Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by MelissaBL on August 15, 2008 at 6:26am

You can live like that, yes. But you are on a constant roller coaster of over and under correcting. And to what target? You may know your body and what a low or high feels like - most of us do - but you can't have a constant understanding of your bg on an incremental level. And you might even enjoy an A1C that seems only slightly elevated because your 300s and your 40s balance each other out average-wise. But those swings are what cause a lot if stress on your body, and lead to complications down the road.

I'll admit that I spent some of my college years operating under that mindset. It's not good. I'm embarrassed that I did it. And now I test 10+ times a day. When I met my husband a few years ago, I realized I did not have great self-care habits. He helped get me started testing more often by being supportive and stopping me from blind bolusing.

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Permalink Reply by Dave on August 15, 2008 at 8:21am

Considering all the complications that come with diabetes it is totally irresponsible not to check your BG. I personally want to live a long and healthy life, the person you are speaking about may not have this same goal. Unfortunately if she keeps up these types of habits it will catch up to her and by the time she has an epiphany about better self care it may be to late to reverse the damage.

I would like to say I know my body well enough to ignore finger sticks but there have been many times when I thought my BG should be in range and it was totally out to lunch. If you can do anything try to get your friend to start taking better care of herself. Diabetes will depress the happiest individual at any given moment-it is a hard disease to accept, deal with and live with.

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Permalink Reply by Doris D on August 15, 2008 at 8:35am

I check my bs 4 to 7 times a day depending on what I'm running at the time. As for eating what and when I want and taking extra insulin for it well no! Ended up in the hospital too many times DKA for that one. Maybe she's new or even still in denial about being a diabetic?

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Permalink Reply by diabeticidol 94 on August 15, 2008 at 10:22am

Well yes! i take care of Me! I am a person first I just have DIABETIES.I check at breakfast,2hours after, lunch 2hours after, dinner two hours after. And snacks if i eat in between and then 2 hours after. So i say like 12 or more daily go thourgh test strips like nothing.Carbo counts are tricky sometimes but calorie king is my new found friend. My last a1c was5.5 so I say YES! i DO TAKE GOOD CARE OF ME!!!diabeticidol94

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Permalink Reply by Danny Weems on August 15, 2008 at 10:36am

At the present time, i am testing about 8 time a day, but only because I am still adjusting insulin rates. Once everything is stable again; which feels like never, I will only test twice per day or less....maybe. EVERY Diabetic should check their BS at least every other day.

There are two kinds of people in this world, dolores. There are wise people and goat people. The wise learn from the mistakes of others. Goat people have trouble learning from their own mistakes. Apparently, she is a goat people, and goat people resent advice from wise people, so my advice to you is avoid comments about her choices. If it is really bothering you, limit your advise to no more than twice per ;month, because to much and she will ram you (just like a goat :>)

This is just one of those things you need to accept as unchangeable until her bad choices whack her between the ears a few times.

peace
danny

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Permalink Reply by Stacey on August 15, 2008 at 10:54am

My CDE just told me yesterday that I have good control of my bg so I'm going to say I do a pretty good job of taking care of my diabetes :) I test 8 - 12 times a day ... the only time I lack getting readings is overnight. I correct for every number above target that I can and don't usually spike after lows. But I wasn't always like that .... I spent many years testing 2 - 4 times a day and not really "correcting" high bg. I had a lot of ups & downs but that is why my a1c were always around 8 - 9 sometimes even higher! I've been blessed to not have any complications because of how I was and I realize that now. As for food .... I would say I do eat like an average person. I love my carbs and as long as I know how it effects my bg, why stay away from it? I don't necessarily overdue it on sweets but I do eat pizza, chips, even mickey d's on occasion. The bad part of my management is not exercising. But I'm working on that! :)

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Permalink Reply by Chadd on August 15, 2008 at 10:57am

Since being a diabetic since age 4, testing comes normal as it is to me. I test close to 10-12 times a day to make sure I'm in range. My pump is set at 90-110 for the target range.

I have to admit, when I went to college and lost my mother to cancer while in college I lost control. With being on the run to classes, poor meals at the student center I lost touch in testing all the time. I wasn't when I was taking a test, I had gotten up, walked up to the teacher and said I'm not feeling well and shaking and think I'm having a low blood sugar, he had told me to sit down and take the test. We had leave our bags on the floor in the back of the room. We couldn't leave room while taking test, due to people cheating. While walking back to my desk, I had passed out. My level was when checked 27.

After waking up, I was lectured by the campus police, campus nurse, my Residentual Director, alon with my sister and family. I had to gone back to testing and keeping a better control of testing. I don't remember honestly if I had ate and over corrected, or if I did eat. There were times due to classes were at 6am if I ate or not for class and ran all day.

I honestly think this girl will get caught up when a major inncident like mine due to over correcting and have a crash, that may indeed be a life or death issue. It is untill then she may or may not open her eyes that she needs to take better care of her self. Sometimes, it takes something major to open your eyes and correct your ways.

I think sometimes as being a diabetic you get too use to knowing how your body feels and roll with it. I know I have couple of times. I know when feel hot that I'm having a high blood sugar. I have learned to check my levels before jumping to the conclusion of doing any insulin. I hope this girl will learn to test before something awful happens.

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Permalink Reply by Lee Ann on August 15, 2008 at 11:14am

It's not that she knows her body. She obviously has other issues in her life that are preventing her from being able to follow through with her prescribed regimen, and that's a whole other can of worms.

I believe everyone takes care of their diabetes as best as they can, and for whatever reason, some people have a lot of barriers, be they emotional, environmental (like unsupportive people), knowledge-based, financial, etc., so their best just isn't the same as someone else's best.

I think it's far too easy for others - medical professional, other diabetics, family and friends - to judge diabetics who seemingly 'don't care' if they've never walked in their shoes, and don't understand the barriers in their lives.

It really makes me angry that people are so judgmental of other diabetics like that. How does that help anyone?

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Permalink Reply by dino on August 15, 2008 at 2:03pm

This girl you speak of is so deep in denial that she actually takes pride in it.
I check at least five times a day, usually more. That's now...I wasn't all that great in the past but....

...come on..."two times in six months"...are you kidding me? I thought I was bad in high school, thats just ridiculous for a type one.

Did you ask her how many times she pees during the day? Probably every hour on the hour. I bet flies start swarming around the toilet when she goes with all the sugar she spills in her urine.

OK...enough bashing. Whatever you do Dolores, don't follow her example :) Have your cake and sweets, but check your blood sugar!

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Permalink Reply by Dolores on August 16, 2008 at 2:47am

Of course I wont follow her example, I was just a bit shocked that she can do that to herself and her child. She said the only time she's taken care of her diabetes was when she was pregnant.

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Permalink Reply by Karen on August 16, 2008 at 6:17am

I test anywhere from 6 to 10 times a day. When things happen like yesterday where I got shots in my feet for plantar fasciitis (sp) and my bs spiked to over 300 I tested and corrected alot! until I finally got it down. I was just really mad cus I told him I couldn't take them without that happening. All I got was. "this is all I can do since you cant take anti-inflammatories" They never listen, after all this time I finally got them to admit I have some neuropathy in my big toes. Well!, Duh, I have only been complaining about numb big toes for months. years actually but because I didn''t have the D before they didn't take me seriously. Of course. Oh sorry I forgot I am just a dumb blond and a woman at that!...ok got that off my chest! oh that is another problem they think my IQ rests in my boobs! NOT!

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Permalink Reply by Cody Turner on August 16, 2008 at 1:48pm

I do watch my carbs per meal but for the most part I don't limit what I can and can't eat unless I know for a fact it will sky rocket my sugar, like pizza. No matter what I do I can't eat pizza. I check my sugar anywhere from 10-12 times a day. I basically make my decisions on what I am going to eat by what my pre meal sugar is. If it is running lower than normal then I might throw some extra carbs I wouldn't normally eat in, if it is running higher than normal then I will restrict the carbs I eat. And as far as control my latest A1C was 6.0 and that was without numerous lows. Since I started on the pump I have much better control. Recently started on CGMS as well so now I can see what my sugar is doing and get tighter control

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