It’s been a looooong time since I was last here, but I’m back.
About 15 years I was first diagnosed as diabetic, although they couldn’t tell me what type and put me on a 70/30 insulin mix (VILE). I got frustrated with my doctor, and found an endo to try to get some answers. After doing assorted tests, he said I’m not diabetic, and my high blood sugar was possibly due to a reaction to cortisone.
Fast forward about 10 years, and I’ve been diagnosed as diabetic again. This time I’m told I’m type 2. I’m taking metformin, and it seems to be working. The A1C is a little out, but not too bad. Forward again, and I’m taking much more metformin with an A1C of over 13. My doc puts me on more meds (Digluzide, which give me stomach cramps at first and then switched to Jalra). I’m having horrible night sweats and feel tired most of the day. I go back and tell her this, and she puts me on Levemir at night.
Covid strikes, and I’m fed up with my BS and motivated to control it to ensure I don’t get very sick if I contract corona. I contacted the endo to ask if I should be working (the government regulations state that if you have had an A1C of over 7.5 in the last 6 months you shouldn’t be teaching), as my local doctor says I can but her partner says I shouldn’t. I was hoping the endo would be the tie-breaker. He responds that he can’t advise me as he hasn’t seen me for many years.
But I notice in the reply that there is a price for ordering the Freestyle Libre sensors. I google them, and find out I don’t need a prescription for them, so I order two. While money is tight at the moment, anything that can help keep me healthy is important.
So far, I’ve worn the sensor for just about 2 days. My mind is blown by what it’s shown me so far. I have been having hypos that I wasn’t aware of. I just felt a bit tired, and have slept through them at night. I have stopped the insulin at night because clearly that would make things worse. I’ve also been surprised with how much of the time I am within range. I expected to be much higher.
Honestly, having worn it for 2 days, I can see that this CGM is going to revolutionise my life. I felt for so long that I was blundering around in the dark, but now I can actually see what’s going on and make choices based on accurate information. I’m so relieved I could cry.