Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Zoe on February 4, 2013 at 4:57pm

No, you are not in the minority. I think we all have a wide variety of management. Some people try as hard as they can and still have wide outliers. Others seemingly easily stay within that range. Most of us are in the middle, but I'd say most of us couldn't maintain even the 60-160 all the time! But I'm wondering if the endo meant that as a target range - a goal, rather than something the person could accomplish on a regular basis? Aside from a goal there is also our target number that we correct to on our pumps. Mine is 110. If I'm high I do a correction based on my ISF that will hopefully return me to that number. Do I expect to always be at 110? I wish!

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Permalink Reply by christy on February 4, 2013 at 4:59pm

I think we are ALL different, some of us can manage fairly easily keeping our BG levels between 80-120 with somewhat of ease. Others no matter how hard they try, it doesn't happen. I think the important thing though is we ALL try to live as healthy as we can, and just do the absolute best you can keeping them numbers as low as you can. I certainly can't say I don't have days, where I get a spike to 200 eating something, but you keep those moments few and far between. Are you on a pump or MDI? Pumping has really made it a LOT easier for me to have more consistent numbers.

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Permalink Reply by Bella on February 4, 2013 at 5:10pm

Hi Donald, I have 26 years with type 1. Since 2003 I began to take more control of my glucose to keep it as normal as possible but between 80 and 120 is not real for me. at 90 I need to drink some juice to raise it up, below 200 I am very confortable, over 200 I take care. Everybody is different and I am always surprises that my A1C is 6.5%. Now, to go to the gym I need to have it around 250, because my cardio drop it very fast.

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Permalink Reply by Equestrian on February 4, 2013 at 7:02pm

Even on a strict Bernstein regiment, I cannot keep between 80 and 115. I have a pump, a cgm, I eat low carb less than 50 g per day. I test basal rates, exercise,ect, and although my blood sugar control has improved over the last four years, my A1C is 6.5, and not 4.2 -4.7 which is Bernstein's prescription. I am content in my achievements, and I am doing fairly well after 45 years of T1.

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Permalink Reply by Spock on February 4, 2013 at 5:22pm

Hi! This is a huge place for me.

I strive for a reading of 100, and am pretty good at it. But when I am not, my world crashes. I am beginning to think that safer (for me) is a bit wiser.

Sickness (referenced above and rare for me) is an entirely different issue--it is the day to day that is hard.

I just saw my endo (grrrr) today and am still processing it. My A1C was 5.7. Seems great, but I have had two devastating lows during A1C times. He is encouraging me to work for a higher number (!?!?!?!)

After 50 years, I am just confused.

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Permalink Reply by still_young_at_heart on February 4, 2013 at 5:36pm

Staying in a range of 80-120 all the time is the equivalent of having an A1c of about 5 and a standard deviation of about 10. I'd love to be able to do it - maybe in my next life when I don't have diabetes...

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Permalink Reply by Laddie on February 4, 2013 at 6:25pm

My Dexcom is set to alarm for lows at 65 and highs at 160. For me that is a reasonable and attainable range assuming that I am eating fewer than 100g of carbs per day and not going crazy with after-dinner treats. Do I stay in that range very often? No, but I could with better willpower.

I don't think that even with perfect eating I could stay in a range of 80-120. In past years they used to call everyone with Type 1 "brittle." That term is considered outdated now, but even with a pump and a CGMS, I can't keep my BG in a range that small. My endo would never expect me to be able to do that. She is the first to admit that we don't even know all of the factors that influence our blood sugar much less be able to control all of those factors.

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Permalink Reply by rick phillips on February 4, 2013 at 9:27pm

Actually brittle meant that small things could and would make big changes in Blood Sugar. Generally the longer you were a type 1 the more brittle you would become. Now this makes sense, since the longer you are type 1 the less natural insulin your body usually produces.

As a 37 year diabetic I would be considered very brittle. So for instance, if I dine on a few grams of carb, I can and do, expect a fairly wild rise in Blood Sugar. Likewise, if i take a small amount of insulin, I can bottom out quickly. In short I am a brittle diabetic.

Now you are 100% correct, it is an older term that is almost never used anymore. My doctor (an old hand) will sometimes say I am brittle, so I always inquire if he means Peanut Brittle and we have a good laugh. But yes I have been very 'brittle' for about 22 years. No never Peanut Brittle, LOL.

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Permalink Reply by Simon Carter on February 5, 2013 at 5:26pm

Hi Rick - are you on a pump or MDI?

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Permalink Reply by rick phillips on February 11, 2013 at 7:32pm

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

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Permalink Reply by roodgirl on February 4, 2013 at 6:39pm

Not very realistic, although an admirable goal. Keep in mind that a person without diabetes can have numbers outside that range. If those lucky folks with fully-functioning pancreases don't always stay within 80-120, you shouldn't beat yourself up about it.

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Permalink Reply by Super_sally on February 4, 2013 at 6:53pm

My target is 80 - 90. I correct at 120 or above (2 hours after eating). I would eat something at 70 or below (detected before eating or based on how I'm feeling). I try to eat low carb. Lows are not acceptable for me in my current situation.

In the perfect world with pefect adherence to diet and frequent testing I could achieve this consistently. But I am human and don't always - but I do err on the side of highs rather than lows. I am fortunate to still have a partially working pancreas. I am sure it would get much harder if pancreas gives up the ghost.

On other hand, I am a single Mum with 2 little kids depending on me for a long time yet and I need to do everything I can to have excellent control (without lows) so i can be healthy and take care of an support them until they are independent.

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