Dr. W. gave me this explanation yesterday of why gastroparesis is made worse by high bgs........
Imagine you are a non-diabetic for a bit (I know, I WISH!!). Anyway, if you are hungry your stomach rumbles right? This is because your brain knows your blood sugar is low and prepares your stomach to receive food, by making it more active to digest the food when it gets there, hence the rumbling. When you have eaten, the brain notices a blood sugar rise and knows the food has been digested, so the stomach slows down again.
In a diabetic, we get that hunger and rumbling when our bgs are low. But if the blood sugar is high, the brain tells the stomach to slow down because it doesn't need food. Therefore, if we then eat, the food isn't digested as fast, and the combination of this and the nerve damage which has occurred as a result of consistent high bgs makes the gastroparesis worse.
Now I know this, it makes so much more sense to keep my blood sugars down. I'm still doing okay, at 12 noon I was 8.5 (153) and 2.30pm I was 11.1 (199). I am happy with these results at the moment, but know I will have to tighten them up. Let's hope it continues to improve.
Friday, 6 July 2007
Progress?
Last night I went to bed with a bg of 9.5 (171) and woke up with a 7.2 (129) at 7.30am. It did shoot up a bit after breakfast but it is now 11.15am and it is 9.3 (167). Pretty good compared to recent numbers which have all been low to mid teens.
I'm wondering if all the stress of knowing I was going to have a bad appointment yesterday has lifted a bit. I am also trying to bolus correctly too so that has helped. And I'm not overly anxious either. Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel, but this is only a start so I mustn't get too carried away. Anyway, go me!!!
I'm wondering if all the stress of knowing I was going to have a bad appointment yesterday has lifted a bit. I am also trying to bolus correctly too so that has helped. And I'm not overly anxious either. Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel, but this is only a start so I mustn't get too carried away. Anyway, go me!!!
Thursday, 5 July 2007
My clinic visit results
A good and a bad day really.
My hair turned out a nice colour, no pic as yet though.
As for my appointment with Dr. W., well..............My kidneys are fine, the high urea result is due to dehydration, because my bgs are so high at the moment. As for the A1c (11.3), he wasn't impressed. He said there was no way a pump patient should have an A1c in double figures! As my pump is funded by my local Primary Care Trust, he said they (the PCT) would probably look at the result as a good reason to withdraw funding. Ok, I could afford to fund the consumables myself if it came to it, but I don''t want to have to. So there is reason 1 to get the result down.
I am also in a vicious circle with regard to the gastroparesis. Keeping high bgs so I don't go low if the gastro kicks in, is making it more likely to happen. Reason 2 to get the result down. I now have to take domperidone and erythromycin to help my stomach work better. I also got a prescription for an injection of metclopramide in case I really need it, but it is not to be used willy-nilly. My husband is not too chuffed at the prospect that there might come a time when he has to inject me with it, or the Glucagon that I also got today. He has never given me even an insulin injection before and really doesn't like the idea. But he would do it if it came to it.
I also got myself a blood pressure monitor to use at home. I always get "white coat syndrome" so they don't bother to check it for me at the clinic, so I have to take my own results in. I only had a wrist one before and they aren't very accurate.
It was also suggested again that I go onto the ward for a week so they could monitor me and keep an eye on stuff and sort me out. I am not keen on this idea and want to avoid it, Reason 3 to get the result down.
So, as of now, I am going to do things right. No more messing about, if I get anxious i will think things through logically and try not to just focus on all the negative thoughts. I bolused correctly for my dinner this evening and that's how i have to carry on.
Oh, and my thigh pouch came, not very flattering but no-one will see it. Well I might just flash it once for my friend Bex to have a giggle at!!!
My hair turned out a nice colour, no pic as yet though.
As for my appointment with Dr. W., well..............My kidneys are fine, the high urea result is due to dehydration, because my bgs are so high at the moment. As for the A1c (11.3), he wasn't impressed. He said there was no way a pump patient should have an A1c in double figures! As my pump is funded by my local Primary Care Trust, he said they (the PCT) would probably look at the result as a good reason to withdraw funding. Ok, I could afford to fund the consumables myself if it came to it, but I don''t want to have to. So there is reason 1 to get the result down.
I am also in a vicious circle with regard to the gastroparesis. Keeping high bgs so I don't go low if the gastro kicks in, is making it more likely to happen. Reason 2 to get the result down. I now have to take domperidone and erythromycin to help my stomach work better. I also got a prescription for an injection of metclopramide in case I really need it, but it is not to be used willy-nilly. My husband is not too chuffed at the prospect that there might come a time when he has to inject me with it, or the Glucagon that I also got today. He has never given me even an insulin injection before and really doesn't like the idea. But he would do it if it came to it.
I also got myself a blood pressure monitor to use at home. I always get "white coat syndrome" so they don't bother to check it for me at the clinic, so I have to take my own results in. I only had a wrist one before and they aren't very accurate.
It was also suggested again that I go onto the ward for a week so they could monitor me and keep an eye on stuff and sort me out. I am not keen on this idea and want to avoid it, Reason 3 to get the result down.
So, as of now, I am going to do things right. No more messing about, if I get anxious i will think things through logically and try not to just focus on all the negative thoughts. I bolused correctly for my dinner this evening and that's how i have to carry on.
Oh, and my thigh pouch came, not very flattering but no-one will see it. Well I might just flash it once for my friend Bex to have a giggle at!!!
Off to the hospital
I am off to the hospital for my appointment with Dr. W. this afternoon. I'm dreading it, as I'm in a bit of a mess with everything diabetes and I don't know what he will say. He threatened to "bring me in for a week" last time I was there. In other words stay on a ward for a week and get sorted out. I don't fancy that idea.
Anyway, before i go, I am going to the hairdresser's to have a colour put in my hair as I am going to a "do" on Saturday night for my ex-boss's retirement. It is a surprise party, and he hasn't got a clue!!
This what I look like now
and I'll post an after pic aswell.
and I'll post an after pic aswell.Postie just brought me some pump supplies, but he didn't bring the thigh pouch I ordered, which I will need for Saturday to wear under a long dress I have bought. I hope it gets here on time or I'll have to have a think where to put my pump.
Right I'm off to the hairdresser then..........
Wednesday, 4 July 2007
Diabetes daily
I have just had my blog added to the Diabetes Daily site. Hopefully I'll get a few more visitors now. If you have come over from there, please feel free to leave me a comment, thanks.
Tuesday, 3 July 2007
Kidneys
I am getting myself a little bit worried. I already have some complications - retinopathy & gastroparesis. My blood tests have revealed a higher than normal urea level in my blood. I did a "google" and found out that this could indicate kidney problems. I guess I'll find out on Thursday.
I am kind of in a limbo. When I have a clinic appointment coming up I get like this, a kind of "well I won't bother trying to change anything until I've been to my appointment cos it won't make any diffrence will it" kind of attitude. Well, only 2 days to go.
I am kind of in a limbo. When I have a clinic appointment coming up I get like this, a kind of "well I won't bother trying to change anything until I've been to my appointment cos it won't make any diffrence will it" kind of attitude. Well, only 2 days to go.
Monday, 2 July 2007
something positive
Yesterday morning, I didn't fart about with my breakfast insulin. I took some up front and extended the rest, BUT I did it before I ate, instead of waiting to see if the bg levels went up first. And guess what? Nothing bad happened!! Now I just have to remember that.
I also had a bit of a low yesterday evening. The bg was 6.8 (64) but I felt low because I've been so high lately. Anyway, I didn't panic and take Lucozade, I had a few Pringles instead (yummy) and it slowly went up. I felt a bit shaky for 15 minutes or so, but distracted myself with Big Brother and it went off.
I also had a bit of a low yesterday evening. The bg was 6.8 (64) but I felt low because I've been so high lately. Anyway, I didn't panic and take Lucozade, I had a few Pringles instead (yummy) and it slowly went up. I felt a bit shaky for 15 minutes or so, but distracted myself with Big Brother and it went off.
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