Diabetes Frustration

[AnD]

One thing that some diabetes doctors don't seem to understand is that for many of us, the insulin is being produced, but it is slow to enter our systems. So if you are taking enough fast/rapid acting insulin to cover your whole meal (especially if you are not eating many simple sugars, but complex carbohydrates, etc. that take a while to break down to sugars in your system), then you are going to go low, almost guarranteed. You may just need enough to cover any simple sugars you are having during the meal.
<br />
<br /> I take a combination fast and long acting insulin in the morning and usually don't need any more fast acting insulin during the day (the long acting "peaks" twice a day after the initial shot, so I do have to schedule my meals correctly). I always have to have my mid morning and mid afternoon snack, or I go low. And even though I am a "plump" cfer <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> , I have also never been told to restrict my carbs (I need them when I'm sick especially, just like any other cfer), but to compensate with my insulin for them- I have a regular fast insulin pen for those times.

 

[mamerth]

I am having another bad blood sugar day.... GRRR!!!

For breakfast I had oatmeal sprinkled with a little brown sugar, whole wheat toast with 1 egg and cheese. 2 hours later I had 1/2 apple with peanut butter and about 8 wheat crackers. 1 1/2 hour after my snack my sugars were 97. Knew I won't make it to lunch at 11 am so I had another 1/2 of an apple with peanut butter.

I still have my kitchen and school room to clean.... Need energy to make it through the morning. I am just not making it from meal to meal sugars are low. Feel like I am constantly eating. Are my sugars just crashing??? I feel like I am eating good healthy carbs....

My sugars are rarely over 150 pre meal (usually 70's and 80's) so no insulin is required. I take Metformin.... as soon as she put me on that I have struggled with low sugars. I think I preferred life before Metformin.

 

[mamerth]

I am having another bad blood sugar day.... GRRR!!!

For breakfast I had oatmeal sprinkled with a little brown sugar, whole wheat toast with 1 egg and cheese. 2 hours later I had 1/2 apple with peanut butter and about 8 wheat crackers. 1 1/2 hour after my snack my sugars were 97. Knew I won't make it to lunch at 11 am so I had another 1/2 of an apple with peanut butter.

I still have my kitchen and school room to clean.... Need energy to make it through the morning. I am just not making it from meal to meal sugars are low. Feel like I am constantly eating. Are my sugars just crashing??? I feel like I am eating good healthy carbs....

My sugars are rarely over 150 pre meal (usually 70's and 80's) so no insulin is required. I take Metformin.... as soon as she put me on that I have struggled with low sugars. I think I preferred life before Metformin.

 

[mamerth]

I am having another bad blood sugar day.... GRRR!!!
<br />
<br />For breakfast I had oatmeal sprinkled with a little brown sugar, whole wheat toast with 1 egg and cheese. 2 hours later I had 1/2 apple with peanut butter and about 8 wheat crackers. 1 1/2 hour after my snack my sugars were 97. Knew I won't make it to lunch at 11 am so I had another 1/2 of an apple with peanut butter.
<br />
<br />I still have my kitchen and school room to clean.... Need energy to make it through the morning. I am just not making it from meal to meal sugars are low. Feel like I am constantly eating. Are my sugars just crashing??? I feel like I am eating good healthy carbs....
<br />
<br />My sugars are rarely over 150 pre meal (usually 70's and 80's) so no insulin is required. I take Metformin.... as soon as she put me on that I have struggled with low sugars. I think I preferred life before Metformin.

 

[Giggles]

I know when I first got Dx with CFRD I tried some oral medication and it just did not work in terms of sugars being so sporatic, maybe you would have better control with insulin even if it is just one unit with meals. I know I take very small amounts of insulin with meals, I think the most I have ever taked was 6 units but on average I am only about 3-4 units with meals which is really low. I was told insulin is better than the oral meds and actually my doc said CF people are not suppose to do oral meds but do the insulin. I too did try oral cause I did not want to do the insulin. Also, maybe all you need is some Lantus which helps keep you blood sugar level and no insulin with meals. This is tough! I know for me even though I take insulin I am ALWAYS managing lows through out the day! I just ALWAYS make sure I have juice on hand to combat it! I carry juice boxes in my purse, car etc! I feel like I am always drinking juice to bring up my sugars! But then if I do not take insulin with a meal especially breakfast and dinner I will get high, so I need it with some meals. During the day with lunch since I am active like you I find I do not need as much or any at all but for SURE with breakfast and dinner. I feel your frustration!

Jennifer 38 with CF and CFRD

 

[Giggles]

I know when I first got Dx with CFRD I tried some oral medication and it just did not work in terms of sugars being so sporatic, maybe you would have better control with insulin even if it is just one unit with meals. I know I take very small amounts of insulin with meals, I think the most I have ever taked was 6 units but on average I am only about 3-4 units with meals which is really low. I was told insulin is better than the oral meds and actually my doc said CF people are not suppose to do oral meds but do the insulin. I too did try oral cause I did not want to do the insulin. Also, maybe all you need is some Lantus which helps keep you blood sugar level and no insulin with meals. This is tough! I know for me even though I take insulin I am ALWAYS managing lows through out the day! I just ALWAYS make sure I have juice on hand to combat it! I carry juice boxes in my purse, car etc! I feel like I am always drinking juice to bring up my sugars! But then if I do not take insulin with a meal especially breakfast and dinner I will get high, so I need it with some meals. During the day with lunch since I am active like you I find I do not need as much or any at all but for SURE with breakfast and dinner. I feel your frustration!

Jennifer 38 with CF and CFRD

 

[Giggles]

I know when I first got Dx with CFRD I tried some oral medication and it just did not work in terms of sugars being so sporatic, maybe you would have better control with insulin even if it is just one unit with meals. I know I take very small amounts of insulin with meals, I think the most I have ever taked was 6 units but on average I am only about 3-4 units with meals which is really low. I was told insulin is better than the oral meds and actually my doc said CF people are not suppose to do oral meds but do the insulin. I too did try oral cause I did not want to do the insulin. Also, maybe all you need is some Lantus which helps keep you blood sugar level and no insulin with meals. This is tough! I know for me even though I take insulin I am ALWAYS managing lows through out the day! I just ALWAYS make sure I have juice on hand to combat it! I carry juice boxes in my purse, car etc! I feel like I am always drinking juice to bring up my sugars! But then if I do not take insulin with a meal especially breakfast and dinner I will get high, so I need it with some meals. During the day with lunch since I am active like you I find I do not need as much or any at all but for SURE with breakfast and dinner. I feel your frustration!
<br />
<br />Jennifer 38 with CF and CFRD

 

[melx]

Hi mammerth
90's are actually good numbers. Before taking the metformin how high did you go? Is it possibly that your body is not use to the normal bg range? If you are use to being in a higher range it will feel strange being in more normal range throughout the day. Do you ever go lower than 70? 70 or less is a low. Because of the diabetes you have to eat frequently especially when busy and active. I tend to go low (i'm talking 60 - 40 range) in the late morning and early afternoon... it is a struggle for me too. I am on insulin though. But,when I am active (any kind of active: house cleaning, gardening, busy just doing normal everyday stuff) I can go low if I am not watching it closely.... and that is without taking any insulin. During those late morning & early afternoon hours when I am active and sometimes only mildy active I just don't take insulin because if I do I will go low. On the other hand if I don't take any insulin with a large breakfast or dinner my bg can skyrocket. CF is a strange disease and CFRD is even stranger in my opinion.

 

[melx]

Hi mammerth
90's are actually good numbers. Before taking the metformin how high did you go? Is it possibly that your body is not use to the normal bg range? If you are use to being in a higher range it will feel strange being in more normal range throughout the day. Do you ever go lower than 70? 70 or less is a low. Because of the diabetes you have to eat frequently especially when busy and active. I tend to go low (i'm talking 60 - 40 range) in the late morning and early afternoon... it is a struggle for me too. I am on insulin though. But,when I am active (any kind of active: house cleaning, gardening, busy just doing normal everyday stuff) I can go low if I am not watching it closely.... and that is without taking any insulin. During those late morning & early afternoon hours when I am active and sometimes only mildy active I just don't take insulin because if I do I will go low. On the other hand if I don't take any insulin with a large breakfast or dinner my bg can skyrocket. CF is a strange disease and CFRD is even stranger in my opinion.

 

[melx]

Hi mammerth
<br />90's are actually good numbers. Before taking the metformin how high did you go? Is it possibly that your body is not use to the normal bg range? If you are use to being in a higher range it will feel strange being in more normal range throughout the day. Do you ever go lower than 70? 70 or less is a low. Because of the diabetes you have to eat frequently especially when busy and active. I tend to go low (i'm talking 60 - 40 range) in the late morning and early afternoon... it is a struggle for me too. I am on insulin though. But,when I am active (any kind of active: house cleaning, gardening, busy just doing normal everyday stuff) I can go low if I am not watching it closely.... and that is without taking any insulin. During those late morning & early afternoon hours when I am active and sometimes only mildy active I just don't take insulin because if I do I will go low. On the other hand if I don't take any insulin with a large breakfast or dinner my bg can skyrocket. CF is a strange disease and CFRD is even stranger in my opinion.

 

[Giggles]

I totally agree with melx!!! CFRD is just too strange. I can get the lows of 40-60 too! This happens to me in late afternoon / before dinner. Bottom line is really is just a constant monitoring and supplementing with food or juice or insulin when needed.

Jennifer 38 with CF and CFRD

 

[Giggles]

I totally agree with melx!!! CFRD is just too strange. I can get the lows of 40-60 too! This happens to me in late afternoon / before dinner. Bottom line is really is just a constant monitoring and supplementing with food or juice or insulin when needed.

Jennifer 38 with CF and CFRD

 

[Giggles]

I totally agree with melx!!! CFRD is just too strange. I can get the lows of 40-60 too! This happens to me in late afternoon / before dinner. Bottom line is really is just a constant monitoring and supplementing with food or juice or insulin when needed.
<br />
<br />Jennifer 38 with CF and CFRD

 

[Lex]

90's are just fine. If you're crashing you're not eating enough.

I used to be "low"...in the 90's until my doc told me that 90's are fine and that I'm not eating enough quality foods.

 

[Lex]

90's are just fine. If you're crashing you're not eating enough.

I used to be "low"...in the 90's until my doc told me that 90's are fine and that I'm not eating enough quality foods.

 

[Lex]

90's are just fine. If you're crashing you're not eating enough.
<br />
<br />I used to be "low"...in the 90's until my doc told me that 90's are fine and that I'm not eating enough quality foods.

 

[tleigh]

You guys are so right. CFRD is a tough one. I find that just when I get stuff figured out something happens and I am back at ground zero. I agree w/ Jennifer that it does take constant monitoring and finding how your body works. For instance, my insulin usage while healthy is very different than usage while sick. The other factor that I am finding really influences my numbers is stress.

Don't give up-it is worth the work in figuring out what is best and what works for you!

 

[tleigh]

You guys are so right. CFRD is a tough one. I find that just when I get stuff figured out something happens and I am back at ground zero. I agree w/ Jennifer that it does take constant monitoring and finding how your body works. For instance, my insulin usage while healthy is very different than usage while sick. The other factor that I am finding really influences my numbers is stress.

Don't give up-it is worth the work in figuring out what is best and what works for you!

 

[tleigh]

You guys are so right. CFRD is a tough one. I find that just when I get stuff figured out something happens and I am back at ground zero. I agree w/ Jennifer that it does take constant monitoring and finding how your body works. For instance, my insulin usage while healthy is very different than usage while sick. The other factor that I am finding really influences my numbers is stress.
<br />
<br />Don't give up-it is worth the work in figuring out what is best and what works for you!

 

[mamerth]

Thank you for the advice. I did pretty good today--- I ate when I was hungry and ate good substantial meals. I only got kinda low (80's) around supper time. I had a few ounces of juice and made it pretty comfortably to supper time.

All of the emotional insanity from my blood sugar issues has me totally exhausted tonight. I will be seeing my diabetes doctor next Wednesday. I am also going to insist that I visit with my dietitian and see if she can't recommend me some good quality food. I struggle with eating... eating enough and getting enough variety. I have deal with this since my diagnosis--- Food is a frustration for me.