What part of diabetes makes you tired?

[Mom2Deacon]

I am wondering what part of diabetes makes you tired? I am tired of the constant insulin draws but I do not like the pens because Deacon never gets insulin that way. The pen is unreliable for us. Every morning I have to draw up insulin, spray nasal allergy medicine into his nose, give Hawke his Straterra and take my own medications. Then when I finally have peace and quiet in the house, I have to draw up the nightly dose of Lantus. I should just load it up in the morning when I am doing the first one. So what part of diabetes do you get tired of?

--Sara

[etringali]

The nights when we are up every hour combating a stubborn low or a fiendish high.

[twodoor2]

Definitely carb counting and blood tests.

I do at least 9 blood test a day, and more often close to 11, and sometimes 15 on bad days. I feel that once they improve the technology with the CGMS, it will make me feel less exhausted. I would definitely get one of those then. I'm holding back due to the large sensor needles, my insurance (at this time) will not cover it, but if the technology improved, I would pay out of pocket with an FSA. As for carb counting, it's tiring because I strive to be so accurate since she has a high BCR. I'm just not one of those people that can eyeball something and say, 'oh that's 47 grams." Wish I could.

I have to say that injections were a bit tiring, but now that she's pumping, that has made life easier. :D

I do sleep through the night, I just go to bed late to gage her BG after all the IOB is gone, and I kind of know what to do to keep her safe at night, even if she's been exercising all day long. On days of basal changes or that rare nighttime correction, I get up more often.

[StillMamamia]

In total honesty...the lack of sleep is the worst for me...worrying if he's ok, even when I know he'll be ok. This has been the toughest for me and my DH. The rest of the management is like a challenge for me, so I try to focus on the positive aspect of it...learning new stuff, and trying to solve problems.

[Pauji5]

I'm with Paula - the lack of sleep is killing me. I get up at 1:45 every night, since I'm home with the kids my husband gets up at 5:30. When I start to feel too hysterical, he'll do the checking until I sort of catch up on sleep. The rest is a pain, but it's just become part of our daily lives.

[Kaylee's Mommy]

all of it!

[Bsbllmom]

I think being with D 24/7. I don't get a break. I work at his school and I wish that just one day I didn't have to do D for every single meal including lunch.

[wendyc]

The lack of spontenaity.
Abby just can't grab a piece of fruit out of the fridge and take a bite like her sister.
She can't just jump in the pool, she has to unplug and test first.
She always has to stop at the nurses office before having lunch.

Sounds silly huh?

Thank goodness she handles it so well!

[Sarah Maddie's Mom]

I think, for me it's the "constant vigilance" that's sometimes too much. I don't think it's healthy to live in a constant state of hyper alertness, but I don't know any other way to stay on top of things. Even when D mgmt is on the back of your mind, it's still on your mind. :cwds:

[Nancy in VA]

I don't know if it makes me tired, per se, but the part I HATE the most is that I have lost the ability to look at my child and just smile at her, without the depths of my mind wondering "What is her BG?"

[Lee]

Definitely carb counting and blood tests.
I do sleep through the night, I just go to bed late to gage her BG after all the IOB is gone, and I kind of know what to do to keep her safe at night, even if she's been exercising all day long. On days of basal changes or that rare nighttime correction, I get up more often.

This is me about 75% of the time - I stay up to midnight to see what it is and then if I trust the # - I sleep till 6. But, I can't tonight because her morning #'s are creeping up just a smidge after being perfect for two weeks :mad:

I get tired of guessing - I am not a guessing person - I like the facts, just the facts please. But T1, we become expert guessers:

Is the site bad
Are her fingers dirty
What is the carb count in this caramel hotfudge whip cream sundae (btw - 75 was the PERFECT guess :D)
Is she going to swim enough to not get her basal
Is this high adrenaline
How much should I correct
How many carbs are in this thing
Does this reservoir have enough insulin
Is this insulin still good
Are we using the right infusion set
Why the heck is she low
How many carbs should I give her to get her nice and steady all night long
Is this site bad
Is this site bad
Is this site bad....

I hate guessing :o

[twodoor2]

This is me about 75% of the time - I stay up to midnight to see what it is and then if I trust the # - I sleep till 6. But, I can't tonight because her morning #'s are creeping up just a smidge after being perfect for two weeks :mad:

I get tired of guessing - I am not a guessing person - I like the facts, just the facts please. But T1, we become expert guessers:

Is the site bad
Are her fingers dirty
What is the carb count in this caramel hotfudge whip cream sundae (btw - 75 was the PERFECT guess :D)
Is she going to swim enough to not get her basal
Is this high adrenaline
How much should I correct
How many carbs are in this thing
Does this reservoir have enough insulin
Is this insulin still good
Are we using the right infusion set
Why the heck is she low
How many carbs should I give her to get her nice and steady all night long
Is this site bad
Is this site bad
Is this site bad....

I hate guessing :o


Yes, it's really frustrating. Lately I've been talking a lot about BCR on this site, and I think it's key to so many things. By knowing her BCR, I have stopped overcorreting with carbs, and I can do things to keep her safe at night. For example, before I go to bed at night, and all the IOB is gone and she had a pretty active day, I know she will go down 50 to 70 mg/dl points regardless of the Lantus dosage being correct. Therefore, when all IOB is gone, I will correct with about X grams of carbs (it depends on her BG at the time).

For example, she was 129 at 10:30 PM and all IOB was gone, and on a non-active day, I would not correct. Therefore, I gave her 5 g of carbs, which would raise her 40 points. This buffer allows me to peacefully sleep through the night and it keeps her safe. I've often guestimated what she would wake up as, and I've been correct on many occasions..

Now, this works if and only if the Lantus is correct, or the pump basal is correct. However, I cannot stress enough how this has allowed me so much peace of mind during sleeptime. I rather she be a little high. I know variable basals help as well, but since she's untethered, I use this method instead.

[Fairlight]

Lack of sleep
Worrying about the future
Never getting a break

[momtojess]

all of it!

This is what I was thinking. It is all pretty damn tiring!!!

[Sarah Maddie's Mom]

I don't know if it makes me tired, per se, but the part I HATE the most is that I have lost the ability to look at my child and just smile at her, without the depths of my mind wondering "What is her BG?"

OH YES! I so know this feeling, and I hate it:(

You phrased it really well.

[CJ's Mom]

all of it!

Yep, that sums it up for me too.

[ange_mom]

I am so tired today... We had a 1.7 (30) this morning. David used to tell me he was low when he was in the 3's , lately its' been the 2's and here we go with a 1. It is scarey to think he won't recognize them like his dad.
I want a pump but when I read all these posts, I sometimes think it will make it harder and more constantly on the mind.
I agree with you all that I wish I could just look at him without thinking about BLG's. I do better with my husband. I fear I am becoming my mother-in-law and nothing scares me more than that!

[saxmaniac]

For example, she was 129 at 10:30 PM and all IOB was gone, and on a non-active day, I would not correct. Therefore, I gave her 5 g of carbs, which would raise her 40 points. This buffer allows me to peacefully sleep through the night and it keeps her safe. I've often guestimated what she would wake up as, and I've been correct on many occasions..

The more I test late at night, the more I realize I miss a whole lot.

Here's one very good night: 12am 118, 2am 118, 4am 170, 7am 100 - and before you tell me to change basals, I have equal evidence of going down 100 points at 4am and then up 100 by 7am.

There have been "bad" nights where he's 150 at midnight, has a 300 or 40 by 3am, and then wakes up a 150. I hate that!

So: I don't sleep.

[kel4han]

I hate the most that it is ALWAYS changing.

[hawkeyegirl]

I think if I could take one part of it away, it would be the carb counting. It's so darn tedious, and, especially when we're out to eat, so inexact. We use carb factors and the Salter Scale, but there's only so much you can do, even with those tools.

We are very, very lucky in that Jack is pretty darn stable at night unless we've had something like pizza for supper. I'm not saying he's a total flatline every night, but he NEVER drops for no reason, and even his climbs aren't earth-shattering. Maybe we'll see something different once we start the CGMS next week, but for now, nights aren't that bad for us. Again, it's just luck.

[TracieandJim]

Math and lack of sleep. Im determined to get the math down though.

[badshoe]

The diabetes part.

[Seans Mom]

The diabetes part.


YUP !!
That's it.

[zeb'smom]

The diabetes part.

YES...badshoe has got it right here.

But I also agree with some of the others...I wish that 'what it his bg now?' thought wasn't always there. And a few nights sleep would be nice. A few days off of carb counting. Okay I am getting back to the whole darn thing.

Robyn

[sarahconnormom]

The lack of sleep is the worst part for me right now.

[BrendaK]

I hate having to be immediately on my toes whenever I hear "Mom I feel LOOOOWWWWW" That just causes an immediate adrenaline rush in me and can be very tiring when he has a lot of lows in a day. Whew...

The other part I really hate is having to accompany an almost 8 year old to his friends birthday parties and field trips. Now that he's older, most parties are drop offs and I'm the only mom that stays. That makes me tired, too.

[Mama2H]

I hate the entire thing. Some times it is one thing that is worse and some times it is another. Right now, for me, it is the fact that I work so hard to get everything right for Hailey and she still has wild swings in bg and an A1C of 9 :mad: I just wish that something would stay the same for her for at least a week :(

[twodoor2]

The more I test late at night, the more I realize I miss a whole lot.

Here's one very good night: 12am 118, 2am 118, 4am 170, 7am 100 - and before you tell me to change basals, I have equal evidence of going down 100 points at 4am and then up 100 by 7am.

There have been "bad" nights where he's 150 at midnight, has a 300 or 40 by 3am, and then wakes up a 150. I hate that!

So: I don't sleep.

True, there is a whole lot you miss at night, but we have to sleep as well, or we're not going to be very good taking care of our kids during the day. CGMS is wonderful for analyzing nighttime, that's really an important time and it would tell us much more than even a few finger pokes at night.

[Caydens_Mommy]

I think most of it makes me tired... I don't miss out on alot of sleep anymore, as I did at first.. But I think what makes the most tired, is always wondering about my child.. Wondering what his blood sugar is, if he had to much or to little insulin, if he will wake up in the morning with a good number, bad number, will he even wake up at all.. But on the other hand, I try to not dwell on this things as I know that you can't control, just take it by the horns and work with what you've got!

[MamaC]

The constant thinking.

[thebestnest5]

I hate the entire thing. Some times it is one thing that is worse and some times it is another. Right now, for me, it is the fact that I work so hard to get everything right for Hailey and she still has wild swings in bg and an A1C of 9 :mad: I just wish that something would stay the same for her for at least a week :(

I agree!! Diabetes is so complex and has so many variables that sometimes our best just isn't where we want it and that's frustrating and tiring...

[CButler]

This is what I was talking about the other day on another thread: the details of it all. Isn't there a better way?

Carb counting before a meal (like doing surgery) and shots are tiring, but lack of sleep makes it all really hard.

I give a partial dose(shot) before a meal and the rest after since I don't know what she will eat. I figure we do 7-10 shots a day due to this. I try not to give her too many carbs for her snack so I won't have to give another shot, but she always wants to eat. Does anyone do else do this? That's tiring!

Cindy Butler
daughter,5, diagnosed 8/07
Novolog/Lantus

[Heather(CA)]

I'm tired because of my messed up sleep patterns:(

[dqmomof3]

The absolute unpredictability of it all just makes me crazy. I am a spontaneous person, not one who thrives on organization and order. BUT, even we sponteneous people have our limits, and this has certainly pushed mine!

And I hate not ever being sure that someone's eyes are on my daughter when mine are not.

Diabetes is exhausting!

[Jensmami]

For me the biggest issue is the worrying, I am tired of lack of sleep and daily management, but it is nothing compared to the mental state I am in:eek:.

The constant worry, with all that I am doing, is it enough, will she have complications, I guess the lack of guarantee is by far the major issue for me.

It is not that you work hard and then success is guaranteed, still a big part is the luck of the draw. I think all the daily things we do would be so much easier if we knew for sure, that no more bad things will happen to our kids - but we all know live and certainly not diabetes works this way.

[Sandy's mom]

Talking about it. Not here, but everywhere else. And log books.

[happyfamily]

There is not one part of it that does not make me tired. With a D husband and young child, it seems like it consumes my every moment including the "light" sleep ones at night. Another part that really makes me tired is the Endo when you go and have to see someone new each time no matter how often you request the Dr. you are most comfortable with. Our last visit was HORRIBLE. I have almost every sugar reading my child has taken with the exception of about 1 months worth all total in a notebook. I take this with me to each appt. so they have multiple things to refer back to as far as what worked when. The last appt. I had lost a meter and therefore lost about 1 weeks worth of readings. The Dr. went off on me. They see us once every few months and spend very little time and want to act as if we don't take proper care of our children. THAT MAKES ME VERY TIRED.

[usbornetheresa]

I would say the inability to be truly "spontaneous". I hate having to think everything through.

[sugarmonkey]

The always thinking about it. Everything he does can affect things, so i'm always thinking 'what will this do to his bg.' My dd has serious health problems, but they're not so all consuming. I don't have to think about them in relation to everything else. We've just been doing a major cleaning binge, and i'm sitting here wondering if that's affected Phillips bg. I'm not thinking it'll affect dd's health issues.

[lil'Man'sMom]

I am tired of the the whole damn thing, but not for me, I am tired for Manning. I can check BS, count carbs, measure food, inject insulin and keep logs until the end of time but he will still have diabetes and that makes me tired. I am tired that children have to try to be "normal" with D. It is not normal and will never be, no matter what regime. The only regime that will make it normal will be a cure!!!!!!!

That is why I am tired...

[Treysmom]

Tired of being tired...

Bg checks when he just wants to play.

Worrying about the future.

Thinking about why HIGH/LOW....There's gotta be a reason right....:confused:

People believing they know more than me about MY son.

ETC.........

[lynn]

I am so "brain tired" after over two years of this.

[redmcgee]

ALL of it but to choose the worst I would have to say all the carb counting and figuring out how much insulin and then logging all the information, my mind is on overload.
It is Physically, Mentally,and Spritually deflating.

[bisous]

The nights are not hard for me but that's about the only aspect. I feel like that may be my diabetes "talent". I can be awakened numerous times throughout the night and still be refreshed in the morning. I echo all the posters who write of the fatigue of constant worry and calculations. I feel so guilty when I secretly exult over not having to count the carbs for my 10 month old baby! I'm also so tired of making sure that I'm "prepared" for every little thing I do when I leave the house. I do have to say that some of the fatigue of carb counting and calculations, while still pressing is less fatiguing now nearly two years in that it was in the very beginning. It does seem to get better. :)

[Jacob'sDad]

I don't sleep much. I stay up late checking this forum or watching a little late TV. Oh, and thinking about D. The alarm goes off twice in the night to check Jacob; well actually three times if you count 5:30am, four if you count 11pm.
Mom and I alternate getting up in the night. The last few nights his numbers have been great.:) I didn't check him at 3am last night. It would be great if this continues and we could actually cut down on the night checks. Lack of sleep is really the only thing about D that tires me. I kind of weird but I LIKE using my brain to figure out D stuff all the time. I enjoy all the math. Everyday is a new challenge and I don't mind that. I hate when I just CAN'T figure out what's going on but I'm learning more and more about all the possible variables to consider. Anyway I'm rambling. I'd better get some sleep. I'm tired.

[Mary Lou]

The look on my Andrew's face when he isn't sure if he "can have it", like today at field day when he didn't take the frozen juice treat b/c he didn't think it was ok.

Broke my heart.

He just didn't know, so he didn't take it. When I asked him if he wanted it, he started to cry b/c he didn't take it and he could've. I went and got him one, but how many times does this uncertainty take hold and I'm not there to help him?

This is true for both my kids. Two days ago Brian's 4th grade teacher assured me that if any treats came into school during these final days, he'd "just tell Brian 'no' b/c it was 'safer'". Despite my protests, I don't know what will happen.

[Mom2Boys]

The constant worrying. I worry about BGs. I worry about the future. I worry about how Luke will handle everything once he understands it all better. I worry about complications. I worry about my 6 month old and wonder if one day he'll get the diagnosis too. I worry all the time!

[wilowndmomof3]

I am so tired of thinking we have it all figured out and by time we do he is changing again. Then we have to figure out if it is his I:C or his basal rate that needs changed this time.

Going somewhere for the day is also tiring, supplies for two, meters for two, etc. and then lugging around a purse with all the stuff in it.

[KeltonsMom]

The part of D that really gets me down is when we have beautiful numbers for a long period of time and then WHAM here come the HI's and ketones..Of course it can take a week or longer to get back to where he once was. This and once ketones are present figuring out how much insulin to give to not only make the ketones go away but to also lower is BG..It is a never ending battle at times.

I also hate that he sleeps on his hands and I have to move a dog and the covers to find a toe to poke and test his glucose at 3am..I hate that even in sleep he is finding the need to hide his fingers..Sleep should be when they can relax and have no worries

I hate that his life is no longer carefree..

[Ella's mom]

I have realized that there is a certain time of day that I get more "tired" of dealing with diabetes. It is not a physical tiredness but a mental tiredness.

It is dinner time. By then I have already done this and that with diabetes and would really rather not have to do one more thing with it:o

[Mama Belle]

I'm with Heather, it is the messed up sleep patterns. When Sam is with me for 5 nights in a row I spend the first 2 days a total wreck adjusting to getting up/staying up to test, then I'm okay for the next 3 nights, tired, but okay. Then she goes to her dad's house and I am a zombie for the first 2 days because I am finally catching up on rest and my body just wants more sleep. I just get back into the groove of getting sleep again and then I'm back to having to get up or stay up for night time checks again. I think that if it were the same every single night I'd be better off than all of this switching back and forth.

[jendean]

What makes me tired about diabetes... I guess so much of it is just habit now, that I dont even notice the mechanics of it.

Here are a few things that DO make me physically tired.

1. The "concern" of strangers. For a few months after Dx, I used to WANT people to feel bad that we had diabetes, because life is not fair. But now, when I get sympathy from people, it really makes me feel offended, which is a tiring feeling. What are they saying about my charachter when they say, " OH.... It must just be Horribly Overwhelming for you..."
I want to say, "no. Maybe for YOU it would be, but as long as I am doing this for my child, it is not a burden or a problem, and I am up for the challenge. (kind of a "he ain't heavy, he'ss my brother" type of thing)

2. Other families or people with D that are where I was a few years ago during the first few months after diagnosis, still wanting the world to feel bad. It is natural for them to go through that, but exhausting for me to look back.

[Sarah Maddie's Mom]

I would say the inability to be truly "spontaneous". I hate having to think everything through.

Yeah, that one is getting to me.... sigh

[MLH]

fighting with insurance companies for coverage for the cgms.:mad:

[liasmommy2000]

I'd say coordinating care with the school, latch-key, and my dh who takes her in the AM as I'm already at work. Making sure everyone is aware of anything that might be different for that day. Making sure supplies are stocked at all places.

Diabetes really requires organization and I'm horrible at organization and "juggling" different things. I felt like I was just starting to get used to my life organized and together again five years after becoming a mom. And then D hit.

Sleep is also a problem but only at times when things are extra wacky as we generally don't do night checks for various reasons. Besides I've been getting up at 4:45 for work for several years now and have pretty bad insomnia, I haven't gotten more than 5-6 hours of sleep each night on average for almost nine years lol. But when we have several nights in a row of iffy numbers I can get even more cranky than normal.

[shekov]

This is what I was talking about the other day on another thread: the details of it all. Isn't there a better way?

Carb counting before a meal (like doing surgery) and shots are tiring, but lack of sleep makes it all really hard.

I give a partial dose(shot) before a meal and the rest after since I don't know what she will eat. I figure we do 7-10 shots a day due to this. I try not to give her too many carbs for her snack so I won't have to give another shot, but she always wants to eat. Does anyone do else do this? That's tiring!

Cindy Butler
daughter,5, diagnosed 8/07
Novolog/Lantus

Cindy, you should look into a pump if you haven't already. We were doing before and after shots for meals too to avoid spikes. I wasn't consciously limiting carbs for snacks but realized how much I was doing it when we started pumping. I DO NOT think the pump is the right choice for everyone and I'm not in love with it...but it is easier on my daughter.
NOW...about the question...
I agree the lack of sleep makes everything more difficult but honestly, I'm so used to waking at 3 am now that I no longer set the alarm.
The hardest partfor me is keeping the stupid log up to date. I was great when MDI but now I HATE it.

[Madisonsmom]

Other people telling me how to take care of her. And how everyone seems to have a story of someone they know being "cured"

[Tena]

What makes me tired is that my dd is 16 yrs old and was just dx'd 1 yr ago and I can't seem to let her go. Yet I realize how important it is for her to be somewhat independent.

She does pretty well on her own most of the time but there have been a couple of snags where things didn't go well and she couldn't think clearly and NO ONE knew what to do and I was trying to treat over the phone. Now I feel like I need to go with her on every trip, YET she doesn't always like it and who can blame her. But she is not ready to go on trips without me either.

I try to let her take care of alot of it BUT she is still a KID!!!! I miss her carefree spontaneous personality. It's gone while everything is measured, weighed and counted. Yet SHE never complains!! at all!!!

I am also tired of NO ONE else really caring or understanding. They think "no big deal" but it IS a BIG deal. Everything about D is a big deal.

[Aidan'sMom]

I am tired of the the whole damn thing, but not for me, I am tired for Manning. I can check BS, count carbs, measure food, inject insulin and keep logs until the end of time but he will still have diabetes and that makes me tired. I am tired that children have to try to be "normal" with D. It is not normal and will never be, no matter what regime. The only regime that will make it normal will be a cure!!!!!!!

That is why I am tired...

I could not have said that any better. We think alot alike!! Also the part that makes me tired is being up all hours checking out this forum. LOL!! :D

[Pumprincess]

Having to wake up to cgms alarms.. drives me nuts. Or when I'm not thinking about D, and something starts to alarm, my pump, cgms, the alarm on my meter or cell phone reminding me to test. That's when I get tired, I would give anything at that moment to just go on and not respond to the alarm. But I always wake up, and treat the low or correct the high and go back to sleep.. still I really hate D when I have to stop what I am doing and take care of it.

[MamaChrissa]

The constant worry and the ulcer I'm working on. :o That and the fact that people either think Im paranoid or a saint when I describe the true nature of D. :rolleyes: