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Help! Having trouble managing levels in the evening!

C

clifton90

Active Member
Messages
35
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hello :) i am pretty much a newbie to this forum. After a lot of mishaps in October being told I wasn't diabetic, then told I had type 2 and then a few weeks later finally receiving the correct diagnosis of type 1 diabetes I have been (touch wood) managing my levels really well. I just had my latest blood test results back and my hba1c was 35 - I was told anything under 58 is outstanding control. However, I am experiencing some problems with this as I can be quite low a lot. This mostly happens in the evening. I'm on novo rapid for meals and I usually give myself more for dinner than lunch, however recently I've been finding that when I test my levels before bedtime they are not high enough to get me through the night safely (4-5). I am fed up of having to eat a bedtime snack especially when I am not hungry! I have spoken to my nurses today who have suggested to knock 1-2 units off at dinner and see what happens so I can avoid having the bedtime snack. I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this and if so, what you did? Advice much appreciated! :)


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Re: Help! Having trouble managing levels in the evening!

So are you carb counting as well? Have you bern on the dafne course yet?
To have a level of 35 is very low, and a nurse should be looking into just how many and when your lows are.. Which you have identified an are by yourself, so well done for that.
If you dont want to eat more then you should drop your insulin to avoid these lows.
Have you tested yourself during the night too? Many people will have their levels drop by the time 2.30/3am comes round.
If you are going low during other times of day and night list a days worth of insulin and bg levels here and people with experience will be able to advise.
 
Re: Help! Having trouble managing levels in the evening!

I haven't been on a dafne course but I have seen a dietician who specialises in diabetes and carb counting. I did find it all a bit overwhelming with all the ratios for different meal times and how they change. I was told that if you've cracked carb counting your sugar levels should only go up by about 2 by 2 hours after the meal. So that is what I have been trying to work with.
Oh gosh, that is making me worry now as my doctor said it was really good, he didn't seem concerned at all. Maybe I should bring this result up with my diabetic nurses instead?
I have tried dropping my insulin today to avoid this and keep a steady bs level all day.
Usually i give myself 3 units of novorapid for breakfast, 6 for lunch and 6/7/8 for dinner dependent on what I was having. I then take 4 units of levemir at night. Today I kept 3 for breakfast, 5 for lunch and 5 for dinner, so far so good apart from a minor mishap this morning where I think I need to be either eating my morning snack slightly earlier or adjust my breakfast time insulin.
I only test myself during the night if I wake up feeling funny. I used to wake up in a hypo state a lot but I have adjusted my background insulin which has now stopped this.
Thank you for your response :) it just still all seems very difficult getting it right!!
 
Re: Help! Having trouble managing levels in the evening!

Dont get me wrong... Most of us would kill to get a 35 reading if its WITHOUT hypo's.
The thing is if you drive you need to beanove 5.0 and to keep it above 5.0.
My consultant prefers me to be above 6.5 in old terms for my hba1c. Whenmy hba1c's were in the 5's she was NOT happy at all as she says hypo's are more dangerous than hypers!!!!
35 would be fantastic.. But like you ... I was having too many hypo's. Better to get rid of hypo's by raising bg levels by lowering insulin rather than eating more...
 
Re: Help! Having trouble managing levels in the evening!

Thank you for the advice, it's really good to hear what other people have to say and what other people have been told. I'm going to adjust all my insulin levels and see if that keeps me more steady, plus have a chat with my nurse to solve this.


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