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BS rise from Protein. How to counter it?

L

LizzieP

Well-Known Member
Hi there,

Thought I'd pick some of you experienced low carbers' brains if that's OK...

I have cut down on carbs a great deal and now am what you would classify a liberal low carber (90-130 grams per day). It's working out OK and I am ready to reduce a bit further. However, if I have a protein heavy meal in the evening then I get a great reading 2 hours PP but then a significant rise at the 3-3.5 hours PP mark which is usually before bed. This is annoying for 2 reasons:

1. It's just really annoying. Having great 2 hour levels and then ending up at 8.9 an hour after that is very frustrating!
2. My Lantus is set pretty well so it holds me steady overnight. But this also means if I go to bed at 8.9, I will wake at 8.9.

How tricky is bolusing for protein? I was thinking that if I took a small bolus at the 2.5 PP mark, this might counter the later rise. Am I barking up the right tree or no where near? :|

Any advice on protein and b.s. rises very gratefully received!
 
Hi Lizzie,

While bolusing 2.5 hours would work, it's good evidence that it might be time to think about a different insulin. I hate correction doses! Regular Humulin is slower and longer acting so it seems to be better suited to meals lower in carbs where glucose is being metabolised from protein over a longer time.
The downside is that it takes 30-40 mins to start acting, so you lose a bit of the splash'n'dash convenience of rapid acting insulins.

All the best,

fergus
 
I am struggling with my numbers too at the moment. They were great over the first couple of weeks - so much so that I was able to drop the insulin, but since this last weekend they have started creeping up and i have had to supplement with 10 units or more of insulin which is extremely annoying (I am on Hypurin 30/70).

I seem to have a lot of toxins floating around in my system and I suspect that is why I am not losing any more weight at the moment - my body needs to off-load all that before it can let any more loose.

Lack of weight loss, although frustrating, I can live with, but the higher numbers I can't. I am not eating any more differently than I have been over the last three weeks as far as I can see.

Like you, Lizzie I sometimes seem to be getting fairly low responses post-partum then high at bedtime and in the morning again. It is creeping up into double figures again and I am extremely peeved by that. It's getting that I am frightened to eat anything!

One thing has happened - up until about 3 or 4 weeks ago I was taking a Vitabase Blood Sugar Formula capsule every day (I get them from the States) but ran out and have not had the funds to reorder (the caps are cheap enough but the postage is a killer and you can't get them - or anything like them - over here due to the 'Powers that be'. When I first took them, within a day or two my BS readings had gone from way up in double figures to 7 and under and just got better.

I am wondering if the residual benefit from them has now worn off and that may be why my numbers are going up. I do wish I could get them over here - mind you though they would probably charge double what they cost from the States! Wouldn't it be great if the National Health would let you have what actually works for you! Those capsules have done for me what neither insulin, Metformin nor Byetta ever did.

Does anyone have any other suggestions???
 
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