This was an awful lot for me to fully process. What has the move from Type 2 to Type 1 diabetes fully meant to me?
- I no longer take oral medications to control my blood sugar. They are not effective for me. Instead, I am totally dependent on a daily regimen of insulin. In my case, I inject fast-acting insulin with each meal and before bed time. I inject longer-lasting insulin in the morning and at night. Yup. That amounts to six injections a day. Sometimes my body looks like a purple pin cushion. But you know what? You just get used to this too.
Typically, I check my blood sugar levels at least four to six times a day. Dr. Terrana wants me to check every time I am going to drive – to be sure I am not too low.
My sense of control and consistency have greatly diminished. With Type 2 diabetes, I could control my sugar levels within a rather narrow band. With Type 1 diabetes, my sugar levels can vary from 50 to 300 – and vice versa – very quickly. This is mostly due to the minimal functioning of my remaining pancreas. It’s a challenge.
I work very hard to control my sugar levels. But there are times when they may be high or low, regardless of what I eat and how much I exercise. For me, the jump in my sugar count between breakfast and lunch is the highest.
Dr. T. wants me to be more concerned about hypoglycemia than with hyperglycemia. Why? Because it is more likely to cause a bad side effect, such as passing out. As per the ADA:
