Comments on: Numbers, numbers, numbers

By: Tom Kacy

Tom Kacy — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 18:09:57 +0000

1. I’m hypo unaware
2. I have a history of going really low - seizures, 911 calls, the works
3. She keeps saying she wants me to keep my numbers higher (in the 160
range) for awhile to see if my awareness will return.
I know that it would be useful to be able to tell when I’m going
low. However, with the pump, I’ve only had a few low numbers and only one
really low one in the 30’s. I’ve been checking my BG at least 10 times a
day, and doing nighttime checks several times a week. Also, all of those
awful lows I had were when I was taking NPH. Even Lantus was a big
improvement and almost immediately stopped the daily lows.
I got an e-mail from the CDE saying I shouldn’t raise my night basal rate
by any more than .05, but I already raised it by .1 two nights ago. I
didn’t mention that, though. It seems to be working out better, I’ve woekn
up in the 130 - 140’s the past two mornings instead of 180 - 200’s.
–

Liz
Type I dx 4/1987
MiniMed Paradigm 715 5/16/05

By: Tom Kacy

Tom Kacy — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 23:22:00 +0000

It really is great. I’m still finding things new things I can add to it
even after using it for 4 months. The BEST thing about this meter is that
if you’re going through your test history, you can go backwards &
forwards. With all of my old meters you’d start at the most current test
and could only go back. Sometimes I’d hit the button twice in a row too
fast and skip the test I wanted to see, so I’d have to start over.
The CDE has asked me a few times why I don’t use the meter that came with
my pump (a BD meter, like the Logic but it can “talk” to the pump) but I
don’t think I’ll ever give up the UltraSmart.
–
Liz
Type I dx 4/1987
MiniMed Paradigm 715 5/16/05

By: Tom Kacy

Tom Kacy — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 05:12:24 +0000

Before my first visit with the endo in March, I had printed out the Data
List report from the Lifescan software. She was very impressed with the
colors! I think I had printed out one month’s worth of readings. It took
forever to print. Lifescan should really make that report more compact, as
the endo and later the nurse both had trouble reading it. If I tested,
then added food info and insulin, that one reading would take up half the
page.
From now on I’m just bringing my paper log book, and the Glucose Trend &
Standard Day reports. Both of those are just one page each. Last time the
nurse looked at the Lifescan reports and if she wanted more detail on any
readings it was easy to flip to the correct day/page in the logbook for
more detail.
–
Liz
Type I dx 4/1987

MiniMed Paradigm 715 5/16/05

By: Tom Kacy

Tom Kacy — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 11:02:49 +0000

Right now I’d kill to have those numbers!! My morning readings would
average 200 if I didn’t wake up during the night to test & correct. I’m on
a pump and last night I decided to raise my nighttime basal by .1 unit. I
didn’t tell the NP/CDE because she would have told me not to. Last night
before bed my reading was 210 (it rose from 134, which was 2 hours after
dinner) so I had to correct. I went to bed shortly after. Woke up at
2:10am and tested at 131 and left it, and by 8:30 when I got up it was
144. I’m giving my new rate a few days and then I’ll either raise it again
or start that higher rate earlier.
I’m just having a lot of problems after meals, especially at night.
–
Liz
Type I dx 4/1987
MiniMed Paradigm 715 5/16/05

By: Arlen Roberts

Arlen Roberts — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 08:57:36 +0000

Mike,

I have been aiming for numbers between 80 and 120. However, it seldom happens, and stress ALWAYS sends my numbers over 200. No matter how much I shoot extra. If I don’t eat, over 200. If I eat Applebee’s sampler platter, over 200. If I give extra insulin (sometimes up to units), over 200. Once the stress thing is done, it goes right back to the range I want. But, with this ICU internship, the stress has been coming in waves. My numbers reflect this, too.

I figure, once I have the numbers in the machine, there is nothing I can do to change them, so why fret over it? Just try to do better, and not beat myself up. My life has been influenced by this diabetes, and I will not allow it to take over my optimistic attitude. Do you suppose we could use a 12 step program for diabetics?

Hi, my name is Pollyanna, and I cannot control my sugars. : )

Don’t know if this answered your question, but thanks for listening, anyway!

Joan

By: collier500

collier500 — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 18:03:53 +0000

I still keep track…I have a weekly spread sheet that I keep on the frig. I really like it because it shows trends. High at lunch 3 days in a row…low at bedtime several days in the week. makes making changes seem ok when the proof is right in front of your face.

However I don’t have to send numbers or insulin totals anywhere. We go every 3 months and that seems to be enough for our endo.

Thanks for caring and sharing,
Rhonda
Mom to Sydney, 8
type 1 since April 7, 2003
pump start march 2, 2005

last A1C 6.4!

By: Tom Kacy

Tom Kacy — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 09:46:05 +0000

I use a One Touch UltraSmart, and the free Lifescan software to download
the meter info. There are a bunch of reports to choose from. I used to
try to write things down in the record books the meter companies provide
but I’ve always hated them so I eventually stopped writing anything
down. Last year I got an Ultra meter, and bought the USB cable to download
it. Earlier this year I upgraded to an UltraSmart, which I love. The
software has two reports that the NP/CDE likes to see - Standard Day and
Glucose Trend. You can set the reports to show you 2 weeks worth of
readings, a month, three months or any range you want.
I found the two reports above to be very depressing when I printed them out
last week for the first time. Many, many readings above the normal range
on the graphs. Of course the CDE focused only on the lows she saw, which
were not that many or very low. Except for a reading of 38, and I don’t
remember how that happened but it was a dumb mistake on my part.
My CDE feels that I do obsess about my numbers. I believe she even uses

that word in every e-mail I’ve gotten from her. I started using a pump
last month and trying to get my rates set is driving me crazy.
Besides using the One Touch software, I also keep a paper log book. My
MiniMed pump came with one and it’s the only paper log book I’ve seen that
is actually useful. Has room for lots of test results that aren’t put in
as set periods - no Pre-Breakfast/Post-Breakfast etc like all the other
books I’ve used. It has room to enter carbs, insulin (for meals and for
corrections), exercise, ketones and more. Also room for writing down meals
and notes. In the back of the book there are some blank graphs but I’m not
sure how they should be filled in. Since I get reports from the One Touch
software I ignore the graphs in the book.
I think it really does help to keep a record, whether it’s on a computer or
on paper. You said that you’re using a One Touch meter, so you should
download the free software from Lifescan’s site and give it a try.
–
Liz