Bad few days..

[DunePlodder]

I have been carb counting for the last couple of years and usually do reasonably well. However once in a while things will go haywire for a few days. This happened earlier this week, & I thought others might find it interesting, sorry it's a bit long:

Sat 10th September
Time, BG, Carbs(x10g), Insulin (Huma), Exercise (Mins Walking)
0730, 9.2, 3, 7
35 mins
1230, 4.8, 4.5, 5
40 mins
1730, 6.1, 6.3, 8 +44Lantus
20 mins
2100, 5.3, 4, 3
Fairly Normal Day
Totals: Humalog 23 Lantus 44 Exercise 95 mins

Sunday
0800, 9.5, 3, 7
40 mins
1230, 9.0, 4.5, 9
40 mins
1530 10.3
1730, 8.6, 4.5, 10+44Lantus
0 mins (No evening exercise..)
2130, 13.6, 3, 11
High Day
Totals: Humalog 37 Lantus 44 Exercise 80 mins

Monday
0630, 12.4, 11+8Lantus (New Humalog cartridge)
0800, 10.6, 3
20 mins
1030, 13.4, 0, 4
1230, 7.7, 4.5, 6
35 mins
1600, 4.1, 0.8,
1700, _, 5, 5+42Lantus
10 mins
2100, 21.9, 0, 8+12Lantus Check reading=18.4 (New Lantus)
2300, _, 3, 0
0230, 13.4, 3+8Lantus
Bad Day!
Totals: Humalog 36 Lantus 70!! Exercise 65 mins

Tuesday
0630, 5.9,
0700, _, 3, 5
30 mins? (Survey)
1230, 6.2, 4.5, 7
20 mins
1700, 10.4, 5, 10+44Lantus
35 mins
2100, 4.9, 4, 2
Almost normal!
Totals: Humalog 24 Lantus 44 Exercise 85 mins

Wednesday
0730, 3.7, 0.4
0830, 3, 3 20 mins

My feeling is that the problems all relate to Lantus. Either a bad Lantus cartridge or a bad injection. Unfortunately I didn't note when the Lantus cartridge was changed, probably Friday, perhaps Saturday. It's conceivable I forgot to inject on Saturday evening but I don't think so. I definitely injected on the Sunday – each in a different location.

The 21.9 on Monday evening really gave me a fright as I had no explanation. I set my alarm for 0230 thinking I might be plummeting after all the extra insulin, but was 13.4. In my half awake state I took 3 more Humalog & 8 more Lantus then fell asleep worrying that I'd overdone it! Incredibly the next day was surprisingly normal.

The Insulin totals for Sunday & especially Monday would normally send me crashing into a serious hypo.
I should have changed the Lantus cartridge sooner, but it's difficult to think clearly with high blood sugars and these things are much easier in hindsight!
If I can explain a high or low I'm fine, but days like this come out of nowhere & are very frustrating.. Any similar experiences?

(Sorry about the layout I couldn't seem to tabulate the data)

 

[Fallenstar]

It is always very interesting to read such concise ,well set out results like this....I wish I was as organised as you.
I agree we do seem to have "weird" control days and a lot of the time it is hard to work out exactly why, I think you are right in that it can be due to older cartridges and I'm always aware that my insulin pens (which are being fazed out) do not work very well beyond 3/4 empty...and even after half way I need to do big test shots and then a shot of what I use to visualise I'm getting the right dose...seems a waste but I am on tiny doses and if I do not do this on 1 or 2 units then there are times when I could be injecting none :shock: Lantus is not too bad as I take a bit bigger dose of this 12 units a day.
I am surprised you increase your Lantus by such a big jump though and don't have a correction figure/dose for your Humalog as you did on the Monday.
If I jumped my Lantus up by this much of an increment I would be in very serious trouble, it is very interesting to me though that you can do this, and it just goes to show how different we all our with our control.
I'm glad your BG levels have settled back down ,sometimes we are just not privy to what is going on inside us to explain these strange control incidents and can only do the best we can...Diabetes really is a "one day at a time condition"....and very much a "tomorrow is another day"....when we have a bad day :wink:

 

[Tracey69]

Hi
Well done for keeping a good result pattern. As fallenstar said i'm surprised you put your lantus up. I think you need to adjust the Humalog as this is fast acting and will lower your bs.
Have you been stressed or start of a cold that may make your levels go up, but saying that we can all have odd days.
Try not to stress over it, just monitor if you up the humalog.
Hope all is well.
Take care
Tracey

 

[Paulaah]

Hi guys,

Really interesting thread. But can I ask fallenstar... R u back on lantus? Are you doing ok on it. I thought you were really settled on levemir.

Kind regards.

 

[Paulaah]

Hi again.

Ignore me... Looks like it was an old thread popping back up to the top for some reason.
I was just interested as fallenstar helped me out when I went on to lev.