Hypos

[L3wisr]

I've been having a few hypos recently and I'm not too sure why considering the weeks before I had managed to keep them to a minimum. I've been doing everything exactly the same and there's been no difference in food amounts. ( I don't think )

Here are a few pictures of my readings, old to new. Any ideas?

 

[L3wisr]

It's also taking twice as much lucozade to bring my levels up

 

[Laura-kay]

Hi, I'm new to this forum so be patient with me. I was diagnosed type 1 last April so still don't have the greatest of understanding for it lol ...... is lucozade the best thing to drink? I was told coca cola was?

 

[noblehead]

Check that your basal insulin dose is correct, thats the first rule when experiencing unexplained hypo's & hyper's.

 

[L3wisr]

Not sure if lucozade is the best, the diabetic nurse just told me to drink about 100ml of it when I was first diagnosed so I've just stuck with it.


I've just been told to lower my lantus a little to try and raise my levels a little bit but to hold off on my novo until I get the echo pen to do half units. Just unsure of what could have triggered the change considering everything has been the same

 

[noblehead]

I've just been told to lower my lantus a little to try and raise my levels a little bit but to hold off on my novo until I get the echo pen to do half units. Just unsure of what could have triggered the change considering everything has been the same

Try the reduced basal dose and see how you get on, things do change unfortunately and insulin doses are never set in stone.

 

[L3wisr]

I'll give it a go thanks. I seem to be feeling effects just before lunch so I'll knock one off the morning

 

[drahawkins_1973]

Not sure if lucozade is the best, the diabetic nurse just told me to drink about 100ml of it when I was first diagnosed so I've just stuck with it.


I've just been told to lower my lantus a little to try and raise my levels a little bit but to hold off on my novo until I get the echo pen to do half units. Just unsure of what could have triggered the change considering everything has been the same

The same happened to me when I was diagnosed. My basal insulin requirements kept gradually dropping over the first 6-8 weeks or so. They would be ok for a week or two and then the follwoing week I'd find I'd need less. I went from taking 10 units of levemir eventually down to 3 where they stabilised.
Just keep an eye on things and hopefully they will level out soon.

 

[L3wisr]

Okay, thanks for your help. Ill keep an eye on them and hopefully the reduction will sort it out.

 

[livitridge]

Might be because you exercise sometimes, it can have a 2-3 day effect afterwards of constant lowering BS. Are you on a pump? If so, set a negative temp basal before exercise. If not then decrease your background insulin by a little bit maybe?
I had a whole week of unexplained hypos, which has messed me up, I've developed a phobia of taking insulin now. Everything I've tried hasn't worked and I completely give up now.

 

[novorapidboi26]

your insulin needs will change all the time as you go through life........its being able to test your doses and adjust them accordingly which is the tricky part for most.....

 

[tim2000s]

@livitridge I see that you've posted in a number of threads regarding hypos that you're struggling with them, and even changing isnulin amounts isn't helping. If ever there was a point that I'd suggest you went to talk to your diabetic team, this is it.

How long have you been T1 and are you using a pump? (Your post here suggests you are). now is the time to talk to your diabetic team. I'd suggest discussing with them using MDI for a bit or switching to another pump, simply because there is always the possibility that your pump isn't doing what it is supposed to.

 

[L3wisr]

Nope I don't use a pump, I finally mastered the levels then it all decided to change. I've ended up reducing my background insulin by a few units so hopefully it'll even itself out soon.
Hope it sorts itself out soon liv, may be best speaking to the diabetic team and Tim said...luckily enough I have an appointment soon so will be able to review things.

Here's how my latest results have been.
...shocking on the hypo front.

 

[livitridge]

Thank you both for your advice, I am type 1 diabetic yes and have been for 8 years now, I was diagnosed at 11. I am on the omnipod, I'm so confused because for the first few months (August - December) there were no problems, it was very rare that i'de have a hypo... My BS were between 4-7 all the time. It was just this one night it happened and carried on happening, even now. Every single incident has been unexplainable, and worrying especially as I've not been taking much insulin on purpose. My basal is almost nothing, 0.40 units per hour at night now and they used to be 1.05 , I wouldn't dare do that much now!!!

And I had an appointment with my doctor a few weeks ago, not much was done apart from being told that I need to have faith and be confident in myself. I do, but I think this is much more serious. My next appointment is 30th March and Im scared I won't make it until then. I feel safer in the day than I do at night for sure though. Last time I was hoping to come home after and everything to be sorted, but I feel like it's going to be a big waste of time and nothing will be done. To make things worse, after taking about my fear of hypos to my doctor last time, I had a major hypo on the train home (I have a 2 hour train journey) and near enough collapsed.

My omnipod is not to blame, it's actually made my life easier, and I know it works because I had those 3 months of perfect control. They can take it off me if they want to, my hba1c is higher because I'm running levels high now, so they probably will. Can I just not be diabetic anymore please? I've even had to delay my work, I'm a tattooist and I refuse to tattoo at the moment due to my constant anxiety of going hypo.

 

[livitridge]

And sorry about all your hypos! Do you find them so mentally tiring?

 

[L3wisr]

Yeah they're a horrible thing, I've only been diagnosed for 5 months so I don't really have correct control or a knowledge of how to correct things at the moment ....just doing my best to try and fix everything.
I've built up somewhat of a fear myself and it's a horrible thing, I had the symptoms but was left undiagnosed for around 5/6 months and now whenever i go outside I instantly feel worse and somehow feel as I did a the beginning...not nice.

Tackling it all slow will seem tedious but will give results in the future, it's best to just keep focusing on what you can do to help fix it

I hope your next appointment goes better than the last so you can improve!

 

[noblehead]

@L3wisr, keep going on the basal checks, 5 months in things can change quickly, but in truthfulness diabetes is always work in progress and insulin doses are never set in stone, whether your a pump user or on MDI.

As a reminder, have a look at the BDEC website to see if there's anything you can learn from there:

http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

 

[Emmotha]

Hey.

I'm 8 months in now and same thing happened to me. I got level then BAM loads of hypo's. Reduce your basal some more (you can always put it back up again if / when need be).

I hardly hypo now, except today, but made me realise how much I don't miss constant Hypo's! You'll get there. I'd say look at reducing ur Bolus ratio (and book onto DAFNE)

 

[L3wisr]

Hey.

I'm 8 months in now and same thing happened to me. I got level then BAM loads of hypo's. Reduce your basal some more (you can always put it back up again if / when need be).

I hardly hypo now, except today, but made me realise how much I don't miss constant Hypo's! You'll get there. I'd say look at reducing ur Bolus ratio (and book onto DAFNE)

Good to hear!!
I'll reduce it a little more, I guess slightly higher numbers for a short time are better than hypos.

I do really want to get onto dafne but each time I mention it I'm told I have to wait

 

[ChrisMaleType1]

Those numbers generally look very good. Others are right, insulin requirements do change from time to time, sometimes for no apparent reason. It's most likely your basal rates which are the cause so I would basal test if you're worried.