Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Spock on August 23, 2012 at 5:12pm

Sorry you had an awful day. Been there, done tthat. 220-300 is NOT normal for anyone. You are right: "I decided to try and do things right by counting my carbs and Dosing my Insulin acordingly." Please find a new doctor. Blood glucose over 140 means long term problems. What is your A1C? Are you a Type 1?

Also, M&Ms are high fat and work slowly. Coke was the ultimate choice in your very low state and barfing CAN be a usual repsonse.

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Permalink Reply by Gregg on August 23, 2012 at 5:39pm

I didn't know that about M&M's...no wonder why they didn't work quick enough. My Endo say's those numbers are my normals for me to function but She say's it will take time for me to get to 80 - 120 as I get used to the adjustments I've been doing but today I think I went at to aggresive and dearly paid for it. My A1C's are 10.0 up from 8.2. *.2 has been the lowest I've been in the 14 years I've been a what my Doc is calling a Insulin Dependent T2.
I should of went for the Coke but I was so disorientated I grabbed what was closest. I'm glad I'm not the only one that Barfs on lows, it's a terrible feeling.
Thanks for you response!

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Permalink Reply by acidrock23 on August 23, 2012 at 5:24pm

I've never barfed from being low, just being really drunk. If I were at 144 and feeling really badly, I'd probably test and test again in 5 minutes. When I was crazier, I'd knock my BG down and drop from 300 to like 70 in like 1/2 hour. At 15 minutes, I'd be feeling sweaty and jittery, but my BG would be around 150? It might be that your're used to the highs and it might aslo be the "delta" or change in your BG making you feel whacked out. I have to agree w/ Spock that it would be prudent to find a doc who can help you get used to more normalized BG as that is likely to help you feel much better.

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Permalink Reply by Gregg on August 23, 2012 at 5:45pm

"When I was crazier, I'd knock my BG down and drop from 300 to like 70 in like 1/2 hour. At 15 minutes,". What do you mean by that because I noticed your a musician like me and I'd do crazy stuff like that when I was playing show's and I felt I was "tapping into the source" so to speak when I playing the guitar. But that kinda think is very dangerous and do not recomend to anyone ever.
What is "delta"? And thanks for the reply.

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Permalink Reply by acidrock23 on August 23, 2012 at 5:50pm

Delta is the greek letter they use in science to signify "change" so if you go from 200-100 or 300-200, your "delta" is 100. Sometimes you can get those results w/ IOB but ***super dangerous*** IV shots will also do it or sometimes I'd shoot some R into my leg muscles and run up and down the stairs 10x, like for Thanksgiving, in between the appetizer pigout and the dinner pigout?

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Permalink Reply by Zoe on August 23, 2012 at 5:49pm

Your doctor telling you that 200s and even 300s is "normal for you", even if his intent is to slowly bring you down is close to criminal. I agree; run, don't walk to another doctor and endo who will help you get in control of your blood sugar as you are putting yourself at serious risk with numbers like those on a regular basis.

Yes, you do feel low even at normal numbers when your body is used to being high, but that will pass as your body gets used to being in more normal range.

Yes, chocolate has fat which slows down the sugar in candy. Of what you mentioned, the coke was best, but really, glucose tablets are the best to handle lows for three reasons: You can carry them with you anywhere, they act the most quickly and you won't overdo.What you ate to treat your "low" was enough to send your blood sugar soaring again, and that roller coaster is worse.

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Permalink Reply by Gregg on August 23, 2012 at 6:03pm

I will consider your advice on changing doc's. I know I'm putting myself at serious risk and Im scared of the reality of it in my future I just hope there's time for me to reverse it if thats even posable. Clucose tabs sound the best so far I need to get those right a way. Thank you Zoe,

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Permalink Reply by Super_sally on August 23, 2012 at 11:35pm

Hi,

it is never to late to change and reverse / prevent complications. But that needs to start happening sooner than later. You can do it!

I am also horrified that your dr is happy to keep you so high. IF you feel really bad at 144 your usual numbers must be staying quite a bit higher. I think that numbers may need to be brought down slowly over a period of probably weeks so that you don't feel low and sick as you start getting to more normal numbers. Also the target is not just to bring the highs down, but to keep your numbers as stable as possible, without big swings.

Do you use basal and bolus insulin?

There are some excellent books you can refer to. Think Like a Pancreas is one. Using Insulin is another. And Bersteins' Diabetes Solutions.

Of course, ask away here. People here are such good sources of info and support.

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Permalink Reply by Gregg on August 24, 2012 at 1:46pm

Hi Super_sally good to know I can reverse it, i have been really working hard on changing my ways. It's seems my numbers are so high for so many years I'm actaully functioning well but I know for my health I need to start now being more deligent. I don't know if I use basal or bolus but I know I use Levemir and Humalog pens.
I'll definately look into those books soon.
Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Kelly WPA on August 25, 2012 at 12:14pm

Levemir is basal (your background) and Humalog is bolus (what you take with meals and corrections).

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Kelly WPA on August 25, 2012 at 12:13pm

I can't say it any better than Zoe did by saying your doctor is close to criminal! I would suggest that if you don't want to change doctors, you should at least get the book Using Insulin by John Walsh or Think Like a Pancreas by Gary Scheiner. I would have a very hard time trusting any doctor that said 200-300 was OK. Trying to keep it nice here, I will only say your endo is an idiot and should not be allowed to be near a diabetic! I think it is one thing for a patient to not care and not do the things they need to do, but it is totally wrong for a doctor to tell someone that is normal! He should be warning you of complications every time you have an A1c done and working with you to get it down.

I saw you posted your A1c above. The ADA recommends that an A1c be below 7. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommends under 6.5. They also state on their site the the closer you are to normal, the less likely that you will have complications.

There are some T2s that actually get neuropathy before being diagnosed with diabetes. I am T1 that was diagnosed almost 29 years ago and have neuropathy & gastroparesis. Those are not things I would wish on anyone. I wish I knew the things that I know today back in the 80s and my life would be totally different today.

I believe that it is possible to reverse complications and I am working on that. Dr. Richard Bernstein wrote a book called the Diabetes Solution. He is a T1 that was diagnosed way back in the dark ages. He was an engineer and became a doctor so that he could get his papers published. He had complications and was able to reverse them. He is someone that believes in very tight control (A1cs in the 4's) and very low carb (30 grams a day). Even if you don't want that tight control, you can get some very good info from his book. I know I can't safely get A1cs in the 4s, but 5s are possible for me.

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Permalink Reply by Clare on August 25, 2012 at 3:02pm

While I appreciate a good doctor bashing now and then, and am the first to do it if appropriate. This time, after reading the posts and messaging back and forth with Gregg I can't place all of the blame on the doctor. In this case she is doing the best she can with the patient she has. A patient who finds it inconvenient to actually take 2 shots of levemir a day and therefore doesn't or does on some days but doesn't on others. A patient who after going to diabetes education class does not know whether he is counting carbs or on a sliding scale. Doesn't know the consequences of having his blood sugar in the stratosphere on a routine basis and who sometimes eats north of 165 grams of carbs at one sitting. When I first read Gregg's initial post I was as appalled as you, but now I understand and while I can't give her a complete pass I do realize she is doing the best she can with the patient.

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