TD Chatroom to the Rescue!

I woke up Saturday at 96. Fabulous. Since it was Saturday I planned to go back to sleep after taking my lantus. I take a split dose, so I injected 12 units and went back to bed. I woke up an hour later at 55 and had a juice box. Then I checked into the Tu Diabetes Chatroom and talked a bit, but got tired and went back to bed.

An hour later I was at 40. Gosh, this was very strange for me. I almost never have problems with lows in the morning. Suddenly I thought maybe I'd reversed my vials and taken 12 unit of Humalog. I keep both insulin vials in a pouch on my kitchen table. I went into the kitchen, and the vial of Humalog was sitting out by the pouch. Not the Lantus. Shoot.

I was in my "just standing there" phase, where you just stand and really don't know what to do or even which direction to walk. There have been times when I think I've just stood there for at least 30 minutes.

Went back to the chatroom and my friend Marie was there and I told her what I thought might have happened. "Eat", she said. Well, I'd already had another juice box and two big handfuls of Skittles. Then my friends Doris and Linda came onboard, along with a new friend I'd met the night before, David SQ. "Eat", they said. My befuddled thinking was telling me that I didn't think I needed to eat.

Well, the Skittles were gone and so I took 8 glucose tabs. It was suggested I have some treats but I can't keep anything of a treat nature because I'll snarf it down without restraint.

"You need some protein". I forgot that I had some eggs, so put a couple on to boil.
"Call someone". I called my sister but she doesn't get it. Lost cause.
"Be sure the door is unlocked in case you have to call the paramedics". I certainly hadn't thought of that one.

"Don't drive." "Go test now and come back and let us know where you're at."Don't go shopping until you're absolutely stable."
I retested and was at 72 so signed off, telling everybody that I was going to also have some chicken and then wait awhile before I left.

30 minutes later I was at 170. Ok, I'm stable. I was walking down the stairs to the door and my mouth started getting numb. 42. Say what?

Then I remembered that I had just gotten done telling everybody that I was going to a Thai restaurant for supper, but couldn't have any rice because it spikes me. Rice! Yes, I had a big box of Minute Rice and cooked a big pot and ate it. 30 minutes later, 55. Felt awful.

Finally the rice kicked in and I was at 190. Feeling like I'd been through a war. I made it to the restaurant but was so exhausted it wasn't much fun.

If you're not familiar with Tu Diabetes, go over and check it out. TD is a large community with many compassionate, selfless and knowledgeable people. Something for everyone. It has been an extraordinary blessing for a number of people, including myself.

Now, had it not been for the chatroom, I might have just stood there and it could have ended badly. Maybe, maybe not. But the care and concern of these 4 people was priceless.

Dang it, thought I had the paragraph problem solved. Guess not.

So glad the Chatroom was there for you!

I use a vial for my Apidra and Regular, a pen for my Levemir in an effort to avoid just this mistake. I still make the mistake once in a while, but using a split dose of Levemir also makes it a "small" mistake. A can of original Coke plus some kind of treat takes care of it -- mostly.

Scarey...glad you are ok.

The chat is great!! Glad all of us were there to help!

Love u Kathy!

SO SO glad we were all able to help. WHEW!!!
luv ya kiddo!

Another GREAT reason why the chat room is NEEDED...S-O-O-O if you haven't voted yet, DO IT NOW!!!

So glad we were able to be there when you needed us. Another example (not that more were needed) of how precious this community is.

At the risk of repeating something I said in the chat room, I keep the opened vials in the boxes they came in. The vials look almost identical but the boxes look quite different. That way, it's a lot more difficult to pick up the wrong one by mistake. I also write (with a dark black marker) an abbreviation on the top of each box so I can identify it at a glance. At the moment I using Novolog and Regular, so one box has "NO" on the top and the other, "R". Every little trick possible to avoid a mixup.

if i had been SO low i would have taken GLUCOSE TABS + food ( starch- protein) then wait 30 mn. & retest

I so understand that. I did the same thing... stupid humlog... I caught min when it was 72 overdosed on the sugar to keep it droping worse end up not to bad the next morning I was 172 at 500am went for a run/walk with a friend and took the day off. much better today.. I can at least think straight... I think it happens about ever 3 months for me that I dont pay attention and do the wrong one.. so now I have my nite one in a tupuware that I have to open that says nite on it.. so will see in 3 months how I do.

Hey....whatever works!!!!

Right on, Linda. As we keep reminding ourselves, everybody's different. Each of us needs to find a method that works and then stick to it. Insulin is a two-edged sword, all right . . . it can do remarkable things, but it demands to be treated with great respect.

Ah yes....the tempest!

Has any one forgotten if they had already taken their fast acting? It seems I take insulin so often, I sometimes forget if I have taken it or not.....any simple tricks any one uses to remember? Kathy, I am glad the chat room was there for you. I am always amazed at how we so feel sure we don't need anything, when we really need to eat, This drives my poor partner crazy sometimes. You all are great and I love being back here!

Being independent in nature is the inevitable outcome of our condition....and yet, on the converse, there's frequently the possibility of being wholly reliant on our friends and family for something as primal as eating!
The sheer frequency of taking our medication (any medication....vitamin) leads to rendering it routine...akin to brushing your teeth! Did I....didn't I? There's no simple or right way to remind one's self...there will always be room for error. However, some ideas come to mind....a small calendar posted with attached pen...marking off/checking every time it's taken....leaving a box closed/open...keeping the vial in a different location for a bit, so that you know 1) that you've taken it....and 2) which vial it was. All trial and error!!
Good luck ;)

JUST WRITE THINGS DOWN LIKE I DID YEARS AGO & STILL DO NOW THAT I AM ON THE PUMP

LINDA, YOUR IDEA & MINE ARE VERY SIMILAR ABOUT KEEPING TRACK OF THINGS...:)

hello! Is anyone out there using the OmniPod insulin pump? If so would you share your experiences? I'm on the Medtronic now. I wore a tester OmniPod this weekend and LOVED it! No tubing, nothing to clip on my clothes, just all around awesomeness. I'm thinking of making the switch but wanna do some research first..thanks for yall's time/input!

You're post really touched me! I'm sooooo glad you're OK and I'm soooooo proud of the TuD community. People here are so caring. When I get depressed, sometimes, I forget that there are so many good people in the world, and that so many of them hang out at TuDiabetes. ;)

lefty -- as others have mentioned, I write down everything -- BG's, insulin, carbs, sleep, my other medications. If I don't log it, it's likely I'll completely forget it ever happened. I'm not always meticulous on the food (I might just write down "veggie stew") but on the insulin I'm OCD about logging - because I have to be.