I have just recently been diagnosed. My morning blood sugars have always been between 5.6 - 6.0 and i was told these where too high and they should be lower than 5.3. I was started on Insulatard and that has gradually been increased to 16 units at bedtime only. Last night before bed my blood sugar was 6.1, This morning it was 6.9 ! I don't understand this at all, when i mention it to my diabetic team all they suggest is increasing by another 2 units. Surely after 16 units of insulin last night my blood sugar should have went down and not up ! I am getting so frustrated ! Is it possible the insulin is doing more harm than good ?
Can insulin raise blood sugar
- Thread starter Krystybear
- Start Date
Definatly not. INsulin breaks down the sugar in you body and converts it in to energy. As for a small rise over night, I have been told as long as it stay within a range of two mmol throughout the day its fine. Its a known fact that you liver dumps sugar in your system over night, so that would explain you rise.
Dazza1984
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 134
- Type of diabetes
- LADA
- Treatment type
- Insulin
Insulin is like the key to a lock in your body. It allows your cells to take in glucose. Without it the gluc stays in your blood and your body 'thinks' it is starving (one reason appetite tends to go up, yet you loose wt as a symptom of the condition)
There is a something called the "Somogyi effect." This is a natural way for your body to react to a low blood glucose. When you get a low BG your body uses a hormone called glucagon to raise it. It involves release of sugars from your liver. This is a safety mechanism for the body; but much slower reacting than insulin release from your pancreas.
It could be your BG dropped quite a bit during the night and your body reacted with the above; however, the over-swing is usually quite marked. Sometimes your body wakes you up during the night if your BG drops low (not always though). I would approach your diabetic team again as increasing the insulin may not be the way fwd.
Out of interest, and tell me to ****** off it too personal, but how much do you weigh? I know in vetmed we usually aim for 1/2IU per Kg BW (acc to my endocrinologist its much the same for humans). However, this does vary with sensitivity to insulin.
D
There is a something called the "Somogyi effect." This is a natural way for your body to react to a low blood glucose. When you get a low BG your body uses a hormone called glucagon to raise it. It involves release of sugars from your liver. This is a safety mechanism for the body; but much slower reacting than insulin release from your pancreas.
It could be your BG dropped quite a bit during the night and your body reacted with the above; however, the over-swing is usually quite marked. Sometimes your body wakes you up during the night if your BG drops low (not always though). I would approach your diabetic team again as increasing the insulin may not be the way fwd.
Out of interest, and tell me to ****** off it too personal, but how much do you weigh? I know in vetmed we usually aim for 1/2IU per Kg BW (acc to my endocrinologist its much the same for humans). However, this does vary with sensitivity to insulin.
D
AndyS
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 784
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
One important thing to bear in mind is the accuracy of the meters.
The legally required accuracy ranges are actually quite broad, I believe quite a few meters are correct give or take 10%.
Also bear in mind that other factors can also skew the results including temperature, contaminants on your skin (soap, water, food or drinks residue) can all result in small changes.
As Dazza said it could also be that you had a low in the middle of the night and so your sugars have "bounced". It may be worth setting an alarm and doing a test in the middle of the night, I know it sucks interrupting your sleep but it may give you a clearer picture of what is happening.
I had this happen with my night time Levemir shot and actually reducing it resulted in better morning values since I was dropping a bit low and my body was responding.
The legally required accuracy ranges are actually quite broad, I believe quite a few meters are correct give or take 10%.
Also bear in mind that other factors can also skew the results including temperature, contaminants on your skin (soap, water, food or drinks residue) can all result in small changes.
As Dazza said it could also be that you had a low in the middle of the night and so your sugars have "bounced". It may be worth setting an alarm and doing a test in the middle of the night, I know it sucks interrupting your sleep but it may give you a clearer picture of what is happening.
I had this happen with my night time Levemir shot and actually reducing it resulted in better morning values since I was dropping a bit low and my body was responding.
Engineer88
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 2,130
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
Who told you that those were too high? whoever it was is out of their mind!
DAFNE states before breakfast you should be 5.5-7.5 for your safety and to try and avoid night hypos
DAFNE states before breakfast you should be 5.5-7.5 for your safety and to try and avoid night hypos
