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

Correction dose before bed?

Emmotha

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,123
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi all,
Just wondering what to do about correction doses before bed?
A couple of times I've been high (13 ) before bed, and so have corrected (1 unit - my correction dose is 1 for 5mmol). Then I seem to crash overnight! So I tried 0,5 units and it happened again.
So what's best to do? (I know it's best not to go high, but I mean when it happens - I'm still learning the art of carb counting)

Thanks
Emma
 
May be a pomp may help you
 
This used to happen to me, what i found worked wonders is still inject the correction dose BUT have a little bite of something slightly long lasting too. I don't know why but crisps used to work well for me lol..

If possible have a tiny snack and just add the correction dose on top of that and it always worked for me. A bit of trial and error definitely needed obviously but could be worth a shot.
 
Could you possibly still have IOB when you correct and so are over correcting maybe?
 
The reaon most people crash overnight is usually incorrect basal insulin rather than QA. Get this right first.
 
I would agree this could be because of your Basal.

As for correcting a high reading, I would normally have a small snack and Bolus for it and add the correction in rather than just taking a correction.
 
Hello. When I go to bed at a good level my basal is pretty flat (so my Libre tells me). I wake up at approx the same number I go to bed with
 
Most people are more sensitive to insulin during the night than day, your correction ratio during the night may be different that during the day.
So it may be that you actually need 0.25u rather than 1u! Taking a snack with your correction is a good advice.
 
as others have said, if your basal is OK, then it must be the QA............

already your correction factor is pretty low, 1 unit to drop you 5 mmol.............wow, really sensitive..........

you said you dropped again when you tried the 0.5, when about did the hypo happen in relation to your pre bed test?

was there a difference to the timing of the low for the 1 unit correction and the 0.5 units?

when you say your Libre told you your basal is good, did you take reading from that through the night...........? Apologies if I don't know how it works, but my understanding is you still need to physically scan the sensor with the meter...which means you would need to get up for regular readings....
 
Emmotha said:
Hello. When I go to bed at a good level my basal is pretty flat (so my Libre tells me). I wake up at approx the same number I go to bed with
Click to expand...


In that case it's unlikely to be your basal, but you do have to take into consideration any insulin that is still active from your evening meal and any exercise that you may have done the previous day, all of which can lead to night-time hypo's.

Personally, rather than work on the basis that you need a correction dose before bed, try and work out why your levels are hitting 13mmol, does your insulin-to-carb ratio for your evening meal need adjusting, if so have a look at the following which might be helpful:

http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/
 
Hi Emma, Aim for around 6-8mmols before you inject. You may need to increase your tea time insulin..Do you carb count or just use a set amount of quick acting insulin. You need to eat the correct amount of carbs in the meal. If I'm high I correct and I use a 1:1 correction dose and I aim to correct to 5mmols. It's a trial and error thing. You could ask your DSN about going on a DAFNE course as ther look at your complete diabetes management.
 
what times did everything occur? ( dinner, QA, Hypo etc.) I find that my novorapid does most of its work in hours 4-6 so if after 3 or 4 hours and I'm 13 then I won't correct because it will only lead to a hypo but my sugars end up in a normal range.
 
Hi
I finished my DAFNE last week :-/ I'm trying to carb count but I think my evening ratio needs adjusting. Until I get it right I'm just wondering about how to correct when I get it wrong
 
Emmotha said:
Hi
I finished my DAFNE last week :-/ I'm trying to carb count but I think my evening ratio needs adjusting. Until I get it right I'm just wondering about how to correct when I get it wrong
Click to expand...


It's a difficult one to answer Emmotha, as you say your basal dose is right but half a unit of QA insulin before bed drops you into a hypo. You could try what Mr X suggests and have a small snack with the correction dose and see what results you get in the early hours of the morning, other than that just try and get your meal-time dose right so that you don't have to do a correction dose before bed.

I'm sure once your honeymoon period is over all will settle down and such small doses of insulin will have less of an impact on your bg levels, good luck.
 
Hello, my daughter uses a pump, we having problems with her going up after 7 at night even with making changes, I give her correction doses at all hours of the night, this morning was half 4, we have a Dexcom CGM so it's a lot easier as it alarms when she's low, but when we do correction we always test her 2-3 hrs later regardless of time. Sometimes correction is the only way to get her down.
 
Hello, firstly wow 1 unit for 5mmol! I use a ratio of 1 unit for every 2mmol! Fortunately I rarely suffer with hypos but my specialist recommended not taking a correction before bed just incase of dropping but if I'm exceptionally high (16+) then I'll take some insulin and will normally wake up around the 6-12 mark!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…