Continual hypos - 4 / 5 in a day

[sallymac65]

Good morning all, wish it was but anyway. I'm on a Medtronic pump and cgm, have been on a pump for about 6 years or so, but over the last two weeks I've been having anything from four to five hypos a day, which is not only knackering but just not right. I've dramatically altered my basal and correction rates and yet still I dip. Has anyone had a similar thing happen to them, how did they get out of this roller coaster life and why is it happening. Feeling rather fed up about it all, help !

 

[noblehead]

That is a lot of hypo's, if your sure that your basal rates are fine then you need to look at your I:C ratio's, either way best that you get in touch with your pump DSN and explain what's going on with your bg levels.

 

[Omnipod]

have you changed your diet? Not eating enough fats or complex carbohydrates?
Drinking more alcohol?
or.... have you checked your infusion sites? Sometimes using a new site..... you have better absorbtion of insulin or have you checked your cannulas? perhaps they are slightly longer then previous.
also activity.... doing low impact activity like cleaning, does have a huge impact on blood sugar.

 

[iHs]

Hi

Are you taking a statin at all, only some of them can cause bg levels to lower or go higher? If You cant think of any valid reason for the lows, see if maybe you can have tests done for Addisons which can make bg go low.

 

[CarbsRok]

Good morning all, wish it was but anyway. I'm on a Medtronic pump and cgm, have been on a pump for about 6 years or so, but over the last two weeks I've been having anything from four to five hypos a day, which is not only knackering but just not right. I've dramatically altered my basal and correction rates and yet still I dip. Has anyone had a similar thing happen to them, how did they get out of this roller coaster life and why is it happening. Feeling rather fed up about it all, help !

As already suggested do a basal test. Once that's fixed remember that lower basals quite often mean lower carb ratio. What tome are you having the hypos in relation to food.

 

[sallymac65]

Hi omnipod, thanks for your swift response. I've checked my sites and all is fine. The only change in the last two weeks is that we moved house, so yes less stress etc, but can't think why less stress would give me hypos, usually it's the other way round for me. I've contacted my dsn several times and they just say keep lowering your doses but then I end up being 18 or so and having to correct! Bizarre ...

 

[sallymac65]

Hi carbs rock, I was having them throughout the night, now they start at about 5am. I've been basal testing and gave reduced my overall doses, but maybe not quite enough. Not sure what's worse though being high or low - the middle sounds better !

 

[sallymac65]

Hi, ihs, no not on any statins. Never heard of Addison's disease, will look it up, thanks for responding !

 

[CarbsRok]

Hi omnipod, thanks for your swift response. I've checked my sites and all is fine. The only change in the last two weeks is that we moved house, so yes less stress etc, but can't think why less stress would give me hypos, usually it's the other way round for me. I've contacted my dsn several times and they just say keep lowering your doses but then I end up being 18 or so and having to correct! Bizarre ...

Sounds to me as if house moving might be the culprit. It's surprising how much exercise is involved with house moving. How soon before your hypos are hit are you adjusting your basal? If it's one our try two instead.

Addison's is a lack of cortisol in the blood it causes a lot of symptoms with the added bonus of never ending hypos, which if cortisol related are difficult to fix with carbs so you resort to steroid treatment. IE you up the normal daily dose you are on.

 

[Omnipod]

i recently moved house and also had more hypos than normal.
Packing boxes, unpacking, cleaning..... Youve been more active than normal. You have not had a 'normal' routine = hypos.
Im sure they will settle now.
Id just do a temporary 20% less basal for a while and see how that goes and bolus as normal. Keep a stack of digestives and a few bottles of lucuzade.
If hypos are starting at 5am, then perhaps drop the basal at 3am by 15-20%?

 

[donnellysdogs]

Don't forget though that altering for 5am ie changing at 2 or 3am can impact later.. Depending how long insulin works for you.

I would also be looking at site areas.. I Know my right bum cheek works slightly less god than left bum cheek... So have you changed ares.

More than likely micing house though. I've done this too many times to lust and boy it can throw levels low!!