hypo/lows over a number of days

[Engineer88]

Morning guys,

Over the last 3-4 days I have had a number of lows 4.4 or less. I know technically this isnt hypo but I've also had two 3.6s mixed in.

I cannout find a pattern yet- yes its a weekend but it wasnt filled with exercise and i feel well. temp basal of -10% on curerently and most of yesterday. its not always post bolus or correction but also has been.

ISF increased from 1:3 to 1:3.5
I:C 1:15g

Currently not low carbing as carbs are def being needed! (30-40g per meal min)

Ive seen some need to reduce insulin needs for summer - where do I start with this?

Please dont suggest basal testing - Its not going to happen.

 

[Spiker]

What's your normal target range. In other words, how low is 4.4 relative to your target?

 

[Engineer88]

I like 6-7 because I drive a fair bit and have only recently come down from +10 most of the time. At 4.4 i'm feeling hypo symptoms

 

[Spiker]

Ok so that's a pretty hefty drop, 30% below target. Hmm. I'm baffled, sorry.

 

[iHs]

Call it "all in the course of using a pump" sometimes bg just decides to change and sometimes there's no obvious reason for the change. You just have to deal with the change as and when it happens. Only if the change appears to be permanent, then alter the basal settings but for now use the tbr and see how you go. I usually need less insulin in the warmer summer months but at the moment the weather temps are a mixed bag

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[Engineer88]

I thought as much having delt with 'low weeks' even when on MDI.

I just wondered if i was missing a trick. although its massively helpful having the CGM (early warning) its getting frustrating and im even getting a taste for full fat coke half a can before leaving the house this am

Only upside is this should drop my Hba.

 

[Spiker]

Oh noes! CGM is the gateway drug to full fat coke. I'd better watch out. Maybe that's why my last sensor left me with "the mark of the beast" tattooed on my skin. ;-)

 

[Engineer88]

FYI the half can was so I could drive!

No its just turning into a joke now I dropped from 14.8- 4.1 in an hour and a half yesterday morning and wanted to punch people!! (i didnt) Just feels almost like im getting insulin from somewhere else

 

[Patch13]

Do you have an activity mode? If I exercise I reduce my basal to 90%

I've also used this when I have repeatedly got lows but wasn't sure it would be permanent or due to for example illness. You could reduce your basal using this function for a couple of days and if it stops the hypos then reduce your basal by 10%




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[Engineer88]

Yep im on 90% of normal Basal Patch. We have Temp basals and Mine has been on most of the weekend - minus a couple of times when rebounds have happened to shoot up.

 

[Scandichic]

FYI the half can was so I could drive!

No its just turning into a joke now I dropped from 14.8- 4.1 in an hour and a half yesterday morning and wanted to punch people!! (i didnt) Just feels almost like im getting insulin from somewhere else

I regularly feel like that when dealing with Y11! Can I give you a list?! Sorry this is happening. something to bring a smile to your face:

 

[iHs]

I usually find that stuff like lucozade, full sugar coke, glucose tabs, jellybabies etc will only cause a rise up in bg for no more than 60-90mins then bg drops down. So maybe tomorrow, instead of coke, eat a biscuit and then see if that stops yr bg from dropping and just eat one jellybaby to add a bit of punch with the biccie lol

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[Engineer88]

alternative to jellybabys? they may contain wheat i believe - I tend to avoid them as hypo stops the last thing i need is a glutening as well... I do eat jellybeans as they are about 1g carb each.

Fruit pastals too sugary?

To be fair I did try that saturday morning, 2 choc biscs and a cup of tea still needed juice because it carried on dropping.

 

[Lucie75]

Hi Engineer, I too am finding that my insulin needs are changing (I think we both started on a pump around the same time?) I don't know whether the change in weather is the culprit, or some weight loss I've had (helped by now having far less insulin than on mdi), or whether this is normal for pump users after a few months? I personally can see some basal testing happening soon....

 

[Jessd]

Have you got your carb to insulin ratio right? The foods you do have, are you giving too much insulin maybe??
With lows, I find 3-4 Lucozades are great,then maybe yoghurt,biscuit it something like that


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[iHs]

Really sorry Eng I keep forgetting about gluten...... Lucie's got the right idea and thought. I had a biccie myself this morning (very nice too) as bg was on 5mmol and should be atound 8mmol mid morning. My carb ratio will change tomorrow as ive had 3 days in a row
'

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[Engineer88]

@Lucie75 Yeah we started not far apart but I've had no weight loss so thats not it for me. I have had weeks like this on MDI also unexplained multiple lows and no nurse or consultant has ever been able to give me a theroy

@Jessd This is not always happeneing after food though? first thing in the morning (friday 5am, sat about 8am but not until after a correction sunday morning) I'm not convinced enough its my I:C to change it yet.

@iHs Its fine dw, main thing with my biscs is they are 15g of carbs each which is much more than non gluten i believe. That happens a lot so I generally avoid carbs (down to 60-80g a day) as it means less insulin and fewer mistakes.

 

[donnellysdogs]

My levels have all dropped in past couple days. I've dropped every basal by 0.05 for every hour just to get them all up again. I don't care if they go up to 10. Which some of them will.
I will then see if my bolus need to be changed. So far today my levels have stayed around 6.8, nothing higher. This has been basal testing though, which makes no odds to me because I'm not bothered when I eat..


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[donnellysdogs]

My lows always start anout 2-3rd week after the clocks change. I will be on about 17.5 units till then. I am now on about 16 units and it will drop again by July which is my worst time each year guaranteed for hypo's... I have a basal profile already set up for July from end of July last year. Come 2nd week in June I will change to that, that one is 14.83 basal units.

Be grateful that on a pump you cantwesk so finely...


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[iHs]

Sainsbury do Basics ready salted crisps that are 9g carb per pack and are gluten free, taste nicer than walkers and cheaper. Rice cakes are good as well.
Does sound Eng that you should lower the basal a bit more first and then adjust the bolus if need be to re balance things out again. Thats what I would do

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