[Jeff97015]

Hi. I'm a new member to the site, though I have been lurking in the background for a couple of days.

I am a type I diabetic, diagnosed on 07-12-10 while in the hospital for pancreatitis. My A1c was at 12% and my blood glucose levels were at 299. My Triglycerides were in the 3000 range.

So when I was released from the hospital my new doc put me on 600 mg of Gemfibrozil twice a day and 4 units of Novalin 70/30 in the morning and 7 units in the evening. I have altered my diet and exercise regimin. I've always had a sweettooth and I thought it would be hard to give them up, but so far I haven't really missed them.

After two weeks I have my blood glucose levels down. They flucuate between the low 90's to the low 100's.

My biggest issue in controlling my blood glucose levels is my job. I work nights and in an effort to try and spend time with my family, I eat all my meals during the day and have a snack mid-shift at work. This seems to work well, but it means I don't get a lot of sleep. I'd be interested to know if there are any other night shift folks out there and how they handle meals and their meds.

Aside from the diabetes issues, my interests include reading (mostly science, history, cookbooks, and the occassional sci-fi/fantasy book), cooking, playing guitar, music in general, boardgames, and playing with my wonderful pets (two cats and a dog).

 

[JimmyJ]

Good morning, Jeff97015
I, too am new - but from what I've seen on this site, there are hundreds of people that are here to help us on this adventure.
Nice to see ya.

JimmyJ
Toronto

 

[onaughmae]

Hi. I'm a new member to the site, though I have been lurking in the background for a couple of days.

I am a type I diabetic, diagnosed on 07-12-10 while in the hospital for pancreatitis. My A1c was at 12% and my blood glucose levels were at 299. My Triglycerides were in the 3000 range.

So when I was released from the hospital my new doc put me on 600 mg of Gemfibrozil twice a day and 4 units of Novalin 70/30 in the morning and 7 units in the evening. I have altered my diet and exercise regimin. I've always had a sweettooth and I thought it would be hard to give them up, but so far I haven't really missed them.

After two weeks I have my blood glucose levels down. They flucuate between the low 90's to the low 100's.

My biggest issue in controlling my blood glucose levels is my job. I work nights and in an effort to try and spend time with my family, I eat all my meals during the day and have a snack mid-shift at work. This seems to work well, but it means I don't get a lot of sleep. I'd be interested to know if there are any other night shift folks out there and how they handle meals and their meds.

Aside from the diabetes issues, my interests include reading (mostly science, history, cookbooks, and the occassional sci-fi/fantasy book), cooking, playing guitar, music in general, boardgames, and playing with my wonderful pets (two cats and a dog).

Hi Jeff..nice to meet you and glad you found us

I can totally understand how hard it is to work nights and still stick to scheduled meal times. I work 12 hour shifts at night. I was doing sort of the same thing you are. I would have breakfast at home when I came in from work...sleep...then get up and have a meal before going to work. I would eat something light and *very* lo carb at night. On the days I was off I always flipped over to a "day schedule" which messed me up a bit for the first day. It is definately a challenge to manage that way. Honestly, the easiest fix for this was going on the pump. With the pump you do not have to eat at scheduled times. You eat whever you are hungry. When you are taking scheduled doses of insulin you have to eat to match your dose...but with a pump you dose to match what you eat. You only use fast acting insulin. It definitely makes life so much easier since it offers flexibility that scheduled dosing does not allow for. Something to consider at some point maybe

 

[onaughmae]

Good morning, Jeff97015
I, too am new - but from what I've seen on this site, there are hundreds of people that are here to help us on this adventure.
Nice to see ya.

JimmyJ
Toronto

Nice to meet you Jimmy and welcome Please feel free to ask anything you like. There are lots of very knowledgeable people here and there is always something new to learn. Learning to manage diabetes in the beginning is hard, but it will get easier..I promise!

 

[Adjitater]

The insulin regiment you are on is the most ideal. If you could talk your Dr. into switching it to say lantus and novorapid it would work out much better. Lantus eliminates the peaks that make it necessary to eat at certain times. The other thing that helps is to stay on the same sleep scheduale all the time working or not.

 

[Shanny]

Welcome aboard, Jeff. Thank you for joining us! Always great to meet new friends. One of these days you'll have to tell us more about your furball friends too - we have a coupla those over here too, who make life really hilarious!

This juggling of jobs, family and SLEEP can get to be a struggle! BTDT! I always kept thinking when the kids got older, I'd get more sleep. Then I'd think when the kids grew up & got out on their own, I'd be able to relax & get more sleep. I even entertained the goofy idea that I might occasionally get more sleep on the weekends. Y'know what? I never got a good night's sleep until I retired from the work force. And then it took me a month of sleeping 12 hours at a stretch to catch up! I didn't know how totally exhausted I was!

Do take care & visit us often.

 

[Richard157]

Hello Jeff, welcome to our community You seem to be doing very well. The blood sugar levels are great. I hope you don't have very low blood sugar while on the night shift. Will you be on that shift only temporarily? I suppose you sleep at home during the day. How many hours of sleep are you getting each day? Getting enough sleep is very important for stable control 24/7.

I have been type 1 for 64 years and I am doing very well. If we can help you with anything, be sure and let us know.

Richard

 

[ThoseBackPages]

welcome to the boards Jeff!

Please feel free to ask anything that you like,
there are plenty of great people here

 

[Jeff97015]

Good morning, Jeff97015
I, too am new - but from what I've seen on this site, there are hundreds of people that are here to help us on this adventure.
Nice to see ya.

JimmyJ
Toronto

Hello! Nice to meet you too (or is it to? I never can keep track). Sorry it took me so long to respond. I had my two days off and we took a short trip to the beach and I didn't have internet access.

 

[Jeff97015]

Hi Jeff..nice to meet you and glad you found us

I can totally understand how hard it is to work nights and still stick to scheduled meal times. I work 12 hour shifts at night.... Honestly, the easiest fix for this was going on the pump. With the pump you do not have to eat at scheduled times. You eat whever you are hungry. When you are taking scheduled doses of insulin you have to eat to match your dose...but with a pump you dose to match what you eat. You only use fast acting insulin. It definitely makes life so much easier since it offers flexibility that scheduled dosing does not allow for. Something to consider at some point maybe

At a different job I did the 12 hour night shift and really liked it. They had a rotating schedule where the first week you worked three days and the sencond 4 days.

My brother has an insulin pump and loves it. I'd like to g et one at some point, but I don't have health insurance and where I'm at the pumps are pretty spendy.

Jeff

 

[Jeff97015]

Welcome aboard, Jeff. Thank you for joining us! Always great to meet new friends. One of these days you'll have to tell us more about your furball friends too - we have a coupla those over here too, who make life really hilarious!

This juggling of jobs, family and SLEEP can get to be a struggle! BTDT! I always kept thinking when the kids got older, I'd get more sleep. Then I'd think when the kids grew up & got out on their own, I'd be able to relax & get more sleep. I even entertained the goofy idea that I might occasionally get more sleep on the weekends. Y'know what? I never got a good night's sleep until I retired from the work force. And then it took me a month of sleeping 12 hours at a stretch to catch up! I didn't know how totally exhausted I was!

Do take care & visit us often.

We have a black lab/Australian Shepard mix that is just wonderful. He is the cleverest most mischevious dog I've ever seen. We also have an all black cat named bud (he is 17 and thinks he owns the house!), and the other is named Taz and looks pretty much like a Jackson Pollack painting.

I know what you mean about the sleep deprivation. There was a while where that was a big problem. I would try and stay up to get things done during the day, and after a while I would just crash. Now I make sure to get enough sleep each night.

Jeff

 

[Jeff97015]

Hello Jeff, welcome to our community You seem to be doing very well. The blood sugar levels are great. I hope you don't have very low blood sugar while on the night shift. Will you be on that shift only temporarily? I suppose you sleep at home during the day. How many hours of sleep are you getting each day? Getting enough sleep is very important for stable control 24/7.

I have been type 1 for 64 years and I am doing very well. If we can help you with anything, be sure and let us know.

Richard

The night shift is my peremanent schedule. I get home in the morning and sleep for five to six hours and then take a nap in the evening before I go to work. My levels stay pretty good while at work. I have a small mini-meal mid-shift. (usually some Greek style yogurt and a slice of Dave's Killer bread - the power seed version. It's a low carb high fiber bread that is quite tasty!) That seems to keep me pretty stable during the night.

jeff