• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

4 Hypos in one day - We just keep shovelling Carbs

A

alfietom

Member
Messages
10
Hi,
Seem to be struggling on a few things.
Its not yet 2 weeks since our 13 year old son was diagnosed with Type 1.
Today has proved difficult with 4 Hypos.
He has reduced his Rapid to 3 and his Lantus to 4 - (We are not Carb counting yet)
We seem to be making him eat more than he wants to just to stop him having Hypo's but it doesnt seem to be working.

He had his Shredded Wheat and skimmed milk for Breakfast and an Omellette (no Carbs) an hour later. 40 mins later was the first Hypo.
we seem to have followed this sort of pattern all day - Healthy Carb loaded meal - then Hypo....Carbs, Hypo.
He was on a rapid of 5 but this has dropped to 4 then 3 .
We seem to be making him eat when he doesnt need to just to keep his levels right
 
Try some quick acting carbs before giving him a meal of carbs, like a sugary drink or some sweets or you can get glucose tablets (eg lucozade sweets) this should bring him up quicker and then the slower acting carbs from the meal should keep him up.

Lucy
 
Thanks Lucy,
We are using Dextro's, coke etc to treat the Hypo's then test again 10 minutes later and give him Digestive biscuits, Wholemeal Sandwich etc to keep the levels up. The Hypo's always happen after main meals and Insuln. I think his insulin dose is too high but he is now only on 3, even if the meal is large it doesnt seem to make much difference.
 
I would suggest speaking with his DSN , I've done DAFNE (carb counting) and it sounds like his background is too much , maybe lower his lantus , remember Lantus can take a few days though to react.

Hope he's better soon
 
I would agree about reducing the background insulin (lantus) as you can't really reduce his quick acting much more, is he very active as I find if I've been to the gym then my blood can go a bit crazy for up to 24 hours after. If he's had a very active day then try alot of carbs in a meal like pasta etc but only a small amount of insulin but your best bet is to speak to his diabetes nurse.
The Lantus reduction well take about 3 days to change in his system.

Lucy
 
I take on average 1.5 units per meal. 3 units could still be too much for him. Keep speaking to DSN :)
 
Hi. Although your son is a T1 he may still have some insulin production as Late onset T1 (which he has by definition) can be slower in some to appear. It may be that for some small meals he doesn't need any Rapid at all and the Lantus can be adjusted for the right morning fasting blood level. I'm a very late T1.5'ish and have found that I can ignore any meals with only around 30gm carbs but need the Rapid above that to stop the blood sugar going into the teens. Having the odd sugar spike in the teens won't do any harm and will avoid hypos. Do discuss this with the DN.
 
Hi, Get your DSN or dietician to rework your carb ratios. My daughter 21year old, was told by her DSN to use 1:2 ratio....That nearly 'killed' her. Hypos soon after meals. 1 unit novorapid for 2 carbs...mad. My daughter queried the ratio and she was told to carry on. She no longer sees that DSN. We are both to attend the 1 week DAFNE course soon..thankfully. People usually start on a ratio of 1:10 i.e 1 unit novorapid to 10 grams carbs. By the sound of what you say your son might be on 1:1 or even 1:2 if hypo occurs so soon after meals. Is your son taking lantus once a day or what. I think is used once a day. GOOD LUCK.
 
nigelho said:
Hi, Get your DSN or dietician to rework your carb ratios. My daughter 21year old, was told by her DSN to use 1:2 ratio....That nearly 'killed' her. Hypos soon after meals. 1 unit novorapid for 2 carbs...mad. My daughter queried the ratio and she was told to carry on. She no longer sees that DSN. We are both to attend the 1 week DAFNE course soon..thankfully. People usually start on a ratio of 1:10 i.e 1 unit novorapid to 10 grams carbs. By the sound of what you say your son might be on 1:1 or even 1:2 if hypo occurs so soon after meals. Is your son taking lantus once a day or what. I think is used once a day. GOOD LUCK.
Click to expand...

Just a possibility here, I could be wrong. My close friend is a dietician and she calls my ratio 1:2..... But to you and me that's one unit to 20g carbs. It seems to some dietician it a CHP (carbohydrate portion) is 10g carb as standard.

So basically 1:2 could have been 1unit : 2 CHP

If it was, your daughters DSN Should have explained that more clearly!
 
Hi

My daughter was diagnosed 4 weeks ago and is not yet carb counting she has had a few hypos i tend to give her 2-3 big gulps of lucuzade if its before a meal i do her insulin after she has eaten but if its after eating maybe he needs more carbs is he doing any kind of exercise which is causing him to burn off sugar has this can cause a hypo. I am also a type 1 and if i carb count but am doing abit of housework or walking i have to reduce my insulin a bit otherwise i hypo. BUT saying that i have done my insulin before had breakfast then 1 hour later gone hypo and havent done nothing to burn sugar.

Maybe speak to the diabetic nurse again has his newly diagnosed there is a chance his pancreas is still spitting out its own insulin as well.

good luck

tracey167
 
Sounds like the number of insulin units is too high so you do need to discuss with the DN. I would encourage her to agree to carb counting and give you some information. My DN gave me a leaflet which shows typical foods and their carb count. I started carb counting immediately but obviously I'm a lot older.
 
I'm T2 & 74 y-o so my advice is questionable BUT
diabetics can't digest carbs properly, - they tend to raise blood glucose, so you inject insulin to bring the BG down again, get a hypo & eat more carbs - you're seeing a trampoline effect.

IMO you need to eat sustaining food - proteins & fats that take longer to digest & therefore slower to raise BG AND maintain a healthy BG for longer.

I would suggest - porridge 50/50 with ground almonds & full fat milk;
scrambled egg made with butter;
cheese-on-toast, cheese sandwiches;

I'm not at this time suggesting a low carb diet, but a more balanced diet. (I have corrected complications by low carb diet.)

I took my diet advice from a T1. See this link
 
If on whole units, get a pen that delivers 1/2 units.

Keep main meals 5 hours a part. This is because you need to initially make sure that the insulin (quick acting) isn't still in body at next mealtime. This will help to set up carb ratio's for each meal time later.

Ask for 1/2 unit pens, so that it gives you more flexibility than dropping a unit at a time.. It will be difficult really to 100% know whether it is basal or bolus... 4 times in one day and I would be changing both to be honest... It's easier to bring levels down... Than to get them balanced and bgs going up.

I would get half unit pens urgently. Lower basal and bolus by 1/2 unit each..... Get levels raised out of hypo land and then individually try adjusting....




Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Back
Top