Bloods sugar keeps dipping low

[vespa]

Hi Guys hope you can clear this up with your pooled knowledge base

I have been diagnosed type 1 since New Years Eve (see my introduction about it) using Novomix 30 and metformin originally I was on 18 unit morning and 16 evening,over time since being high at the start then going down to normalish range, since then I gradually went down 2 units a time until eventually I get to 10 unit morning and 8 evening, yet in spite of that I still tend to go down to 4.0 on occasions I go down to 3.5, I have to keep eating and checking for it to go up, I also noticed that when I use metformin it goes lower, I am thinking of going down to 8 units morning and 6 units night.

Sometimes when I go round walking for a while, I pop a glucotab every so often to keep my level up, like a car topping up petrol as it goes along as the way I see it.


Did any of you experience this and what it could be ? If I do go down to 0 units, I could well be no longer Diabetic ! or is actually type 2 ?

 

[AMBrennan]

Sometimes when I go round walking for a while, I pop a glucotab every so often to keep my level up, like a car topping up petrol as it goes along as the way I see it.

That's inevitable with insulin - normally, a healthy person would release less insulin when exercising but your insulin rate is fixed by the novomix dose you took in the morning. The only solution is to have extra uncovered carbs (I.e. extra carbs without insulin before exercising, or less insulin with the meal before you start exercising).

Did any of you experience this and what it could be ? If I do go down to 0 units, I could well be no longer Diabetic ! or is actually type 2 ?

That sounds like honeymoon period - beta cells may recover after insulin therapy is started, and in some cases patients have to stop taking insulin entirely. Unfortunately, this is always temporary.

 

[iHs]

I think with twice daily insulins, the easiest way to deal with low bg levels caused by walking is to eat some carb (about 10g ?) about 15mins before going out. Topping up bg levels by eating glucose tabs while you walk is not going to have any real long effect so there will be a need to keep eating them. Eating some carb will have a longer effect and will be better and the exercise will offset the rise caused by the carb.....

 

[vespa]

Thanks for the informative reply, which food do you think good for long term activity like walking round a city all day.

I am currently in London on a vacation this week, so lots of exploring.

I have packed a couple of bananas, a sandwich also a bottle of lucozade, its all still new to me, so any further advice would be good.

Thanks please keep them coming