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HELP!!!! Need advice urgently

T

tinawelch

Member
Messages
6
Location
Crowthorne, Berks
So sorry this is a long story :(
I've been trying low carb since the begining of July, some good days some not so good but generally using 1/3rd less insulin and so far lost 9lbs.
Last Thursday I tried something new. I started the day at 7.2 (quite good for me!). 8am I took 25units of Humalog Mix25 and rather than eat my slice of toast straight away, I left it an hour before I ate, taking 500g Metformin after eating.
by 1pm my bg was 7.6. I ate half an individual M&S quiche with salad and some cottage cheese. By 6pm my bg was 8.8.
Gave myself 30u of Humalog Mix25 and waited until 8pm to eat - at which point bg was 7.3. Ate 2 chipolata sausages, 2 slices bacon, 1 fried egg and 3 small new pots.
at midnight my bg was 8.8.
I normally suffer quite badly with DP so started next day at 10.5
So after what i consider a reasonably good day I have continued to try the insulin long before i eat.
However, the last two days have been bizarre!
Monday 6am bg 9.3 20u Humalog Mix. Toast (M&S small wholemeal 13g carb per slice) with peanut butter (thinly spread).
1.30pm bg 11.0 ate parma ham,chorizo,salad. 8.30pm bg 8.4. Dinner bg 8.4 25u Humalog ate Cod in Butter sauce, cauli, brocc, 3 small new pots. Mixed berries for dessert. Then an hour later was desperately hungry so ended up eating 2 plain oatcakes. by midnight bg was 13.1 so had small dose 13u of Humalog.
Tuesday started the day 8am with bg 14.7. 30u Humalog toast etc. Lunch chorizo/parma ham etc no blood test. 8pm bg 12.8. 35u Humalog. Didn't eat but by 10pm bg was 10.7 Ate sausage, bacon,egg. by 1am bg was 12.5.
This morning 8am bg 16.8 took 40u humalog. Usual toast etc. By 1.45pm bg 17.4!!
I know my sleep pattern isn't good. I seldom go to bed before midnight or 1am and I usually try to eat by 8pm latest.
I'm not poorly at the moment so no infection pushing up my bg. I have slight back pain but think thats where I keep falling asleep on the sofa :wink:
Please, can anyone give me any ideas or direction. it's almost as if my insulin suddenly isn't having any effect. It's kept in the fridge but always has been and doesn't look as though it's getting too cold.
Or am I totally off target with the low carbs. P.S. I'm not a big eater so most portions are sensible.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Tina x
 
Hi there, before I go any further I would say that I am diet only type 2 so my experience is very limited. However, I suffered from high DP and in the end I cut carbs completely from breakfast, so I would have omelette or cheese (as veggie I am limited). I found it helped me until I stabilised a little. I can take a few carbs at brekkie now, but no more than 5-10.
I'm sure someone with better knowledge will be along soon to help good luck :D
 
Hi Tina,

First of all throw away the insulin you are using and put in a new cartridge. Possibly there's a problem there? May well not be - but it's an easy problem to deal with.

Are you changing your injection sites and needles for each injection? It can make a real difference. Injections into the legs tend to take longer to absorb and the stomach tends to be quicker. Use as many sites as possible though; arms legs bum and stomach.

I think low carbing and not having a fixed amount of carb per meal on a biphasic insulin would be incredibly difficult though.

Why not discuss going onto a basal/bolus regime with your doctor? That way you can take the necessary insulin to cover what you need and give proper correction doses; there is no way I'd want to give a biphasic correction dose I'd be very concerned about going too low as a response.

Or perhaps you do have an infection and are in the early days of it and that is causing the rise?

Toast is pretty much a non-starter for many low carbers and you are having about 26 grams of carb with that; so I'd move to something else at least whilst your blood sugars are high.

It can be difficult to work out, but even when things appear to be going crazy it's worth reminding yourself that it is not random; things are happening for a reason, and if you can track that down you can get control.

Best

Dillinger
 
Thanks Dillinger, I love this site, there is always someone offering ideas and support.
Good idea about the insulin. will definitely dump it. interesting thought, my local Boots gave me the wrong insulin - Humalog instead of Mix - luckily I noticed it as I was loading my pen. Took it back and they were desperately sorry but this batch is what they gave me in replacement. Wonder if they are getting dodgy batches from somewhere.....
Anyway, I really don't understand all the ins and outs of low carbing but intend to get the book people keep recommending.
I guess i need to go back to the drawing board.
Looking forward to seeing what happens tonight - low or high?
Thanks again for your help. was a bit scary for a moment :)
 
I know little about the use of insulin, but if you look up the action curve for your particular one, You'll find when it's at peak activity.
Incidentally, I personally [a low carb T2] wouldn't be eating toast and if i have quiche, I either ditch the pastry or bake one without any
Hana
 
Okay so..
Yesterday at 5pm bg was 18.4 took 40units Humalog Mix.
Didnt eat until 8pm when bg was 13.3.
Had cod in sauce, broccoli, cauli and 3 baby new pots + Metformin 850m.
Took Dillinger's advice, discarded unused insulin and loaded a new insulin cartridge
At 00:30 bg was 14.4. Had another 12units Humalog Mix to avoid usual DP.
Today at 8am bg 13.3 - took 30units
Also took advice and ditched toast for breakfast.
Waited to eat until 10am bg 13.8 ate 1 boiled egg and 1 mini babybell.
11:25 bg 14.0 took another 30units.
Finally!! bg 8.5 :clap: but just about to have chorizo, cott cheese and salad for lunch so will test again later.
Also have very slightly sore throat and flushed face :( - so maybe Dillinger was right and I am about to go down with something.
Sods Law as I am on holiday next week and plan a LOT of 'remedial' work on my garden!!!
Think I might ditch the rest of my insulin tho as am very suspicious there may be be something wrong with it.
Thanks to those of you who gave advice and suggested improvements I could make.
Will let you know, if I ever get to the bottom of what's causing the spikes.
Tina xx
 
Weird!!
Can't be a problem with the insulin as 4pm and bg was down to 5.9
:clap:
Now it's 4.8!! :clap: :clap: :clap:
Maybe it IS something to do with not having toast for breakfast but I've been having that for ages and not had these unstable results before.
I'm not sure if any of this will be of use to someone else as I don't know what is happening but please take what you can from it.
Tina xx
 
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