Author: leannah

It’s been a long time since I’ve written.

But, this year I turn 50 and it will also be my 10 year diaversary so I thought I’d give it another try. See where I’m at now.

Also, my BG is high right now (15.8mmol) and I have been struggling with it all day- extra boluses, higher basal rate, light exercise…

I’ve been fighting a cold for the past few days, which in itself makes my BG high, but it’s also taken me out of my regular exercise routine. So, what better time to start back with sharing my journey than when I’m tired and grouchy and feel like crying because I’m doing all the right ‘things’ and my body is not cooperating. It’s all a part of it. Here we go again…

High clouds today, just overcast and cool.
We hiked up to the flagpole above Pulpit Rock- just under 3km to the top with an elevation gain of around 650m. It took about 1.5hrs to get to the top. BG was 8.4mmol when we started. I suspended insulin delivery at that point and have learned with the last few hikes to break regularly for snacking. So this climb, with breaks about every half an hour, I had 1 and a half cliff bars and 30g of gatorade on the way up.

Coming back down is always a bit easier but my body likes to spike– my liver loves to dive in and do a glucose dump with all the exertion. At the top today I restarted my pump, did a slight correction (BG 8.5 so .40mmol to correct plus and extra unit, plus increased my pump basal rate by 80% for an hour for the climb down. I was at 9.9mmol when I got back to the car an hr later.

No big BG spikes and although I did skate along at 5 for a bit, I didn’t bonk out either. My health has improved drastically since last year at this time. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I was sweating buckets on the way up and my quads were shaking on the way down. I could’ve done that hike last year but not in that fast of time and not without a wild rollercoaster of blood sugar levels.

First bike ride of the year!
Just a little one to stretch my legs (45 mins, 14km round trip), out to Nasookin Rd and back.

Most of the way out is downhill so the challenge is always getting home. Usually I end up walking a few blocks to catch my breath. But this time I made it through Fairview and up the hill at Gyro Park and then up another steep block from Silica St to (lower) Carbonate.

Took me about 22mins to get out there. I didn’t change any pump settings for that. On the ride back I decreased my pump basal rate by 75% and had 10g of carbs at around 35mins of riding (just heading into the steady uphill). Thought about my ‘reward’ snacks while I pushed up the hill- pepperoni sticks and chocolate avocado pudding!

Started with blood sugar around 10mmol (took 1 less unit of insulin at breakfast) and climbed to 10.5, on the way out. I am at 8.3mmol now that I am back home.

BG was fucked all last week (I had been away for 2 weeks, helping friends move to Haida Gwaii so my food and exercise routines got all messed up.) Often spikes to 17-21mmol, even with increases to basal rates and extra boluses.

I am giving myself this week to get slowly back on track. I was trying to explain to someone the feeling of having high BG for days on end. I’m tired to the point of exhaustion, foggy headed, irritable. They said they understood and man, it was hard to not tell them to shut up. You have no idea what it’s like.

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BG down to 6 by the evening. Ran with an increased basal rate of 50% most of midday. hoping for better tomorrow.

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1.9mmol. Woke up at 10:30pm. Freestyle scan just said ‘low’. Never seen that before. Huh. Finger stick as start eating dex tabs. 1.9. Feeling waves of cold sweats rolling over me, and nausea. Super tired all of a sudden. Out to kitchen for pb&j and sit at the table shakily slathering bread from open containers. I remember i had the peanut butter container clutched between my knees.

A1C is down to 7.8!

Pump helped so much and lots of hard work with exercise and healthy eating. Worrying about my ferritin (iron) levels again. Down to 99, was 162 in December. Wonder if I should start the supplement again…

BG not coming down. Increased basal by 20% plus a bolus 2hrs after supper and I’m sitting at 16.6.

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17.5 to 17.2 in half an hour.

Exercised today, ate well. I may have miscalculated by 10-15g at dinner but that doesn’t explain this. It’s so frustrating. I can’t fucking do this, I am tired of it. I work really hard- exercise, eat right, bolus correctly. I hate this disease and I hate being alone in it.

Changing my pod. Due tonight but gonna change it early- think that might be part of the problem causing highs. When I’ve worn it on my thigh before my body doesn’t respond well and I think I’ve been bumping it. I’m running at 18mmol now and when I just removed this pod it was all bloody (so obviously not receiving proper dosage).

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Trying not to dwell on the last few days of highs. Keep telling myself it’s ok, that it was just a little blip. But every time I think about it right now I want to cry.

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Ok! 7.2 for supper! Just finished at +30% temp basal that ran for 3hrs. Still frustrated. Positive thoughts aren’t sinking in.

been running high the last couple days- I tweeked my neck/shoulder the other day and it’s basically immobilized me. 16mmol right now. Started a temp. rate of +30% for the next 2 hrs and doing 1 unit correction. Sigh.

The exercise is still really hard to motivate myself to do but I am noticing more and more the relaxed feeling afterwards. My body is warmed up and my BG is lowered and running more steady.

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Temp basal decreased by 20% for 3hrs after lunch. I did that overnight last night for a few hrs too. Will look at dropping basal, still haven’t done it yet. Might email clinic for help.

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Old basal settings- .25 midnight – 4am, .30units 4am-6pm, .25units 6pm-midnight.

Now- .20 midnight -4am, 4am-6pm .25, .20units 6pm-midnight