October 2, 2008
Forgetfulness + diabetes = ???
Posted by idodiabetes under Uncategorized
[11] Comments
It’s been a busy month. Somehow once I get past a certain point of “overwhelmed”, I become very forgetful. In the last week, I have been SO forgetful: forgetting to do things for work, forgetting where I need to be, forgetting what I was thinking about a minute ago. So I keep lists, set reminders, and try to deal with the forgetfulness.
But it doesn’t make for easy blood sugar management. Here’s what happened tonight.
I tested in the evening before bed. My blood sugar was 55 mg/dl. I decided that
the treatment for this low blood sugar should include juice (6g) and a chocolate bar (14g). I drank a shot glass of juice (yes, I treat my lows using a shot glass to measure my juice).
[Here's the part where I don't remember what happened.]
About 20 minutes later, I think “did I eat that that chocolate bar”? I have absolutely no idea. Maybe I did. Maybe I didn’t. Sounds like no big deal– unless you realize that this is the difference between good blood sugar through the night or facing a nighttime low.
So, accepting my forgetfulness for what it is (meanwhile hating it), I search for clues. First stop, ask the husband: did he SEE me eating a chocolate bar? (No help, but it’s not in the husband job description to make a mental note of everything that enters wife’s mouth.) Second stop, trash can: is there a chocolate bar wrapper on the top? YES!! So I did eat the chocolate bar (or is that the wrapper from one I ate after lunch? Did I eat one after lunch?)…
I figure that I am 75% sure that I ate the chocolate bar that will prevent the nighttime low. To be safe, I ate a 6g chocolate bar, figuring that it’s better to risk being a little high in the morning.
Two hours after falling asleep, I awake in a cold sweat and the meter confirms the low at 48 mg/dl. So I sit here writing to you to tell you that I solved the mystery, I did NOT eat that chocolate bar before bed and to let you know that forgetfulness and diabetes are not a good combination.
After another shot glass of juice and a chocolate bar (for REAL this time), I’m heading back to bed…
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October 3, 2008 at 11:41 am
Kristin,
This happens to me as well sometimes. Don’t sweat it. You can only do what you can don’t let Diabetes make you crazy, then it has won. Bottom line you corrected at night and good to go back to sleep! Take care!
Mike
October 3, 2008 at 10:47 pm
I’m getting very dumb lately, I have gone as far as even forgetting to write lists! +I LOVE orange juice and chocolate before bed.. Mmmm.
October 4, 2008 at 1:27 am
I ask my husband “did I eat this and that” all the time…good to see I am not the only diabetic wife who does it. I am glad you are doing better:) You treat your lows with a candy bar and juice??? I haven’t had juice in for years. I bet that was good.
October 5, 2008 at 8:14 pm
lol, I do that stuff all the time! I’ll be like “wait…did I tak insullin for lunch??”
October 6, 2008 at 1:43 pm
When I was on injections and had to do a bedtime snack, this kind of thing happened a lot. I also talk in my sleep if asked a question. I’ll never forget my mom waking me up and bringing me juice because apparently I’d told her (in my sleep) that I had skipped a snack. When she brought it to me, I was annoyed and told her exactly what my sugar had been and what I’d eaten. She was understandably confused. Not so much an issue of forgetfulness as it was which one of her fussy teenage daughters to believe!
I love the way you hunt for clues. I giggled as I read it. My husband and I check the trash can to find out if the other fed the cat or not. And who hasn’t dug a package out that was thrown away in the haste of cooking before you’d figured out the carb count and serving size?!
December 1, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Oh my gosh, I’ve done this sooo many times…cook the stuff, eat it, then go digging for the can/wrapper to read the carbs, etc..I was laughing to. Taking the meds/shots is another issue. I have to play games w/myself, leave out the needle or med container to remind myself I DID take it..just another fun part of D.
Susan in Montana
October 8, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I got such a kick out of this post! It is a very good description of what goes on inside any of our heads at any given time.
October 14, 2008 at 12:31 am
I so get the forgetfulness thing. In fact…I quite often forget if I’ve already given myself a shot of insulin. I have actually “double dosed” myself on more than one occassion. That bites.
October 21, 2008 at 5:27 pm
boy, that sounds familiar! This post was very funny!
October 30, 2008 at 4:36 am
Not only do I often forget if I’ve 1.) taken insulin shot or 2.) eaten anything, But I also tend to forget BIG things that occured when my health was bad,, certainly if I’ve had a bad reaction or a stressfilled hospitalization for any reason… the days seem “gone.” You ever experience that? Luckily, husband John has a good memory for details, dates and all — so I’m often quizzing him about My life.
Sheeesh!
October 19, 2009 at 10:40 am
I believe these actions, correcting lows and highs, become so automatic after a while, that one just do it without thinking to much. You just do it, while thinking about other stuff. But then you realise your actions are pretty much important, being a diabetic. You try to remember, but it was not “registered” well and no records can be found… It happens to everybody I guess… anyway, it happened already several times to me… and ends up sometimes with a low or a high… your story sounds very familiar…