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Help with hypos

C

Cranberry987

Member
Messages
8
Hi

I wondered if you could give me some help with hypos that I am having 3-4 hrs after eating. I have shingles at the moment and am pregnant and one or the other has caused me to need roughly double the insulin over the last week to stay in target 1hr post meals. I snack every 2 hrs or so but still hypo 3-4 hrs after eating my main meal.

Obviously the insulin is too high but if I take less then I go over 7.8. Im not eating terribly high carb meals, I had a chicken and salad tortilla wrap with no sauce and took 25 units of fast acting insulin and was 7.5 at 1hr, then 3.2 at 3 hrs.

I eat wholemeal, high protein, slow release everything and just cant work out what I can improve. Ive already had to cut carbs out of breakfast totally as I was having the same thing there (needed loads of insulin to cope with eating two weetabix and hypo'd 2-3 hrs later).

Only thing I can think of is to cut carbs totally therefore reducing the insulin needed, but thats not good for me in pregnancy.

Any advice? Can never get in touch with my DSN...
 
Firstly, I'd suggest calling your DSN. Secondly, I'd caution anyone about taking advice from random people on the Internet. Finally, the instructions of your GP, DSN, etc obviously take precedence.

Having said that, however, target glycaemic control during pregnancy is fasting glucose < 5 mmol/L and post-prandial glucose (i.e. 2h after eating) < 7 mmol/L. [Oxford handbook] so I'd first double check that you are required to keep 1h post meal levels this low (especially since insulin peak activity peaks at about 2h). If not then the only thing I can think of is splitting the meal into small snacks... which is not exactly ideal.
 
Hi
I'm sorry to hear you have shingles and being pregnant AND the Diabetes ,you have got it all stacked against you at the moment :| Sorry to hear this and hope you feel better soon.
How are your ante natal team and Diabetic team??? you really need their help now ,so I hope you are getting it.
That sounds like a low number to me an hour after eating, I know they want you with EXTRA tight control when you are pregnant but it is just as important not to feel stressed and suffering lows all the time ,as this can be frightening for Mum and Hypo's are not great for baby either.
To me and I am no DSN and can only go on my own two pregnancies with Type 1 ,you will find your insulin level will really start to increase but a reading of 7 an hour after eating to me you will go lower later...You can either snack more or aim for the 7 mmol 2 hours after eating would seem easier on you.

Please try not to worry too much about slight highs after eating or at other times, it is very hard to get constant level control in pregnancy and I did not manage it all the time but did the very best I could and with some highs and lows I had two healthy babies, so you will too.

speak to your DSN and the very best of luck for you and baby.
 
Hi,

Speak to your Diabetic midwife and your ante-natal consultant. They are best placed to give you the right advice at the moment.

It could be a combination of both shingles and pregnancy - with pregnancy you are injecting "for two". My insulin doses were double when i was pregnant.

Hope you get this sorted soon. Also have a look at the Gestational Diabetes Forum where you will find support and advise

Josie
 
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