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Inexplicable bg readings

MickyFinn

Well-Known Member
Messages
158
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Generally I have very good control of my bg, however, just lately, I have been getting higher readings in the evening and at night. I am nearly always within range during the day (between 4.5 and 6.5) and before I eat my evening/teatime meal. After that, when I test before taking my night time dose of levemir, I am more often than not between 10.0 and 11.5.

I would give in, but I weighed my food and calculated the exact carbs, took the correct ratio, or so I thought, of novorapid, but having tested myself at 10pm, bg was 11.5. This is frustrating, and while I am sure some will say don't worry, just correct it's not that high, it's following this trend on an almost daily basis right now.

I am wondering if it's possible to be less sensitive or more resistant to insulin at different times of the day, in my case, past 7pm? I have a appointment with my DN coming up, so I will ask her about it of course.
 
Hello,

Typically you should be least insulin resistant later in the day - it's to do with the fact that you've been most active prior to that point in time. Equally, you're most insulin resistant first thing in the morning, as you've been lying stationary all night when sleeping.

What is your basal insulin? Also when do you take your injection and do you split your dose if using Levemir?

A lot of T1's find that if they take their basal insulin in one daily injection, that their BG tends to creep up towards the end of the day. This may be what you're experiencing if my mentioned criteria fits your situation.
 
@MickyFinn

It is possible to have different ratios required at different times of the day, so it may be that you are needing a different evening meal ratio to the rest of the day. Your DN will explain this to you in more detail if you are unsure.
 
I appear to be the opposite to that, as I seem to be most sensitive to insulin in the morning and less so at night. I am only on a very low dose, 1 unit levemir in the morning, 2 units at night, anymore and I would be having a lot of hypos.
 
Nidge247 said:
@MickyFinn

It is possible to have different ratios required at different times of the day, so it may be that you are needing a different evening meal ratio to the rest of the day. Your DN will explain this to you in more detail if you are unsure.
Click to expand...
That's what I was thinking, and that I might need a different ratio in the evening. I will of course check with my DN before doing anything, but higher bg readings at evenings/night does seem to be something of a trend in the last few weeks.
 
MickyFinn said:
I appear to be the opposite to that, as I seem to be most sensitive to insulin in the morning and less so at night. I am only on a very low dose, 1 unit levemir in the morning, 2 units at night, anymore and I would be having a lot of hypos.
Click to expand...
We're all different so everyone's situation is entirely different

Are you recently diagnosed or LADA or the like? Your basal dose is quite low (although a lot of us have a low basal requirement) - what's your I:C ratio?

Do you have a stressful job or lifestyle? Some of us find that we need more insulin during the day than at night if stress hormones are high. The same can be said for those who exercise heavily, as the subsequent result of exercise on BG/insulin requirements can be similar to the symptoms of stress.
 
I was diagnosed type 1 14 months ago, and up until the last three months or so, I never had a problem with higher bg in the evening/night. Before I was diagnosed I used to go to the gym very regularly, but I was told not to go for at least three months until I had a settled treatment regime and bg was stable. I regret to say I have never really got back into it properly yet. I freelance as a photographer, so I would not say it's stressful.
 
Personally, if my BG readings were going higher towards the end of the day and my I:C ratio was set correctly - I'd look at upping my day time basal dose.

Obviously we cannot advise each other on how to dose our insulin, but hopefully that's something which your DSN will help you with
 
That's another possibility I will discuss, as that had also crossed my mind, the only issue being that 2 units proved too much before, so it was reduced to 1. Things are seldom straightforward.
 
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