After returning home from a short trip to New York last month, I got a cold or virus of some sort and my heart rate went completely out of control. On one of my runs my HR monitor indicated I ran for miles with a heart rate of over 200. At one point it actually showed a reading of 249. This, I know, is absolutely impossible, but it made me worry enough to go to the doctor. My doctor sent me to get a bunch of tests done including a stress test and some blood tests.
Worried that these tests may interfere with my marathon plans, and since my heart rate seemed to be getting back to normal after a couple weeks and a change of the HR belt (I took strap from my old Garmin 305 forerunner), I decided to put off all the tests until after the marathon.
So on Monday, still high from my marathon results, I went to do the blood test that I had been putting off. The tests included a TSH test to see if the abnormal heart rate was connected to my thyroid gland. Apparently this is a standard test for people with type 1 diabetes, but somehow I never had it tested.
My blood sugar was high that morning (250 – another problem to deal with) so I wasn’t surprised when my FBG result of 251 came in. I was happy to find out my thyroid gland was fine. I was also happy to see my cholesterol was good thanks to my medication – LDL 73.2, Non HDL 87 and HDL 84.6. This morning after coming back from a 4 mile run I checked to see if any more results had come in. They had, and among them was the one result I was dreading – my HbA1c.
For the past few months I’ve been having a very hard time keeping my blood sugar under control, especially during the night. I had been sick a couple times, but that wasn’t it. I haven’t changed my diet and my running has been steady for months. No matter what I do 4 out of 5 mornings I wake up over 150 (many times in the 180-250 zone). I’ve tried to increase my basal Lantus dose but find myself going low during the day, especially when I run.
So I should have been prepared for another disappointing result but somehow I never am. Last time I tested, I was very disappointed with an HbA1c of 6.8%. But today was worse. My HbA1c is back up to 7%. I know that this is considered normal for diabetics by many doctors but to me it’s a step backwards and a sort of a confirmation that I have a real problem with my blood sugar control.
I didn’t really need the blood test to tell me that I was having a problem since I check myself often enough to know. My numbers are fine during the day and since I follow a low carb paleo diet this makes sense. But I don’t understand what happens when I go to sleep and I really don’t know what to do about it. It seems that if I go to sleep low, I hypo in my sleep, and wake up high and feeling like I’ve been hit by a train. If I go to sleep a little high, I wake up much higher. The Lantus dose doesn’t seem to help.
All of this has left me frustrated and a little desperate. I’m not really sure what to do. My endo seems to think I need a pump (and a CGM which my insurance won’t pay for). I just don’t know.
When I took Lantus, which I liked, I found that I had to switch the time of day I took the injection, from morning to bedtime, because it was only last for me for 21 or so hours, not the promised 24, so I was high in the mornings. Anyway, you might try fooling around with that Lantus dose time before you feel as if the pump is your only option.
Yes, my insurance will pay for a pump. And I am moving in that direction. I have not surrendered yet but may be on the way.
Does your insurance pay for the pump? I have tried the CGM but don’t use it anymore because it isn’t covered. however i find that with very frequent testing and the pump I am able to acheive steady sugars…. I know you have written before about your reasons for not wanting to wear the pump. But i heard a good quote from someone recently when I gave a talk about managing emotions and diabetes…. he said we have to “surrender to win” when it comes to wearing the pump. I thought that was well put. There is no doubt it helps to… Read more »