200-300? That's insane. I guess they think that's okay. Imagine if your blood pressure was 200. You'd sure as hell take action. For some reason high blood sugars are no big deal with the majority.
Hi Don - Actually when I started using my CGM, my endo recommended a range of 80 to 180. He said 80 for me since I tend to drop very fast so 80 would give me enough warning if the blood sugar is in decline. He also thought anything under 180 was too tight a range for me. My A1Cs have been between 5.9 to 6.5 with this recommended range so I consider that successful.
Well it is interesting to hear all of the different points of view, I do believe we are all dealing with our BS levels due to our own different responses from our own bodies. I for one do drop fast with any activity at all I end up always having to grab some carbs.Hence the slightly higher range.
For those of you that think it is not that far off how do you do it? do you always eat prepackaged food or do you duplicate a lot of predictable meals? or does God just like you better than the rest of us? Sorry I thought that was funny, anyway sharing how you can realistically do this may open some thoughts for the rest.
I know that the same meal can affect me on several different occasions depending on how much activity, how much stress or just the height of the swells in the Pacific
This is a sticky subject. I'll leave out the standard disclaimer. My personal experience is that for most of my life I easily bounced around from 30 - 300. Almost daily, since I lost beta cell function. Luckily, no major complications. About a year and a half ago, I did a very careful basal test and adjustment, started following Bernstein's list of exclusions, and take much less insulin. It's taken some getting used to. I don't always test as often as I should (3-5x per day), but now I only find myself out of range once every few days, and usually really feel it when I am.
Hi Donald, to answer your question, I tend to eat a LOT of the same stuff, I know for a lot of people that wouldn't be fun or doable. I do it for a couple of reasons. 1 obviously these are now predictable foods for me, and I know how I'm going to react, what they will do with my blood sugar, and how to dose for them. 2. I have numerous stomach issues, and certain foods I just can't eat anymore they trigger or set off my stomach problems.
The predictability in what I eat, in addition to being on a pump. I dont CGM, I know a lot of people love it, but I hated it, and found it relatively useless for me. Now that I'm on a pump, and off old 70/30 insulin my blood glucose levels have stabalized considerably. Being on a pump though has allowed me to make small changes when needed and quickly, allows me to bolus for what I eat in different ways, and overall for me, has left my blood glucose levels much more stable.
Hi Rick - are you on a pump or MDI?
I totally agree that eating the same stuff is a very useful tool! I don't see it in books or ads or magazines or whatever but I mostly eat the same stuff all the time. My weight is good, my general health (numbers besides BG/ A1C) is good and then I sort of let 'er rip in the evenings but I like to keep my BG stable at work during the week and stretch it into an evening workout when I can.
I agree a pump is a fabulous tool as well. The amazing differences small "nudges" in rates and ratios can make showed up really clearly to me with a pump although I did a shade better adding the CGM.
I'm with you, after 37 years of D, I have my good days and my bad days but lately the good days are out numbering the bad days. I have had a CGM for almost 3 months and it certainly makes maintaining reasonable levels a whole lot easier. I have the low set at 70 because I can bottom out quickly. My high is set at 180. Maybe 80-120 is a reasonable target range for someone without D but thankfully my endo and I both think those numbers are unrealistic given the tools and techniques we have to try and duplicate an extremely complex process. I try to get as close to my target bs of 100 but I don't beat myself up about excursions in either direction.
I don’t think 80-120 is possible at all times. Doesn’t mean we can’t try though, to stay in that range as much as possible
Nothing wrong with trying to maintain between 80 and 120.
Here is all my data from last year. You be the judge.
Medtronic pump for about 10 years now. I took shots for 27 years and was happy as a pea in a pod until I found so many kids using the pump. I went to my doctor the very next month and said listen all the kids are using pumps, I want one. Best decision I was ever shamed into. LOL
Rick