15.+ sugars & no ketones!

[VsUK]

Been type 1 since I was 25, so coming to 10 years this august. Now from day 1 I've been very careful & my sugar's have always been spot on. I like a bit of routine with my food. For example, on Fridays I always have fish. Mondays I have a some meat & veg & so on. Anyways, for the passed 2 weeks my sugars have refused to stay within range. I'm eating the same foods. I'm even taking the same insulin amounts & still my sugars jump to 15+. The other day I caught my sugars 22.4

I was unwell for a few weeks prior to this. Chesty cough & headaches. Didn't go to docs just weathered the storm & Now I'm all better for the last 2 weeks. I don't think its the end of my honeymoon because I'm almost 10 years in. Now when I eat, I test my bloods 30 minutes before I eat & the point I take my insulin. Lets say today, my sugars was 7.3. So I had chicken kiev's with new potato's & peas. I checked 2 hours after eating & my sugars was 7.9. Then a few hours later I test again & they were 15.2. Now the sugar content in the foods I had + the insulin I had should never of got my sugars that high. I know this because ( at call me weird if you like lol ) I made a log of what foods I eat & the effect they have on my sugars & the amount of insulin I took & what sugar levels I had before & after. They have proven to be correct every time I did a spot test on my sugars since I made it. But now they just won't drop & stay down.

The odd thing about it, I'm not losing weight, even though I'm trying & not gaining either. I have also been testing for ketone's & I'm on negative! Not even a hint of ketone's!

I've always been meticulous about my eating, sugars & logs. I can't see any reason why they would be failing me now. Thinking I should go see the diabetic nurse after the break. But would like your thoughts!

 

[noblehead]

A good time to do some basal testing @VsUK

 

[VsUK]

A good time to do some basal testing @VsUK

I'm not on a pump. I inject for breakfast & before tea. Had no issues until now!

 

[pinewood]

I'm not on a pump. I inject for breakfast & before tea. Had no issues until now!

But presumably you still take a long-acting basal insulin, such as Lantus or Levemir? If your bolus ratios don't seem to be working anymore it's wise to check your long-acting dose is high enough...sounds like it might need increasing?

 

[noblehead]

I'm not on a pump. I inject for breakfast & before tea. Had no issues until now!

What insulins do you use?

 

[VsUK]

I'm on NovaMix 30 since day one.

 

[noblehead]

I'm on NovaMix 30 since day one.

Not familiar with using this insulin @VsUK

Do speak with your DSN after the break, personally I found a basal/bolus to be better insulin regime as you can be more flexible around meal-times and correct when experiencing high bg levels.

 

[diabetic12yrs]

Not familiar with using this insulin @VsUK

Do speak with your DSN after the break, personally I found a basal/bolus to be better insulin regime as you can be more flexible around meal-times and correct when experiencing high bg levels.

That's a mixed insulin has both long and quick acting in one. That's probably why I think a basal would be hard to do

 

[TorqPenderloin]

That's a mixed insulin has both long and quick acting in one. That's probably why I think a basal would be hard to do

Not only that, but I would imagine it's extremely easy to gain weight on mixed insulin.

 

[Kristin251]

I don't think I would show ketones with new potatoes or peas. Have you always eaten these and showed ketones ?

 

[noblehead]

That's a mixed insulin has both long and quick acting in one. That's probably why I think a basal would be hard to do

Thanks @diabetic12yrs. I know what the insulin contains just not familiar with using it or making dosage adjustments.

 

[VsUK]

I don't think I would show ketones with new potatoes or peas. Have you always eaten these and showed ketones ?

Hi, that was just a generalisation of the food I eat. I don't eat cakes, sweats or sugary drinks. I've always been spot on with everything until now.

However, I just had some food today, had my insulin & everythings been spot on! I tried to think of what caused this sudden change & I've only made 1 change from my daily intake & thats the sweeteners I use for my tea. I love a cuppa, have around 5 or 6 every day. Now I usually use these

These are great. Better tasting than the others & you get 1000 in them & they are very sweet. These I've used ever since I was diagnosed & they haven't caused me an issue. Then about 2 weeks ago I ran out so I bought some alternatives from home home bargains I thought would be just as good. These were called SupaSweet

Well I got more of my Slimmers yesterday evening so today I have had nothing but Slimmers in my tea! That & spot on sugars. So I did a test, bit dodgy but I needed to know. I made a cuppa with the SupaSweet & tested my sugars before & after I drank it as you usually do with food. Now, this was at least 4 hours after I had eaten so no effects from lingering food. Well, my sugars jumped to 16.8. So the culprit is the SupaSweets. I had a pack of 2 & 1 un opened to find this on the back of both of them.

The ingredients conveniently faded/rubbed away. This has seriously annoyed me & I would just like to let everyone know because when you buy something you presume is a sweetener doesn't always means sugar free. I have no idea on the ingredients are & my sugar's spike after I have a drink using these!

I will follow up after the weekend on my usual Slimmer sweeteners that are amazing & if my sugars have been under control. I will do another test with these just to check if they spike again to make sure, but I'm pretty confident these are the culprit.

Whatever they are made from, sure ain't sugar free!

 

[Kristin251]

Good to figure it out but so annoying. Every little thing matters .....

 

[VsUK]

Yep. As soon as I can I will be going to the store where I purchased them from Home Bargains I believe & let them know that these so called sweeteners are anything but sugar free as you would expect from a sweetener.

Stick to what you know is what I usually say but hay ho, we all learn from our mistakes!

 

[Kristin251]

I'm with you... I like routine, takes the question out of things and less stress trying to decide what to eat and when. Throw new foods in and it always seems to tip the scale. So happy you figured it out so fast. Not always that easy right?

 

[RoseofSharon]

On the xpert course I went on the girl running the course was warning us that not all sweeteners are carb free.

Glad you found the culprit.