I used to love to eat. I still do, but the consequence of eating often outweighs the pleasure I get from food. Sometimes I wish that eating was like smoking, a habit one could give up.
Yesterday I ate leftovers for lunch – chicken in tomato sauce with a cup of quinoa. I used the bolus calculator on my Veo to calculate my insulin dose and ate my meal. It was good (if I may say so myself), but about 20 minutes later I got incredibly tired. It was the kind of tired you can’t drive with, the kind you just can’t shake. I had a cup of coffee, but it didn’t help at all (it never really does). I tried to work hoping it would pass, but it didn’t.
I checked my blood sugar- it was 195 (and still on the way up). I thought maybe I’d miscalculated the carbohydrates in my meal. I decided to consult my insulin pump and see if maybe it would tell me to make a correction. I put in my BS and told it I wasn’t eating any carbs. The pump told me not to take any more insulin. I hadn’t done anything wrong- this was just my body’s reaction to eating a healthy meal with 40 grams of carb in it (and no fat).
All I could think was “if I could just not eat, give up food forever.”
An hour later I felt fine. My blood sugar was back to normal and I was totally alert. I tried to think what I should have done differently. Should I have taken my insulin an hour before I ate? That is not a very practical idea.
I also wondered how other diabetics “cover” eating things like donuts, ice cream or even pizza and beer. Maybe they just take a long nap after they eat, I thought. Maybe they know how to bolus better than I do. Or maybe they just feel like I did before I was diagnosed- tired all the time.
Dude, I so totally relate to this.
When my BG is rising I get SO SLEEPY. It’s debilitating. I often wonder how much productive time I’ve lost due to this, and it’s a number that frustrates me.
That sleepy feeling sometimes causes me to over-bolus out of sheer frustration, which then leads to a low later, and another sleepy rise from treating it. Roller coaster indeed!
I hate it. If we could give up food completely, diabetes would be so much easier.
Michael I completely see your point on this. I fast a couple times a year for a day and absolutely love it. So strange, right? I love fasting. My control is awesome. I can really test my lantus doses. And I don’t miss eating that much. Now of course I enjoy food like the rest of the world, but the twice a year I fast, I am reminded that not needing to eat might not be that bad! Now off to get some lunch. (the other 363 days I tend to forget about how much I like it). The other… Read more »
Michael, I can certainly relate to the idea of wanting to give up food. In fact, I had the idea about a week ago that my life might be better and easier if I simply drank smoothies all the time. I convinced myself not to try it, knowing that I need more than yogurt, berries, and spinach to survive. I try to remember that food is meant to be enjoyed, despite the consequences, and especially enjoyed with others. If I can surround myself with people when I eat, I often feel better. Just an idea, sir, from an understanding companion.… Read more »
My partner uses a wave or square bolus sometimes for heavier foods like whole wheat pasta or ice cream.