Help!
I know I've been a blog snob - no posts for ages, almost a dead blog, blah blah.
Thing is, I have something going that I just don't understand. Maybe you can help?
I control my diabetes well, I have A1cs to be proud of - around the low 6s normally, without a single serious low or grossly crazy high, ever. (Serious = requiring hospital or anyone else's help). I mostly eat carefully but I allow myself whatever I want along with careful calculations and extra testing. This has always worked for me and led to pretty darned good control for someone with a crapped-out pancreas.
However... my last couple of A1cs have been higher; 6.7 and 6.6. No big deal, you might think, but it's a big difference when you consider than my 6.2 comes from sitting pretty between 3.5 and 8 90% of the time. My latest 6.6 comes from swinging randomly between 1 and 19. NOT nice.
Normally I can look at trends or think back on what I've done and see what's happening - right now I'm stumped. Nothing has changed to cause this weirdness. I have no lumps on my injection spots. I change my injection spots all the time and have a lot to choose from. I don't seem to need to change my Lantus dose (which I take evenly split at 12 hour intervals) - and if I did surely my BGs would either be high OR low, not a wild mix of both.
So people, what's going on? Cure me over the net, will ya?!
I suspect some sort of illness. In fact I was really sure I had thyroid problems - I can tick of just about every box in a list of symptoms (and my mother has hyperthyroidism just to add to my chances). However my TSH came back normal at 1.5. So I'm stuck with a fast heartbeat, endless thirst & hunger, crazy anxiety, insomnia, etc... and nothing to blame it all on.
I had an appointment with my endo today that wasn't exactly satisfying but I'm going back in a while, at which point I get to borrow a CGMS for a week, that almost makes it all worthwhile! I've said for years I'd almost be willing to kill for a CGMS ;) Such a tease to only get a week with it but at least I get to play :) Lets hope it can show me something I've missed.
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4 comments:
Hi -
another "defunct" blogger here. They checked T3 and FT4 in addition to TSH didn't they? Because my thyroid decided to go hyper- not hypo- which is what the fast heartbeat, anxiety, etc sounds like. FT4 was off before TSH crashed into the ground...
Also, has your FSH been checked? I was "too young" to worry about menopause but it's already a done deal - my BGs were always nuts but with Aunt Flo no longer visiting and the thyroid nuked into submission, I'm finally seeing more stable numbers - sort of the opposite of your case, but the best I can come up with over the web ; )
Good luck!
Hey Val :) Thanks heaps for your comment! I feel a bit better already :)
No they didn't test T3 or T4 - but I'm going to push for those tests, I've read a lot about TSH being a bit behind the other tests, and my symptoms are just SO thyroid related according to everything I've read, I can't think of anything else!
Also my mother's thyroid problems weren't spotted for years after she started having symptoms, so it could be that I'm following in her footsteps.
FSH has been checked yes - I am definitely menopausal. Which kinda sucks at my age but that's my auto-immune system playing with me again. It's almost over (though it's taking forever, it started when I was 27 and I'm still waiting, I'm 34 now!). Can't wait 'til that's done with so I can get on with life without hormonal crap getting in the way!
Sounds like something is messing with your absorbtion rate, and I don't need to tell you all the things that can do that I'm sure.
But as always, we should eliminate the easy things first....
When did you last confirm your Insulin:Carb ratio(s). Maybe they have changed slightly.
Have you switched to a new vial/cartridge. Maybe you've just got a dicky batch.
Replaced pens. Maybe it's on the way out and making dodgy delivery.
Checked meter for accuracy. Maybe it's misreading and making you misdose.
Do you know what's going on over night, do a few tests in the wee hours to see.
Hmm - good points, James. I wondered about my meter being dodgy about a month ago, and switched to using one of my other meters for a while. That didn't solve anything. However I was once again reminded that meters are stupid - when I test on both meters I always get different results. The higher the BG the bigger the gap between results. That's just typical of meters though, they were still within what they call an accurate range. Not good enough for me! But that's another rant.
It could be that my NR needs have changed a little but I'd expect a more uniform result there - always high after a meal, or always low after a meal. It's just not that predictable.
I've been through a few cartridges so I can't blame just one of them - could be a dodgy batch though. New ones coming today so I'll switch as soon as I get them just in case.
New pens coming today too, so ditto that :)
I do know (mostly) what's going on overnight - thanks to not sleeping very well through all of this! I'm testing any time I wake up. BG could be a random high or a random low - though the most likely result is high. I also suspect I'm sleeping through lows - that's scaring me. I soooo need to get this sorted out, I can't stand that it's so random. I just can't find the pattern or the source... having no control has really changed my view of diabetes! It's no longer just something that I deal with every day, it's become something that I have to fight and it's taking too much energy :(
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