Not really. I was diagnosed with DKA at age of 14, more than 40 years ago. My c-peptide is below a measurable threshold (but I’ve never done any ultra sensitive c-peptide tests). But one never really knows.
My more recent surfing improvements include earlier and longer extended boluses that in combination with standard boluses result in essentially no spikes after large complex lunch meals. Regarding OpenAPS, words of caution: the setup is doable but not easy - it is really a DIY project, which I personally consider fun (like a hobby) but I am sure another reasonable PWD would dismiss as too complex to bother with.
Not that I need a project right now, but results like that make me want to try such an endeavor! Of course, with available “resources” (meaning no old Medtronics pump/supplies), it’s beyond me for now – No way it’ll ever be possible with the Vibe!
At least my last 14-day report is post-worthy, though :
Long time lurker here so I thought I would post a few of my 24 hour curves. My target range is 70-140 mg/dl. Today has been an exceptional day; even with a stressful event happening before dinner I was able to keep my sugar from tanking by doing some engine braking with my pump suspended.
We tried a new pizza place and I seemed to have better success with the left overs however at the 3 hour mark the Pizza just shot me up. I ended up shooting some insulin in my arm and swapping out my pump site because I thought it could be due to a pump site blockage.
If you see right around 7am you can see a stress high. For some unknown reason my blood sugar just started to shoot up starting around 6:30am.
I have really enjoyed what Terry4 & AR have posted over the last few months. I use to think this kind of control was unattainable. But like the others I think my record has been 3 days of near normal numbers and then something happens; either the pump site dies; or I have an unexplained spike that puts a wrench in my plans.
Ed
Not bad, @Big_Ed, really! I had a similar “epic fail” after dinner tonight – which comes at the end of a three-day streak of rather good numbers - 95.9% in range over those three days!
@Big_Ed – Thanks for sharing your success and challenges here. Your lines are very good. You spend long hours moving sideways. It’s not easy, but nice to get in the zone. Your February 22nd day is especially good.
I appreciate your breaking your silence and posting your results. Getting more people to see and maximize their potential is a benefit to this group. Your “engine braking” terminology makes me think you’ve read Sugar Surfing. Keep up the good work and don’t let those out of range events get you down. We all have them!
Nice stuff. Your lines are so consistently good that even your failures are not so bad. 95.9% TIR is superb – even some non-diabetics would have a hard time doing that! I can hit 90% from time to time but it’s hard for me to keep it up. Good work!
Thanks man. I appreciate the positive comments. Yes I did read Sugar Surfing and realized I was doing a lot of this before the book ever existed. As my Dexcom has gotten better with the newer algorithms; I have been able to tighten up my range of error. I remember when I got my first Dexcom System 7 the one before plus; it did not have arrows just numbers and it would alert at a thresh hold. If I hit 90 on that one; it could mean 60 or 120. So my knee jerk reaction was to treat the low. When I was 120; it was unnecessary and would push my sugars well over 150 most of the time. I can remember all the fake spikes up and down that the old 7 series did. It would drive you crazy if you were trying to stop a hyper or hypo event; finger sticks were really mandatory. Especially if the CGMS was pointing down but yet you were doing the exact opposite. Sometimes the sensor would just completely space out. I would just hide the receiver in the next room so I could not hear it…
But even when the data on the CGMS was not the best; I will still take it over going back to the way we did things in the late 80s. I certainly do not pine for my old Glucoscan 3000 or Accu-Chek II blood meters…
It appears you started with Dexcom before me. My first system was the 7+ in 2009. I was diagnosed in 1984. I wouldn’t want to go back to that old tech. The current Dexcom tech is really a great tool.
I’m doing a little low carb, high fat experiment. I started about 9 days ago. Had to post here with some initial results. 30/14/7 day averages from Dexcom: 116/114/96. Here’s my “best glucose day” from the last 30 days, although, I’m pretty sure it’s my best day ever. Since I started eating this way I’ve been in range 81.8% of the time, 12.8% high, 5.4% low. I expect this to improve as I figure out bolusing for protein (I didn’t do this before) and tweaking basal rates. Here’s yesterday…
Well, I can’t seem to get the photo to upload. Will try again later. The salient details: 89 avg glucose, 99.3% in range. Yahoo!!
Good job, I have had similar experiences with the higher fat, protein diet myself. Most days I call it a success if I can be in range 80% of the time. I have had a few days recently where I was in the 95% and better. But I find that to be un-sustainable because something happens with my pump or environmental stress. But I think you are smart to focus on the averages. I like looking at the dexcom studio data and look at my averages for the different parts of my day. For example before breakfast or after lunch ect… I also have to remind myself sometimes the CGMS goes high or low and that is not actually whats going on when I verify the finger stick. I had this happen to me this morning; I woke up to a 145 at 2 am. So I took some insulin and then an hour later it said I was 153. Well, I decided to verify my numbers and the finger stick showed 110. Might not have needed that insulin after all. So I took a few ounces of juice and went back to sleep. My end goal is to have tight control without the crazy lows.
Congratulations on figuring out what works best with your metabolism.
Ed
@viktoria18 – Those are great numbers! An 81.8% time in range for 9 days is a most impressive statistic. Keep up the hard work. The better you do, the more motivated you become. It’s a virtuous cycle. Keep it up!
Yes, and my CGM tends to trend low when it’s inaccurate, so I need to keep that in mind too. This morning I woke up to an Urgent Low - 55 alarm; finger stick said 86. That’s fairly uncommon for me though, and I think this sensor is at the end of its usefulness (I wasn’t sleeping on it at the time, so not a compression low). It’s definitely interesting to see how this is playing with my metabolism, as you said, as well as other factors.
@Terry4, thanks! A “virtuous cycle” – I like that! Perfectly describes what I’ve been experiencing.
Last two weeks weren’t too bad, though - 85% in range, average of 93. Have a few later-than-expected spikes, and enough early morning lows to warrant a basal rate change, but an otherwise good period.
OK. I hope this is not in the wrong place but I’m sure some of you heros can give me an answer. I’m on low carb high fat but I’m only guessing if I have enough fat or too much protein or whatever. I think someone mentioned 10% of the calorie intake should be protein, 20% fat???Or something like that BUT how can I calculate that. For example: I just ate a half of an avocado. (125 grams) Calories = 184; fat 19; glucides 1.25; protein 2.5. QUESTION = how do I figure out the percentages? (This might be a stupid question)…how many calories are in the fat?? the protein??
I just can’t seem to get it (today anyway…)
@Mari5 – I don’t measure my daily percentage distribution between carbs, fat, and protein. I simply try to limit my carbs and eat the balance of my food as protein and fat. My goal is to limit carbs to 50 grams per day. In an 1800 daily calorie diet, that comes in at 11% (50 x 4 = 200, 200/1800 = 0.11 or 11%).
Eating enough protein is relatively easy to do and most standards say 10%-35% of calories should be consumed as protein. My carb consumption as a percentage of daily calories often comes in at 15% or less. So that means about 50%-75% of my calories come from fat.
There are 4 calories in a gram of carbohydrate. Protein grams also contain 4 calories. Fat grams pack 9 calories each. (I’ve never seen “glucides” before and I’m guessing that is another way to express carbohydrates.) So, if you want to specifically understand your macro-distribution of nutrients, then get out a calculator and crunch the numbers.
For me, with a goal of good blood glucose control, I just limit carbs and let the protein and fat take care of themselves. If I’m starting to gain weight, I will also limit my protein to about 20% of my calories. In the absence of carbohydrates the liver will convert protein into glucose.
What’s your goal here? Is it better blood glucose control? Or is weight loss more of your focus?
Thank you Terry. Yes, you’re right - glucides are carbs in French (oops!)
My main goal is to get better numbers and as time goes on, .I think I’ve strayed a bit. I eat very little to no fruit, bread, pasta, rice, etc…(except when I have guests or am invited out…) Only vegetables and meat, eggs, yogourt, cheese, etc .I’m between 30-70 carbs. usually around 50-60 I’m far from flat-lining! I’m sure I need to re-adjust basal, bolus, and all .
Thank you very much for your answers, I know I had seen that 4 calories/carb but had forgotten. I’d just like to analyse how many calories I do eat a day and what percentage of each to get a better idea what I’m doing and where I’m going. I am so much better than a year ago when I started eating lower carb but I still bounce around a lot.
(According to my Freestyle, I should have a hba1c of about 6.2.which is fine with me. I just want to do better and jump around less)
Thanks for your help, you are a real inspiration! I’ll let you know how it is going in a couple of weeks.
:
30/14/7 day averages from Dexcom: 116/114/96. Here’s my “best glucose day” from the last 30 days, although, I’m pretty sure it’s my best day ever. Since I started eating this way I’ve been in range 81.8% of the time, 12.8% high, 5.4% low. I expect this to improve as I figure out bolusing for protein (I didn’t do this before) and tweaking basal rates. Here’s yesterday…
