Highs and lows driving me crazy!

[becky.ford93]

I'm coming up for 5 months of diagnosis now, and largely have had things under control. Last week I was struggling with being low ~4 hours after meals, which I put down to my period (sorry guys...). Having come off, my levels largely returned to normal, except I was consistently going high in the evenings. To counteract this I put my ratio down from 1:18->1:15 in the evening and voila - 7.8mmol before bed last night, great! However, today I've found myself yet again going low a few hours after my meals, for no apparent reason. So the carb ratios are going back up, again! I have exams in a week and this is completely stressing me out. Perhaps that has something to do with it? I'm not sure anyone will be able to offer me much advice, since my body seems to love surprising me at the moment, but it would be great to know if anyone else went through this when they were (relatively) newly diagnosed?

 

[ArtemisBow]

Hi Becky - are there any patterns to the times you are going low? You say after meals but is this after lunch every day or always at a consistent time?

Your ratios can be different at different mealtimes, so if you've found a ratio that works at dinner, you don't need to change it if it's wrong at lunch etc, just change the ratio at the mealtimes which aren't working for you. Speak to your DSN first as they'll be closer to your specific condition.

Stress can definitely affect your levels (usually up rather than down, but we're all different). Good luck in your exams!

 

[becky.ford93]

It particularly effects me after breakfast and lunch (about 4 hours after) but I have higher ratios then already. It's just odd how it changes one day to the next I know I was hoping if anything theyd go up just to relax a bit, oh well! Think I'll try and contact the DSN tomorrow. Thank you

 

[urbanracer]

I'm coming up for 5 months of diagnosis now, and largely have had things under control. Last week I was struggling with being low ~4 hours after meals, which I put down to my period (sorry guys...). Having come off, my levels largely returned to normal, except I was consistently going high in the evenings. To counteract this I put my ratio down from 1:18->1:15 in the evening and voila - 7.8mmol before bed last night, great! However, today I've found myself yet again going low a few hours after my meals, for no apparent reason. So the carb ratios are going back up, again! I have exams in a week and this is completely stressing me out. Perhaps that has something to do with it? I'm not sure anyone will be able to offer me much advice, since my body seems to love surprising me at the moment, but it would be great to know if anyone else went through this when they were (relatively) newly diagnosed?

Hi @becky.ford93 , this is interesting. I wonder, are you studying harder than usual with exams coming up?

I think I've started to notice a trend at work whereby if I'm working the old grey matter on a real engineering problem then I burn off glucose faster than I do compared to when I'm twiddling my thumbs just waiting for the next e-mail to arrive. This is without doing any actual physical exercise, and I suppose the brain must need energy to function properly?

Of course this doesn't negate the fact that diabetes always likes to keep you on your toes!

 

[becky.ford93]

Perhaps that's it, I've definitely been working hard. Just praying I don't get a hypo in an exam but I'll perhaps run a little high to avoid it

 

[himtoo]

Hi becky
me again
this may or may not be of any help to you but one of the things i have noticed for a long time is the the duration of bolus ( fast acting ) can stretch out to 5 hours so the low at circa 4 hours is definitely within the range of your bolus insulin.
add to this the stress of exams and it is entirely feasible that the lows are a combination of the 2

my answer ( short term ) would be a very small snack at 3 hours post bolus ( around 10 carbs ) of a slow carb such as 2 cream crackers ( 10.8 CHO )
not ideal I know but I am definitely thinking that honeymoon period is kicking in and your pancreas is galloping off into the sunset at full pelt causing you unpredictable highs and lows .

 

[Charlotte1990]

Hi Becky, I'm new here so hope it doesn't seem like I'm "butting in", but I can very much relate to what you're saying.

I was diagnosed in April and on relatively stable doses for a couple of months once everything settled down. Then in June I started having more and more lows so cut back on the insulin massively (assuming this was part of the honeymoon period). The last month I've found my insulin requirements creeping up and I'm having a lot more highs but also unexpected lows. At the moment it seems like as fast as I get on top of things my body decides to do something completely different!

Hope things settle down for you soon, it's kind of nice to know that I'm not the only one though

 

[becky.ford93]

Yeah its good to hear I'm not the only one, the unpredictability is so frustrating! Thanks himtoo, think some serious snacking is in order, at least through exam period. With my exams being three hours long I'm hoping they'll be accepting of me needing to take something in with me

 

[CarbsRok]

It sounds to me as if you are going through your honeymoon period........... your pancreas is coughing and spluttering it's last bits of insulin out before popping it's clogs.
You need to inform the people watching over the exam and your school as well so that they can set in motion extra time to be given if you hypo during your exam and also so you can take glucose in with you.
Good luck with your exams

 

[donnellysdogs]

As a general rule only.... If your levels are higher or lower 2-3 hours after ANY bolus .. Whether food or correction then the ratio's are wrong or carb counted incorrectly.

At all other times it would be basal rates that are incorrect.

Ideally you should be having 5 clear hours between meals without snacks if on a basal bolus regime as this avoids quick acting insulin stacking up...

 

[Daibell]

I wonder whether your Basal is right? It may well be but it could be part of the problem?

 

[becky.ford93]

Thanks for the advice everyone hopefully things will settle down, guess I just need to always be prepared for everything

 

[becky.ford93]

I wonder whether your Basal is right? It may well be but it could be part of the problem?

Mm I never seem to have any problems in the morning, and haven't woken overnight before, but I think after exams I need to put the time into doing some fasting tests