Sudden Drop In Basal Rate

I've been taking 8 units of Levemir every 8 hours for the past 2 weeks or so and last night I'm glad I didn't bolus for dinner!
My basal needs dropped and I found myself watching Levemir cover my high protein meal of chicken and broccoli.
I dropped dose to 6 units Levemir at midnight and went down to 64 overnight (Dex woke me up). A little glucose brought me up to 94 and I dropped Levemir to 5 units at 8am.  After that, it seemed to be holding steady.
I've never seen this before but hopefully it's the start of improving my 6.7 a1c?  Or perhaps it's just female hormones trying to mess with me.  Either way, I was pleasantly surprised to not have to deal with blood sugar spikes overnight.

This is also a good reminder to keep an eye on how your blood sugar is reacting, even and especially when you're tempted to just continue what you're doing and throw your diabetes on the back burner.  Diabetes is like a child -- sometimes it cries for attention, and sometimes it's so quiet you begin to wonder what kind of trouble it is getting into.  It's up to YOU to keep an eye on it!

All Quiet on the Eye Front

Hubby and I had our eye doctor appointments today.

I don't know why, probably because of my higher A1C, but I was super worried about how my eyes were doing.  If you remember from last year, the doctor found that the blood vessels in my right eye had changed, but were nothing to really worry about nor did they need treatment.  This year, he found that my left eye looked clear, and my right eye was the same as the year before.  All clear!  "Keep up the good work and we'll see you next year!" 

My eyeglasses prescription has changed, though, which I figured had happened.  So since hubby and I both want new frames, we've decided to go ahead and get our new prescriptions filled!  We've had these old frames and lenses for about 5 years now so I think we're due!  Now we just have to figure out our money situation.    

Lab Results and A1C

Yesterday, I received the results of the labs my holistic doctor ran.  These were primarily to assess my thyroid medication and A1C, along with my inflammatory and cardiovascular risk.

Free T3: 3.2 (Range 2.0-4.4)
Reverse T3: 9.5 (Range 9-27)
Free T4 0.8 (Range 0.8-1.8)
TSH: 0.38 (Range 0.45-4.5)
Total T3: 1.03 (Range 0.8-2.0)
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody (Anti-TPO antibodies): 56 (Range 0-34)

Homocysteine: 6.1
CRP, High Sensitivity: 1.5
Range:
Less than 1 = low risk
1-3 = Average risk
3.1-9.9 = High risk
Greater than 9.9 = Very high risk

Vitamin D:  101 (Range 80-100)
Ferritin:  90 (Range 10-291)
HBA1C:  6.7

Metabolic Panel

Glucose:  116  (Range 60-99)
Sodium:  139  (Range 135-145)
Potassium:  4.1  (Range 3.5-5.3)
Chloride:  100  (Range 96-106)
Carbon Dioxide:  29  (Range 21-31)
Urea Nitrogen (bun):  13  (Range 6-20)
Creatinine:  0.6  (Range 0.6-1.3)
Bun/Creat Ratio:  22  (Range 9-35)
Calcium:  8.8  (Range 8.5-10.5)
Total Protein:  6.6  (Range 6.4-8.3)
Albumin:  4.4  (Range 3.5-5.2)
Globulin:  2.2  (Range 1.8-3.3)
Albumin/Globulin Ratio:  2.0  (0.8-2.0)
Total Bilirubin:  0.3  (Range 0.3-1.2)
AST (SGOT):  14  (Range 13-40)
ALT (SGPT):  15  (Range 7-52)
Alkaline Phosphatase:  46  (Range 38-101)

He said everything looks good and, that since all of my thyroid levels are in range, he's okay with letting my TSH be low.  The only change he made was to cut out the red yeast rice he had prescribed as a natural statin, because it was the only thing that was keeping my blood sugars elevated (my A1C increased from 6.4 in June to 6.7, and he added the red yeast rice in June to see if it would help with my high cholesterol levels).  He said I am sensitive to statins, as they raise my BGs, and that I don't need them.  He expects my A1C to drop come January, and wants to know what the result is when I get it done again at my endo's office.         

Diabetes is a Personal Disease

Three years ago, I wrote an article explaining my decision to not get a pump.  If you missed it, you can read it here.  I felt like I should write a follow-up post after reading a very inspiring Facebook post by a fellow diabetic, Caroline Levens.

Many people look at the picture she posted and think, "Why would you give yourself so many shots when you could just get a pump?"  The answer really isn't as simple as people think.

1.  Pumps aren't always the preference.
Believe it or not, some people don't like pumps.  Whether they hate being tethered to something or they don't like the inconvenience of having to change the infusion site every 3 days, or they don't want to deal with insurance headaches or pump malfunctions, some people don't like pumps.

2.  The method of insulin injection is not necessarily as important as receiving the injections.
If the pump works for you, great!  Stick with it!  If shots work better, great!  Stick with them!  Don't try to tell people they need to switch just because you like one over the other.  What works for you may not work for them.  You don't know their story.  Don't offer unsolicited suggestions if they seem happy with their choice.  In Caroline's case, she's not asking for pump suggestions.  She's showing us what a month of shots looks like, because that's her choice and she's happy with it.

3.  Just because she's taking more shots than YOU think is normal does not mean she's doing something wrong.
NEWSFLASH:  She's taking all those shots to keep her blood sugars normal and, if that's what it takes for her to achieve normal blood sugars, all the more power to her!  Don't go bashing people or accusing them of not being diabetic because they don't fit the "diabetic mold" that you've got preconceived in your head.  Diabetes is not a one-size-fits-all disease.  It is very much a personal disease, and everyone is going to manage it differently.  Don't go telling someone they aren't doing it right when they haven't expressed anything of the sort.      

I'm glad I chose to stick with shots.  That was the best decision for me.  I'm also happy that I chose to get a Dexcom.  I've been able to keep each sensor in over a week and it's been such a blessing.  I don't feel tethered to anything -- in fact, I feel freer!  The wireless aspect must be what makes the difference.

Do what works for you.  You deserve normal blood sugars.   

National Diabetes Awareness Month 2017

Today begins the month we seek to bring awareness to the metabolic condition known as diabetes.

I've covered several different aspects of diabetes over the years, so I've been racking my brain for a new angle.

I've been thinking a lot recently about commitment, satisfaction, empowerment, and control.  All of these things have become much bigger parts of my life while on a low carb diet and I wouldn't change anything.  I've become stronger, braver, and more determined to follow the course God has set for me while I walk the journey toward better health.  I am striving for these elements to become a part of other areas of my life because I've seen the benefits of implementing them on a daily or regular basis.  It hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies, I'll be honest, but it has been totally worth it.  I have the Lord and a low carb diet to thank, as well as the undying support and love of my family and friends in the diabetic community.   

On that note, I've been struggling with figuring out my insulin needs when it comes to covering protein with Regular insulin.  I'm eternally grateful for the TypeOneGrit community on Facebook that is so quick to offer support, encouragement, and suggestions for troubleshooting issues.  I don't know where I'd be without them.  I was able to determine that the protein/R ratio I was using wasn't quite enough.  I ended up doubling my dose (from 0.5 units of R per 1 oz of chicken to 1.0 unit of R per 1 oz of chicken) and saw much better results!

0.5 unit per 1 oz = a mess!  (both nights I tried this captured)

1.0 unit per 1 oz = smooth sailing!