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I feel like I'm a bad diabetic... Type 1.5
1 year ago  ::  Apr 24, 2012 - 9:54PM #5
janisroszler
janisroszler
Posts: 7,107

Hi Emily, 


You are NOT a "horrible diabetic," but your diabetes is misbehaving!  It sounds like you have type 1.5, which initially behaves like type 2, but gradually shows its true colors and becomes a form of type 1.  The main problem with the changeover is that your diabetes will be more unpredictable for a while.  Hang in there and relax.  As your diabetes settles into its new way of behaving, you will develop more confidence in your ability to care for it.  Don't let it outsmart you!  


Janis

Janis Roszler, MSFT, RD, CDE, LD/N
Moderator
Follow me on twitter:  @dearjanis
1 year ago  ::  Apr 23, 2012 - 10:51AM #4
jennagrant
jennagrant
Posts: 1,283
type1

You're taking a low to average amount of daily insulin.  Based on your good A1c it's possible your pancreas is still making some insulin.  There's no such thing as too much insulin.  Unlike other medications that have maximum doses, with insulin you're supposed to take as much as you need.


You need a meter with you in the room to be a safe worker.  I've been a camp counselor and had my meter and needles in the cabin with me and my campers.  I also work our church nursery frequently and just keep my meter in a zippered bag and keep it up high, where the kids can't get to it.


If you have insurance I'd really recommend you try an insulin pump.  With a pump you can easily skip a meal and can program insulin to release over an extended time to cover high fat/high carb meals like with fast food.  I did shots for 25 years and had constant highs and lows.  I rarely have a low with my pump. 


If a pump isn't an option, then know that some people do well with Lantus when they split their doses (take part at night and part in the morning).  Also, I've seen a couple research studies that show no adverse effects from mixing Lantus with short acting insulins.  The warning has always been not to mix them because Lantus is acidic and other insulins have a more balanced pH so crystals could be formed, but it looks like in everyday use it might not be as detrimental as once thought.


care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/11/...


www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16647408?dop...
1 year ago  ::  Apr 22, 2012 - 6:15AM #3
Alicia
Alicia
Posts: 720
type1

HEy Emily!


First I'll say, you're not alone! i think at some point everyone worries that they're taking too much insulin, or not eating right, or not exercising enough... 


Second I'll say to you and everyone else DONT WORRY ABOUT IT!!!!


You're totally doing great!!! diabetes isnt about not eating sugar, it's about taking your meds so you can eat some sugar. 


As diabetics we shouldnt be eating or doing any differently than every single other person should be. Fast food isnt ideal for diabetics... or anyone! 


If you are healthy, managing your blood sugars, testing regularly, and also taking care of other health issues You are on top of your game!


How much insulin is "normal" well that varies as widely as any other biological function. take what you need. ofcorse that isnt to say you should take hundreds of units so you can eat a tube of premade cookie dough LOL that wouldnt be good for an olympic athlete, much less anyone else! LOL 


You sound like you might be wanting to mae health improvements in your life over all... try starting small. when you head for fast food get a salad and water instead of the chicken fingers and fries... or add an element of exercise to your life... but dont do it because you feel guilty for being a "bad diebatic" do it because you love life and want to live it to its very best!!!!


guilt can really burn out a diabetic, so dont let it have any of your energy, life takes enough all on its own.
1 year ago  ::  Apr 21, 2012 - 1:52PM #2
simplywicked1973
simplywicked1973
Posts: 2
type1

Hello Emily,


With your Novolog you will have to fiddle around with it cause it sounds like you might be taking too much for what you are eating. Why can't you have your tester with you. I know you will have to have it in a container or something that the children can't get into Higher up on a tall shelf and then when you need to do it If you have the bathroom there go into to it. This is a Medical Condition that you need that at all times for your safety and others.


You number you have 80-145 a good. Ur A1C being 6.5 and 6.8 a great. Always keep a piece of candy with you at all times. With me being a new mom since 2007 my blood sugars have bottomed out alot more then they ever have. And its sounds mean and harsh but itas the kids the running etc that you have all day long. And also the season like spring It changes and it also changes your body. Spring time comes and i get lower ALSO i always have to check my blood sugar. 9 or 10 at lunch sounds like alot for what you are eating and the job you have. 


I was a Waitress for 18 years and a Bartender for 15 years So i know what it is like to be running around all day. You might not have to take that much for lunch time. Cause you have been on ur feet and been running all day long so for. But you have to see what your numbers are  before u


take ur insulin for lunch and eat. If your at 70. No insulin. Eat first and get it up higher. After about 2 hours check it again and see how high it got. Because u are too check ur sugar 2 hours after u eat to begin with to see where ur sugar number are at.You might not need the insulin. Or it can be 300 and then take a few units. Your on the same Insuling i am but we are 2 different people. I am using what i say on here for what is best for me. And works. I dont take my insuling til after i eat. Depending on how high or low it is. If it's like 300 i take my insulin and wait  about 1/2 hour and then check it again and see where i am at then go from there. When u are stressed, On ur feet all day ur sugars go lower. Even ur allergies or cold effect ur sugars.


7 or 9 units seems like alot after you drink milk and that might be making you go low during the night. Because the Lantus does work at night when you are sleeping. So you are having double duty insulin working while you sleep and then morning comes and your very low.


You don't want that at all. And you are stressing about this. Just relax and fool around with different units. Not higher then you are too. But lower and start over again. This was you fill find that different types of food and different days with weather stress and being a women with everything else we have changes all the time. So you will adjust your insulin accoding to how you feel with your blood sugar numbers. I hope this helped you out some. What i told you i did for my self to better my self. Im not a doctor or telling you to do it this way or anything like that. No medical Background or anything. Do what you feel is best for you. But you have to find out what works for you. Also Exercise a few times a week Meditation for relaxation also. And you need ur ME time too. Let me know how you are doing and what you are doing. I hope it all works out for you.


Alysia
1 year ago  ::  Apr 20, 2012 - 7:00PM #1
Emily
Emily
Posts: 3
type1
I was just diagnosed with diabetes a year ago.  They weren't sure what type I was initially but the tests say I'm a Type 1.  When I was first diagnosed my A1C was 14.  For about 5 months I was ok without insulin, but then the pills didn't help.  Now I take shots 4 times a day.


I'm worried about how much insulin is too much? What's a normal level?  I am 22 and go to school full time and work full time. I'm 5' 6'' and 160lbs so not skinny but not huge.  My numbers vary but for the most part stay between 80-145.  I've had the A1C test done two times more since and it was 6.8 and then 6.5.  My doctor's say that's good and means I'm doing fine, but I don't feel I eat good enough and have problems with changing it...


I have highs sometimes but more often I have lows.  I work at a daycare and my lunch hour varies radically everyday so its hard to predict the times. I can't keep my meter or insulin in the room with me so I don't know I'm low until I feel it.  Luckily there's food in the room so when I feel it I can eat an animal cracker or two.  

I take 13 units of Lantus at night.  During the day my ratio for Novalog is 1u-10carbs.  I feel I eat one meal on the run each day and its normally big.  For breakfast I normally use 4 units, then lunch is more like 9 or 10.  Is that too high for a lunch? Its normally a sandwich, chips, apple, and little thing of mac and cheese.  Then dinner sometimes I get up to 15 units.    

Often at night I do fast food.  I don't drink or smoke, but the food on the run and restaurants kill me.  I'm not a big cook and have night classes right after work. If I were to eat things that added to 190 carbs am I hurting myself horribly in the long run? 

It just seems that for the doctors I'm doing ok, but from everything I've read and seen that other people eat I must be a horrible diabetic.   I often have dessert at night (albeit sugar free) but I have milk with it and will give myself an extra shot of 7-8 units...    
Maybe I'm overly worried but no one seems to say this is too much insulin. If your numbers are balanced and you're not gaining weight is it a big thing?
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