Since my first discovery of diabetes at the end of last year, there have been a lot of changes in my life. I have changed my eating habits, I have had to start taking medication (which I usually manage to do), and I have started to exercise more. In fact I bought an exercise bike last month which I have been using several times a week.
I have lost weight (had to look out clothes I had put away as I couldn’t fit into them anymore), and my blood sugar levels have dropped significantly. It’s all good.
Only it isn’t. I feel like I am fighting an uphill battle most of the time. Sometimes I am fighting against the outdated and dangerous advice of the NHS who believe that the best way to treat diabetes is to make sure you have plenty of starchy carbs. I am also battling myself as I am finding I can get irritated or angry easier than I used to. I often feel “annoyed” that I have to make my food rather than just eat quick food. Diabetes represents an increase in effort for most aspects of life.
Lately though – in the last week or so – I have found my blood sugar fluctuate more than before. Maybe I am taking my eye off the ball with what I am eating but I have noticed my blood sugar jump up to over 8mmol/l suddenly, and then just as suddenly drop down to as low as 3.7mmol/l (technically a hypoglycemic reaction). The good news is that I can recognise accurately when I am having a hypo – or about to. It is frighting how quickly this can come on – but I am prepared for it. Within a period of 5 mins I can go from feeling “ok” to suddenly feeling panicked, feel like cold sweat, shaking hands, slight disorientation. I know then that it’s time to take a couple glucose tablets – and then grab something like some toast or something else with slower carbs in. I plan to keep some oat cakes in my car as they will keep for some time unopened.
I have been tired lately and frustrated with many things. I think this has caused me to end up going to bed later – which makes me tired in the morning and can effect my blood sugar levels the next day. I have stopped eating as carefully the last week or so and while I haven’t been “bad” I have not been as careful or taken the time to prepare my food as I was doing. I also haven’t used my exercise bike for about 5 days!
I am sure that little things like making too large a bowl of porridge, too much bread, eating late and not getting enough sleep have caused a knock on effect that I need to change.
These things will happen I guess the key is to not let them settle and keep kicking myself back into gear when I start to flag. It’s only been 2 months so far – and this needs to last a lifetime so I can’t afford to fail already!
