Type 2 Just gone on insulin and my sugars are worse than ever

[MeiChanski]

Ive been keeping to the 50g as much as I can and my sugars this morning were 8.6 which I know is still hig but much better than they have been. I’m not a morning eater and tend to eat about 10 ,am but have a couple of cups of tea. However ive just re checked my sugar b4 I eat and it’s soared to 11.5 and I’ve only had 2 cups of tea ( no sugar) how can that be. I expected it to have dropped . Please dont tell me that tea has carbs!! and I only use a small amount of semi skimmed milk. It cant possible have made me spike

It’s either dawn phenomenon

Or caffeine is known to raise BG or depending what you milked down your tea with - milk has lactose

 

[jape]

I’m not a morning eater and tend to eat about 10 ,am but have a couple of cups of tea. However ive just re checked my sugar b4 I eat and it’s soared to 11.5 and I’ve only had 2 cups of tea ( no sugar) how can that be. I expected it to have dropped . Please dont tell me that tea has carbs!! and I only use a small amount of semi skimmed milk. It cant possible have made me spike

Although carb intake and insulin are the two main items influencing blood sugar levels, there are about 40 other items that can impact blood sugar levels, such as fat intake, stress, etc. Blood glucose levels are not a linear process, it is a complex dynamic process

 

[daffy1]

Ive just found out that carrots are really bad for me. I spiked really bad after them. I thought that they would be a healthy snack

 

[lucylocket61]

Ive just found out that carrots are really bad for me. I spiked really bad after them. I thought that they would be a healthy snack

What did you have with them, how many, and what was your before and 2 hours after eating number?

 

[daffy1]

What did you have with them, how many, and what was your before and 2 hours after eating number?

Ive been checking my sugars about 5 times a day at 5.30 pm before I had the carrots it was 6.8 then 2 hours later it was 15.4. I’d bought a bag of carrot sticks thinking they would be a good snack and I had about 6 or 7 small sticks. I checked later and found they do have some carbs but surely not enough to do that

 

[HSSS]

Ive been checking my sugars about 5 times a day at 5.30 pm before I had the carrots it was 6.8 then 2 hours later it was 15.4. I’d bought a bag of carrot sticks thinking they would be a good snack and I had about 6 or 7 small sticks. I checked later and found they do have some carbs but surely not enough to do that

Wow that’s quite a rise from what’s probably about the amount in a large carrot. They are more starchy (carby) being an underground veg but that does seem a lot. Did you double check the second reading? Nothing else eaten, drunk or done in between?

We do sometimes have particular sensitivities to food that don’t quite make sense and you might be highly insulin resistant. In your shoes I would double check this again and see if you get the same reaction. Sadly if you do carrots are probably off the menu for now.

 

[Hertfordshiremum]

Ive been checking my sugars about 5 times a day at 5.30 pm before I had the carrots it was 6.8 then 2 hours later it was 15.4. I’d bought a bag of carrot sticks thinking they would be a good snack and I had about 6 or 7 small sticks. I checked later and found they do have some carbs but surely not enough to do that

Hi If you are not producing insulin any more and are not injecting fast acting insulin before eating then I can easily see how that would happen after carrots. You need to be record this and getting that c-peptide test.

 

[daffy1]

I’m now on 30 units of levimer and sticking to quite. Strict diet. Although over Christmas I did eas a standard dinner but no pudding or chocolates or any sweet stuff. They did go up to 14.6 2 hours after eating but dropped to 10.6 by nighttime
My sugars are all over the place and I’m at my wits end. I had Greek yogurt and some berries for my breakfast on 2 and now am on water and now at 1pm my sugars are 15.8 6 hours after eating. Every evening there now between 10 and 15
Ive been trying for 2 weeks to get a DN app by phone but today I went into the surgery and said I need to see her so ive got an appointment at 2.20 and am going to see if I can have a c peptide test. As everything I eat seems to spike me. I think I may need the fast acting insulin. Fortunatly Ive e no serious health effects so far my eyes are fine and I have no neuropathy.
Hopefully I’ll get some answers this afternoon

 

[Fenn]

Hi, you are doing great! 100% for effort. I can see some of me in your posts, I describe myself as extremely carb intolerant, the rise I get from food is disproportionate to what I read, I reached the point where Low Carb eating stopped working.
I was also started on one a day injection Basal only but very quickly realized this made little sense as I was crazy spiking after food but going low during the night (Freestyle Libre) once I started on Bolus insulin my control got way better so I would push for that. I was given a C-Peptide test that showed very low insulin production so they changed my type (I’m still not convinced) but it matters little what type I am I suppose,
I have heard they are reluctant to give Cpep tests, try to have your arguments ready before you go because the test really does make perfect sense, unfortunately I’m a bit rabbit in headlights at the docs so not always easy to get what I need or want. Best wishes, I look forward to reading your progress.

 

[daffy1]

Hi, you are doing great! 100% for effort. I can see some of me in your posts, I describe myself as extremely carb intolerant, the rise I get from food is disproportionate to what I read, I reached the point where Low Carb eating stopped working.
I was also started on one a day injection Basal only but very quickly realized this made little sense as I was crazy spiking after food but going low during the night (Freestyle Libre) once I started on Bolus insulin my control got way better so I would push for that. I was given a C-Peptide test that showed very low insulin production so they changed my type (I’m still not convinced) but it matters little what type I am I suppose,
I have heard they are reluctant to give Cpep tests, try to have your arguments ready before you go because the test really does make perfect sense, unfortunately I’m a bit rabbit in headlights at the docs so not always easy to get what I need or want. Best wishes, I look forward to reading your progress.

Thanks for the reply , as you said they were reluctant to give a peptide test and said they can only be done thru the hospital. But she is referring me to a dietician. I’m now on 16 units levimer on a morning and 16 at night to see if that makes any difference and she’s given me a booklet to record my readings but ive already be doing that it’s just more time specific that she wants. I had been told on here to stop porridge for breakfast and have Greek yogurt and berries. And 2 hours later they had done form 13.5 fasting to 15.8 2 hours after breakfast. She told me I should go back on porridge as it’s slow acting so ill try that again tomorrow and see if it’s correct what she says and if there is any difference.
I’m seeing her again next week and then she’ll let me know if I need to change my insulin. I gave her my diary of food I’d eaten and she didn’t think I was eating enough. Ill let you know how it goes

 

[HSSS]

Thanks for the reply , as you said they were reluctant to give a peptide test and said they can only be done thru the hospital. But she is referring me to a dietician. I’m now on 16 units levimer on a morning and 16 at night to see if that makes any difference and she’s given me a booklet to record my readings but ive already be doing that it’s just more time specific that she wants. I had been told on here to stop porridge for breakfast and have Greek yogurt and berries. And 2 hours later they had done form 13.5 fasting to 15.8 2 hours after breakfast. She told me I should go back on porridge as it’s slow acting so ill try that again tomorrow and see if it’s correct what she says and if there is any difference.
I’m seeing her again next week and then she’ll let me know if I need to change my insulin. I gave her my diary of food I’d eaten and she didn’t think I was eating enough. Ill let you know how it goes

I’d ask for a hospital diabetes appointment not just a dietician. Your dr really seems out of her depth. Porridge will only make things worse compared to yoghurt and berries very low carbs cause less of a rise than high carbs no matter how slow release they are. Specific timed readings mean little without relationships to food/activity etc.

 

[lucylocket61]

And 2 hours later they had done form 13.5 fasting to 15.8 2 hours after breakfast.

Thats a great result, as the rise was only 2 points. Its the rise which is important. Your breakfast suited your blood glucose levels.

 

[HSSS]

Thats a great result, as the rise was only 2 points. Its the rise which is important. Your breakfast suited your blood glucose levels.

Exactly so why switch it for a carb laden porridge

 

[lucylocket61]

Exactly so why switch it for a carb laden porridge

maybe due to a perceived risk of hypo from the insulin?

 

[HSSS]

maybe due to a perceived risk of hypo from the insulin?

Not likely at the levels daffy is seeing…..unless it’s to counteract the extra insulin. In which case it’s even crazier to add carbs so she can add insulin to eliminate the carbs

 

[Fenn]

Thanks for the reply , as you said they were reluctant to give a peptide test and said they can only be done thru the hospital. But she is referring me to a dietician. I’m now on 16 units levimer on a morning and 16 at night to see if that makes any difference and she’s given me a booklet to record my readings but ive already be doing that it’s just more time specific that she wants. I had been told on here to stop porridge for breakfast and have Greek yogurt and berries. And 2 hours later they had done form 13.5 fasting to 15.8 2 hours after breakfast. She told me I should go back on porridge as it’s slow acting so ill try that again tomorrow and see if it’s correct what she says and if there is any difference.
I’m seeing her again next week and then she’ll let me know if I need to change my insulin. I gave her my diary of food I’d eaten and she didn’t think I was eating enough. Ill let you know how it goes

It’s very difficult to ignore a professional but please research low carb eating, for me although it stopped working, it was amazing for years, took me from numbers in the mid 20s to non diabetic, try to not think about sugar as the problem, sugar is just a carbohydrate, carbohydrates raise blood glucose levels so it is impossible that eating less carbs will not lead to lower blood glucose, regardless of needing insulin or which type, putting less in = less in there! The doctor advising you to eat porridge or more carbs can only have the opposite effect to what you want, I’m a thick builder who never finished school, it’s not rocket science.
The doctor is not trying to harm you! The way doctors are taught is just simply wrong and has been for 40 years, I’ve been doing my job for 35 years, do I want someone to tell me I’m doing it wrong? Nope, I know it all. It’s very difficult to fight against dogma. The clever folks giving you advice above are just correct about the carbs.
Your insulin needs is a completely different issue, if you are not producing any or enough natural insulin, you have no choice, now it’s just a case of finding the correct amount, this takes time. The problem is without a Cpep, how can you know if you are making your own or need a little help? The difficulty is convincing a reluctant doctor you need it. If you do need insulin, the less carbs you eat, the less insulin you need. Always comes back to carbs somewhere hehe.

Best wishes.

 

[daffy1]

I’m seeing the dn on Friday and she gave me a book to record bg but ive done this anyway since going on insulin. But I thought I’d experiment the difference bg between yoghurt and porridge for 2 days. On average with the youghurt and berries after 2 hours it was increased by 1 or 2 points. Porridge after 2 hours it had increased by 5 and 6 . A no brainer I think
I look forward to seeing what she has to say about this

 

[Mungobean]

Hi, you are doing great! 100% for effort. I can see some of me in your posts, I describe myself as extremely carb intolerant, the rise I get from food is disproportionate to what I read, I reached the point where Low Carb eating stopped working.
I was also started on one a day injection Basal only but very quickly realized this made little sense as I was crazy spiking after food but going low during the night (Freestyle Libre) once I started on Bolus insulin my control got way better so I would push for that. I was given a C-Peptide test that showed very low insulin production so they changed my type (I’m still not convinced) but it matters little what type I am I suppose,
I have heard they are reluctant to give Cpep tests, try to have your arguments ready before you go because the test really does make perfect sense, unfortunately I’m a bit rabbit in headlights at the docs so not always easy to get what I need or want. Best wishes, I look forward to reading your progress.

Why are they so reluctant to give c peptide and anti gad tests @Fenn ? Are they hugely expensive, or do they not want to diagnose T1?

 

[jonathan183]

As others have already said - push for the C-peptide test.
Just keep increasing Levemir would mean you having to keep eating to prevent hypos (which looks like a poor strategy to me).

 

[Antje77]

Why are they so reluctant to give c peptide and anti gad tests @Fenn ?

Partly because the chances of having T1 are very slim compared to having T2.
If you go to your GP with whatever complaint, they're looking at the most likely causes first, and move on the the rarer conditions if it turns out it's not the most likely cause.