Type 1 Take away

[nathk3lly]

Hi hope all is well.
I treated myself to an Indian last night and my blood sugars was 8 before eating. I had increased my lantus the night before and covered the amount of carbs consumed with insulin. Before going to bed my levels were 9. However, woke up this morning at 2am and my blood sugars were 28. After injecting almost 20 units of novorapid I was able to go back to sleep at 5:30. Any suggestion to why this happened or any advise? Thanks in advance!

 

[urbanracer]

Hi hope all is well.
I treated myself to an Indian last night and my blood sugars was 8 before eating. I had increased my lantus the night before and covered the amount of carbs consumed with insulin. Before going to bed my levels were 9. However, woke up this morning at 2am and my blood sugars were 28. After injecting almost 20 units of novorapid I was able to go back to sleep at 5:30. Any suggestion to why this happened or any advise? Thanks in advance!

What did you eat?
When did you eat?
How much later was bedtime (the 9mmol reading)

Rice has high carbohydrate content, and foodstuff like mango chutney can be upto 60% sugar.

 

[nathk3lly]

Hi, I ate rice, a small portion of chips and a korma. Didn’t weigh how much I had though. I had this at 7:30pm and went to bed at 11pm

 

[urbanracer]

Hi, I ate rice, a small portion of chips and a korma. Didn’t weigh how much I had though. I had this at 7:30pm and went to bed at 11pm

I often find with carby evening meals that my glucose level starts to rise after the rapid acting insulin has worn off.

Did you do an actual finger prick test or is that number from something like Libre or Dexcom?

Back in the days when I was using the Freestyle Libre I could see that my levels often started to rise about 3am. I seem to go through through cycles of this and then my body adopts a different behaviour. I too had an Indian meal last night and woke up with glucose levels of 8.5, which is not great but it's good for me, after eating a portion of rice.

 

[nathk3lly]

Yeah that’s why I’m so confused as I provided enough insulin and lantus to hopefully cover the evening. I increased my lantus the night before to give it time to adapt. I tested it on my finger prick and also the libre sensor and they were both very accurate (for once!) would this be a scenario where I should just avoid a takeaway completely do you think?

 

[urbanracer]

Yeah that’s why I’m so confused as I provided enough insulin and lantus to hopefully cover the evening. I increased my lantus the night before to give it time to adapt. I tested it on my finger prick and also the libre sensor and they were both very accurate (for once!) would this be a scenario where I should just avoid a takeaway completely do you think?

I think all I can say to you is - experiment! Do the same thing and see if you get the same result. You can also try the curry without the rice and have some veg instead to see what happens.

Did you drink alcohol with the meal? That might have slowed down the glucose rise because your liver will have prioritised dealing with the alcohol.

 

[Jaylee]

Yeah that’s why I’m so confused as I provided enough insulin and lantus to hopefully cover the evening. I increased my lantus the night before to give it time to adapt. I tested it on my finger prick and also the libre sensor and they were both very accurate (for once!) would this be a scenario where I should just avoid a takeaway completely do you think?

Hi @nathk3lly ,

Welcome to the forum.

You shouldn't need to increase your basal dose the night before to pre-emt a meal the following day?

That kind of what the bolus is for?
Though it's easier said than done regarding getting the dose right & timing the shot to compliment digestion..

Your Lantus, had you been noticing your fasting BG levels increase recently? Hence your change of dose.?

 

[nathk3lly]

I don’t drink alcohol either. I know that can have all sorts of effects on your blood sugars though depending on what you drink obviously!

I only increased my lantus as this happened a couple weeks ago where my levels shot up during the night so I thought maybe increasing it, it would hopefully maintain a steady level while I sleep. Thanks for your reply!

 

[Daibell]

Hi. If I have an occasional high carb meal such as Fish & Chips or Indian, etc my BS sky rockets unless I use a Bolus ratio way above my normal mealtime ratio. I also need to inject a series of correction doses if I haven't injected enough for the meal. It's just one of the 'joys' of diabetes!

 

[Jaylee]

I only increased my lantus as this happened a couple weeks ago where my levels shot up during the night so I thought maybe increasing it, it would hopefully maintain a steady level while I sleep. Thanks for your reply!

Hi,

I use Lantus. (Have done for years.) what I have noticed with me is a trend..? Lantus can loose its potency as I get down half wt to 2/3s the cartridge?
Be wary when starting a new cartridge on the current dose.

& yep, I did see an Endo prior to lockdown regarding changing my basal to a more stable insulin.
He just wouldn't "play." (Inspite of the data I provided.)

 

[Marie 2]

One of the other things that can happen is if there was a higher fat content in the meal it delays absorption of your carbs. So the insulin is through your system and gone by the time some of the carbs hit.

Ever tried to dose for pizza??? It will do the same thing, a lot of people have to take a dose later to correct for it.

I remember seeing a video of a completely "normal" person who was testing different foods effects and he ate pizza the night before and his readings were higher than normal the morning after. It's that slow digestion effect. Everything else he ate he went up to normal levels and was back to a good level within 2 hours after eating.

 

[kev-w]

When I eat an Indian [meal] I don't alter my basal but would expect to need 3 injections for it (curry, naan and spinach) first one before I eat so I can see the injection start working, another a couple of hours later and then another for supper so around an extra 6u.

Not eating too late helps and I'd choose between one of rice, naan or chips as I'd struggle to inject for 2 carb 'portions' (rice AND chips)

 

[Ushthetaff]

I find that if I eat rice pasta pizza are any what I Cals as long term carbs it takes quite a while for my bs to reprise and when it does it really does rise ! Experiment and a little gos and bad experience has lead me to split my insulin bonus when I eat the of long carbs, I’ve said this before in other posts I have been known to take my bonus 2 hours after I’ve eaten it I find it reduces the rise later, not always but majority of time, it’s all experiment and experience after all we’re all individual . just find what works for you, even then you’ll find it might need tweaking ,
Take care stay safe
May the force be with you "....................................always”

 

[Perminder1]

I think all I can say to you is - experiment! Do the same thing and see if you get the same result. You can also try the curry without the rice and have some veg instead to see what happens.

Did you drink alcohol with the meal? That might have slowed down the glucose rise because your liver will have prioritised dealing with the alcohol.

Make your own curry