Insulin Newbie....

[superbarney]

Hi, I'm a new insulin taker. I'm taking Abasaglar at night, around 12-14 dosage. I'm testing my levels around 4-5 times a day but I'm having some annoying readings that are a bit strange. I'm testing when I get up and my levels are always (well mostly) in range. My morning routine involves a skinny coffee (no sugar) on the way to work and usually berries and greek unsweetened yoghurt for breakfast. However, I'm constantly getting high readings after breakfast, and sometimes if I test before I eat breakfast. So this morning, I had a coffee on the way to work and I tested before I had my breakfast, 10.1??? My FBG was 6,9. I find this really frustrating as I'm following a LCHF diet and still getting these big spikes pre or post breakfast, any ideas?? I can't understand it, and to be honest, my diabetic nurse has suggested a change of insulin to a combined that I do pre-dinner and pre-breakfast. All my other readings I can normally, 99% identify spikes. Any advice from more experienced readers would be really appreciated.

 

[Engineer88]

that is dawn phenomenon, not much you can do about it without a pump I'm afraid. good job on everything else tho

 

[Freema]

welcome here superbarney

well most get the dawn phenomenon, but it can be useful to also count your proteins like 0.8 grams of protein pro kg bodyweight a day is needed for the average woman... if you don´t bodybuild and exercise muscles a lot.(then you would need more like 1.5 gram pro kg bodyweight )

so if like 100 kg one would need 80 grams of protein a day (excess protein can be transformed into glucose by ones liver, and that is seen in the dawn phenomenon.)

and then the not over 100 grams of carbs on top of that (80 gr +100 gr = equals 720 calories ....so the rest needs to be fat logically ) in the low carb high fat diet

well doing a lot of exercise will also help a lot in the longer run combined with low carb under 100 grams a day...

I´ll tag @daisy1 so you´ll get the valuable welcome information too

 

[DaftThoughts]

that is dawn phenomenon, not much you can do about it without a pump I'm afraid. good job on everything else tho

Where did you get this info? It's not accurate.

DP happens to basically everyone unless they have boo glucose stores left. I'm on MDI and I curb mine by doubling my morning insulin. Some people can curb it by eating immediately after waking.

I recommend giving both a try and seeing which works for you. Low carb can demand insulin for proteins as mentioned so that's something you can test and keep in mind too.

 

[Engineer88]

Where did you get this info? It's not accurate.

DP happens to basically everyone unless they have boo glucose stores left. I'm on MDI and I curb mine by doubling my morning insulin. Some people can curb it by eating immediately after waking.

I recommend giving both a try and seeing which works for you. Low carb can demand insulin for proteins as mentioned so that's something you can test and keep in mind too.

On the insulin regime the OP is on that's not possible as she doesn't mention taking any short acting insulin at all, she is only taking a long acting once a day.

Correcting myself, its not even DP its foot on the floor rise

 

[superbarney]

This is really great advice and information for me from you all. Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge with a newbie, I really appreciate it. You've all given me a lot to think about and research.

 

[DaftThoughts]

On the insulin regime the OP is on that's not possible as she doesn't mention taking any short acting insulin at all, she is only taking a long acting once a day.

Correcting myself, its not even DP its foot on the floor rise

I was primarily referring to your statement that you have to be on a pump to deal with DP. I'm not sure what you mean with 'foot on the floor rise' but it sounds like typical DP to me what superbarney is experiencing.

This is really great advice and information for me from you all. Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge with a newbie, I really appreciate it. You've all given me a lot to think about and research.

I responded to your post before being fully awake so I missed the part where you're on basal only, sorry! The mixed insulin can be great but keep in mind that it typically means you have to stick to a strict amount of carbs per meal (no deviating from that) at specific times throughout the day to get the best results. For people with reliable schedules and access to the right foods this is fantastic and can provide consistent positive results, but if your schedule is less dependable then it can be very difficult to manage.

I'm not 100% certain, but a mix insulin might also mean you have to up your carb intake to get your right dosage, so be sure to ask your DSN how you're supposed to eat on the insulin they suggest before agreeing to take it.

An alternative would be to just switch to MDI (multiple daily injections) so you can take a dose of insulin only for the times where your bloodsugar rises (or is expected to rise) more than 2 mmol/L. It could very well be that you'll only have to take rapid acting insulin in the mornings to deal with DP and don't need any for the rest of the day, but being insulin dependent and LCHF your insulin needs might increase in the future, so having this flexibility would be great.

I really recommend talking to your DSN about all options and finding the one that meets your LCHF needs the best. There's no right or wrong as long as it works for you.

 

[Engineer88]

I was primarily referring to your statement that you have to be on a pump to deal with DP. I'm not sure what you mean with 'foot on the floor rise' but it sounds like typical DP to me what superbarney is experiencing.


I responded to your post before being fully awake so I missed the part where you're on basal only, sorry! The mixed insulin can be great but keep in mind that it typically means you have to stick to a strict amount of carbs per meal (no deviating from that) at specific times throughout the day to get the best results. For people with reliable schedules and access to the right foods this is fantastic and can provide consistent positive results, but if your schedule is less dependable then it can be very difficult to manage.

I'm not 100% certain, but a mix insulin might also mean you have to up your carb intake to get your right dosage, so be sure to ask your DSN how you're supposed to eat on the insulin they suggest before agreeing to take it.

An alternative would be to just switch to MDI (multiple daily injections) so you can take a dose of insulin only for the times where your bloodsugar rises (or is expected to rise) more than 2 mmol/L. It could very well be that you'll only have to take rapid acting insulin in the mornings to deal with DP and don't need any for the rest of the day, but being insulin dependent and LCHF your insulin needs might increase in the future, so having this flexibility would be great.

I really recommend talking to your DSN about all options and finding the one that meets your LCHF needs the best. There's no right or wrong as long as it works for you.

Its not mixed @DaftThoughts its only a long acting insulin like lantus.

DP happens at the same time every day regardless of if you get up at a different time. Foot on the floor (catchy name) is a liver dump when you get out of bed only - regardless of time.

 

[DaftThoughts]

Its not mixed @DaftThoughts its only a long acting insulin like lantus.

The OP said "I can't understand it, and to be honest, my diabetic nurse has suggested a change of insulin to a combined that I do pre-dinner and pre-breakfast." so they're being considered for mixed insulin by the sound of it.

DP happens at the same time every day regardless of if you get up at a different time. Foot on the floor (catchy name) is a liver dump when you get out of bed only - regardless of time.

(Never heard of that! lol) Isn't DP also dependent on when you go to sleep? I have insomnia and can stay up way past the time I'm supposed to experience DP but I don't - but as soon as I wake up whoop there it goes. Maybe I'm just a foot on the floor kinda gal?

 

[kokhongw]

I got rid of my liver dump or DP by skipping a couple of dinners...and just let the liver dump...