Trying, really trying with my ratios.

[Dazphoenix28]

As I you can see below I can't understand my ratio. Been trying for weeks to get a consistent level and it either climbs shortly after dinner or tanks. So breakfast today I had 2:10 ratio and correction dosage (2 units = 1 correction since 2:10 ratio). So I had 40g of crabs, 10 units (8u for 40g and +2) My dietician said about correction dosages being in line with your current ratios. Thing is if I increase my ratio(because my bloods tend to rise anyway) it'll tank when I try the next day. Like for example today, I had a 1.5:10 ratio for lunch, had to do a correction dosage because my bloods kept rising and my glucose machine said 14.1.

But if I was to say do a 2:10 ratio for lunch is would tank from 9.0 and keep going down within a hour to a hypo. Idk what do do...

Same goes with dinner. 1:10 ratio and it climbs slowly after 1 hour until I correct it again but if I have a 1.5:10 ratio for dinner I go into a hypo.

Any advice? I had to lower my lantus(long acting) insulin to 18 units because anything more than 20 will cause me to have a night time hypo around 4-9am and I'd go to bed with a 8-10 reading.

Idk what to do and nothing changes in what I eat. Mainly low fat foods and wholegrains. Always take my insulin 15 mintues prior to meals and never miss meals, injections and not currently exercising.

I'm testing constantly, watching my graph over the day and taking notes. Also finger pricking to make sure the libre is accurate and it is.

Told my other type 1 diabetic friend and he said I might be better off either on a pump or asking about a cgm. I want to control it the best I can and my target range is 5-10. Even the arrow this morning was pointing directly down from a 6.3 reading I ignored it and it was fine anyway. Remember if I do increase me lantus from 18 to anything over 20 I'll start having hypos during sleep.

I'm so down about it and literally living the healthiest life style I can possibly do right now.

What got me more upset is a new eye floater come on today out of nowhere. Last thing I need is my eye specialists reviewing my eyes since last treatment (2 weeks ago) and having ago at me for not controlling when I'm clearly trying but struggling.

First photo is my readings 1 hour after breakfast saying it's rapidly going down when infact it didn't.

Second photo is today's readings. I had to have a correction dosage after lunch about 2-3 hours because it kept climbing and eventually peaked on my gm machine at 14. So following my dieticians advice I had a correction dosage of 2 units. 1 correction dosage = current ratio. So I had 2 units since my pen doesn't dial in half units so rounded it up as I didn't really wanted to take 2 correction dosages incase of a hypo.

Third is yesterday's readings. You can see 22 units of lantus sent me into a hypo the lasted 3 hours while I was sleeping, unaware until I woke up and knew my eyes were funny.

Dinner I had a 1.5:10 ratio and tanked into a hypo. Treated it with 4 glucose tablets and a small amount of carbs( bloods kept dipping every 15 minutes so started with 4 glucose tablets, went from 4.4 on my machine to 5.2). Then 15 minutes later dropped again so had 2 more tablets and some carbs then it rose to 13 before bed.

See if I lowe my ratio for dinner it rises shown in the last photo 2 nights ago.

Please any advice is appericated. Thank you.

 

[Rokaab]

Same goes with dinner. 1:10 ratio and it climbs slowly after 1 hour until I correct it again but if I have a 1.5:10 ratio for dinner I go into a hypo.

Any advice?

Try a ratio in between those two?
I know my ratios are not round numbers when done in units of 10 carbs, I'm at either 1unit to 6 carbs (thats 1.66 units to 10) or 1unit to 7 carbs (thats 1.42 units to 10) dependent on time of day

 

[Seacrow]

I don't understand your 'correction dosage=current ratio' calculation. As far as I am concerned, a correction dosage depends on your bg measurement, the amount of 'insulin on board' you have and somewhat on the direction your bg is trending.

As far as your screenshots go, Sat lunch looks like you achieved exactly what you wanted. You got a minor peak immediately after eating, moving back into the green very quickly. Fri dinner, testing before dinner would have shown you were low, and you could have delayed injecting until after you started eating - no hypo. Thursday, I don't see any problem.

If you are eating large amounts of fats with meals, this is known to slow carb absorption down. The rise a couple of hours after your meal could be the last of the carbs hitting your bloodstream, but a rapid-acting insulin has pretty much finished by then.

You can probably adjust your ratios in smaller steps and get even better results. Honestly though, I would (nearly) kill for these results. It is an extremely rare day I don't go from below 4 up to the mid-teens and back, or spend an entire day just trying to get (safely) back into the green.

 

[MarkMunday]

Your problem is most likely with basal. Have you tested your basal, as suggested in the last thread? When do you inject your 18 units of Lantus? If it is at night, shifting it, or part of it, to the morning may help. Switching to Levemir may also help. Using a pump gives the most control over basal insulin action over the 24 hour cycle. A CGM would help figure out what is happening, but you don't really need one when the insulin protocol is working the way it should.

 

[Dazphoenix28]

Thanks guys. Well I think I got my basal right. 19 units seems the sweet spot for me. And maybe you're right. Instead of waiting 15 minutes to eat after injecting, maybe I need to inject then eat after 5 minutes or so. This m8ght help reduce the sudden drop and prevent the slow climb.

Going to try that today and if it works out then that's the problem solved =).

 

[Dazphoenix28]

Your problem is most likely with basal. Have you tested your basal, as suggested in the last thread? When do you inject your 18 units of Lantus? If it is at night, shifting it, or part of it, to the morning may help. Switching to Levemir may also help. Using a pump gives the most control over basal insulin action over the 24 hour cycle. A CGM would help figure out what is happening, but you don't really need one when the insulin protocol is working the way it should.

10pm every night. 20 or above units causing me to go into a hypo, 18 is nearly enough. Worked the numbers and 19 seems the way for me. Woke up this morning with a 3.4 reading on 20 units and went to bed with a 6.7 reading.

Apprently 4-7 before breakfast is a good indicator that my basal is correct. So going to adjust the final time tonight. I know you're ment to wait 3 days but I had a hypo so need to change it anyway.

As for meals, going to start eating after 5-10 minutes of Injecting so it hopefully slows down that spike drop within the first hour and hopefully helps it stop climbing.