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Frustrated!

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Pearsall85

Well-Known Member
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107
Hey all I'm at the end of my teather at the minute. It doesn't matter how clean or low carb I eat of an evening my levels rocket post meal. Today I was 7.4 before I ate, had 2 wholemeal chicken wraps which worked out to be about 40carbs for the meal. Now as I've only watched tv since eating I gave myself 8 units prior to the meal, just checked at I'm 14! It makes no sense. It seems I have to take a insane amounts for very little food. Any ideas?

Stu.
 
Hello!

How did you come to 40g? Was it on the packet? From experience, I usually count 25-35g per tortilla wrap. So for your meal that would mean 50-60g. So you would be lacking insulin.

Similarly was there a dressing? Hidden carbs in there often too.

If you got the carb value from the packet though then I'm no help I'm afraid lol
 
The 40grams came from 2 x 16 carb wraps (reading the packet) and a further 8 grams from the tomato lettuce and bit of hot sauce I used.

I have noticed my morning levels are higher than my evening levels the past few days so I'm gradually upping my lantus of a night to see how that effects things. I usually take 14units before bed but I've tried 15 last night and the rise was still there but not as bad so I'll try 16 tonight.

Stu


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I would leave your lantus at 15 for a few nights, only make another change after 3 or 4 days. Have you done fasting tests through to the night to know an increase is required? It could be DP in which case by increasing the lantus you're risking hypos both day and night.

If you carb counted correctly, which it seems you have, then your ratios are not necessarily correct and you require more insulin for that meal
 
Hi Stu,
To calculate the Lantus dose, don't eat, or inject Novorapid, at least 4 hours before bed. Then compare your bedtime and before breakfast readings. If they differ by more than 1.6 mmol/l then adjust your Lantus by 10% accordingly. A fasting test would be to not eat during a preiod in the day, make sure that you have no Novorapid in you and see what happens to your levels. It's less accurate than an overnight test and means that you go hungry!

Some people report that changing a Lantus dose takes a few days to take affect, but not in my circumstance. Personally, I don't understand how it can as Lantus lasts for 24 hours. So how can a dose taken 3 days ago affect your levels today?

Anyway, I'm less insulin sensitive in the evening that I am in the morning. So if I eat the same meal at lunch and dinner, I'll need more insulin for the dinner-time meal. If your levels are saying you need more insulin in the evening, then the only option is to have more insulin. Perhaps you could calculate an insulin-to-carb ratio for your evening meal and use that ratio for your evening meal only.
 
^^^^^ yeah, exactly as Sam said lol

I'm in the honeymoon period (still, woohoo!) which means my insulin needs are a bit erratic. I use 4 different ratios, breakfast, lunch, dinner and the occasional snack. At first glance they look similar, but in reality it makes a huge difference to me to tweak each meal and tailor it to me. As I have a desk job, lunch ratios means I get more insulin due to me sitting down most of the day, breakfast is middle of the road and dinner gives me less because I exercise in the evenings.

Don't expect to set your ratio once and that'll be it. External things like weather can cause havoc. Cooler days see me needing more insulin ready, others have mentioned they're the same
 
Also along with what everyone else has said I always find my insulin starts working after two hours. therefore BGs rise as I digest then come crashing down when my insulin kicks in. I would check at two three AND four hours after eating, does it come down? if so I wouldnt worry, the only way to change that pattern is changing to a pump that i know of.
 
I do think its important to note that insulin ratio's can change from meal to meal as Sam says, also worth pointing out that they can change over a period of time and such things as weight gain or loss, physical fitness, stress and hormonal changes can influence how much insulin we take, if you need more in an evening then so be it.

Pearsall you could try being active for 10-15 minutes after your evening meal, exercise increases the rate in which insulin is absorbed and can prevent postprandial spikes (but do be careful you don't go the other way). Also worth trying is injecting a ahead of your food, they say insulin's such as Novo & Apidra take 15-20 mins to work so injecting 15 mins ahead could make a big difference, no harm in trying anyways!
 
Thanks for all the responses, I'll spend the next few days experimenting! I work shifts and all my problems come when I'm working my early shift. When I work afternoons and I'm on my feet throughout the day my levels are fairly stable. I've got some new smaller needles as well now so I'm starting to use my arms as I've mainly just used my stomach for the past year.

Stu.
 
Hi ALL, Please do not correct after 2 hours of eating a meal...it only a guide. For a lot of diabetes folk quick acting insulins will take up to 4 hours to fully work. I use novorapid and carb count. Recently completed DAFNE and it teaches you so much more about managing your diabetes and NOT to check your BGs until after 4 hours, unless you're not feeling good. Check your ratios and remember you may need to use DIFFERENT ratios depending which meal you're having and WHAT you may be doing later that day. All this effects how your system copes with burning off the CARBS.insulin dose. Good Luck.
 
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