Hypo symptoms using Humalog

[Wurst]

Hi All,
I've been using humalog to try and fine tune my BS around meal times and to beat the dawn phenomenon. I'm only injecting between 0.5 - 1.5 units in the morning or to cover evening meal(low carb meal). I get hypo symptoms 30 mins to 1 hour after injecting but when i check my B/S it's actually risen. Last night, for example, i took 1 unit at dinner time, i was 5 mmol before and 2 hours after 5.8mmol 3 hours after 5.7mmol , with hypo symptoms i.e. weakness , nausea etc

Can anyone explain this? I go much lower than 5 mmol after an hour in the gym i get down to 4 mmol without hypo symptoms.
I was under the impression rapid is supposed to lower you around 2 mmol per unit , could this be insulin resistance?

Please don't bother replying if all you are going to say is "your levels are fine" or "don't know what the fuss is about" etc etc

 

[AMBrennan]

I was under the impression rapid is supposed to lower you around 2 mmol per unit. could this be insulin resistance?

Simply put, no. The 2-3 mmol/l you've come across is just an initial estimate, and it may vary considerably between people but I wouldn't call it insulin resistance (Humalog pens go up to 60u for a reason).
In particular, I'd expect the "rule of 100" to overestimate the effect of insulin if you're low carbing or T1.5

Obviously, the the net effect of insulin on BG will depend on what you're eating with it. If you have a bottle of lucozade with the 1u dose, it will not lower your BG as much.

As for the symptoms, that sounds very odd. Not sure what's going on. :think:

 

[Wurst]

Could these "symptoms" be side effects of the Humalog when it's working? Couldn't find anything in the Humalog instructions to expect this.

 

[Jimmyboybuts]

I've been using Humalog for the last 10 years maybe and not experienced anything like that. :?

 

[Snodger]

Hi All,
Last night, for example, i took 1 unit at dinner time, i was 5 mmol before and 2 hours after 5.8mmol 3 hours after 5.7mmol , with hypo symptoms i.e. weakness , nausea etc

Were you feeling hypo at the 2 hour mark as well as the 3 hour mark?
I have often experienced hypo symptoms due to the speed of drop in blood sugar rather than due to the actual specific level. So for example if you ate, your bg spiked at 1 hour and it was the sudden drop down back to 5.8 that triggered the symptoms, that might be a possible cause. But if you didn't feel hypo till the 3 hour mark after an hour of steady bg that scuppers that notion.

Incidentally, have you been checked to see if you are a MODY diabetic rather than a Type 1?

 

[Wurst]

Thanks for the reply.
Start feeling hypo around 30-40 mins after injection but without seeing anything in the blood sugar readings.
This morning it didn't happen, i injected 1 unit of Humalog before breakfast with no symptoms but had a BS rise from 5mmol to 6.1mmol :x . All i ate was a small lump of cheddar.

I get readings of ~4.5 mmol after a gym session without hypo symptoms. Possible allergy to humalog?.

I had quite high GAD antibodies when diagnosed so i assume that excludes MODY diabetes

Anyway i'll try again tomorrow to see there is a pattern or if it's some sort of 'getting used to it' period.