• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Carbs and basal- is this normal?

C

char87

Active Member
Messages
39
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi

I just wanted to check whether this is normal. I usually follow a low carb diet but have been in hospital for a couple of weeks and lost quite a bit of weight so have been eating more carbs since coming out to try and help get my strength up. I have noticed that although my sugar levels are fine during the day and my basal amounts are correct, my levels are rising a lot over night- sometimes doubling. So I have been going to bed at 7 (several hours after dinner so levels shoudlnt still be rising) and waking up around 14. Is this because I need more basal overnight if eating more carbs? I had thought I would just need to inject enough short acting to cover the extra food but that doesnt seem to be working with my overnight levels.

Thanks
Charlotte
 
May well be, but it could also be due to your lack of activity which would mean your basal needs will increase, either way just up it until such time that your back on your feet and fully fit again.
 
char87 said:
Hi

I just wanted to check whether this is normal. I usually follow a low carb diet but have been in hospital for a couple of weeks and lost quite a bit of weight so have been eating more carbs since coming out to try and help get my strength up. I have noticed that although my sugar levels are fine during the day and my basal amounts are correct, my levels are rising a lot over night- sometimes doubling. So I have been going to bed at 7 (several hours after dinner so levels shoudlnt still be rising) and waking up around 14. Is this because I need more basal overnight if eating more carbs? I had thought I would just need to inject enough short acting to cover the extra food but that doesnt seem to be working with my overnight levels.

Thanks
Charlotte
Click to expand...

Hi Charlotte,

I have something similar. I have a very low Carb diet, but due to being very weak-willed I take breaks from the diet and have Carb days. For the 2 days AFTER the Carb day, my Basal dose needs to be very much increased, and even then my fasting levels are unpredictable and difficult to control. I've realised it's the Glycogen.

Excess Carbs and Protein (i.e. stuff that is not needed for energy immediately) get directed to the liver and stored as Glycogen (until the liver is full). Glycogen can be quickly converted to Glucose by the liver in times of need (fight or flight) but it seems that when Glycogen is in plentiful supply, the liver doesn't mind releasing more Glucose than is actually required. Whenever I eat Carbs, and/or eat a bit too much Protein, the result is always rising fasting blood-sugar levels on subsequent days that are difficult to control - even with a much-increased Basal dose. In particular, it creates (for me) a monster dawn phenomenon.

When I am on track with my diet (very low Carb and no more than adequate Protein) dawn phenomenon disappears. I've realised that I need to keep the Glycogen supply low, otherwise my liver gets far too liberal with its release of Glucose into my system - especially in the mornings.

Might be worth checking your levels during the night, to get some more info . . . you could determine whether your levels are rising steadily overnight (suggesting an issue with Basal dose or timing, for your current diet and activities), or if you have a severe dawn phenomenon effect.

Regards,
Antony
 
Hi Char87

Have you tried eating your extra carbs during the day and having a low carb evening meal? Before you go to bed have some fats/protein eg a spoon of peanut butter, or some full fat cheese and a handful of dry roasted peanuts.

“Fat can be looked at as a positive addition to a snack when discussing blood sugar control during the night. Fat helps to delay glucose absorption into the blood stream and a combination of both healthy fats and protein can contribute to the success of blood sugar control.

Bare in mind that all of us diabetics are different,so what works for one is not guaranteed to work for us all.

Good luck :)
 
Back
Top