[exohstephh]

Hi everyone =] I'm new here, but I'll save my intro for another time.

I've been diabetic for 5 years now [diagnosed when I was in 5th grade!] and it's never bothered me much, nor have I ever had any complications with it.. until now seemingly.

I feel like I can't control my blood sugars at all, and in my school I feel like the only one with this problem (we have 5 other diabetics). What happens to me is.. I'm never at a constant number. I'll be 95, which is a great number, but I'll have to drink something so I don't keep dropping. Basically, I can never be at a steady, stable number without dropping, which results in me having a comfort zone at higher numbers; obviously not good for my HA1c. Has anyone experienced this? Is it diet related? If so, what do you recommend I eat?

Thanks everyone!!

[solox316]

Welcome! First off, I can definitely empathize with the "comfort zone of higher numbers..." This is a hard feeling to fight, especially at your ago (still is for me at 27)...

How do you control your diabetes? pump? mdi? particular diet? etc...

[exohstephh]

Thank you! I take 3 shots a day. Humalog & nph in the morning before breakfast, just humalog before dinner and just nph before bed. I don't really follow a "diet" or anything; I just eat decently I guess. Breakfast is usually cereal and an apple, lunch is anywhere from a salad to a small sandwich with another apple [i eat way too many apples a day!] and dinner is whatever my mom makes! No snack regimen or anything, but I tend to be low around 9-10 AM so I eat a granola bar or something small then. Sorry for the novel I'm writing!

I just never feel like I can be at a constant number.. it's really strange. Just now I tested and I was 201 [oops!]. I'm going to bed pretty soon, and at 201 I don't want to go any higher, but I know if I don't consume something, I'll wake up in the middle of the night shaking low.

I'm hopeless =\

[barbarac]

I am with you. Mine jump all over. I know many that with some practice and regulation do just fine though. It does seem hopeless, but is not for many. Keep working at it. Maybe think about a pump--they work well for many people.

[exohstephh]

I have been thinking about the pump lately but I'm just scared it will hurt and be uncomfortable; I don't know how well I'm gonna like having a tube in me all day!

Are there any foods that you can eat that keep your BG at a steady number? I feel like it might be a dietary thing, or I'm just getting the wrong amounts of insulin at the wrong times..

[alicat61]

Hi,
Firstly YOU ARE NOT HOPELESS, You have come to the right place to seek help. Maybe instead of drinking something to stop your numbers dropping you would be better off eating something like a wholegrain sandwich.( releases carbohydrates slower and for a longer period of time)
Also I'm guessing you are around 15 16 years old.Puberty does all sorts of strange things ! I work with Kids in a hospital
and years ago I looked after a boy who had been diabetic from age 2 For no reason his BGL's would rise and fall all over the place. after a while it settled
I'm sure lots of other people will have interesting input into helping you

[exohstephh]

My dad thinks that I should EAT something as well. My only problem with that is.. well, I feel so fat LOL =] I'm trying to lose weight in the midst of all this [oops, forgot to include that]. I need serious help... :[ It's so hard being a : teenager whos diabetic, trying to control her numbers and lose weight. and I know that sounds REALLY whiney but it's so true :\ I wish it was all just easy

[pegasus]

Hi, Exohstephh,
Feeling without hope is wretched, but I can tell you after 40 years with this, that there are things you can do to make it easier, to maybe make it feel less hopeless. First of all, you're smart enough to come here and ask for help.

I apologize in advance if what follows is too long--or sounds preachy. I empathize with what you're dealing with, and I'd like to help if I can.

You've identified a symptom that can have many, many causes. It's not about *you* doing anything wrong--i.e., you're not eating right--it's about your constantly changing body letting you know that something's a bit off, that it's a good moment for you to consider what's going on to try and get better control. Even though you don't feel it, your body is changing constantly--making new skin cells, new blood cells, changing carbohydrates into different versions of carbon and hydrogen--quietly, all the time. It performs millions of chemical reactions every day, and any few of them might be having some impact on your BG.

There are some people on this website--I'm not one of them--who have achieved pretty good BG stability (I'll never say "perfect"--there's no such thing!), but it's taken a lot of work.

I have some really personal questions, if you want to consider these things. (You don't have to answer; maybe they'll just give you things to think about.) My first one is, you said that this started recently. Have there been any significant changes in your life lately? School schedule changes? Midterms? Spring break? Family issues? Boyfriend? Friends? Changes in life can create stress, which can affect BGs big time.

You sound sad. Were you sad before this started? Is there any reason you might be depressed? That too can have a big effect.

Have you spoken to your doctor about these changes? S/he should know your status well enough that s/he may have an idea of what's going on. S/he may want you to take some tests to see if something's changed.

I wish I could say it was as simple as, Eat XYZ brand granola bar at 4:37 p.m. and it'll all be fine--I'd bet all of us here on this website have hoped for that at some time or another--but it's not likely anyone's found it. There are foods that each of our body's uses better than others, that are more helpful, but I'd first try and look into what's *causing* the problem.

As for the pump: It is scary. It took me years to decide to try it, and lots of research. I started it a couple of months ago, and I'm not fully comfy yet. You can always go back to injections. There's no absolute mandate that you have to continue it if you don't like it, if it doesn't work for you.

It's up to you.

Good luck, and do stick around here; I've gotten a lot of *great* ideas and advice.

[exohstephh]

I really don't know if I'm "sad". I'm usually fine but when I think about things like this and how if I have a high BG, it can affect me in the long run, I do get sad. I'm a happy kid, always laughing and smiling, but thinking about things like why I'M diabetic out of everyone and how it's so hard to control ..upests me. And I really don't like myself at all, I have horrible self confidence issues :[ Anyway..

no, I'm not stressed or anything, no big changes in my life.. I broke up with my boyfriend a couple weeks ago but the BG thing has been going on since ... i dont know, last August maybe?

As for my doctor, don't even go there. I can't talk to those people about ANYTHING, they are so horrible to me.. Last time I went, I came home CRYING LOL, it was terrible. Nothing is EVER good enough for them. My HA1c was 6.5 a while back and they accused me of being low too often? Sometimes I wonder how she's even a doctor.. ;[

[barbarac]

Another thought. Have you gone over your diet with a nurse practitioner or a dietician. I probably learned more about carbs from them than anyone. They will probably have you keep a food diary for a few days and see what is going on and make suggestions. Also, not that I always do this, but sometimes a snack midmorning and midafternoon helps to keep things in balance. Like I said before, I can't figure how people get theirs so balanced, we just keep plugging away and doing the best we can. Hang in there. Talk to your Dr. and definitely a dietician. The pump isn't so bad to wear, you eventually forget about it hanging there. It does not hurt to put the set in and you change that part every 3 days or so. I haven't had a lot of luck adjusting the basals and all and getting it set up can be complicated, but it does allow you more leaveway on when you have your meals, adjusting for exercising, sleeping later, stuff like that. People seem to like them.

[alicat61]

As for my doctor, don't even go there. I can't talk to those people about ANYTHING, they are so horrible to me.. Last time I went, I came home CRYING LOL, it was terrible. Nothing is EVER good enough for them. My HA1c was 6.5 a while back and they accused me of being low too often? Sometimes I wonder how she's even a doctor.. ;[[/quote]

I'm sorry you don't get on with your doctor,It makes me so mad and sad to hear this. Can you change to someone else? I would have been happy with a HA1c of 6.5. Do you see a diabetic nurse? Also you mentioned that there are other kids at your school with diabetes. Can you talk to them? Do they see the same doctor as you? maybe they could recomend someone more understanding.

[barbarac]

Just read that part, must have gotten there while I was typing. If possible, find a Dr. you are comfortable with. One that will work with you. I have found the nurse educators better to talk to than the Dr.'s. Also just realized you are a teenage girl--I'm slow sometimes. I guess you know that your cycles and hormones can also affect your sugars. I can't think of anything harder than being a teenager with diabetes. I did not get mine until I was 48 and I find it hard. No one seems to understand. Good luck.

[MinimedPumper07]

I have the same problem but I am trying to fix it. When I am in school I am paranoid of going low so I have a comfort zone at high numbers. It is a battle with your self confidence.

[pegasus]

It's truly awful that your doctor's so cruel. Were your parents there at the time? Do they know about this? The others' ideas about trying to switch or asking to see a dietician or a diabetes nurse educator are good ones (especially if your dad's suggesting you *eat*--that might make him more open to the idea, whether that's the problem or not).

It's also true about the hormones' affects--they'll really turn your life and BGs upside down.

Does your school have a nurse or a guidance counselor? Is there a teacher you like a lot? Even if they're not experts in diabetes, it sounds to me like you need someone on your side, who can help you get your bearings, maybe help you talk to your parents if they're not being sympathetic.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by exohstephh

... Are there any foods that you can eat that keep your BG at a steady number? ...

No, but there are insulins that will help you achive this. Have you considered switching from NPH to Lantus or Levemir? When I did this (switched to Lantus), I found that it stabilised my blood sugar enormously. Using NPH means that your blood glucose is forever going either up or down. I am amazed that doctors still prescribe the stuff .