New and uncontrolled and want a baby

Georgia · #1 (**permalink**) 08-12-2005, 03:14 PM

Hi

I'm new to the forum

I'm type 1 and I haven't been taking care of myself for a while and I really want to get good control. I am newly married and we really want to have a baby. I've been experiencing scatty blood sugars, for example, yesterday it was 19mmol in the morning, 6.5 at lunch and then I had 2 hypos before dinner. I think this is because I am on Novomix insulin and as my bs was 19 I took more insulin but when the long acting insulin kicked in I had a hypo. Would you consider changing to two types?

I feel like I will never get on top of this. I so yearn to have a family of my own but the mountain is so high i have to climb. I also have an overactive thyroid and have put on a bit of weight this past year.

I am finding it hard cutting down on the carbohydrates. I love potatoes but they count so much.

Has anyone any advice or words of inspiration?

I am looking forward to getting to know you all.

Thank you.

Georgia

Cinnabon · #2 (**permalink**) 08-12-2005, 04:06 PM

Hey Georgia...
Welcome to the forum. I'm sorry to hear your BS are so "scattery". From experience I will tell you that you must ask yourself how bad you want a baby. Think of all that you will involve by your pregnancy, most important YOU & your baby. Getting pregnant, delivering, and raising it is peanuts. Your health and your baby's health is #1. I will advise you to find a good Endo if you don't have one already. Try to get on 2 types of insulin (fast & long acting). I was on that premixed for a short time, before I had my daughter, and it was awful for me. The ideal thing is to get you on a pump but I do not know your situation or your ability for this. Other than that, I have been a T1 for 22 years and now have a beautiful, healthy 11yr old daughter w/ NO complications. I was put on 4 shots a day and achieved GREAT control. Im sure once you get good control, everything from there is good.

camjen1 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-12-2005, 04:13 PM

I'm not sure where your from but getting on 2 different insulin now days is your best bet. I was never ever able to get control on the mixed insulins and it was not until I got on Lantus that my blood sugar improved. It was so much easier to control and I wasn't so much restricted on what I ate anymore. I have to admit though my sugars weren't the best on Lantus either and I moved up to a pump. Every person is different and I would definatly talk with your DR about the different possibilities.

am1977 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-12-2005, 04:20 PM

Welcome Georgia

,

Good to meet you and nice to see another new person join the forums

.

I think part of what makes makes diabetes so hard, is that we can never take a break or forget about it

. Most of us have probably tried at some point, but it's always there , like it or not

. So don't be too hard on yourself...it's not easy. It's common to have "uncontrollable moments"...but as long as you realize that you need to work a little harder and committ to doing so, I think you will be ok. Considering that you are having so many lows, it likely means that your insulin doses need to be revamped a bit. Those lows can be scary, especially if you are going as low as 19. You want to veer on the safe side and get help from your doctor

regarding that.

Good luck... Please know you have us supporting you here and hopefully you will regain control and eventually have that healthy, little baby you want

.

Take care!

Andrea

duck · #5 (**permalink**) 08-12-2005, 04:21 PM

Agreed about the pre-mix stuff--It's **** and you need to get off of it. If you have the option to get on Lantus for the long-lasting (basal) insulin, do it, and Humalog/Novolog for the fast-acting stuff.

Here's the short of what you need to do asap to get under control: TEST.

Here's the longer version:

*TEST

*Learn to "carb count"

*TEST

*Figure out your "Insulin to Carb" ratio

*TEST

*Figure out your correction factor (how much insulin to take when you are "high" to become normal

*TEST

*Get an A1c exam done ASAP

And lastly, TEST. You want to be "normal" before you eat (about 120) and at about 140 two hours after eating...Learning to carb count and your insulin to carb ratio will help get you on track. And once you're back on track, you'll look back at this time and think "Wow, I didn't realize how much of a funk I was in..."

Belinda · #6 (**permalink**) 08-12-2005, 05:44 PM

I agree with Duck....test test test and get the diabetes under control the faster the better.

Just a side note...I had NO problems with the 70/30 mixed insulin I took

Georgia · #7 (**permalink**) 08-13-2005, 01:49 AM

Thank you to you all.

I am from the UK.

I do have a good GP but I do not like my endo - when I last went to see him last year he hardly took any notice of me and would just read my notes and talk to the nurses.

I could go see my GP and ask him if he could change my insulin to 2 separate (long/short acting) insulins but I do feel very embarrassed that I am so out of control. I don't fancy the extra 2 shots per day though, lol.Or may be I should persevere with the pre-mix as it may work for me (like it did for Belinda). I know I need to increase my pre-evening dinner dose as my morning bs tend to be high.

I have started a diary noting down everything I eat, blood sugars before meals/breaks (I need to start testing 2 hours after food too), exercise, insulin doses etc. At least this way I will see if any patterns start to develop. I so want a family. Yesterday my friend announced she is 12 weeks pregnant and I am over the moon for her and annoyed with myself that I felt jealous.

Can I ask another question? Do you bother with breaks? I have always been told to have a mid-morning, mid-afternoon & evening break.

Many thanks again for your kindness.

Georgia

duck · #8 (**permalink**) 08-13-2005, 06:15 AM

Breaks? You mean a nap?

Again, whatever insulin regimen you want to use/have to use, you need to test over and over again to be able to control this thing. If you're not feeling like a pin-cushion when it is all said and done, then you probably need to test some more, LOL.

What kind of blood glucose monitor do you use?

Georgia · #9 (**permalink**) 08-13-2005, 10:36 AM

Breaks = a snack (not a nap, lol!)

I use the Accu Chek Active. I find it quick & easy to use. My fingers hurt from all the jabbing

Georgia · #10 (**permalink**) 08-15-2005, 10:11 AM

Today I've felt like I've 2 hypos & my blood sugar at the time was 4.8 & 4.0.

I know when you're trying to regulate your bs you can 'feel' hypo when you're not actually that low.

Would you still eat to stop the hypo?

duck · #11 (**permalink**) 08-15-2005, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Georgia

Today I've felt like I've 2 hypos & my blood sugar at the time was 4.8 & 4.0.

I know when you're trying to regulate your bs you can 'feel' hypo when you're not actually that low.

Would you still eat to stop the hypo?

You're basically going through "withdrawal", almost the same as if you were addicted to a narcotic or to caffeine. You *can* eat something to take the edge off, if you need, but in the long run you will need to get used to being "normal", which right now feels like you are low. It's a tough situation, and most of us here have been through it. I dealt with it by putting up with it as long as I could, and constantly testing to make sure I was not really low.

Georgia · #12 (**permalink**) 08-15-2005, 10:59 AM

Thanks Duck

It is such a horrible feeling isn't it & it makes me want to eat eat eat! It's when I feel like I am having a hypo at work that is the worst. i tend to have hypos mid to late afternoon so I think my morning dose of Novomix needs reducing.

Cheers