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Type 1 Delayed Glucose Reaction...

Ratty_Kat

Active Member
Messages
38
Location
Oxford
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Ok folks, I'm hoping that you guys can help me.

I have recently been having problems raising my glucose levels when having a hypo.
I've not had this problem before and I'm wondering if I should seek medical advice or if I'm just missing something?
I'd just like to add that insulin doesn't seem to be the factor in this problem

Here's an example...

Other day my sugars were reading 2.9 so I had eaten 30g of fast acting glucose and a couple of biscuits and waited 20-30mins before testing again.
After testing again, they were a little higher but only 3.4. So repeated the glucose and a biscuit. Waited 20-30mins.
Repeat test - 4.2 - More fast acting glucose. 30 min wait. Repeat test - 5.7.
Finally they were up! About 2 hours later I felt awful and tested my sugars - in the 20's!

This has been happening a lot lately and I've found that if I take glucose as a fluid it works within my normal 20-30min wait time. Food doesn't seem to be the same. I have been getting a lot of indigestion recently and I am thinking that this may be the cause of why my sugars are not rising as fast as they should with quick acting glucose that is a food?

I have two theories:
1) Something is wrong with my digestive system and it is taking far longer than it should for my body to absorb the glucose so it is just piling up and fully absorbs eventually (causing the massive spike)

2) I have missed something in how I'm treating my hypos and the spike is just the reactive high from having low blood glucose for a sustained time.

Have I missed something in the treatment of my hypos or would you recommend I go and harass my doctor?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Many thanks.
 
A couple things worth ruling out before you worry too much:
1.) What else were you eating around that time? It's the holiday season and people are generally eating quite a bit which can certainly delay the glucose response if there's other foot already in your stomach (and especially fat).

2.) Exercise- what kinds of exercise are you doing (particularly before these episodes are happening)? If your glycogen reserves are depleted that could certainly explain the issues you're having. Our livers can hold about 500 calories worth of glycogen which isn't far off from the carbs you mentioned eating. Side note: if you're normally in ketosis, that could also explain the situation too.
 

My diet hasn't changed since this first started around 2 months ago. I generally eat either eggs or cereal for breakfast, soup/pasta or sandwich for lunch and then dinner varies quite drastically. I have tried looking for patterns with food, but it seems to happen no matter what food/time I eat.

My days are always different in terms of exercise. I have two diabetic dogs that need walking morning and evening and my job is quite physical (running about and lifting) but nothing that has changed in the past few months. If anything, I am less active at the moment than usual.
 
hi Ratty
hypos aren't good the way I deal well try to deal with them is fast actin carbs glucojuice or jelly babies work best for me check before keep record and recheck every 15 mins I do not have slow release carbs biscuit toast milk until BG is stable I found do this way works well for me
feel better x
 
you're over treating anyway.

if you are conscious, treat your hypo immediately with 15–20g of fast-acting carbohydrate:
  1. Small glass of sugary (non-diet) drink.
  2. At least three glucose tablets.
  3. Five sweets, such as jelly babies.
  4. Small carton of pure fruit juice.
  5. Glucose gel.
If you're on a pump then you don't need to eat after but if you're on injections a slice of toast or a biscuit is fine =]
 

That is the issue I'm having - any fast acting glucose that is taken as jelly babies or glucotabs does not seem to be working. Or if it is, it's severely delayed. I can't think why it's not working
 


I don't usually use that amount of fast acting glucose but because it is taking over an hour for my sugars to rise and testing between - I have been taking larger amounts. I can't take 15-20g of fast acting glucose and wait over an hour for it to work when my sugars are below 3. I've been diabetic for 20yrs now and this is the first time I'm having this problem
 
What time of day have these hypos been happening as I know during the morning what ever I eat takes longer to cause an increase in blood sugar.
 
Andy-Sev said:
What time of day have these hypos been happening as I know during the morning what ever I eat takes longer to cause an increase in blood sugar.
Click to expand...

Random times.
Although in contrast to you, I used to find that mornings would be the quickest lol.
 
Ratty_Kat said:
That is the issue I'm having - any fast acting glucose that is taken as jelly babies or glucotabs does not seem to be working. Or if it is, it's severely delayed. I can't think why it's not working
Click to expand...
The glucose is working it's just you are swimming in insulin so it's taking longer for you to soak up the carbs, as proven by the over treating and end result of being in the 20's.

Perhaps do some basal testing and see what's going on, then check your carb ratio and also consider the timing of your bolus at meal times.
 

I tried basal testing when I first noticed this happening and everything seemed ok. Well if anything, it needed increasing by a unit. I usually bolus after my meal because sometimes I think I'm able to eat more than I can lol. Do you think that bolus before would help?
 
That's good advice, but that wouldn't explain why she's having sudden issues after 20 years of diabetes.

By her count, 90g+ of fast-acting carbs barely had any effect on her blood glucose after 1.5 hrs (going from 3.4 to 5.7).

While it's possible her carb ratio and basal requirements could have suddenly changed, that would create a new question: what would cause the rapid onset of such a significant change?

EDIT- Nevermind. It seems you're right. If she's bolusing after her meals that could absolutely explain the situation.
 
There lies your problem I suspect if you inject after your meal then there is no way your insulin will peak at the same time as the food you have eaten, hence one helll of a hypo. Most people inject 20 - 30 mins before they eat
 

Yes, you should bolus before. I've never bolused after eating as I feel it would mess up my results. Perhaps your hypos are partly due to this?

Also, maybe check your insulin to carbs ratios. Mine can change from time to time.

Are your injection sites ok? That is, is the insulin being absorbed ok and at a normal speed?

If liquid glucose works best then stick to that eg Lucozade.

I'd also mention this problem to your DSN so they can rule out any digestive issues.
 
CarbsRok said:
There lies your problem I suspect if you inject after your meal then there is no way your insulin will peak at the same time as the food you have eaten, hence one helll of a hypo. Most people inject 20 - 30 mins before they eat
Click to expand...

I used to do that until I switched to Humalog. If I inject and don't eat within about 10-15mins I start to majorly crash. Plus, with my food not seeming to work properly I'd be worried about it not working in time. I have been doing it this way for years. I don't know why all of a sudden I'm noticing a big change in my treatment of hypos. I have taken post meal BG readings and they have been ok?
 
Do you treat your hypos with fast acting liquid as you said you ate 30g of fast acting. ANY food eaten needs to be digested to work. as your levels are rising slowly you are eating again. By the time you are out of the hypo All the food is being digested still. More food eaten = longer digestion and can take up to 2 hours , plus a delayed liver dump resulting from the hypo. If you had a small glass of Lucozade, 10 mins later retest should be enough. All is relative to insulin on board though and does sound as if you are becoming more sensitive to insulin. Are you more active lately, any weight loss? all contribute to increasing insulin sensitivity.
 


I think I may have to give the DSN a call and see. I've noticed all this at the same time as having a lot of indigestion, bloating etc.
 

As with eating - that's why I waited 20-30 mins after glucotabs because that has been plenty of time in the past. What worries me is that this change is happening all of a sudden
 
There's a condition called gastroparesis which means you food digest slowly and can result in a delayed bg spike, but I'd have thought this would happen with all food and not just fast-acting glucose.
 
Ratty_Kat said:
I think I may have to give the DSN a call and see. I've noticed all this at the same time as having a lot of indigestion, bloating etc.
Click to expand...

Yes, it's always best to check even if it's only to put your mind at rest Maybe write down some examples to show what your blood sugar does. That might be useful.

I hope you get some answers and get it sorted.
 
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