hba1c

A hba1c is a test which works out your average level over a long period of time. This test is done by a simple finger prick just like a bloodcount test but you need a little more blood. A hba1c is normal done every time you have a hospital clinic appointment and it helps your diabetes team see how good your levels have been and how good your control of your diabetes is. If your hba1c is high the hospital will help you work out why it is high and how you can get it back down, they wont get annoyed or angry with you as they are only there to help you.

At the beginning of last year my hba1c went all the way up to 13 because I didn't have good control of my levels at all. I went through a bad patch where I decided I didn't want to be diabetic anymore so I didn't do my bloodcount and just gave myself insulin for the food I was eating. I would just make up what my bloodcount was and put it in my pump so that it looked like I was doing my levels when I wasn't. I thought no one would find out what I was doing but because I was making up what my levels were, it meant that when my levels were running really high I wasn't giving correction as I didn't know they were. so my levels just stayed high. When I was doing this I had no idea what I was actually doing to my body, my body got used to having high levels and I was making myself really ill. When I found out that my hba1c was 13 it made me realise that I really need to change and get it back down to normal.

So I set myself a goal to get my hba1c below 8, I knew it would take a lot to get it down that much but I knew I would be able to do it in the end. I didn't care how long it took me, I would do it. I started doing all the things I should have been doing like checking my levels and correcting, using temp basals to help get my levels down, changing the amount of insulin I was getting and  things like that. Every time I went to my clinic appointments I couldn't wait to see how much my hba1c had gone down. Sometimes I got a bit upset as it had gone up and I felt like it was never ever going to go below 8. However I never gave up I carried on doing everything and anything I could to get it lower.

Last week I had a hospital clinic appointment and for some reason I had a feeling that my hba1c was maybe going to be below 8 as my levels had been really good for once. After having the hba1c test done you have to wait a while to get the results s while we waited we got called by the doctor. I walked in to the room and sat down as the doctor was looking through my notes. She then looked at me and said wow, your hba1c is 7.2 (55). I honestly couldn't believe it was 7.2, that's the lowest my hba1c has ever been and I have been diabetic for over 11 years. The doctor was so impressed with me, she said that normally when someone's hba1c goes to 13 they never get it back down to 7. I was so happy I couldn't believe I had finally got it down that low :)

I realised that if I couldn't control my levels now it was going to be a lot harder then I got older and I don't want my diabetes to ruin getting good GCSE results.  I don't want my diabetes to control me and make it a lot harder to do things I want to do so I did something about it. I started looking after myself move and caring about what my levels were and what my hba1c was and that is how I got my hba1c down and back to normal.

Here are some tips to get your hba1c down:

• Set a goal for your hba1c so that you have something to work towards
• Have a reason why you want your hba1c to be lower
• Make sure you are doing all the things your hospital have told you to do
• Correct high levels
• Change the amount of insulin you are having if you are having constant lows or highs at a certain time of day
• Ask your diabetic team to help you if you are struggling or finding it hard

All of these thing will help you get your hba1c down, however don't get upset or annoyed if your hba1c goes up high because at the end of the day it is only a number. The hospital wont get annoyed with you if it is high as they are there to help you, not tell you off. As long as you are doing the best that you can that's all that matters.
If you but your mind to something you can do it, never give up.  

Hot weather

I am really sorry I haven't posted on my blog in ages, I have been so busy with school, homework, revision, applying to be a prefect, concert and other thing like that. The time has just gone so quickly and so much has happened that I think I should blog about as I now have the some free time :)

The weather can affect your levels a lot however it can effect everyone's levels differently. Some people find that when the weather gets warmer and a lot hotter it makes there levels lower and some people find that the hot weather makes their levels higher then usual. It can be really annoying if your levels tend to run lower in the hot weather as that is the time that people normal do more exercise. For example when people go on holiday the weather is normally hotter which will mean your levels will probably run higher or lower then usual which can be really annoying as when your levels are running high it can make you feel rubbish which will mean you wont be able to enjoy your holiday as much. Also if your levels are running low while you are on holiday it come also be annoying as people normal go swimming a lot and that will make your levels drop even more. It can be so annoying, I know!

Recently the weather has got a lot warm and more humid in Cambridgeshire and this has effected my levels quiet a lot. When I was younger the hot weather always used to make my levels run higher which was really annoying as it used to make my feel so ill and rubbish however over the last couple of days the weather has gotten warmer my levels have been running really low and I keep have quiet a few lows. My mum said she doesn't think it is the hot weather that is affecting my levels however I cant think of any other reason why they would be running low just when the weather got hotter. As I have notice that my levels maybe running low because of the hot weather I have been checking my levels more regularly and I have been taking more things like cans of coke, more glucose tabs to get my levels up just encase I have more lows then usual. I have also adjusted my insulin so that I am less likely to keep having all the lows I have been having recently.

Here are some of the things I found on the internet which will help managing your diabetes in the hot weather:

• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Carry a bottle of water with you
• Exercise and do more strenuous activities in the early or later hours of the day when the temperatures are cooler and the sun is not at its peak.
• Check blood sugar levels frequently, since they may fluctuate more.
• Remember, extreme temperature changes can have an effect on your diabetes supplies; insulin can break down, blood glucose meters and test strips can be damaged, and altitude can affect blood glucose meter performance. Use insulated bags protected by a cool pack to safely store your supplies, but avoid freezing.
• Make sure you have more supplies on you to up your levels encase you go low
• Adjust your insulin if you think its needs adjusting 
• Wear light colored clothing

If you are going on holiday soon make sure you remember the above points as it will really help and make managing your diabetes a bit easier. Also please don't get annoyed or upset because your levels aren't perfect while the weather is hotter or while you are on holiday as no ones levels will be and I don't want you to ruin your holiday just because your levels aren't where you want them.
Hope everyone is enjoying the hot weather and has a lovely time on holiday if you are going on holiday!  

Late Nights

Some nights it can be really hard to get to sleep because of your diabetes. Its so annoying laying  in bed for hours just looking up at the ceiling thinking why cant my levels just be in range so that I can get to sleep.  Its really annoying and frustrating, I know.

I don't know if its the same with you but when my levels are 15+ I find it really hard and impossible to sleep. I used to be able to get to sleep when my levels were high but for some reason I really struggle to now. Some night I just lay in bed for hours trying to get to sleep but no matter how hard I try or what I do I cant get to sleep due to my levels. I try reading a book (I always end up falling asleep when I read at night in bed), closing my eyes, just laying there, clearing my mind....and so many other things but nothing seems to work. I just end up just laying there thinking about so many different things. The only good thing is I do think of the weirdest of things while laying there and I normally end up remember things I had forgotten about and coming up with ideas. However the next day after I have had a night with high levels I am so tired and not in the best of moods. Its so annoying when you have school the next day because it takes so much energy to concentrate, I could so easily fall asleep in lesson lol (I don't think the teacher would be very impressed with me)

So what is the best way to deal with nights like this?
- You should check your levels every 1-2 hours to check that your levels are coming down or going up
- Try clearing your mind to help you sleep
- Try and stay relaxed and calm
- Don't worry if you cant get to sleep as you will fall asleep eventually
- Make sure you keep giving correction if your levels are high
- If your levels are running high check for ketones (if you have any ketones drink lots of water)

I know it can be really annoying when you cant sleep and everyone else in your house is asleep. The thing is there isn't really anything that we can do to stop with from happening, its just part of diabetes (annoying I know). The best thing to do is try to get your levels back in range so that you can sleep. Sometimes it can feel like you will never be able to get them back in range but I know that you can. You are stronger than you think!

Exams

Exams are stressful for everyone but with diabetes on the top of exams it can make it a lot harder and more stressful for us. Stress can make your levels really hard which makes it I lot harder to concentrate in an exams and this could effect you mark and overall grade that you get in the exam. The hospital have told me several times that if I have high levels in an exam my grade will be lower then if I had good levels, however its really hard to make sure your levels are in range while you have an exam. You don't want your levels to be too high or too low but its really hard to get them just right when you are so stressed about the exam.

The last 2 weeks I have had loads exams, the exams are for the teachers to check that you are on target and ready to move in to year 11. I found it really had to keep my levels under control these 2 weeks as on some days when I had exams my levels were running really high but then on other days when I had exams my levels were running nearly low. This has made it harder because I had to try and work out whether I needed a temp basal on when I had an exam.

On Friday last week I had 2 exams in one day, my first exam was a maths exam and my second exam was a ethics exam. On Friday morning before school my levels were running a bit high so I decided to put a temp basal on of 150% and kept checking my levels every hour so that I could give myself correction to try and get my levels down and back to normally. However every time I checked my levels they had either stayed the same or gone even higher. When I got to school I had my maths exam and throughout the who exams I was really struggling to concentrate and work out the answers, even though I had done loads of revision at home before the test I was really struggling to remember how to work out some of the answers because of my levels. When the exam had finished I knew I had done really rubbish because of my levels being high so I was worried about what grade I was going to get.

After break I had my ethics test, throughout the whole of break I was panicking because I couldn't remember any of the information I had revised for ethics so I stood their at break looking over my revision notes before the bell went. Even though I had already revised loads and I was reading over my notes, none of it was going into my head as I felt so ill and couldn't concentrate because of my levels. When I heard the bell go I was panicking so much as it meant the ethics exam was minutes away and I couldn't remember anything, I was going to fail! As I walked into the exam hall I saw that my ethics teacher was standing at the front of the hall so I walked over to her and told her that my levels were running really high and I was really struggling to concentrate and remember the stuff I had revised. I told her that I would try my best at the exam but I probably wouldn't do very well. My teacher said that I didn't look very well and that she didn't want me to do the test as it would be a lot better if I went back to lesson and did the exam another time then having to sit there feeling rubbish and then having to retake the exam because of my grade. So I went to go to the lesson I was meant to be in and then realised that I was meant to be in my ethics lesson with the teacher, so I had to go back and ask her what she wanted me to do as I wasn't meant to be in her lesson. She told me that I could sit and do some move ethics revision and relax in her classroom while she marked some peoples exams. I am so glad I didn't end up doing the ethics exam as I would have done really rubbish and I am so glad I have a really nice teacher who is really understanding and caring.

However my levels aren't always really high when it comes to exams. This Wednesday I had no exams but my levels were running really high so I put a temp basal on of 150% and was checking my levels every hour so that I could make sure they weren't going any high and so that I could keep giving myself corrections to bring my levels down. My levels wouldn't go down even though I was having 50% more insulin then I normally do and I had had loads of corrections. Then on Thursday I woke up with low levels, so I took the temp basal off. I had a English exam and a French exam, so I made sure I checked my levels before the exam encase they were high or low. Before my English exams my levels were 5.6 which was a surprise as I thought they were going to be a lot higher as I was really stressed about the exam. When I can out of the exam I made sure I checked my levels again just encase I needed to give myself a correction or I needed to eat something, when I tested they were 4.0 so I had something to eat. My levels were running in the 5s when I did my French exam which was good.

As you can see exams can make your really high or nearly low so make sure you check your levels before and after an exam and let someone know if your levels are going to affect the grade you will get. Also make sure the people running the exam know that you are diabetic as you might have to go out of the exam if you start to feel like your levels are high or low and need to test. In all of my exams the school has sat me near the door of the exam hall so that I can put my hand up and go out of the exam at anytime to test my levels without distracting other people who are doing the test. Always remember that your health is a lot more important then the exam, so make if you feel like you need to test your levels you tell someone and then go out of the exam hall and test.
Good luck to everyone who has exams coming up!  

Exercise

Exercise can effect your levels a lot. It can make your levels go low but it can also sometimes make your levels going higher after you have exercised. I have always wondered why my levels sometimes when I test my levels before PE at school they will be fine and then after doing PE when I test my levels again they are a little bit high then before PE but normally my levels do go lower after I have done exercise.

I thought I would look it up on the Internet to find out why our levels go low and sometimes high after doing exercise.

"When you exercise your muscles need more glucose to supply energy. In response, your liver increases the amount of glucose it releases into your bloodstream. Remember, however, that the glucose needs insulin in order to be used by your muscles. So if you do not have enough insulin available, your blood glucose levels can actually increase right after exercise. Basically, stimulated by the demand from your exercising muscles, your body is pouring glucose into your bloodstream. If you do not have enough insulin available to "unlock the door" to your muscles, the glucose cannot get into your muscles to provide needed energy. The end result is that glucose backs-up in your bloodstream, causing higher blood glucose readings." https://www.joslin.org/info/why_do_blood_glucose_levels_sometimes_go_up_after_physical_activity.html

Yesterday my friend asked if I wanted to walk the dogs round the village with her and I said yeah sure as it was I really sunny day and I had been inside all morning doing homework and cleaning. So my friend came to my house and then we went on a long walk with the dogs round the village and then we sat on a bench near the park and let the dogs of there leads and run around after each other. Then my friend said about going to the post office to get a drink and something to eat but the post office was closed so she said we could walk to the bp (petrel garage) and eat something from there. The thing was it was a really long walk to the bp and I didn't really want to walk that far just to get a drink and some food so we walked back to my house and got a drink for us and the dogs. Then my friend persuaded me to walk to the bp with her but we weren't going to take the dog as it was too far for him to walk. Before we went I checked my levels and they were 8.6 so I had something to eat and didn't but it in my pump as I knew my levels would drop while we walked there as it was a long walk. When we got to the bp the walk didn't actually seem as long as I thought it would have but I think that because we were talking and listening to music the whole walk. I checked my levels again to see what they were and they were 9.4 so I brought a drink and a bay of crisps and me and my friend walked to Ely and sat on the grass and relaxed for a bit. Then we followed a path to see where it took us and we ended up at a park, so we played at the park for an hour and then we started walking back to the roundabout where the bp was. It was starting to get dark so my friend rang her mum to see if she could come an pick us up and drop us home, her mum said that she would so we waited for her to come. While we were waiting my friend said that I should test my levels again as we had been playing and messing about in the park, when I tested my levels I was 6.5 which was really good. I had a really fun day with my friend and my levels had been really good however my feet did really hurt when I got back home.

Exercise can make your level low however I always I always check my levels before I do exercise and if my levels are bellow 8 I always have a biscuit to make sure my levels don't go low. Sometimes I have a biscuit if my levels are bellow 10 but it depends how much exercise I am doing and what exercise I am doing because different types of exercise effect my levels differently. Remember everyone's diabetes is different so you need to see what happens when you do exercise. Since doing my Due of Edinburgh bronze award where I had to walk 8 miles on the first day and 7 miles on the second day, I have leant that my levels always drop when I go on long walks so I always have something to eat before I go if my levels are under 10.

Hopefully you now understand why your levels go low and sometimes higher after exercise. I know your diabetes can make it harder to exercise but all you have to do is check your levels before you do exercise and have something to eat without giving yourself insulin if you think you need to so that your levels don't drop while you are doing exercise or after.       
Always remember you are stronger than you think.  

Symptoms

Recently my levels have been going low just before I go to bed and then when I wake up the next morning my levels have been running a bit high. This gave me the idea of writing a post about the symptoms of high and low levels and what causes your levels to go low or high. When your levels go high or low it makes you feel unwell and it can also wear you out for the rest of the day.

When my levels are low I feel really shaky, find it really hard to concentrate and my skin goes pale but everyone has different symptoms when their levels are low. The most common symptoms of low levels are feeling sweaty, feeling shaky, feeling hungry, tiredness, blurred vision, lack of concentration, headaches, feeling tearful, stroppy or moody or going pale. Everyone gets different symptoms because everyone’s bodies are different so we all react in different ways when our levels are low.  Your levels can go low because you have had too much insulin, you have missed a meal, you have done a lot of physical activity or other reasons. However sometimes there is no obvious cause of your levels going low. Sometimes people worry that their levels will go low in the night and they won’t wake up and realise; I worry about this a lot too. The hospital told me that I will only wake up in the night if I am having a bad low because my symptoms would wake me up, so if my levels weren’t very low then I wouldn’t wake up because I don’t need to. I don’t worry as much about it now after what the hospital have told me.  

When my levels are high I get stomach pains, headaches and I get really thirsty. Everyone gets different symptoms when their levels are high. Your levels can go high because you may have missed an insulin dose, not given enough insulin, been snacking on food, over-treating a hypo, stressed about something or being unwell with an infection. When your levels have been running high this can make you feel really tired and wear you out for the rest of the day.  

Sometimes it can be hard to work out what symptoms you get when your levels are high or low. Having low or high levels can make you feel really rubbish and unwell but you will be able to get through it, I know you will.  You are stronger then you think you are.