Basal test

[Olifa]

Hello I've been working on getting my BG down for a few days now. I've woken up with a 6.3 which I'm very happy about.

Now I'm in normal-ish range I thought I could do the Basel test.
Can I have a quick guide from you guys and I will begin.
I do have to nip to the city quickly but shouldn't be long, I know you're not meant to do too much exercise.
I have read up on what to do but feel I could use a few pointers still. Thanks all n let's hope I can keep this BG low today

 

[lizdeluz]

That's a great reading! Sorry I can't help you with the basal testing: I've asked for advice for the same thing in the past on the forum and did get lots of help, but I haven't, even so, actually carried out a basal test. So I'm hoping that replies to your question will spur me on too.

 

[Olifa]

It's the best I've had in aaaaaaaaaaages
Haha thank you
Yeah let's hope for some answers then

 

[noblehead]

The following explains it well:

http://www.salforddiabetescare.co.uk/index2.php?nav_id=1007

 

[Olifa]

Perfect thank you!

 

[iHs]

Hi

try not to eat anything with a lot of protein or fat in it and of course no carb. A great product that I use now and again is Slim Rice which can be bought from health food stores - H & B. It looks a bit unappetising but if cooked as on directions and then quickly fried in some left over bacon fat (just to absorb a flavour), it tastes ok and weirdly is quite filling and doesnt contain any carb or fat and only a very very small amount of protein that wont really have an impact on bg levels so you should get a good idea on how your basal dose is controlling your bg levels.

 

[Olifa]

Alrighty I will swing by H&B and grab some. Thank you

 

[noblehead]

@Olifa, there's a longer explanation on basal testing from the author of the book Think Like a Pancreas, if you follow it you will have to convert the mg/dl (which they use in the USA) to mmol/l:

http://integrateddiabetes.com/basal-testing/

btw, a basal test needs to be a fasting check which means no food.

 

[Olifa]

Okay I just tested an hour after my last one, I've walked to the bus stop so no major exercise.
I've gone from 6.3 to a 10.4
So I'm guessing that's the dawn phenomenon that thing n my liver using glucose... It's madness how I've gone up so much in an hour with no food or drink!

 

[Olifa]

@Olifa, there's a longer explanation on basal testing from the author of the book Think Like a Pancreas, if you follow it you will have to convert the mg/dl (which they use in the USA) to mmol/l:

http://integrateddiabetes.com/basal-testing/

btw, a basal test needs to be a fasting check which means no food.

Yeah I've read that n still felt unsure.

And yeah I know about fasting.
As I've just said above though with fasting look what's happened already. I'm up to a 10.4

 

[iHs]

You probably do need to use your basal twice per day and not once

 

[Olifa]

You probably do need to use your basal twice per day and not once

I do, I have one at 9am and one at 9pm
I switched to two because I thought it would even my BG out better haha

 

[Olifa]

So what's the best means of attack here do I inject to stop myself going up or?

 

[noblehead]

So what's the best means of attack here do I inject to stop myself going up or?

If you do inject then you will have to cancel the basal test for today, if your bg levels go up in the absence of food (after a 4-5 hour fast from your previous meal) then it's likely that your basal needs increased, they say bg levels shouldn't fluctuate by more than 1.7mmol/l if the basal dose is set at the right dose.

 

[iHs]

It looks like you need to inject a bit more basal I would think but this is not uncommon. My basal need with Levemir was 7.5u before bed and then 14u in the morning which took me through breakfast, lunch, eve meal but its all trial and error, bg testing and making adjustments to get the right bg levels throughout the day.

 

[Olifa]

My BG is now 14.
If it goes above 13 you're meant to cancel the basal test aren't you?

I'm
On lantus right now but have an appointment with the nurse next week, I think I'll ask to switch to levemir.

Tomorrow morning I will put my insulin dose up a unit or two.
I currently do 13 at night and 13 in the morning.

 

[iHs]

Probably increasfe upto 15u and then you should be a bit lower by mid morning but it might not be enough to get the mid morning bg ok so if not, increase by another 2u the next day to see what happens. The worst that can happen is that you might be a bit low but you can always eat a bit of carb to lift you up a bit or just use some jellybabies or glucose tabs.

 

[iHs]

Did you eat this morning and do a bolus as ideally you should start with the morning first before tackling the afternoon.

 

[iHs]

Probably increasfe upto 15u and then you should be a bit lower by mid morning but it might not be enough to get the mid morning bg ok so if not, increase by another 2u the next day to see what happens. The worst that can happen is that you might be a bit low but you can always eat a bit of carb to lift you up a bit or just use some jellybabies or glucose tabs.

Hmmmm forget this msg as I didnt realise that we are talking about afternoon levels so dont inject more than 1u basal at a time for the morning dose.

 

[noblehead]

My BG is now 14.
If it goes above 13 you're meant to cancel the basal test aren't you?

I'm
On lantus right now but have an appointment with the nurse next week, I think I'll ask to switch to levemir.

Tomorrow morning I will put my insulin dose up a unit or two.
I currently do 13 at night and 13 in the morning.

That's correct, just cancel the test and take a correction dose if your confident at doing so.

You could ask your DSN about trying Tresiba, it's a new basal insulin that came on the market around 2 years ago, it's more expensive to prescribe than lantus & levemir so your diabetes team may be reluctant to move you onto it, however no harm in asking