should i lower by basil insulin?

[jamesmacc]

since dieting my BG readings have been great, ran low a few times and reduced my basal insulin by 5 units from 40 a day to 35. last night when i came in from work my sugar was 7.0, i had 4 units of by bolus insulin to combat the carbs at dinner. after dinner i went out and did another 3 hours work (im a mechanic) came back in around 10, tested my sugar and its was 2.6, i had a couple of digestives, tested it half an hour later at about 5.6. 5 am i woke up feeling low tested my sugar and it was 1.6, usualy at 6.30 am its about 5.
do you think i should be reducing my basal dose, most people seem to be on much less than me and im fairly active, i have started working out 3 days a week and trying to walk 2 miles on the days im not working out.
any tips? i have contacted my diabetes specialist for an appointment to talk it over

 

[jack412]

do you use a workbook? you may need your basla reduced more and do your insulin:carb ratio again
http://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications/9226%20Carbohydrate%20Counting%20the%20Next%20Steps.pdf

if you have a couple of days numbers it might help the cluey guys here to help you work it out

 

[Beth_Robinson]

Do a carb free day, ie just meant and proteins and salad (Google no carb foods) If you go low, you know you need to alter the basal rates, if your levels stay within your desired range, it's your carb or correction ratios that need changing.

 

[Danaemac]

I would suggest basal checks eat a meal wait 4 hours then test every hour for 4 hours without food or insulin during this time do this to fill in the whole day not all at once if your bs moves by more than 2-3 mmol you should reduce / increase your basal, if you go above 10 or hypo abandon the test deal with problem and check another day, overnight, check every 2/3 hours. are you having hypos every night or is this just a 1 off ? It may just be you have been doing a lot more than normal my DSN says if you have 1 hypo you are more likely to have a second one hope this helps I would only reduce basal immediately if it was happening all the time

Danae

 

[jamesmacc]

I would suggest basal checks eat a meal wait 4 hours then test every hour for 4 hours without food or insulin during this time do this to fill in the whole day not all at once if your bs moves by more than 2-3 mmol you should reduce / increase your basal, if you go above 10 or hypo abandon the test deal with problem and check another day, overnight, check every 2/3 hours. are you having hypos every night or is this just a 1 off ? It may just be you have been doing a lot more than normal my DSN says if you have 1 hypo you are more likely to have a second one hope this helps I would only reduce basal immediately if it was happening all the time

Danae

so perhaps have breakfast without my bolus injection and then wait 4 hours, after 4 hours test and record it every hour to see how my basal insulin is controlling it? does it need to be a non carb meal to stop a spike from not having my fast acting bolus

 

[Danaemac]

Have ur bolus with breakfast at say 7 am have nothing for 4 hours so at 11 am start testing every hour for 4 tests so say 11,12,1,2, then have something to eat and take your bolus so you are basically delaying lunch your basal should keep you stable for these hours nothing in your system food or short acting insulin to affect it

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[jamesmacc]

Have ur bolus with breakfast at say 7 am have nothing for 4 hours so at 11 am start testing every hour for 4 tests so say 11,12,1,2, then have something to eat and take your bolus so you are basically delaying lunch your basal should keep you stable for these hours nothing in your system food or short acting insulin to affect it

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

ok im off tomorrow so ill have my bran flakes and milk in morning along with my short acting to cover it and then ill test after 4 hours every hour and post the results up, i take it you leave it 4 hours after eating because short acting only lasts about 4, so the next 4 readings have no short acting in my system and leaves only long acting to control my levels?

 

[Danaemac]

That's it yup u can do the same thing for every day part over night they say check every 2/3 hours for 4 tests at least u then get a few hours sleep if you are going low overnight it normally is a sign of too much basal I would do an overnight 1 if possible that seems to be a don't favourite for people on mdi on a pump you have different basal rates throughout the day so they all need checked

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[jamesmacc]

That's it yup u can do the same thing for every day part over night they say check every 2/3 hours for 4 tests at least u then get a few hours sleep if you are going low overnight it normally is a sign of too much basal I would do an overnight 1 if possible that seems to be a don't favourite for people on mdi on a pump you have different basal rates throughout the day so they all need checked

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Thanks for that, i havent gone low in the night for over a week and thats including working out at night, hopefully its just a combination of very little carbs for dinner mixed with the extra work i did.
ill post results tomorrow, thanks for the advise

 

[Danaemac]

Meant to say if you are above 10 then don't teat treat the high and don't if you have just been hypo between 4-10 perfect good luck look forward to the results tomorrow

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[jamesmacc]

Meant to say if you are above 10 then don't teat treat the high and don't if you have just been hypo between 4-10 perfect good luck look forward to the results tomorrow

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

ok will do, ill need to move my excersie times to get an accurate reading, i usually do 30 mins on a cross trainer at 9 am but ill move it to late afternoon

 

[Danaemac]

Any joy with that test today ?