Winter Woes

I was on the Tube this morning reading the Metro when I noticed the headline 'Risk of diabetes rises in winter'. Being diagnosed in January I thought this was quite interesting, I read on waiting for the mystery of my diagnosis to be revealed....I then got to this paragraph:

'It may be caused by seasonal changes in blood glucose and insulin levels, seasonal viral infections or the fact that young people tend to eat more and do less exercise in winter'

It was the last statement that annoyed me, not only do I have to explain to people that I didn't get diabetes because I ate lots of sweets or because it runs in my family but now I potentially also have to explain that I wasn't an overweight lazy child who at the first sign of a chill in the air suddenly had the urge to overeat.

Maybe I should of adopted the head wear at the top of this page and that might of prevented me 'catching' diabetes. Whatever next. Read the full article here.

Picture via Flickr.

Here comes the bride..

I went to try on my wedding dress earlier in the week.

When I first went dress shopping I wasn't on my pump and originally I thought that I would probably go back onto injections on my wedding day, but as confirmed in a conversation with HTB (code for husband to be - let's hope he doesn't read this post as he doesn't like that nickname) I am now pump converted and would much rather have my pump by my side when I say 'I do' than worry about bleeding after an injection onto my dress, to name just one downside of injections, I know I've changed my tune...

As I started to explain to my wedding dress designer I had something to tell her - I could see the horror on her face as she contemplated what I was about to reveal - before I could finish properly she said 'Oh you've got a box' it turned out someone who bought a bridesmaid dress from one of her stockists also had 'a box' and she had sewed a pouch into the dress. Phew, a thirty minute explanation into diabetes wasn't needed and turns out maybe I won't have to get my needle and thread out after all, I might get my own designer pouch!

Picture via Flickr 

Excess Baggage

I got home from work this evening looking like I had just had a shower fully clothed.

I had been contemplating going to the gym this evening but my heart wasn't in it. I had reduced my basal rate before I left work and ate a cereal bar on the tube and in my head I was battling with going and then not going, then going...I resolved the decided factor would be what my blood sugar was when I got off the tube. 8.1 - not going. Then I saw the rain, definitely not going now.

 I changed into my trainers (flip flops pretty useless) whilst everyone else was cowering under doorways, I put my umbrella up and braved it. Yeah, I thought this is fine it's only a bit of rain, I had been so hot today in the sauna that is my office that the first few minutes in the rain was positively cooling. Then my jeans started to stick to my legs, the rain off my bag was running down my back, my trainers were getting heavy as they were so bogged down with the rain, it wasn't good.

When I got home and opened my bag, everything inside was a little soggy. I emptied the contents of my bag onto the coffee table and it nearly filled it. It was then I decided to take a picture of how much STUFF I carry around with me. And this was only one bag, I had two bags with me today.

One of my boyfriend's books he had lent me to read earlier in the week was probably the worst hit, I've now got a crinkly DAFNE diary, some soggy business cards, a wet baby sock (for my pump)...I'll let you study the contents, but I'd like to point out as much as I like writing and drawing, why on earth does a girl need 4 pencils and 2 pens?

Sugary Fingers

Yesterday I had a few issues with my blood meter. My blood sugar was clearly low, but my meter wasn't sure: 5.3 followed by a 4.4 then a 7.3! Followed by a 4.7 then a 3.7 - can you tell I don't trust it?! I'm obsessed at the moment, it's ridiculous, I have to test enough without having to test again to check the first test was accurate!

Looking back at how many times I tested to confirm what I already knew seems a bit crazy, but I just wanted to see what bizarre results it would throw at me. These were all consecutive tests some using exactly the same drop of blood and fair enough I'll admit it I hadn't washed my hands immediately before. Half an hour earlier it had read 14.4 so I had corrected. The morning before my blood sugar was 15.4 on waking, I corrected, ate my breakfast and took insulin for that; later that morning I had a hypo and wasn't quite sure why, now I am thinking was it really that high in the first place?

So, I have been doing some tests comparing my Optium Xceed meter with a One Touch Ultra Easy meter I recently got. I have been washing my hands for those who think that's the reason for these results and I have been changing the needle in my finger pricker as well.

This morning on waking Xceed said 9.8 and One Touch said 5.3 (then 6.3) - a distinct difference that could result in me taking a unit of insulin more/less than I needed.

I've just done the same now, who knows what my blood glucose really is, see for yourself.

These tests were all done consecutively and you can see that even my One Touch meter is a little inconsistent, with the 9.3 throwing a spanner in the works.

I just had dinner and tested myself before, this time I had 3 meters! A new Optium Xceed I had as a spare read 15.4 and the One Touch read 15.8. At last some consistency but not good as my blood glucose is high.

I can't believe the inconsistency in something so vital. I would love to know if anyone else has had these problems too?