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Monday, January 27, 2014

From high to low

I used to run high all the time in fear of lows passing out/dying. My BG averages used to hover in the 180-190 range, with some 200+s seen during travel/holiday/stress/sick times. About a month and a half ago, following another endo appointment - "uncontrolled, globally high" (albeit with a surprisingly lower A1C than I expected, 7.2) - I decided that if it took having some lows and getting used to them in order to do better overall, that's what I needed to do.

The good news is: My 7-day, 14-day, 30-day averages have all greately improved, and I feel a million times healthier (and dare I say happier). Hard to admit, but consistently high BGs can put a damper on my (or anyone's) mood.



The no-so-great news is:




58. I haven't been in the 50s in years and boy did I feel it. And may have cried a little. Thankfully, this is the only time in my tighter management days that I've been this low. I've seen so many more 70s, and am getting to the point where I'm rather functional in the high 70s range, and feel like total shit over 180.

Well, onwards then.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

In other news:

We got a new cat! Our old one disappeared for 17! days... in the spirit of cats, out old cat showed up again within 3 hours of acquiring aforementioned new cat :) I should've known.. They are both staying though.

A #rhyming (#sortof) #WORDLESSWEDNESDAY

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been trying really hard to lower my overall BG values and largely I've been doing pretty well on that front. My 7-day BG clocked in at 140 :D about a week back:


At the same time, #Diabetes is unpredictable and this is today:



"Whether the weather be fine or whether the weather be not, we shall weather the weather, whatever the weather, whether we like it or not."


Friday, January 10, 2014

Determined...

I haven't posted in almost a month! Last time I was here I talked about my 1-yr blogaversary which corresponded nicely with an Endo appointment. That week I came down with a cold which kept my BGs even more out of sort that usual (read: High all the time), which was not very fun because presenting my Endo with a week of shitty numbers is not my idea of a good time. My A1C was "uncontrolled" (7.2) but in fact lower than I expected given the numbers I was seeing recently. My endo is awesome of course and was nothing but encouraging and helpful, although he made it clear that globally decreasing my BGs was the way to go. I think my I:C ratios are reasonable, but I did realize that my basals needed work, along with my psyche (specifically, I confessed to him that due to the fear of lows overnight, I go to bed higher than I should which in turn affects the next day)... Not sure how to fix that, except have a little faith confidence in my ability to maintain a relatively flat line of 80-120 mg/dL overnight. Easier said than done. However, armed with a donated Dexcom sensor (see last post), along with a refreshment read of particular sections of "How to Think Like a Pancreas", stringent monitoring of every bite I put in my mouth, logging, and no alcohol whatsoever (at least for now, while I figure things out with basals), I am incredibly determined to be the best I can possibly be at managing my condition and feeling better (physically and mentally) about my D. management. Last night, at a BG of 121 at 11 PM, I took a leap of faith confidence in Dexcom and went to bed without that sip or two of juice that I am for some reason so keen on having when my nighttime BG is below 150 (yes, you read that right, I feel compelled to go to bed higher, although during the day I'm incedibly comfortable with 90s these days :) Anyway, here is what happened:
And I think it is pretty awesome! And for the first time in I don't know how long waking up at 6:45 AM this morning (with a BG of 101) I managed to handle breakfast like a champ (you should see the typical 200+ peaks I ususally get...)

I can only hope that once this very last (in god knows how long) Dexcom sensor will hang on for dear life (day 12) and provide me with more and more pictures like this, so that I know when I rip off that sensor, I can do it again without it. And again. And again. 

Have I mentioned that I feel great?! I never realized how even consistent high 100s with some 200+s in between can make you feel like shit... My 7-day average on my meter is 154. I'm used to the 190s. 
I hope I can keep it up (down).

With love, -Maria