advice for dealing with night hypos

[mikegresty]

if you suffer many overnight hypos here's a helpful tip I heard from an old people's home in the USA . To prevent overnight hypos the home in question gives each diabetic resident a spoonful of peanut butter before bedtime a method I have to say has proven to be very successful in preventing a large number of overnight hypos due to the slow released carbohydrates contained in peanuts.

 

[noblehead]

That's interesting Mike as there's only around 3g of carbs in a spoonful of peanut butter, if it works it works and that's all what counts.

 

[mikegresty]

yes it definately works within limits but obviously wouldn't counteract a big insulin overdose or major carb shortage but it does keep an edge on the sugar levels keeping them levelled for longer

 

[Alanp35]

My DN suggested 3digestives just prior to bed to reduce,possibility of,night hypos

 

[mikegresty]

yes unfortunately all doctors are governed and must always suggest the healthiest alternatives as such they suggest no smoking no drink and nothing that contravenes government guidelines none of which were written by a diabetic. digestives are fine for raising blood sugar levels but will last no longer than anything else you could eat the difference with peanuts and peanut butter is that they are slow release carbohydrates and in being such they can keep the edge off a hypo throughout the evening by constantly leaking a small amount of carbs into the blood stream whereas a digestive is fully absorbed within 30 minutes providing no more back up. the peanut butter is not used to replace food but just to add that little sugar (pending how much you eat) to prevent blood sugar levels bottoming whilst we sleep.

 

[mikegresty]

without knowing how long you've been diabetic I'm unaware what teaching you've had in diet to me 3 digestives represents 30 g of carbohydrate about the equivalent of a between meals snack and whereas this will put levels up at the time you eat them if sugars are dropping through the night then digestives will not sustain the levels but would only increase the amounts maybe adding an hour or two until going hypo I'd still suggest taking these but then adding a spoon or two of peanut butter ( not the sugar free, low fat versions as these serve no purpose as they don't contain peanuts ) the idea behind the peanut butter is it supplies a kind of slow drip feed of carbs throughout the night making hypos very much less likely.

 

[iHs]

Peanut butter may work and then again it might not be enough to alter the change in direction that bg levels take during the night. Although eating 3 digestives would be way too much carb for many, there some peeps that through no fault of their own, have bad hypos in the night and its only by eating some carb that they can sleep ok without needing hypo help. Adjusting basal insulin can sometimes work but testing bg levels during the night at different times will help many know whether they need to some carb and also they can work out, how much from the bg levels.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[iHs]

A cup of cocoa made with milk contains some carb, a good dose of fat and protein so thats worth trying out as well. Cocoa is meant to help with sleep so this is the reason cos of the carb, protein and fat.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[ElyDave]

My DN suggested 3digestives just prior to bed to reduce,possibility of,night hypos

do these people have no idea of a healthy diet?

as soemone else pointed out that would be about 30g carbs, which would have my BG going up to the rafters.

Why not focus on getting the basal dose right in the first place, and then you can go back to your PB.

My turn to rant now - one of the dieticians on my DAFNE course either had no concept of, or refused to teah healthy eating as it didn't fall within the realms of DAFNE - obviously the NORMAL EATING bit there assumes we all have the poor diet the media constantly stereotypes diabetics with.

Rant over. You can all go about your business

 

[iHs]

It has to be remembered that not everyone is using bolus/basal........ some are using twice daily regimes so cannot get their basal dose correct

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[ElyDave]

fair point, I was just ranting at the general state of dietary advice in the NHS

 

[mikegresty]

I'd agree but would generalise with the state of the nhs as a whole. it's a disgrace nowadays leaving me feeling more like a victim than a cared for patient.

 

[katie86]

This whole peanut butter thing sounds like an interesting idea. The spoonful we're referring to - it that a teaspoon or a dessert spoon? Just wanted to clarify in case I try it out and overdose on it (ladle sized portion anyone?!). thanks

 

[mikegresty]

it would all depend on individual needs and circstances but even with a tablespoon the carb amount is minimal but stretched out and effective but obviously would not prevent hypos say after an insulin overdose in which case more drastic measures would be needed it just tends to keep levels from dribbling to low I take it morning and night now and even when I go out on wheelchair and so far there have been no more episodes which makes a nice change from waking up with bites inside my cheeks and / or on my tongue. I see at as if I pass out at say 1 mmol then using the peanut butter will keep my blood from dropping below 3 for its duration so I'd still need to eat but wouldn't start fitting.

 

[katie86]

I generally don't suffer to badly from hypos - they usually strike around 5am so I was just pondering this as an option. I think it'd be a struggle to eat so much peanut butter each evening - I'd need on a cracker or something. Mind you, I always get hypo symptoms if my BG goes less than 5 so I've never had the tongue/cheek biting you describe - it sounds awful so I'm glad this trick works for you

 

[mikegresty]

thanks katie and you don't need much at all just a spoonful or two as necessary it won't raise your sugars up much at all but should keep you from hypo until you wake in the mornings I suppose only time will tell but there's definately nothing to lose and it has worked for me and many people in USA nursing homes. although maybe all you need is a slightly larger supper to see you through the night either way I wish you well with it katie as hypos can be very dangerous on occasion and as in my case permanently life changing x

 

[Alanp35]

Many thanks folks for your views. I'll give a try and hopefully all will get sorted.