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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Recative vs Proactive

As I have read several posts from other D Moms I have come to understand that "chasing numbers" is just part of the new normal for us but REALLY when do I get to learn how to be proactive instead of reactive! It seems as though NOTHING I do creates any kind of consistency! I read yall’s post about giving less cause they were going to be running around and giving more cause it was a long lasting carb or something... but right now all I know is if he eats x then do y. I just feel like no matter what I do he is either SUPER HIGH or in the 70's. Our target is 100-200 and I CANT EVER get him to be there for more than 1 test at a time. I get maybe 1 in range number a day! Then there are the times when you just test for peace of mind and he is LOW.. those are the times I think WTH...  I thought the point of filling out these logs every week was so that the Dr. would call with advice and assistance... I guess we dont get that till we go in for an appointement in May???


our formula looks like this
(IF BG is over 200) BG-200 = A, then A/200=B THEN


add Carbs=X, then X/60=Y. Then take Y+B=C (base units of insulin) Then to get our dose since we are on diluted insulin take C*4 =Z


The biggest problem to this is when he is taking a snack every few hours and so the last dose of insulin hasn’t fully corrected


here is our apx schedule:
7 am up and test
Breakfast cover carbs and correct
9:30-10ish 5 oz milk and nap cover
12:30 lunch cover and correct
3:30 snack and nap cover
6:00 dinner cover and correct
8:30 bed snack and cover
12:00 am test
3:00 am test
7 am all over again.


Because I work from home I am now not getting anything done during the day so I work when the kids go to sleep around 8:30-9 pm then finish around midnight with work and I KNOW if I sleep then I’ll miss the 3:00 testing... I just stay up... this is making for a VERY sleepy and grumpy mommy.

HOW DO YOU DO IT!! how did you learn to be proactive and less reactive, what time do you go to bed to be able to do this 3 am testing... what do you do if you know the last insulin dose hasn’t worked fully yet so your numbers are going to be wacky...

8 comments:

  1. Oh boy, does all this way too familiar! One thing you need to remember is that he is still so newly diagnosed, and it will take awhile to start seeing any constants. At this point, your endo (or CDE) should be reviewing your numbers on a weekly basis and getting in touch with you to recommend changes. You are just way too new at this to be able to spot trends and make changes on your own. If they're not doing this, start being vocal about what you need. At this point in your journey, you need to be fully supported.

    There are also so many factors to think about why his BG is all over the place. When they are this little, they go through so many growth spurts, which totally mess up their BG (For Elise, she usually goes way high). Types of carbs/food you're feeding him, too much activity/not enough activity... it's just like a balancing act and soon you will learn what works for you. Don't get down, it is so, so tough with the little ones.

    As for sleep, you just learn to survive on about 4 hours a night. I've become sort of a "shell" of my former self; still there, but not 100%. It sucks, there's no way around it. I usually wait up for the 12:00 check because it takes me a long time to fall asleep.

    Unless I can get to bed at 8:00, and that's just not happening!

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  2. I don't know much about these super little ones, but is there any chance your husband would take one of the night checks so you can get a little more sleep?
    We're almost a year into this and I still get frustrated at not understanding why her numbers are what they are. I realize that doesn't offer much hope, but know that you are not alone!

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  3. Thanks so much for such great words of support!! Let me be very clear since my hubby does read here.. He is VERY supportive and will help out with over nights... he usually does them on weekends but during the week I feel it is my job since I stay home and hey has to go to work in the am... He is by far one of the most supportive team players I know in the world of husbands around here:) I am sure you all have great ones too.. I just didnt want to seem like he doesnt help he is very helpful.. I still feel like it is my job though... anyone else feel that way or it is my need to be in control all the time??

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  4. He's little. Things will definitely get easier as you learn more. But it may not get a whole lot better until he's older.

    Charlotte was 23 months was she was diagnosed, and I can see a big difference even now from over a year ago. It takes so little to make a huge jump in blood sugar-- carbs, exercise, growth spurts, tantrums!, you name it. It seemed she was all over the place all the time! Getting a pump has made a big difference because I can accurately bolus as small as 0.05 units. And sometimes that's all she needs! It has made things so much easier. Our first endo said to wait a year to put her on the pump, but we moved and I found an endo who put her on the pump right away.

    But things can still be crazy. Even now, if Charlotte sits down to watch a movie, she goes high. If she goes out and plays, she goes low. If she hangs around the house, she's just fine (1/2 the time). You never know. You never know what their little bodies are really doing. It doesn't take much to send them too high or too low. Since we're not a real pancreas, we don't get enough info to really "control" diabetes. So you have to test often. Sometimes, that's really all you can do!

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  5. And in answer to your question in your comment-- I do most of the diabetes stuff too. Because you really have to be watching trends to make adjustments in insulin, that job falls to me because I'm the one home all day. DH can count carb and bolus via the pump. But I'm the one up all night, because how I correct a high or low number at night really depends on what's happened in the previous few nights. And I do try to communicate D things-- "She's running low, please keep a close eye on her," etc.-- but I'm the one watching for patterns. Maybe I'm a control freak too, but it doesn't bother DH. :)

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  6. i love you. i agree with joanne's comment about your doctor... you should be fully supported right now by the doc...call and ask why you haven't heard anything, what do they see in your charts. waiting till may to get some feedback isn't an option for this lil' guy and your sanity.

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  7. I agree with Joanne!! There are so many factors - - he's so little, newly diagnosed, and sometimes it's just hard!! You should be getting more support from your endo or a CDE if you are sending in weekly logs. I am just now (7-months into this crazy ride) spotting trends and making my own adjustments.

    You will get there but don't push it. It's hard now but I PROMISE it does get better. Nate is 21 months now and we have days where I still will only get a few reading within his 100-200 range. They are growing SO fast and things change quickly.

    Don't beat yourself up - - - you are doing the best that you can and that is AWESOME!

    Oh and on the sleep issue. I have stopped thinking of it as going to bed but my world just consists of little naps here and there.

    We do a 10p, 12a and 3a check also so I just tell myself that I am about to take an awesome 2 or 3 hour nap!!

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  8. I like what's been said. I remember after Syd's dx I went into what I call "survival mode." It was a mode where I did what I had to in order to get from one day to the next. It kept us afloat...like you, I have a very supportive hubby which helped tons.

    Just keep doing what you have been taught. I promise, eventually it will all sorta come together and you will be able to do things on the fly eaiser. It takes time, but you WILL get there. I can't say this disease ever gets easy...cause it doesn't. But it DOES get easier than those first few months in "survival mode."

    And, if you have questions, that's why our d-community is here! Hang in there. Email me w/ any questions or to vent or ANYTHING! I check it frequently. HUGS! Take care.

    Shamae

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