Nightshift

Hello all

I have just started a new job at a nursing home. This work is all year round, with no such thing as 'holidays' in the eyes of those who run it or who live there....... a bit like Type 1 Diabetes, I suppose. Anyway, tonight I have to work the nightshift - 11PM to 7AM. I'm wondering what to do with my insulin dose.

In the past when I worked nights (which was never too often) I found that my blood sugars tended to misbehave and become erratic, no matter how hard I tried to keep them in the so-called 'correct' range. I remember also having a discussion with a dietitian about how I seemed to be able to take more insulin in the mornings and eat less without nosediving into a hypo, compared with if i took the same amount of insulin later in the day, where I would have to eat more just to avoid the hypo. She told me it had to do with hormones - not that I know much about them, but it makes me wonder if I do spend the whole night awake, will my body think it is still in day-time, and how will it react?

I was thinking of not taking my nighttime insulin, and instead just going on my quick-acting, just to see how I get on. This is all new to me, and I have to say I'm not looking forward to it. Nor do I want to hide behind my diabetes and let it dictate to me that I cannot do this - attractive as it may seem to someone who would like to work more regular hours. There must be some n urses or doctors or anyone else out there with Type 1 Diabetes who have to work night shifts - any ideas or advice for me? It would be greatly appreciated.

For now I think I'll just try to go on the short-acting, and see where it takes me. I'm comparing it to a trans-atlantic flight, where you travel east from Canada to Ireland - you lose a night's sleep, and just get back into the swing of things - but then again, you on ly do that once, you don't have to repeat the process later that week - if you do, you tend to travel back from where you came, not forwards again.

I'm confused, a bit scared, but I'll have to do something.

Thanks

John