Help with overnight/morning basal rates

[Janelle123]

If you are going to do corrections after 2 hrs for 10+, which is understandable, then try injecting only three quarters of what the wizard suggests? Just until you get a better handle on it?

It's always better to err on the side of injecting too little insulin rather than too much, at least while you are feeling your way forward.

Ok, I'll try that. Thanks

 

[Spiker]

Wow, actually typing out what I eat makes me realise how unhealthy I eat lol

In the long term it's probably going to help if both you and your husband can cut down on the sweetened foods and high carb foods, particularly processed ones. It just makes it easier to keep your BG stable if you are not constantly fighting spikes.

 

[Spiker]

I never made it to an appointment though because I miscarried very early on.

Very sorry to hear that. I know it can be really tough, and also can make you worried about the next pregnancy. It's good you are being careful Janelle but I don't think you need to worry. You can handle it and I think you are going to be fine.
x

 

[Janelle123]

In the long term it's probably going to help if both you and your husband can cut down on the sweetened foods and high carb foods, particularly processed ones. It just makes it easier to keep your BG stable if you are not constantly fighting spikes.

I tried a low carb diet for about a month and had awesome results. Unfortunately I found it hard to stick to. I've been trying to limit my meals to max 60g carb which I think has helped reduce the spikes somewhat.

 

[Janelle123]

Very sorry to hear that. I know it can be really tough, and also can make you worried about the next pregnancy. It's good you are being careful Janelle but I don't think you need to worry. You can handle it and I think you are going to be fine.
x

It definitely contributes to the worry/guilt whenever I see a high reading

 

[Spiker]

Don't worry. We will sort you out.

I'm off now, good luck for today /tonight. xxx

 

[Janelle123]

Don't worry. We will sort you out.

I'm off now, good luck for today /tonight. xxx

I am very thankful to you and DD for all of the help/advice/support

I'll update tomorrow with hopefully some helpful results.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Sorry.. I got tired and missed the ongoing postings.

Fully understand the reasoning for your tightness with your control etc...we'llget you there.

Will have to re read to look at the final scenario of what you are going to do overnight etc...

You will get there. 2-3 weeks is very little time on a pump to get everything perfect.

 

[donnellysdogs]

How you been since last posting? Especially overnight?

 

[donnellysdogs]

Let us know how you got on with eating and bolusing just once in 5 hours..
Its excellent that you are testing so much as this does give a clearer picture.

When I test though.. I try to do it on the 1/2 hour.

Reason being it is normally assumed that fast acting insulin is at its peak 2-3 hours after a meal. So I take the middle value of 2 hours 30mins.

If I test at 6.30 and I need to do an adjustment I would change 4.00. If i needed to change because of a reading at 20.30 I would change the 18.00.

The leaflets that we were given for recording basal testing on initially all stated hourly times and some dsn's said change 3 hours and some say 2 hours before a high or low. So to make things easier for me when I'm basal testing I test on the 1/2 hour and change the rate 2.5 hours previous if needed.
You have reminded me to do a test tonight so my pump meter is set to go off on the 1/2 hour until midnight tonight.

 

[Janelle123]

So I'm gonna start with yesterday during the day because it was such a horrible day of hypos.. I'm still so confused as to why my day time basal rate was working perfectly up until Wednesday afternoon (now Friday).
9:14am = 4.2 = 4g
9:23am = 3.8 = 4g
9:48am = 4.8 = 6g - 0.6 units (at this stage I was convinced this was just some random lows and decided to still bolus for my coffee)
11:05am = 6.6
11:53am = 4.2 = 10g - 0.3 units (4g to treat the hypo then bolused 0.3 units for my 6g coffee)
12:53pm = 5.3
1:27pm = 5.6
2:09pm = 4.0 = 8g
2:29pm = 3.6 = 10g (4g to treat hypo then took no bolus for my 6g coffee)
3:24pm = 7.0
4:24pm = 4.3 = 4g (theoretically no IOB and a drop of 2.7 in 1 hour!)
4:43pm = 4.0 = 8g
5:09pm = 5.0
5:20pm = 5.2
6:09pm = 5.7
6:56pm = 4.4 = 4g

I will update with the results from my evening meal in a separate post so this doesn't get too messy.

 

[Janelle123]

Based on last night my carb ratio is way too high. Maybe it has been slightly too high in the past but the past two nights have been terrible. I wonder if its a combination of the basal rate and the carb ratio. Just before bed I decided to put on a temporary basal rate of -10% because at that point I was just done with having to treat hypos. As you can see though, reducing my basal rate did nothing to stop the hypos. Still so lost as to way this has only been an issue the past 2 days.

7:04pm = 4.4 = 60g - 6 units
7:48pm = 7.0
8:33pm = 7.9
9:24pm = 4.7
9:37pm = 4.7
9:53pm = 4.1 = 10g
10:14pm = 3.1 = 10g

1:10am = 3.3 = 10g
3:07am = 3.3 = 10g
5:46am = 5.4
6:29am = 5.0
7:18am = 5.7

I am VERY relieved that I am yet to have a hypo today (but it is only 8am lol)

BTW I'm still running the temporary -10% basal rate

 

[iHs]

Dont despair Janielle...?..the gremlins are at it. I too started bg dropping late yesterday aftnernoon for reason unknown and ended up fairly low needing to correct by some jellybabies and also some carb just to get bg up to 6mmol

Today is not much better so will probably do some basal testing tomorrow to see whats happening.

 

[Janelle123]

Dont despair Janielle...?..the gremlins are at it. I too started bg dropping late yesterday aftnernoon for reason unknown and ended up fairly low needing to correct by some jellybabies and also some carb just to get bg up to 6mmol

Today is not much better so will probably do some basal testing tomorrow to see whats happening.

I'm beginning to think it could be something to do with the weather. We are coming into winter here and for the past month or so its usually been about 15C. The past 2 days though were unusually warm for this time of year at about 27C. Today is only meant to get to 19 so it will be interesting to see if my insulin requirements go back to normal.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Based on last night my carb ratio is way too high. Maybe it has been slightly too high in the past but the past two nights have been terrible. I wonder if its a combination of the basal rate and the carb ratio. Just before bed I decided to put on a temporary basal rate of -10% because at that point I was just done with having to treat hypos. As you can see though, reducing my basal rate did nothing to stop the hypos. Still so lost as to way this has only been an issue the past 2 days.

7:04pm = 4.4 = 60g - 6 units
7:48pm = 7.0
8:33pm = 7.9
9:24pm = 4.7
9:37pm = 4.7
9:53pm = 4.1 = 10g
10:14pm = 3.1 = 10g

1:10am = 3.3 = 10g
3:07am = 3.3 = 10g
5:46am = 5.4
6:29am = 5.0
7:18am = 5.7

I am VERY relieved that I am yet to have a hypo today (but it is only 8am lol)

BTW I'm still running the temporary -10% basal rate

Ok...first off to me your basals at 5 and 6pm are too low and your carb ratio is giving too much insulin.

I would be making adjustments first.

Just going to track back over your other figures.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Your 1pm if you decide not to bolus for this coffee (give it a go) needs to be raised. Your 2pm needs to go down by the same amount that you raise the 1pm rate by. I can't recall your basal rates around those times so can't suggest a change.

 

[donnellysdogs]

I would advise you to have 15g of hypo stopper too rather than 10g.

 

[donnellysdogs]

@iHs @Spiker do you bolus for your coffees?

 

[donnellysdogs]

Janelle incidentally- are your coffees just instant coffees with milk and water?

 

[Janelle123]

Ok...first off to me your basals at 5 and 6pm are too low and your carb ratio is giving too much insulin.

I would be making adjustments first.

Just going to track back over your other figures.

This is all of my basal rates:
00:00 = 1.000
03:00 = 1.050
05:00 = 1.250
06:00 = 0.900
08:00 = 0.600
19:00 = 0.700
21:00 = 0.800

Maybe increase to 0.700 from 5pm instead of 7pm?

Should I try 1:12 carb ratio?