Back on July 14th, Allison over at Lemonade Life kindly allowed me to guest post for her. Please see here for the post. Thankyou very much Allison for the opportunity!
I'm really excited for Bec at Insulin's Involved who is currently 'practicing' with a trial pump before picking her very own next week! I really hope everything goes well for her :)
Sam over at Talking Blood Glucose is finally on her pump! She's called it Florence...go and read all about it on her blog.
As for me? Toddling along. Some horrible lows of late, but I have stopped the night time hypos - only by dramatically cutting back on my Lantus which means I am now waking up way out of range, but my DSN said this is the route she wants to take until she is back in a week's time and we can look at switching to Levemir (another type of basal insulin).
I scared the bejesus out of 3 supervisors at work today...I had tested and was 3.6. The 3 of them were standing just besides me so I turned to them to let them know I needed to take a break, when one of them said "Woah, why do you look so tired?" to which I replied "because I'm having a hypo." All of them looked like I'd just slapped them and they all told me to go and take a break. Good to have understanding colleagues!
In other news, I have started jogging. I have been twice - both times I have hypo'd, one time I managed to throw half a tub of test strips across the path (yes, I picked every single one up!). I'm trying to work out how to best manage my levels - I plan to go again on Sunday evening.
On Monday I plan to email the last week or so's BG readings to one of the DSNs on my team. See if she has any suggestions or can help in any way!
Friday 30 July 2010
Wednesday 21 July 2010
Missing in action!
Since starting my new job almost 3 weeks ago, my blog has taken a blow. I work really annoying, irregular shifts, which has left me so tired that when I do get home I'm too tired to update...or I'm so tired I sleep all the way through the morning. I'm hoping now I'm employed it'll be easier to find a different job!
Amazing things happened on Monday. I saw my DSN who has agreed to let me trial an insulin pump as of September 6th! The trial will last 10 weeks and as long as they see an improvement, I should be good to then go for funding to get my *own* pump. To say I am excited is beyond words. I cried when I left the hospital. I'm only just coming down from cloud 9!
I asked about going onto a CGM for a few days and she agrees that it would be a good idea so at some point in August I will get hooked up to one for 5 days.
I am also getting an Accu-Chek Aviva Expert courtesy of my DSN (apparently they cost £80 to buy! She was happy to give me one to try and destress me a little about everything). It's basically the handset to the Roche Spirit Combo pump, which when combined with the pump allows you to bolus and give corrections via the handset - being as I don't have a pump, it obviously doesn't do that, but it does calculate doses, have a huge carb index, etc. I'm going to pick that up tomorrow.
Since working, my numbers have been all over the place. I am still struggling with night time hypos - I start to drop from about 11pm onwards, resulting in a hypo somewhere around 1 - 3am. We have agreed in the mean time I will reduce my Lantus down until the hypos disappear and I will just correct the highs in the morning. Not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, but at least the hypo should in theory go. I've dropped from originally taking 13u of Lantus at night down to 5u. I'm on day 2 of 5u so let's see what happens.
I have my alarm set for 3am!
Also...not that I'm a geek but...
Amazing things happened on Monday. I saw my DSN who has agreed to let me trial an insulin pump as of September 6th! The trial will last 10 weeks and as long as they see an improvement, I should be good to then go for funding to get my *own* pump. To say I am excited is beyond words. I cried when I left the hospital. I'm only just coming down from cloud 9!
I asked about going onto a CGM for a few days and she agrees that it would be a good idea so at some point in August I will get hooked up to one for 5 days.
I am also getting an Accu-Chek Aviva Expert courtesy of my DSN (apparently they cost £80 to buy! She was happy to give me one to try and destress me a little about everything). It's basically the handset to the Roche Spirit Combo pump, which when combined with the pump allows you to bolus and give corrections via the handset - being as I don't have a pump, it obviously doesn't do that, but it does calculate doses, have a huge carb index, etc. I'm going to pick that up tomorrow.
Since working, my numbers have been all over the place. I am still struggling with night time hypos - I start to drop from about 11pm onwards, resulting in a hypo somewhere around 1 - 3am. We have agreed in the mean time I will reduce my Lantus down until the hypos disappear and I will just correct the highs in the morning. Not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, but at least the hypo should in theory go. I've dropped from originally taking 13u of Lantus at night down to 5u. I'm on day 2 of 5u so let's see what happens.
I have my alarm set for 3am!
Also...not that I'm a geek but...
Monday 12 July 2010
All quiet over here...
It's been a pretty busy, but quiet, time over here in Birmingham. I've been working my backside off at my new job (which I hate with a passion and am desperately trying to get out of, ASAP!) and also, way more importantly, I've been hanging out with some other PWD.
Firstly, Brighton, Saturday 3rd July. 15 of us in total spent the day in Brighton, in various bars along the beach front and then a trip down the pier. I'd met most of the people there before, but it was fantastic to catch up and meet the people I hadn't met previously. I got very sunburnt and looked like a lobster for a couple of days, but there we go!
We managed to steer fairly clear of hypos despite the heat...besides between 15 of us, it wasn't like anyone was short of supplies. I hypo'd just before lunch which made me feel pretty grotty, and I was grateful to be with PWD - I thought I had come out of the hypo, but Shelley was quick to point out I was still rambling when talking to her, so I shoveled some more dextrose tabs down my neck!
None of these photos are mine; I don't take credit for them. They are either Shelley's or Alan's.
Firstly, Brighton, Saturday 3rd July. 15 of us in total spent the day in Brighton, in various bars along the beach front and then a trip down the pier. I'd met most of the people there before, but it was fantastic to catch up and meet the people I hadn't met previously. I got very sunburnt and looked like a lobster for a couple of days, but there we go!
We managed to steer fairly clear of hypos despite the heat...besides between 15 of us, it wasn't like anyone was short of supplies. I hypo'd just before lunch which made me feel pretty grotty, and I was grateful to be with PWD - I thought I had come out of the hypo, but Shelley was quick to point out I was still rambling when talking to her, so I shoveled some more dextrose tabs down my neck!
None of these photos are mine; I don't take credit for them. They are either Shelley's or Alan's.
Shelley and I!
Then came London this Saturday...it was run by John who runs the North London Young Diabetics support group (search for them on facebook!), so there were lots of faces I hadn't seen before, but again, plenty I had! Another lovely day spent lounging in the park. I avoided the sunburn this time, but I did manage to squish a purple berry on my white dress :( oh well! One of the women who came, Naomi, brought along her adorable puppy...Roxy is 18 weeks old! Safe to say she kept us 'awwwwwwwwww'ing most of the afternoon.
Shelley, Sarah and I
Roxy!!
Everyone
Roll on the next meet!
Thursday 1 July 2010
July, already?!
I cannot fathom it being July already. Where has the last 6 months gone? Not only that, but my cousin turned 14 today...you know, the cousin who in your head will always be a toddler. Now she's taller than me and it's just crazy.
Anyway! Point of today's post: my journey to getting a pump.
I didn't blog about this, as I was too upset at the time. On June 8th, I saw my DSN, Becky, to discuss going onto a pump. Becky is very pro-pump, but unless the consultant says I need one, Becky basically can't swing anything. Long story short: she said she understands why I want one and thinks it would be good for me psychologically, but in terms of clinical need (brief rundown for non-UKers: over here you have to get approved by your consultant to get one, and this goes according to the NICE guideines [click 'read full summary] being as it is all paid for by the NHS) I didn't stand a chance. I accepted this, shed a few tears over it, but moved on.
Today I saw the consultant, aka the guy I need to convince that I need a pump. He looked at my logs and said "I think you may need one, but you're not at that stage just yet" which almost had me jumping up and down with excitement. He didn't rule out the possibility that it could be an option!
Basically, he wants me to tweak my overnight basal (background insulin, I take 2 injections of it a day), and see what happens with that, as I'm hypoing every morning. He said if that doesn't work, he'll get me in to have a talk about pumping. Again, nothing definite...but I'm on the right road now.
I'm not overly convinced tweaking my basal any more is going to do anything, as I suspect it will leave me high all night and then drop me down to 'normal' numbers instead of a hypo. However - I won't know until I try, so tonight is night #1 of 10u Lantus. I'll be logging EVERYTHING.
I have another appointment to see him in 6 months, but he has said he wants me to see the DSN every 8 weeks, and if she thinks I'm still having issues, I can get an appointment to see him sooner than that.
My hab1c is 7.1% which he was VERY impressed with, but I pointed out for the past 6 months I have basically been able to sit around and entirely focus on the d, but now with working shifts and actually having a life, I suspect things will go pear shaped. Again, time will tell. He did seem to take it into account when I pointed out for the past 2 years I have had hba1cs in the 8s and 9s, it's only the past 6 months it has come down.
So. Whilst I expect this to all take some time, I am happy that I am on the right path.
Anyway! Point of today's post: my journey to getting a pump.
I didn't blog about this, as I was too upset at the time. On June 8th, I saw my DSN, Becky, to discuss going onto a pump. Becky is very pro-pump, but unless the consultant says I need one, Becky basically can't swing anything. Long story short: she said she understands why I want one and thinks it would be good for me psychologically, but in terms of clinical need (brief rundown for non-UKers: over here you have to get approved by your consultant to get one, and this goes according to the NICE guideines [click 'read full summary] being as it is all paid for by the NHS) I didn't stand a chance. I accepted this, shed a few tears over it, but moved on.
Today I saw the consultant, aka the guy I need to convince that I need a pump. He looked at my logs and said "I think you may need one, but you're not at that stage just yet" which almost had me jumping up and down with excitement. He didn't rule out the possibility that it could be an option!
Basically, he wants me to tweak my overnight basal (background insulin, I take 2 injections of it a day), and see what happens with that, as I'm hypoing every morning. He said if that doesn't work, he'll get me in to have a talk about pumping. Again, nothing definite...but I'm on the right road now.
I'm not overly convinced tweaking my basal any more is going to do anything, as I suspect it will leave me high all night and then drop me down to 'normal' numbers instead of a hypo. However - I won't know until I try, so tonight is night #1 of 10u Lantus. I'll be logging EVERYTHING.
I have another appointment to see him in 6 months, but he has said he wants me to see the DSN every 8 weeks, and if she thinks I'm still having issues, I can get an appointment to see him sooner than that.
My hab1c is 7.1% which he was VERY impressed with, but I pointed out for the past 6 months I have basically been able to sit around and entirely focus on the d, but now with working shifts and actually having a life, I suspect things will go pear shaped. Again, time will tell. He did seem to take it into account when I pointed out for the past 2 years I have had hba1cs in the 8s and 9s, it's only the past 6 months it has come down.
So. Whilst I expect this to all take some time, I am happy that I am on the right path.
Just for the record, I have my heart set on a purple Paradigm Veo. Fingers crossed one day it will become a reality.
