Comment by Renata Pellino-Porter on July 17, 2010 at 8:37pm

I don't think there is a "Normal Diabetic". But glad to hear you are moving in the right direction!

Comment by Sandpirate on July 17, 2010 at 9:17pm

Could there be things in your life that are not realted to your disease that could possibly cause these issues; stress or extreme dissatisfaction in other areas of your life?

Comment by lotsofshots on July 18, 2010 at 4:06am

It sounds like this has been very frustrating for you. I had a similar experience but once I started doing a low carb diet my numbers went into the proper range and became very stable. The only time they go up is when I eat something high in carbs or too much protein and then it is high hours later. How much are you focusing on what kind of food you are eating? Congrats on your success, be careful of the lows though.

Comment by Tim on July 18, 2010 at 6:31am

I think your impression of what a "normal" diabetic may be heavily influenced by some sources that are hardly "typical" diabetics.

e.g. Dr. Bernstein insisting that the goal A1C is below 99% of the non-diabetic population. Or those who come here deathly worried about a reading of 120 because they were never that high before.

I've been T1 for 30 years now, and I can tell you that the most frequent posters here, or those who come and brag of their 4. or 5. A1C's , are the very best controlled, and while their degree of control may be a goal we all have, that it may not always be an achievable goal.

And two cents of advice: when I have a string of really good bg numbers I'm often not really trying hard at all. It's not that I'm not trying, but my usual doses with small corrections are working great. Then I'll have some really wild high and low numbers and try harder - but without any obvious results because I'm trying harder. This is so frustrating. Sometimes I look at those patterns, and how hard I tried, and get so frustrated.

I have had doctors tell me that if I ever have a number above 120, that it must be because I'm a brittle diabetic, or I am "noncompliant" and didn't take my insulin. I don't know what universe they're in. When I have forgotten to take a single shot I end up with a bg like 500 or 600.

Comment by Sweet Fur on July 18, 2010 at 7:22am

@Tim - I think you are very right. I do have a skewed view of what "normal" is. I don't know any type 1's in my daily life- what I know is from reading boards and what my docs want. Do you know alot of "real" diabetics? How do I get a better picture?

I had no idea Dr. Bernstein said that! Really?? Then... why? Why is that all we hear about? (getting below 7)

It also doesn't matter what I eat of if I eat at all. My standard deviation was 134 last time I looked. I don't have any complications but I don't want to start either! I've done the duckfiabetes thing and not tried at all, then the opposite. And I can't think of what external stress I could have for 9 years that wouldn't change with 4 moves, different jobs, friends, husbands, lifestyle, etc. I have thought it was something chemical/physical all along and it wasn't until the change of insulin and the addition of Metformin that I've seen any significant change.

Thanks for the comments- they really help. I'm having another good morning; trying not to hold on to this and get let down again...

Comment by mother4peace - Christine on July 18, 2010 at 7:54am

Enjoy the moment. You deserve it. :)

Comment by Lisa on July 18, 2010 at 9:28am

As mentioned, you are not alone. I am impressed at how long you have been working at fixing this and keep trying. There is a formula that will work for you and it may take time to figure it out. Just don't give up because you already know that it'll be bad results. As for going on and off the pump, I was told it'll take a year at least to even get a "clue" on how to use this tool. Maybe you gave up on it too soon? I've had mine for 4 years and am still learning about it. I've been diabetic for 32 and am still learning. It's not a simple situation. Your a complex being and it can be minute by minute and a great website helps.

Comment by Gerri on July 18, 2010 at 1:48pm

Sorry for the struggle. They are Type 1s who are also insulin resistant & Metformin helps. It can take more than a week for Metformin to work, so don't give up. Many do better on time released Metformin. Please stay hopeful. Know that's easy for someone else to say.

Comment by Crystal on July 18, 2010 at 2:37pm

I might sound a bit harsh in this.I don't mean to ,but it sounds like your doc doesn't completely know what she's doing. I say this because any women I know with diabetes, including myself has difficulty controlling their glucose around the time of their periods.Your period throws off your hormone levels, and insulin is a hormone so it can react differently during your period.Instead of switching your insulin when you have high episodes at this time you guys should be contacting one another on the phone or by e-mail during this time to work on seeing what adjustments should be made to your insulin.I hope you do manage to find something that works, but do remember there are always ups and downs with having diabetes and what works for a time may suddenly not. That's when you just have to buckle down ,tell your self it's ok, you'll get through it, it's just going to take some time.

Comment by Sweet Fur on July 18, 2010 at 3:15pm

crystal- I didn't have a period for 7 years- I was on depo. No period, no fluctuation, nothing. It wasn't till I went off that that I even had fluctuations. And like I said- I've been at this 9 years every single day -not just those few days before my period. With 7 different doctors in 4 states. I think if you don't fit the "diabetic mold" (what I was calling a "normal diabetic") that our medical system isn't set up to make it easy to fix things. I'm not talking trying to get an a1c of 7.5 to 7- I'm talking about trying to get under 10!! This new doc is the first one who's even tried something like Metformin and that was only because of the experience earlier. These aren't just normal "ups and downs"- my std dev is quite high.

Lisa- I was on the pump for 9 years straight, going off it for the first time last October. I've been on MDI since then. Now I'm only using the cgms part of the pump- there is no infusion set in me.

Gerri, Lisa, and M4P- thank you for your support! I know I'm venting, I know I need to just wait and see and take this day by day, moment to moment. I'm trying... It's just so hard to explain to a non diabetic why I keep trying...

I'm breathing.. so far, still so good... keeping fingers crossed. :) Thank you thank you!

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