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blood sugar level before treat hypo

G

grantg

Well-Known Member
Messages
473
Location
scotland
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
needles, bloods sampling
was wondering at what level should you treat hypo's. when was using insulin was told 3.9 and below. i've found over the last few weeks getting annoyed with alarms on the libre its not always possible (eg swimming) to do fingerprick test at poolside besides likely would be diluted a tiny bit.

currently not on insulin nor any medications that increase chance of hypo's.
i've reduced the alarm to 3.5 currently. have found that libre for me usually reads somewhere between 0.4 and 0.8 lower than fingerpricks (taking into account delay).

swimming however the libre regularly suggests 2.9 or lower readings whilst in the pool.

blood keytones after swimming frequently around 1.2-1.4 which go down slowly to 0.7. same with any other exercise (+45 minutes or so).

Would it be wise to just eat some fast carbs and keep topped up as currently am trying to do or better off waiting a little more time?
 
To be honest, if you are not on hypo inducing meds I'm puzzled as to why you'd worry about hypos at all? What is the lowest reading you've managed to get on a meter as opposed to a cgm.

(The reason insulin users get told to treat at 3.9 is that insulin can make us go much much lower. Non diabetics in my family can go down to 3.5 without any issue other than hunger.)
 
fairly regularly fingerprick 2.9 after a swim or after/during walk around shopping mall. lowest reading just before stopped insulin altogether (much against dsn advice at that point of time they kept on ranting on how important was to take insulin as directed) was 'lo' error message on the carsens dual meter.

at the moment fingerprick showing 3.1 libre says lo.
 
Depends on the person. I start to feel symptoms below 5 and by the time it gets close to 4 I'm shaking, sweating and nearly collapsing.
What does your health care professional recommend?
 
Michael 1701 said:
Depends on the person. I start to feel symptoms below 5 and by the time it gets close to 4 I'm shaking, sweating and nearly collapsing.
What does your health care professional recommend?
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DSN just keep on saying treat anything 3.9 and below.

diagnosis type1 currently in 'honeymoon period' (which can last weeks to months or even possibly years). i dont want to try keep levels higher than needs be.
 
So, Grantg why did you come off of insulin? Did your system fix itself?
Royjk
 
Royjk said:
So, Grantg why did you come off of insulin? Did your system fix itself?
Royjk
Click to expand...
Lots of arguing with DSN was complaining to her about constantly having to eat a load of rubbish all day and was fed up of alarms going off umpteen times a night and through the day after around several weeks on fast acting (nova rapid) alongside release toujeo. Eventually was referred to diabetic dietician who said was I was at cusp of going down toujeo and could try reduce by a unit if wanted to. tried carb counting with 1 to 10 ratio then tried 1 to 15 ratio followed by 1 to 20 ratio. After that toujeo was decreased steadily every few days until none at all. Started with 18 units toujeo and 5 units with meals that appeared to work fine for a few weeks then it didn't.

I had DKA end Jan this year. Regards system fixing itself I've been told not possible definitely honeymoon stage and will require to back on insulin at some point in the future at that time will be lifelong. I do not want to make pancreas nor liver work too hard to try extend honeymoon period for as long as possible
 
Hospital Dsn has objected until very recently maybe 3 weeks ago at each time wanted to try reducing insulin. Brightside I'm no longer eating loads of packets of jelly babies nor lift tablets which felt like was all day...

Forgot prior post info. After toujeo was down to 8 units was told by dietician to stop injections with meals.

Last month dsn wanted to change me to humulin insulin.. I objected and said was happy to continue with toujeo dropping dose every few days. Drs surgery called them on my behalf
 
So, are you on a very low strict no carb diet, to keep our BS low, and eliminate the need for medication. And I had not heard of this honeymoon period in the context of diabetes, does it just go away sometimes?
Royjk
 
Royjk said:
So, are you on a very low strict no carb diet, to keep our BS low, and eliminate the need for medication. And I had not heard of this honeymoon period in the context of diabetes, does it just go away sometimes?
Royjk
Click to expand...
Royjk - I think you're Type 2, as I am?

grantg is Type 1. It's a very different condition.
 
Royjk said:
So, are you on a very low strict no carb diet, to keep our BS low, and eliminate the need for medication. And I had not heard of this honeymoon period in the context of diabetes, does it just go away sometimes?
Royjk
Click to expand...

I'm not on any low carb diet at all. I am being carefulish on what i eat. the main change i've done is moved from full fat milk to semiskimmed for coffee alongside instead of just milk ... using half water half semiskimmed milk. I'm eating breakfast regularly (used to skip it a LOT before diagnosed). I'm not really eating at regular times either +/- a couple of hours lunch/breakfast/dinner eg can have breakfast at 4.30am or at 6:30am same for lunch and evening meal.

I'm trying to be 'carefulish' regards carbs but nowhere near 'low' carb levels. breakfast usually between 26 and 30g carbs (+ whatever is in the hazlenut latte in the mornings). I usually have another 2 lattes/milky coffee another 2 times through the day. lunch frequently either 2 slice bread cheese (31g carbs) or homemade lentil soup (pretty thick lots of leek & carrots + splitt peas). snacking on roasted peanuts for some odd reason... evening meal just portion size pretty much same as before diagnosed exception of mac and cheese im having maybe once every couple of weeks used to have 2-3 days in a row making a huge pot in the past, havent done that since diagnosed alongside reduced portion sizes considerably.

here is a link for honeymoon stage info: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose/honeymoon-phase.html
 
Thanks @KennyA , I did not realise the difference.

So @grantg this honeymoon period is like Improved Glycymic Control for type 2's. and I can see from the diet that T1 and T2 are clearly not the same.

I had been interested to see that you had weened yourself off medication, but can see now that it is a known temporary action for type1 condition.
Royjk
 
When on insulin, the guidance is to treat when dropping below 5.0. I set my libre low alarm at 4.3 as it's illegal to drive below 4.0
 
Ashintheuk said:
When on insulin, the guidance is to treat when dropping below 5.0. I set my libre low alarm at 4.3 as it's illegal to drive below 4.0
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Five to drive aware of thankfully not case when not on meds. Was a bit of nightmare to deal with DVLA when came off insulin. I can send my licence back to them to get 6 years rather than the current 3 years. Or pay with recent photograph to get 10years again
 
Hi @grantg ,

Have you found these lows more frequent with the recent hot weather?
 
Coming off Insulin for me isn't an option as my C-peptide levels are in the T1 range
Good to see some can
 
Usually I don’t treat unless I’m below 4.0, however, when I’m swimming I tend to treat when I’m 5.0 or even have a little snack beforehand if I’m below 5.0 as swimming tends to make me drop like crazy!
 
EllieM said:
Have you explicitly asked them whether you need to treat hypos when you are not on any insulin or other hypo inducing meds?
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Yes I asked that which they responded "4 is the floor'

Also asked at drs surgery diabetic review today doesn't fill me with any confidence... They've never heard of a honeymoon period and asked if I'm sure haven't been taking any insulin for a few weeks they have the wrong insulin on their records (which was written up for... I refused)

To pop back to drs in 3 months time.
I'm across at hospital in a couple weeks hopefully they might prove more useful in person having a couple of blood tests done .. hopefully manage to let them.. I'm still bad with needles in and out veins. See consultant and dsn after those results are back
 
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