Is a bedtime blood glucose level of 5.0 ok?

Northerngirl

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My partner, who has been on insulin for a couple of months, tried very hard yesterday and cut out all snacks containing carbohydrate.

5.30 pm evening meal had a reading of 12.1
2 hours later had a reading of 12.0

At bedtime 11pm had a reading of 5.0 (he has never in 13 years had a reading that low).

At which point we were both worried about how low it would go overnight, so he had a snack . (Banana and bag of mini cheddars

This morning 8.30am his reading was 7.0 - also the first time it's been this low for ages and ages.

Was having a snack the correct thing to do, or should we just have left it? Thanks
 
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philchap1

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Looking at what he'd eaten and the reading next morning it was the right thing to do as he would have gone really low without the snack :)
 
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NoCrbs4Me

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Wow! Going low carb while on insulin sounds tricky, but potentially a really good idea. You'd better get some serious advice from people who have done it. It may be worth a new thread or maybe search the forum.
 

Northerngirl

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Wow! Going low carb while on insulin sounds tricky, but potentially a really good idea. You'd better get some serious advice from people who have done it. It may be worth a new thread or maybe search the forum.
He wasn't really going low carb, more less snacks!
 
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Spiker

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Before embarking on low carb a diabetic on insulin should do full fasting basal rate testing and ratio testing. Otherwise unexpected results like this are likely, if, for example, basal is too low and bolus ratios are too high as compensation
 

NoCrbs4Me

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He shouldn't change his eating habits without some serious planning and thought.
 

Molly56

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He wasn't really going low carb, more less snacks!
@Northerngirl ....similar with my partner...has not intentionally gone low carb but has reduced carbs (his choice, no longer eats potatoes with evening meal / has salad instead)...also cut out snacks (had a liking for a slice of bread or bowl of porridge in evening)...have also been worried if evening reading was low and I too have suggested he has a snack pre bed.....does have a banana as a snack which I don't think is best choice but better than some of the alternatives he may choose.

Before embarking on low carb a diabetic on insulin should do full fasting basal rate testing and ratio testing. Otherwise unexpected results like this are likely, if, for example, basal is too low and bolus ratios are too high as compensation
@Spiker ...I think (like my partner) @Northerngirl 's partner is on mixed insulin at the moment in which case it is not possible to distinguish between or alter basal or bolus rates...
 
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mrspuddleduck

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Hi, Sounds like he's in the honeymoon period or still producing some of his own insulin?. I have a similar problem. I run high during the day and then drop and regularly hypo at night. I eat every night before bed to stave off the night lows, a low GI, slow release carbs snack. The best thing I have found is nut based breakfast bars. Works for me!! Sue xxx
 
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Northerngirl

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Hi, Sounds like he's in the honeymoon period or still producing some of his own insulin?. I have a similar problem. I run high during the day and then drop and regularly hypo at night. I eat every night before bed to stave off the night lows, a low GI, slow release carbs snack. The best thing I have found is nut based breakfast bars. Works for me!! Sue xxx
Thanks when you say you regularly hypo in the night, is that when you are asleep? What do you do?
 
M

mrspuddleduck

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Thanks when you say you regularly hypo in the night, is that when you are asleep? What do you do?
I'm lucky cos I'm hypo aware so I'd my bloods drop below 4 it wakes me up. I keep orange juice and jelly beans by the bed (most people suggest jelly babies but I'm a veggie!) for immediate 'treatment' then test my bloods again after approx 20 mins and then have some slower release carbs, biscuits/toast etc and so on. BUT that's not prescriptive, its only what works for me! Try looking at www.diabetes.co.uk/how-to/treat-a-hypo.HTML for more specific advice. Sue xxx
 
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teacher123

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I try to go to bed sitting around 5.5/6 so have sufficient room for levels to drop without going hypo. I find oatcakes are helpful snack just before bed, 4.3g of carbs per oatcake (Nairns)
 
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iHs

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In the years that Ive been type 1, my bg levels always dropped overnight and unless my bg was higher at bedtime, I always had a 5-10g carb snack to try to prevent a hypo. I did this using twice daily insulin and then MDI, and for a while until I got my basal rates sorted, I also had a small snack before bed using a pump.

There is no harm from eating a snack before bed if it helps to stop a hypo from manifesting.
 
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