Today’s big news is that I have gone 36 hours without a low. Woo hoo! I had, hmm, something like 6 lows in the 3 days before that, though none under 60. The only thing that I’ve changed, per my clinic, is the basal rate (from 0.30 to 0.25) and the addition of a bedtime snack when I’m below 120. Actually, I had some of those lows even after lowering the basal, so I’m not confident that I’m entirely out of the hypoglycemic woods yet. But it seems like progress.
I haven’t been exercising, though. This was a conscious, if seductively lazy, choice related to the pump start. I didn’t want to throw in yet another variable before the basals were worked out. So one goal for this week is to start wandering the habitrails (Minneapolis skyways) again.
Numbers: fellow diabetes blogger Scott (my attempt to create a link isn't working, bah, but try http://scotts-dblife.blogspot.com) asked how my grades—err, my BG levels—have been since the pump start. Thanks for saying hi, Scott :-) Given the prevalence of lows, my numbers have been, well, low. I’ve been anywhere from 76 to 120 fasting. One of the things about my CDE’s instructions that surprised me is that she isn’t having me check my 2-hour post-meal numbers. Not necessary, she said, because we already know that my carb ratios work. Hmm. As I’m typing this, I’ve realized that I think that’s hooey and I should have been checking those numbers all the time rather than just when I feel low as I’ve been doing. I have a serious neurosis when it comes to finding my own mind when interacting with medical people. Both the CDE and the dietician at my clinic have made subtle references to my being over-intense w/r/t checking too much and obsessing over my numbers, and I think I’ve internalized that a bit. Of course, neither of them are diabetic. Humph.
Anyhow, I’m not sure how good the post-prandials are, but the pre-prandials have been around 90-135. I got a 168 (oh horrors) one night after I overtreated a low. So…if not for the lows, I’d say these are pretty dreamy numbers. I feel very fortunate. (Thanks, Charlotte.) Put that report card on the fridge!
Yeah, hooey I say. They tell us things like increased risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, neuropathy, retinopathy, and gangrene, and then tell us we're obsessed with our numbers?! They're not the ones who'll get their feet chopped off. When I asked how often I should be checking, he said, "Well, the numbers are really important. You should try checking five times a day." I just stared at him blankly. I'd been testing 10 times a day every day. I'm down to seven now, but I still think I'd rather know what's going on. I can not believe she told you not to check. Hooey.
ReplyDelete