low blood sugar very often

[hollyslot]

i have type 1 and every single day i have a low blood sugar. I have a good HBA1C (6.2) but i feel like i have bad control. I guess i just want reassurance that i am not the 'worst diabetic' because every day i have at least one low or one high but mostly low (recently anyway). does everyone else also have at least one low/high during the day or am i just awful at managing this? sorry to be such a downer but diabetes really does make me feel bad about myself. I am on injections and not pump as i tried it and really didn't like it.

 

[novorapidboi26]

with an HbA1c of 6.2 your doing well, really well, the risk of complications are low.........

you are having daily hypos which in its self isn't really bad, its the severity of the hypos and whether or not your able to pick them up early enough.....

I might have a hypo every 2-3 days, just mild though due to increased activity.....

are the hypos bad? do you feel anxious about hypos coming on?

if so, a pump will be right up your street...

 

[Juicyj]

i have type 1 and every single day i have a low blood sugar. I have a good HBA1C (6.2) but i feel like i have bad control. I guess i just want reassurance that i am not the 'worst diabetic' because every day i have at least one low or one high but mostly low (recently anyway). does everyone else also have at least one low/high during the day or am i just awful at managing this? sorry to be such a downer but diabetes really does make me feel bad about myself. I am on injections and not pump as i tried it and really didn't like it.

Wow - you are doing so well, I wish I could achieve your control. I am high more than I am low, which I think is far worse.

Having a low once a day is unpleasant but it's certainly not bad control - do you know why you are having a hypo ? Is it the same time rougly every day, can you see a trend to it ?

 

[hollyslot]

with an HbA1c of 6.2 your doing well, really well, the risk of complications are low.........

you are having daily hypos which in its self isn't really bad, its the severity of the hypos and whether or not your able to pick them up early enough.....

I might have a hypo every 2-3 days, just mild though due to increased activity.....

are the hypos bad? do you feel anxious about hypos coming on?

if so, a pump will be right up your street...

thankyou for your reply,
i am able to pick up on them luckily and have never had a very severe hypo where i was unconscious etc. i do feel axnious about them coming on, i just want to know that its not so bad to not have sugars in range every day. thanks for the reassurance though that having daily hypos is not that bad if i can treat them!

 

[hollyslot]

Wow - you are doing so well, I wish I could achieve your control. I am high more than I am low, which I think is far worse.

Having a low once a day is unpleasant but it's certainly not bad control - do you know why you are having a hypo ? Is it the same time rougly every day, can you see a trend to it ?

thanks for your reply,
i am more likely having one low and then one high or 2 lows or 2 highs but it never usually once in the day. they're often mid morning, so i know i should probably decrease my breakfast ratios. i also sometimes go for impromptu walks which causes lows, but they are always on my mind. i do feel like 2 lows in one day isn't good though. i hope your control does improve as well!

 

[mo1905]

Sorry to be slightly negative but a hypo every day is not great control in my opinion. Yes, hypo's are common but if they are that regular, something is wrong. Yes, you're overall HbA1C is good but if it is a mixture of lows and highs then it needs work. I don't want to sound negative, I just think with a little work you can improve a lot.
There is going to be a reason why your levels are either low/high at least daily. Do you carb count or fixed dose ? You should keep a detailed diary for a couple of weeks, record all BG levels, carbs eaten, insulin taken and any exercise you may do. Diabetes doesn't cause lows, generally it's too much insulin which does. Start by getting your basal correct by doing a fasting test, then look closely at your QA ratio's. You can post your results here or discuss with your nurse/doc. Hopefully this should help. Again, don't feel bad as everyone gets lows and highs but if they are that regular, it needs sorting. Good luck, Mo

 

[jack412]

Edit... I agree with What Mo said

You seem to have a very good average that anyone would be happy with. you haven't said how low or how high you are running
I don't know if you have been on a course yet, but there is an online course and workbooks for dose adjustment for background information or a refresher to fine tune
www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/newly-diagnosed.60873#post-583801

 

[hollyslot]

Sorry to be slightly negative but a hypo every day is not great control in my opinion. Yes, hypo's are common but if they are that regular, something is wrong. Yes, you're overall HbA1C is good but if it is a mixture of lows and highs then it needs work. I don't want to sound negative, I just think with a little work you can improve a lot.
There is going to be a reason why your levels are either low/high at least daily. Do you carb count or fixed dose ? You should keep a detailed diary for a couple of weeks, record all BG levels, carbs eaten, insulin taken and any exercise you may do. Diabetes doesn't cause lows, generally it's too much insulin which does. Start by getting your basal correct by doing a fasting test, then look closely at your QA ratio's. You can post your results here or discuss with your nurse/doc. Hopefully this should help. Again, don't feel bad as everyone gets lows and highs but if they are that regular, it needs sorting. Good luck, Mo

don't worry i am appreciative of constructive criticism. i carb count as often as i can (i am 18 and live with my parents, when they cook it is more difficult but when i do i make sure to count very precisely but yes at most meals i carb count). i do record all of that already, but maybe i will do a fasting test to get my basal right. thanks again.

 

[Scardoc]

To quote my consultant, a HbA1c of 6.2% is too low and indicates regular low levels! I was consistently around this for four years after diagnosis and every six months was encouraged to aim for 6.5%. At my last appointment I saw the main consultant who I hadn't seen in 6yrs since diagnosis, he was delighted that my last HbA1c was 6.7% and said that is ideal.

I began diabetic life thinking it'd be great to be as near to 6% as possible but experience has taught me (personally) that's only possible with hypos. Aim for no hypos and, again, from my personal experience, don't stress too much about meter readings being higher. My meter average is normally in the mid to high 7's but HbA1C is always lower.

 

[novorapidboi26]

to get good HbA1c levels its impossible to avoid hypos completely............every day is too much though..........that would suggest a problem with dosing...........

I have hypos every couple of days due to extra activity, this is a result of having my dose that fine tuned...........

mild hypos in my scenario are OK from time to time in my opinion.....

so don't let the fact your having some get you down too much......

 

[noblehead]

A hypo everyday is unacceptable and in time you may become hypo unaware. See if there's a pattern that develops whereby you can take pre-emptive action as Mo suggest, hypo's can never truly be avoided completely but they can be controlled somewhat.

 

[hollyslot]

A hypo everyday is unacceptable and in time you may become hypo unaware. See if there's a pattern that develops whereby you can take pre-emptive action as Mo suggest, hypo's can never truly be avoided completely but they can be controlled somewhat.

thanks, i know hypos every day are not good at all! i will talk to my dr next time i have an appointment too.

 

[hollyslot]

To quote my consultant, a HbA1c of 6.2% is too low and indicates regular low levels! I was consistently around this for four years after diagnosis and every six months was encouraged to aim for 6.5%. At my last appointment I saw the main consultant who I hadn't seen in 6yrs since diagnosis, he was delighted that my last HbA1c was 6.7% and said that is ideal.

I began diabetic life thinking it'd be great to be as near to 6% as possible but experience has taught me (personally) that's only possible with hypos. Aim for no hypos and, again, from my personal experience, don't stress too much about meter readings being higher. My meter average is normally in the mid to high 7's but HbA1C is always lower.

i have also found that to do true. i have also found that now when my bg is 11/12 i feel quite high even though its not that high. thanks for your input as well about the HBA1C.