Sugar raises back on it's own after bolus insulin

Quinapril

Member
Messages
23
Hello everyone.

Here is my situation.
I was diagnosed with type 1 about 2 years ago and after using insulin for a while I went into the honeymoon period and stopped using insulin altogether. My bg was pretty good but now a few years later my sugar began to be sort of out of control and because of this I went to the pharmacy and got the same insulin that I was using before (Fiasp and Abasaglar). Didn't go to a doctor yet because the lines are incredibly long in my country due to the covid 19 pandemic.

I eat low carb and I inject a few units of bolus with my meals and they seem to do the trick and get my blood sugar down. However, the sugar seems to slowly raise back up to 9 or 10 mmol after it goes down from the bolus insulin. The same happens at night the sugar raised up to 11 mmol and stayed at that range tonight. I have the freestyle libre so I know where my blood sugar is at any given time.

I haven't used basal insulin yet because I still thought that my pancreas has enough insulin to control but does this mean it doesn't? Should I start to take basal insulin as well? If so, where do I start? Do I take 1 unit of basal and see whether I need more and work my way up like that? I am really scared of going hypo during the night.

Thank you for your answers!
 

Juicyj

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Hello @Quinapril Welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately our members here cannot advise you on your dosing or medication, you really need to see your Doctor to review your results with them, unsure which country you are in, but with type 1 diabetes it's vital you are supported by your Diabetic care team.
 

sgm14

Well-Known Member
Messages
189
... sugar raised up to 11 mmol and stayed at that range tonight.!

Constantly rising blood sugar is usually a sign that you need basal but that sort of conflicts with your statement that they 'Stayed at that range'.

So it is impossible to say and you really need professional advice.

The good news is that as you have a free-style libre it should be possible for you to allow your diabetic team to access the readings from it and so they should be able to give you advice over the phone.
 

In Response

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Whilst I agree with @Juicyj that we cannot advise on dosing, I would say that, typically, if our blood sugars rise when fasting, that is a good indication that our basal dose is too low.
 

Quinapril

Member
Messages
23
Thank you for all of the messages. Yes, I understand that it is important to see my doctor regarding this issue but it might take up to a month until I am able to see him because of such queues these days.
And waiting with a blood glucose of 10 - 11 mmol for a month definitely wouldn't be good so I am trying to get control myself until I see the doctor
 

Antje77

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Yes, I understand that it is important to see my doctor regarding this issue but it might take up to a month until I am able to see him because of such queues these days.
Would it be possible to have a phone appointment sooner?
 

kvetiny

Well-Known Member
Messages
147
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Why aren't u using basal insulin? It's just as important as using ur bolus insulin. Your diabetes team should of advised u on the correct dose of basal insulin to take. If I forget to take my basal then my sugars will be around 20mmols all day even if I have lots of bolus.
 

KK123

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3,967
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Why aren't u using basal insulin? It's just as important as using ur bolus insulin. Your diabetes team should of advised u on the correct dose of basal insulin to take. If I forget to take my basal then my sugars will be around 20mmols all day even if I have lots of bolus.

I'm not sure the poster has a 'team', he had to get it straight from a pharmacy?
 

kvetiny

Well-Known Member
Messages
147
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
Fair enough but somebody prescribed the insulin and should of given instructions of how to use it etc.
 

Jaylee

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Hello everyone.

Here is my situation.
I was diagnosed with type 1 about 2 years ago and after using insulin for a while I went into the honeymoon period and stopped using insulin altogether. My bg was pretty good but now a few years later my sugar began to be sort of out of control and because of this I went to the pharmacy and got the same insulin that I was using before (Fiasp and Abasaglar). Didn't go to a doctor yet because the lines are incredibly long in my country due to the covid 19 pandemic.

I eat low carb and I inject a few units of bolus with my meals and they seem to do the trick and get my blood sugar down. However, the sugar seems to slowly raise back up to 9 or 10 mmol after it goes down from the bolus insulin. The same happens at night the sugar raised up to 11 mmol and stayed at that range tonight. I have the freestyle libre so I know where my blood sugar is at any given time.

I haven't used basal insulin yet because I still thought that my pancreas has enough insulin to control but does this mean it doesn't? Should I start to take basal insulin as well? If so, where do I start? Do I take 1 unit of basal and see whether I need more and work my way up like that? I am really scared of going hypo during the night.

Thank you for your answers!

Hi,

You are prescribed insulin.
The basal, long acting you have been prescribed is like the foundation of a house?
Getting the basal correct alows you to gain an understanding & build on the rest of your BG management.
We are not certain what you were advised dosage wise by your doctor on diagnosis? & the forum rules state we can't advise on altering dose.
However. If you can contact your doctor or have a designated diabetetes specialist team you can talk to..?

Here is a link on explaining basal testing which may help you at least start from what your HCP had advised for you. https://www.mysugr.com/en/blog/basal-rate-testing/
 

Jaylee

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Retired Moderator
Messages
18,214
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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I'm not sure the poster has a 'team', he had to get it straight from a pharmacy?

To be fair, if it's prescribed on some sort of repeat script? It could be "as & when.." Though I'm not sure of what sort of health plan or cover the OP has in their region?
I have a review every year, however on average. I'm ordering & picking up test cartriges more often on average than the insulin I use. (& now I'll be banging in a request every 11/12 days for libres too..
 
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