Type 1 Blood Glucose increases as insulin increases

[Vplum]

I have always suffered from the dawn phenomenon and to try and control it, I've been working with the diabetes nurses to control this. I now correct my BG early in the morning (around 0430) and 2 weeks ago we increased my long acting insulin and for about a week I had perfect BG control. This week, my BG has been getting higher and higher. I've been eating less food, fewer carbohydrates, and I've not adjusted my fast acting ratios and yet, I cannot get my readings below 11. Previously I was running at an average of 7 (except for the morning nightmare).

Why would eating less and injecting more insulin increase my BG?

 

[EllieM]

Are you using a continuous glucose monitor at all? Can you see what is happening at night? It's possible that you are going low in the night, at which point your liver pumps out sugar to correct, and your blood sugar then goes high in the morning...

 

[Vplum]

I do have a CGM and from what I can telll that since the increase in long acting my BG starts to increase within 30 mins and continues to increase. Never did this on the lower amount. Am also waking up at 0430 with higher BG than before. Take a correction, eat breakfast a couple of hours later and fast acting is no longer really working whereas before I'd be back 'in range' within 90 mins. 4 hours later, i am still high. Took double the dose of fast acting at breakfast this morning and 3.5 hours later am just coming into range. So frustrating.

Every 3 weeks I seem to be speaking to the nurses and everything is fine for a week and then it's carnage for the next 2 weeks. Last week I ate 2/3rds of the carbs I had eaten the previous week but took nearly twice the amount of insulin.

I'm exhausted. How do I give back my membership to this stupid club?

 

[JMoli]

Hi, just wanted to send a commiserating hug - my blood sugar is behaving very badly just now too - I’m high for hours after lunch and breakfast isn’t much better. I’m afraid I have no answers, its been one step forward and two steps back recently but hoping you get some good advice here or with the nurses to help you get back on track x

 

[Vplum]

I wish it was like maths where 1+1= 2

Time to make another appointment with the diabetic nurses

 

[JMoli]

I wish it was like maths where 1+1= 2

Time to make another appointment with the diabetic nurses

Yes, it’s pretty frustrating. The rules seem to keep changing just now. I thought I’d give myself a break from the bolus timing/amount guessing game and have a low carb day but I’m now higher than if I’d had carbs and insulin. The nurse told me this morning I had good control?! Good luck! x

 

[Daibell]

Hi. I think you and the nurse may be worrying too much about the dawn phenomenon. It's a natural liver function and doesn't in itself need control. The general rule is for your morning fasting level to be between 5 to 7 mmol and adjusting the Basal can help with this but it's not super-critical. What is more important is BS during the day and as you know it's the Bolus that mainly controls that. How have you tried to balance the Basal? With a few hours fasting during the day your BS should remain stable; if not tweak up or down as needed. The rest is up to the Bolus?