy chocolate =/

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: blogging and being a forum member :D

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: sleep in, eat rubbish and have a few drinks!

22. My illness has taught me: to appreciate what you have because not eveyone's as lucky

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "are you allowed to eat that?" Yes I can adjust my insulin!! or "oo I don't think I could inject myself like that" Well you'd have to or you'd end up in hospital

24. But I love it when people: take a genuine interest and don't completely ignore it

25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "and breathe" XP

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: it'll be hard but you're not on your own, make sure you have family & friends around you for support

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: I'm stronger than I thought I was

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: came to see me everyday to make sure I was okay, gave me lots of hugs and watched dvds :)

29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: its my first one as a diabetic and I'd like to raise awareness :D

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: good :) i might have raised a bit more awareness

Monday 13 September 2010

What goes up...

Very strange couple of days blood sugar wise :(
High all weekend, midnight hypo last night, cold symptoms this morning, hyper this morning and now back to normal.

Confused.com :P

Didn't think I'd manage a full day at work I felt that bad. Dizzy, faint and legs twitching but this afternoon I was back to normal. 6.8 before lunch and 5.8 before tea.

The Diabetes fairy certainly isn't liking me right now :P

On the plus side I had a really good appraisal last week at work :D
True Blood is back on C4 on Thursday :D:D
New hair do :D
Feeling gooooooooooooood :)

xx

Sunday 12 September 2010

Grrrrr!

Woke up with a 14.7 :(

Am I ever going to get the hang of this??????

Found a handy website thought today through the support forum, BDEC Diabetes Learning Programme, hopefully this will finally get me started on proper carb counting. I was originally supposed to go to an adjusting course but hadn't passed my driving test yet & couldn't really get to it without getting lost :( Nevermind hopefully this site and new my books will help me out.

Going out for Sunday lunch with the fam, so hopefully my sugars lower before then otherwise I won't be having a pud *sulk*

Anyway wish me luck and I shall report back later


xxx

p.s
Diabetic Dog Game

Sunday 5 September 2010

Meters

Currently looking at getting a new testing meter - maybe an early Xmas present for myself? XD

Bayer Diabetes Care is looking like a popular choice, if anyone reading has one please let me know how you're getting on with it! :) So far on Diabetes Support Forum it seems quite positive so I'm wondering if I should buy one before my next hospital check up in December...?

Haha just googled it and Nick Jonas is all over it, surely other celebrities have T1 or T2???

There's also a lot about insulin pumps on the forum and how great they are. My DSN hasn't mentioned them at all but possibly if my HbA1c increases again (went from roughly 9 to 7 back up to 8, although I had been off for 2 weeks with no exercise..). The thought of it being with you 24/7 is a bit scary but all the comments I've seen are really positive, despite the initial knocks and bumps.

Still trying to get into carb counting, which wasn't successful earlier in the week =/
Found another recommended book which should be arriving soon Carbs & Cals - Carbohydrate Counting for people with Diabetes. Looks like it might be more useful than the Collins Carb counter book I got last week so we shall see.

My Sookie Stackhouse book 11 will also be arriving very soon (not that I'm developing an Amazon book habit...) so I need to finish book 7 asap!!!

xx

Thursday 2 September 2010

Exercise

Feeling much better after Monday's mess up and my blood sugar reading are improving! :D

Still getting high readings in the morning (13.2 yesterday and 12.1 today), wondering if it could be the Dawn Phenomenon although I'm not eating anything after my evening meal... ??
Wondering if a bit more exercise before bed might help rather than adjusting my Lantus. Might see how it goes at the weekend.

On a happier note my books arrived yesterday!
Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults
Collins Car Counter
That's my reading sorted for this weekend :)

Also not so panicky about Florida next year, gots lots of tips and advice from the Diabetes Support forum about what to take, how often to test, time change etc. A lot to think about and lots more questions to ask my DSN! 

Whoever said Diabetes is a doddle should dream on!!

x