QS: what is a ‘bad’ reading?

If I had a pound for every time someone looked at my meter and, working with their limited knowledge of diabetes asked ‘oh, is that bad?’, I would be a far richer woman. Today I’m going to attempt to explain why that question can sometimes be hard to answer- because sometimes ‘good’ readings are good and ‘bad’ readings are bad, but then sometimes ‘good’ readings are bad, and ‘bad’ readings are good. Confused yet? Welcome to the wonderful world of diabetes management.

Typically, I aim to keep my blood sugars somewhere between 5.0-8.0 (although my pump is programmed to aim for slightly different targets throughout the day). For the record, I can’t be doing too bad a job because my hbA1c has mostly been within the target range, by and large, since my diagnosis.

But there are times when I don’t want to be within that range, I’d rather be higher. When I’m about to walk into a three hour exam with no breaks to check my blood sugars would be one example, when I’m about to go for a run would be another. Those are times when I either can’t risk a hypo, or I’m likely to find my blood sugars going down naturally.

Beyond that, what’s important to understand is that just because a reading is ‘bad’ doesn’t mean I necessarily did anything ‘wrong’. If I’m outwith the desired range, it could be that I just had too much/not enough insulin, but it could also be because:

• I’m too hot (I’m talking ‘just had a bath’ rather than ‘just entered the desert’ here)
• I’m too cold
• I’m stressed
• I’m sad
• I’m hormonal
• I walked a little further than anticipated

The list goes on. I guess the point I’m trying to make is- yes, maybe the reading is ‘bad’, but it might be intentionally so, or it could be owing to one of the many inconvenient quirks of the condition I live with. I’ve spent far too long hiding my meter when I test because I’m scared the reading will be a little off and people will think I’m not managing things properly- trust me, I’m doing my best!

Got questions/stories to share? Send them my way!

Thanks for tuning in!

Justine

The Travelling Type One

Greetings from sunny Spain- I’m on my holidays! I love to travel, and I’ve been fortunate enough to do quite a bit of it over the last few years. Building on those experiences, today I wanted to talk about how travelling (and holidays in general) with type one can be a little…different.

Forget travelling light

The only thing that takes more time and effort than picking out my shoes, is packing my diabetic stuff. I’m an insulin pump user, so not only do I have to pack everything I would usually need for the time away (including: glucose strips, finger-prick needles, the plethora of components for changing my pump set, jelly babies, digestives etc.), I also have to be prepared for every eventuality, that means packing extra everything, a spare glucose monitor, and everything I would need should my pump break and I have to go back on injections. All in all, that is A LOT of stuff- and most of it has to go in my hand luggage, because I absolutely cannot lose it. This will be a familiar story for those with type one who travel regularly- making check lists is a great way to make sure you don’t forget anything (because it’s easily done, trust me).

Keeping your blood sugars under control can be a struggle, and it’s not your fault

If you’re anything like me, you probably like eating out on holiday, and enjoy the odd ice cream! In my opinion, those are treats that you should let yourself enjoy- you’re on your holidays after all. But it can make it much more difficult to count your carbs accurately, and therefore some dodgy readings can ensue. On the other end of the scale, the heat can play absolute havoc with my blood sugars, especially if I’m out for a walk or on a day trip, sending me plummeting. Overall, I’d be lying if I said I had it spot on, but I keep on top of monitoring and try to rectify mistakes as quickly as I can, without spoiling my experience.

Shit happens

Sometimes, no matter how well you plan, no matter how prepared you are- things just go wrong. If you read my introductory post, you’ll have noticed that I mentioned the unfortunate ending my first insulin pump met. After finishing school, myself and my gal pals set off interrailing across Europe. We had an amazing time, hitting Amsterdam, Prague, Krakow, Vienna- it’s a trip I’ll remember for the rest of my life. But when we reached Berlin, our last stop before heading to Amsterdam to fly home, sitting in the hostel bar, I realised the buttons on my insulin pump weren’t working- there was nothing I could do, I couldn’t give myself a bolus. Thankfully I did the mature, adult thing- the best thing I could think to do in the circumstances: I called my Mum. She called Medtronic, and after a lengthy discussion while my poor mother held a phone to each ear, it was concluded that the end had come for my poor pump, for reasons unknown to anyone. Thankfully my lovely friends worked very hard to keep me calm during that particular headache, and the outcome was just that I had to go back to using injections until I got home and my new pump arrived.

I tell you this story because when you’re travelling with type one I think there are three important things to remember- firstly, try and be prepared for every eventuality, so that nothing would be a total disaster and you would always be safe; secondly, you can’t put a price on the support network around you; and finally- don’t let diabetes stop you from having a great time!

Do you have any holiday disaster/success stories that you want to share? Get in touch!

Thanks for tuning in

Justine

Dehydration or discrimination?

Taking a break from the Question Series- I wanted to talk about something relatively topical. Last month, a judgement was handed down in favour of a woman with type one diabetes, stating that it was discrimination for her to have her fizzy drink removed from her by event staff at a concert. (If you didn’t read about it, you can find the details here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-44730450 ) Naturally, as a soon-to-be-lawyer, I just couldn’t help myself, I had to write about it. But in the process, I made the mistake of reading the comments people had left on social media regarding this judgement. People calling the woman involved names, indicating that she was ‘spoiled’ because other people have to ‘stay hydrated’ too. And I don’t just mean those with limited understanding of type one. So here’s my opinion: this judgement was definitely a good thing and nobody will convince me otherwise. And here’s why.

First of all, I’ve been in that situation myself. I have been personally marched to a bin to dispose of my staple can of coke, and I have just accepted it. I carry alternative snacks but none of them are as effective as coke for me- and if you fancy telling me that I could ‘purchase a sugary drink in the venue’, have you tried negotiating those queues? Have you tried negotiating them at a time when you feel like you can barely stand up? She stated that she felt ‘anxious and upset’- that’s not a spoiled reaction, that’s a genuine fear that you’ll be caught out in a difficult, potentially life-threatening situation without the best tool to deal with it. Unless you’ve experienced that, then you don’t know what it feels like.

Maybe what bothers me the most is this idea that she should have just bought something else- to my mind, that’s a question of whether you consider someone’s desire for profit more important than someone’s desire to manage their medical condition within their own financial constraints. In a country so proud of its NHS, I should hope we know whose side we’re on. But maybe it’s because my medication doesn’t necessarily look like yours? Maybe, because I rely on things you consider to be treats to assist me, it doesn’t count? Because let’s be realistic, you wouldn’t dream of making me bin my emergency insulin pen. Perhaps you could argue that it’s a security issue- but I firmly believe that policies could be redesigned to accommodate for this very particular situation, to ensure that those with type one diabetes (and perhaps others) are allowed to enter venues with all of their essential medical equipment.

There you have it- my thoughts on the matter. But I’m not a negative person, so I would hate to leave things on a negative spin: I’m going to tell you about the most positive experience I ever had in a venue (granted, in different circumstances). I went out one night in Glasgow, to Cathouse Rock Club (not usually my scene but I went with a big group and, for the record, had a fantastic time) and on my way in, they were carrying out bag searches. I was carrying a selection of snacks (whether I had coke or not, I can’t remember) and I went in armed with my favourite club entry joke: ‘I am diabetic by the way, I don’t just like to snack’. The bouncer, without hesitation, told me that if I had any problems at all, including with my blood sugars, just to find a member of their team and they would be happy to help me. I was touched beyond words- I had never been made to feel so welcome in any venue. Later in the evening, I ordered a diet coke and was informed that they had run out and ‘did I mind waiting for them to refill it’ or would I prefer to just have full fat. I said I would wait, because I was diabetic. They told me that was why they asked, because they understood it was important to some people. I have been to countless places where I have almost certainly been given full fat drinks (on account of my blood sugars afterwards), and this was a total breath of fresh air. So if you’re looking for somewhere to feel safe and looked after- Cathouse Glasgow is your place, and if you work there- thank you for making my night! It’s the little things that make living with this condition so much easier.

Have you had a good/bad experience in a club or venue? Do you agree/disagree with my thoughts on the case mentioned earlier? Get in touch!

Thanks for tuning in

Justine

 

QS: What is a hypo, and what does it feel like?

I decided to start publishing a series of posts answering the questions I am most frequently asked relating to type one diabetes- I call it the ‘question series’ (imaginative, I know). This will largely be aimed at those who do not live with type one diabetes- so friends, partners, relatives, curious individuals, this one’s for you! I’ll mix these in with some other posts, in the interest of variety. 

What is a ‘hypo’ and what does it feel like? 

For anyone who doesn’t know what a ‘hypo’ is- it’s short for hypoglycaemia. Essentially, it’s when your blood sugars drop below a healthy level, and can be dangerous if left untreated. Hypos are usually treated with sugary foods or drinks- for me usually one small tin of coke and a biscuit, although different people use all sorts of different combinations that they find works for them.

This is a really common question, and a really important one for conveying to those around you what you’re feeling, but I also find it a really difficult one to answer. Not just because the feeling is unlike anything else I’ve experienced, but also because it presents itself in different ways at different points in time- the feeling isn’t a consistent one for me personally, although many of the symptoms do occur maybe 90% of the time. Not everyone reacts the same way to a low blood sugar, and indeed some people find difficulty in that they don’t often experience the common symptoms and consequently may find themselves struggling to recognise a hypo.

For me, the most common, and undoubtedly the worst, symptom can best be described as shakiness/weakness. My hands shake and I’ll feel like, although I know I physically can get up and walk around, my body just won’t do it. It’s not the same as feeling faint or lightheaded, but I do tend to sweat and the feeling is, overall, distressing and unpleasant. It usually feels like it’s never going to get better, until it does. Sometimes this is accompanied by fatigue- although I usually find that that’s a sign that my sugars are dropping, before shakiness sets in.

I also find it very difficult to read, the lines just blur together, and naturally it can be hard to carry out tasks with my hands. As you can imagine, my flute playing takes a hit (my bandmates might say it’s an improvement).

And that’s all rubbish, but my least favourite lows are the ones that come with nausea. Because my body telling me I need to eat by making me feel sick is, in a word, unhelpful. They say a common symptom is ‘irritability’- I certainly find that, but I’m never sure whether it’s a symptom of a low, or a consequence of feeling terrible.

Like I say, these symptoms come on in varying combinations at different times. And they’re not the only symptoms people have- others experience things like trouble speaking, headaches etc. They’re also only symptoms of ‘mild-moderate’ hypoglycaemia, a severe hypo comes with much more serious consequences which I have, thankfully, never experienced.

So there we go- a rundown of what can be an awful 10-15 minutes in any given day. If you have questions about any aspect of life with type one diabetes- please feel free to get in touch and ask! 

Thanks for reading, 

Justine

Hello, it’s me

Before I start telling you how to live your life, it’s probably a good start to tell you how I live mine. I’m a Scottish 21-year-old, who grew up in Dundee and moved to Glasgow for University, where I recently completed my law degree and will soon undertake my diploma in professional legal practice. I play the flute (badly) and I run a political society on campus (marginally less badly). I have a wonderful, supportive family, some brilliant friends, a lovely boyfriend, and an adorable miniature schnauzer. The power-trouser section of my wardrobe is getting out of control. Those are probably the most interesting things about me.

What’s not really that interesting, is that I have type one diabetes. And that’s supposedly what this is all about, so I guess I should start talking about that now. I was diagnosed when I had just turned eight, so I’ve spent more of my life living with diabetes than living without it. In fact, I don’t really remember ever not having diabetes. My Mum and Dad handled the whole thing like the pros they are, and they instilled a sense of self-discipline in me for which I am now eternally grateful (unfortunately they failed to instil a distaste for carbs or enthusiasm for long distance running). But it wasn’t easy- they worked hard to make sure that diabetes never held me back. In my early teens I moved from injections onto the insulin pump after participating in a study (I’m now on pump number two, the first one unhelpfully packed up while I was interrailing across Europe, a story for another day). As I got older I started managing it more and more by myself- and on the whole it’s all been okay: no major incidents, good reports from doctors etc. etc.

What I want people to understand, is that although diabetes doesn’t hold me back, it doesn’t define me, and it certainly isn’t the most interesting thing about me, it’s still a huge part of my life. And that’s why I started this- because I wish more people understood just how significant it can be, how it impacts everything from the biggest life changes to the most insignificant daily decisions. Because although it’s all been okay, getting to ‘okay’ can be a big, constant, sometimes scary challenge.

And that’s really my starting point- in a moment of pure self-indulgence I decided to start a blog, to share with other people what I’ve learned in the hope that someone, whether that’s someone living with the condition, a partner, a friend, or just a curious individual can benefit from it.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned

Justine

Welcome to Sugarcoated

Thanks for joining me!

I want to talk about life with type one diabetes. 

Not how to manage hypos, not carb counting, not complications.

I want to talk about life. 

My name’s Justine, and I live with type one diabetes. I started this blog because it seems to me that, while lots of people have type one, and lots of people understand what the condition is and how it’s treated, there’s not that much discussion about the impact the condition can have on our daily lives. I’m not a doctor, I don’t have any expertise- just 14 years of life experience with the condition. I want to share some of my life stories, the lessons learned, the things I wish people without the condition understood, the things I wish I understood five or ten years ago, and the things I wish I understood right now. Ultimately, this isn’t a blog about a medical condition: it’s a blog about life.