Well, I did good for a while. Got my A1C down from what’s on my profile to 6.2. Lived through band in the summer. Now my BG is at the roof. I’ve been seeing 190-300 readings for about two weeks now. I’ve tried a basal test to check the basal rates. Adjusted accordingly. I tried changing my IC ratio from 15 to 11. My BG is still high. I’ve always put my pods on my arms, so I’m thinking the site might be worn out after four months of use, so when my BG spiked up to 300 after a rice crispy treat that I bolused for, I changed the site to my lower back. I’m not sure if that’s going to help or not yet. Just did that about a half hour ago.
Anyway, can I have some ideas on what might cause this? I was doing really well then all of the sudden my BG went outta control.
(sorry for any typos. On my iPod in school making this post)
I think some foods we just can’t effectively bolus for, even if we try… Foods that are basically pure, straight sugar, like regular soda… and rice crispy treats…
I Find some things we just can’t bolus for , espically high sugar or high carbs . Best of luck to.you! Its a real struggle sometimes isn’t it! Hang in there! Your not alone it happens too us all.
1 - Throw out your current vial and start with a new one.
2 - Try your stomach as it has the best absorption
3 - Bolus about 20-25 mins before eating to try and have the insulin catch up to the food
4 - You can have a rice crispy treat. I have cake sometimes and ice cream sometimes and I bolus for it and I don’t spike above 120.
5 - Could be that your honeymoon period is ending and your ratios need to be adjusted even further. Or I have read that puberty or growth spurts require more insulin.
Since you were recently diagnosed, you may be in your honeymoon phase & have some insulin production that helps you handle cake & ice cream without spikes.
Eating foods like rice crispy treats isn’t a good choice for diabetics. We can’t eat whatever we want & hope to cover it with insulin. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
Good point about my honeymoon period, I forget that sometimes my sugars will be more erratic once that is over. Oh and I do agree about not being able to eat whatever we want, I was merely saying to Stephen that once in a while a rice crispy treat is ok. To limit yourself to never having something also poses a quality of life issue.
Hope yours lasts a very long time & the best way to ensure is it does is not to stress your beta cells.Wish I had known more about this when I was diagnosed, but unfortunately I was instructed in the same ADA nonsense we all were given.
Quality of life to me is being able to see, walk & have well functioning kidneys. If I have to have something I know is going to send BG soaring, I have a small bite. No food is worth the BG roller coaster.
That sounds like what happened to me when I had build up around my bleey from pumping. I just had to move sites around more. Its been good since then. I would put your rates back to where they were before the craziness started. From an engineering standpoint you dont want to change too many variables at the same time while testing to find an issue. Change one thing, if that works, bingo! if not, reset it and try the next thing. It takes a tad longer, but yields better results.
Thinking of causes, Insulin gone bad? Pod failures? Insulin build up at the site? Mouth / tooth infection? Changes in eating habits? Something stressful lately? Try staying away from those more fast acting carbs (like marshmallows) too. That will help with the highs. Let us know how it goes.
When you say nonsense, do you mean that 180 2 hours after meal nonsense? That should be criminal as guidelines they give. If touch 180 1 hour after a meal I am freaking out. Thankfully that only happens maybe once a week.
The 180 after meals, higher A1cs & their dietary recommendations. The first two are directly related to their food recommendations of 45-60 carbs per meal, food pyramid & plus two 15 carb snacks. Absurd.
I limit my carbs to about 30-40 per meal and it works fine for me. I can’t imagine not eating carbs. I can do without candy/cakes/sugar but I love carbs.
I’m not sure why they’re even allowed to give anyone any guidelines… They are not doctors! They are not the frigging AACE! lol They are just a fund raising organization, for crying out loud… and people treat them like the sun sets and rises on them, when it comes to Diabetes… I get SO mad when anyone quotes them at me… “… because the ADA says…” BLAH! lol
Ugh tell me about it. I told my CDE there were times that I was 150 2 hours after a meal, should I have less carbs or increase my insulin. Her answer was, “what is the problem, you are well below the ADA guidelines” I just shook my head.
Yeah, next time tell her “Well, the AACE which are the ACTUAL DOCTORS (endocrinologists), say we have to be at 140 or less 2 hours afterwards, lady… That’s who we should care about… Not some fund raising, out of touch, nincompoops.”
Hey, maybe one day they’ll be able to do that…though I don’t want to think too much about the implications of such information. Hopefully by then there will be a cure, so the expectant parents will just say, " Wow, green eyes, red hair, talent in music, type 1 diabetic. What a unique and special baby!
The Rice Crispy treat had 27 carbs in it, and i usually bolus right when i eat, as otherwise i tend to have lows, and i’ve had several instances of bolusing before i plan on eating, then the eating part getting delayed and my BG hitting the floor and continuing down.
I changed the site to my lower back, and used the same bottle (as it’s all i had at school) and it seems to be doing much better. My basal rates are still higher than usual (probably due to my throat), but my body is responding MUCH more predictably. I ate dinner, and bolused for the steak, Brussel sprouts, and mac and cheese, and came out at 160 an hour later (still needs some work, IC ratio is right after i do ANOTHER basal test). I guess my arms are just worn out now… i figure i can use my back for a while, and then my stomach and go back to my arms after a few months. I have noticed a few dots on my arms that won’t heal, so it’s probably best anyway.
Thanks for all the help guys. Feel free to keep tossing ideas out, cause i want to have everything possible to look at next time this happens.
