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Levels after eating - ratio or something else?

J

justjay

Well-Known Member
Ok so this isn't every time I eat but on a fair few occasions, I'll eat and test 2 hours later and be at around 12-14. I'll probably be around 7-8 before. Could this be a wrong ratio or rates etc?

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Re: Levels after eating - ratio or something else?

Commenting in this as mine do the same so want to see what others reply :-)


Diagnosed Type 2, 22nd Feb 2013
Hba1c 7.5
Three month trial of managing through diet & exercise.
Low carb, pescatarian
Trying various supplements!
 
Re: Levels after eating - ratio or something else?

It's a strange one tbh. I'm type one and it's just confusing me now! I think another tweak of the basal might be in order.... :???:

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Re: Levels after eating - ratio or something else?

it is a difficult one, you might need more basal at this time of the day but not others. it might be you need more basal to stop the spike but less qa to avoid a hypo. One help will be to do a fasting test at that time of day so have breakfast, test bloods 4 hours later, and every hour till your evening meal without having any snacks. This will give you a profile of what your bloods do with just basal working. However you could not simply up your basal to cover this period if your other times of basal are correct as it might cause problems evening, night, and morning. Ideally try to test all periods by performing fasting tests.

In the short term a solution would be to give extra qa but have a small small to avoid a hypo at the 3 to 4 hour mark.

This is the exact problem I had at all times of the day where my basal didn't match what my body needed, and if I adjusted it to correct 1 part of the day it would throw it out at other times.

Long term solution for me is I am now on an insulin pump so I can set different basal rates for each hour - massive improvement and problem solved.

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Re: Levels after eating - ratio or something else?

brett said:
it is a difficult one, you might need more basal at this time of the day but not others. it might be you need more basal to stop the spike but less qa to avoid a hypo. One help will be to do a fasting test at that time of day so have breakfast, test bloods 4 hours later, and every hour till your evening meal without having any snacks. This will give you a profile of what your bloods do with just basal working. However you could not simply up your basal to cover this period if your other times of basal are correct as it might cause problems evening, night, and morning. Ideally try to test all periods by performing fasting tests.

In the short term a solution would be to give extra qa but have a small small to avoid a hypo at the 3 to 4 hour mark.

This is the exact problem I had at all times of the day where my basal didn't match what my body needed, and if I adjusted it to correct 1 part of the day it would throw it out at other times.

Long term solution for me is I am now on an insulin pump so I can set different basal rates for each hour - massive improvement and problem solved.

Sent from my GT-S5360 using DCUK Forum mobile app
Click to expand...

Thanks brett, I also am on a pump but just can't figure it out atm! I was planning on doing some fasting and testing things but it can be quite difficult as I work shifts which are just plain rubbish! :-o

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Re: Levels after eating - ratio or something else?

My consultant told me if you going high 2-3 hours after a meal then it is your bolus...

But then cos you having more bolus with meal then that can then impact on basals later... Just an example

Noon before lunch 7.0
2pm 14.0
5pm 7.0

If you change your bolus it could make your 5pm levels even lower, depending on how long your insulin acts in your body.

With example above I would raise my bolus, but I would lower my 2and3pm basal.... As the drop from 14 to 7 in 2 hours would then be too much if you increase your bolus rate.... However, if you were correcting at 2pm in this example you would want to leave it 5 hours really from 2pm to see if your correction factor took you to your target figure at the end of 5 hours....

To save all this flaffing around... It would be much better just to do a basal test!!!

(also told to keep meals 5 hours apart)
 
Re: Levels after eating - ratio or something else?

donnellysdogs said:
My consultant told me if you going high 2-3 hours after a meal then it is your bolus...

But then cos you having more bolus with meal then that can then impact on basals later... Just an example

Noon before lunch 7.0
2pm 14.0
5pm 7.0

If you change your bolus it could make your 5pm levels even lower, depending on how long your insulin acts in your body.

With example above I would raise my bolus, but I would lower my 2and3pm basal.... As the drop from 14 to 7 in 2 hours would then be too much if you increase your bolus rate.... However, if you were correcting at 2pm in this example you would want to leave it 5 hours really from 2pm to see if your correction factor took you to your target figure at the end of 5 hours....

To save all this flaffing around... It would be much better just to do a basal test!!!

(also told to keep meals 5 hours apart)
Click to expand...

Hmmm food for thought (not intended, well maybe a bit:grin:)

I find it very difficult, near on impossible to have steady meals at regular times due to work which don't help matters!
 
Re: Levels after eating - ratio or something else?

In that case I would start by raising bolus.. But have a look at how much you are dropping by afterwards for the past few days... If you dropping ( under your target level within the 5 hours) then initially lower the basals appropriately at this time.

Its ok getting rid of the high's but you also need to see how much you are dropping by after the hi's...
 
Re: Levels after eating - ratio or something else?

If your time block for bolusing amount spreads over 2 meals then you would have to consider adding in another time block or checking what happens with your 2nd meal.

I have one time block for each meal period, so it makes it easier to change bolus's for an individual meal.

Adjusting your bolus for meal, may also affect if you have snack later too dont forget!!!
 
Re: Levels after eating - ratio or something else?

donnellysdogs said:
In that case I would start by raising bolus.. But have a look at how much you are dropping by afterwards for the past few days... If you dropping ( under your target level within the 5 hours) then initially lower the basals appropriately at this time.

Its ok getting rid of the high's but you also need to see how much you are dropping by after the hi's...
Click to expand...


donnellysdogs said:
If your time block for bolusing amount spreads over 2 meals then you would have to consider adding in another time block or checking what happens with your 2nd meal.

I have one time block for each meal period, so it makes it easier to change bolus's for an individual meal.

Adjusting your bolus for meal, may also affect if you have snack later too dont forget!!!
Click to expand...

Thanks for your replies, I'll try and work it all out a bit better tomorrow and have a chat about my carb/insulin ratio with my DSN
 
Re: Levels after eating - ratio or something else?

donnellysdogs said:
If my levels were to jump up by 7 bg 2hr after eating, i would initially change by 2g.
Click to expand...
Tbh they are becoming so erratic again, for reasons I just can't fathom, I'm so stressed out about it, confused and feel unwell because of it! I'm waiting for a call back from the nurse to discuss, I'm trying temp basals, corrections, insulin and set/site change and it's just strange.
 
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