My endo and I were reviewing several days' worth of Dexcom graphs, and it was glaringly obvious where my most consistent challenge lies: breakfast.
Overnight? Coasting beautifully. After lunch? No problemo. Dinner? Even that's not too bad. But breakfast? Breakfast is a jerk. Breakfast is a bastard who steals my lunch money and throws spitballs at the back of my head all morning. We hates it. We hates it forever.
"So what kind of stuff are you eating then?", my doctor asked. Every single day for the past handful of days, I'm soaring above 200 after my daily oatmeal, raisins, and glass of milk. It's a breakfast I switched to a couple of weeks ago as I had gotten tired of my usual egg casserole, and oatmeal is
It is not.
I explained, "I've been trying a different strategy pretty much every morning for the past week, without messing with my basal rates. Bolus early? High. Use an extended bolus? High. Up my insulin to carb ratio? High. Think about oatmeal? High."
"Maybe try something with some more protein? And let's increase your I:C ratio at breakfast, as well as inch up your basal rate a bit", she said, while I imagined her waving a magic wand.
And you know what? If improvement can be measured over just one day (it can't, but indulge me), she's right.
What's also encouraging is that my blood pressure measured lower than it has in years, my thyroid levels came back "perfect", my A1C result clocked in at a number my doctor and I were both pleased with, and I can't even get mad about gaining a few pounds since the last appointment because, hello, pregnant ladies do that.
I'm clutching to this moment where I feel full of win, and I'm running with it as far as it will let me go.
(Also, Baby Girl is moving around like crazy right now. She says "hi".) :)
I'm right there on the same page with breakfast.
ReplyDeleteAnd particularly cereals. All Cereal Is Evil. I can *just* about cope with oatmeal, as long as I leave 45 mins headstart for NovoLog (not without a whiff of irony, it's called 'NovoRapid' in the UK).
Hope you've managed to crack it now.
I'm usually hit or miss with oatmeal, although lately (2 weeks strong) I've been a hit. I started adding egg whites to my oatmeal though for added protein, which might help you if you're still looking to eat oatmeal. Awesome job on all your labs though!!
ReplyDeleteMike- I only eat cereal during the day. One time I got so frustrated with a particular cereal and my blood sugar after that I threw the whole box away in a rage. I've also done that with a variety of other food items as well.
I was just shaking my head looking at my monitor earlier. Breakfast sugars are maddening for me too. There's no rhyme or reason!!!
ReplyDeletebreakfast may just suck for all T1 PWDs - It's definitely my worst time of day too, I think because the stress hormones go up in the morning causing some insulin resistance. I've strangely noticed that waking up earlier (i.e. before 6:45) reduces the resistance. Go figure.
ReplyDeleteSame here! I even bought the weight control oatmeal, which has less sugar & more protein, but I still hit 200. I've mourned the loss of my precious breakfast cereal for so long. It's boiled eggs & string cheese now, since that's all I have time for. *sigh* Let's keep praying for a cure!
ReplyDeleteBreakfast in general is just a rough time of day for me. EGGS and BACON send my sugars up above 200. (Except... 3 hours later.) I can't even imagine what it'll be like during a 2nd tri.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently sitting at 275 post-breakfast. I had toast w/peanut butter (low-carb bread to boot). To say I am pissed is an understatement. Looks like I need to go back to sausage and eggs. =(
ReplyDeleteThat is so awesome!!!! I'm jealous. What is the secret?? I love oatmeal for breakfast but I just can't do it without sending my bs over 250. Right now my breakfast of choice is cottage cheese doubles. 13 carbs. Until that becomes too many carbs in the morning (24 weeks pregnant).
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, does anyone else's Dex rise high after breakfast, regardless of what you eat and what your sugar is? Mine ALWAYS climbs to 200, even if my sugar is sitting pretty at 120...I have no guess as to why...
Glad to hear everything is going well. I had GD when pregnant with my daughter, who now has T1D and I now have T2D. With GD, I had to restrict carbs for breakfast to 15g. I was told that not only is usual insulin resistance in the morning to blame, but the pregnancy hormones that cause insulin resistance are the highest in the mornings too. It's a double whammy! Good luck and all the best for the rest of your pregnancy.
ReplyDeleteMy endo did some tweaks the last time I went in, and it fixed my trouble spot too...but all I could think was something between "Damnit, I hate when she's right" because why couldn't *I* have figured it out?!
ReplyDeleteAnyhoo. Yay for winning breakfast!
I bolus 45 minutes early for breakfast and only occasionally beat the spike. And hi Baby Girl! :D
ReplyDeleteTotally full of win! If you had anymore win going on, you'd be win'd out!
ReplyDeleteWIN WIN WIN!
ReplyDeleteYou're so good at being pregnant and diabetic and pregnant-while-diabetic.
Anything about oatmeal is fascinating to me. My boy still eats oatmeal, but instead of his customary portion (w. maple syrup) totaling 45g CHO he has a tiny portion (w. m. syrup) totaling 23g CHO. It is about four big hurried-boy bites.
WHY IS OATMEAL SO CRAZY? Why do the whole grains not work their legendary slowing the release of the carbs magic?
What's your new protein breakfast like? (Back to egg casserole?)
Oatmeal is a fraud!
DeleteYep, back to egg concoctions - this morning's had ground turkey, mushrooms, and cheese with it. Add a slice of toast and milk, and the BG incline is much more gentle. :)
My hubby and I have that as a breakfast treat on weekends.. I put all kind of veggies in there with cheese and jones turkey sausage links plus we split a bays multi grain english muffin. Yum! Our d son only likes bacon, fruit and milk. He is not into breakfast foods. The only thing I have found to tame his breakfast spike is a super bolus. I got the idea from Lantusfiend. He boluses for breakfast and eats half of it then eats the other half later. We do it but with a snack or juice later. If needed.
DeleteMy favorite breakfast would be cereal, I just feel complete whenever I drink milk in the morning. Btw, you seemed to have a good health, that's a great news! Especially that your blood pressure has lowered and your thyroid levels are just at a normal range. You should maintain it, and I know that you will. Looking forward to your baby girl! May you have a healthy pregnancy and a good labor. :)
ReplyDelete