Panicking (blood sugar won't go up), somebody please help

[phdiabetic]

So I turned my pump off 2.5 hours ago. I usually turn my pump off in order to get dressed for bed, clean my teeth etc so I don't get low. But around the time I turned it off, my blood sugar suddenly dropped. I had 2 juices (36g carbs) when I was at 4.4. My blood sugar came up to the 6's, then started to come back down again and I felt funny, checked and I was 3.9. So I had about 25g carbs from juice, and 8g carbs from lollies. My blood sugar went up to the 8's and is now coming back down again so I had some more juice and lollies. I did less exercise than usual today, my last carb meal was hours ago so I don't have any IOB, and I've been sitting quietly in my room this whole time. I don't know why I can't get my blood sugar to stay up, especially since I turned my pump off hours ago! Please help, I don't know what's happening to me and I'm scared. Things like this have happened to me before when I've had my pump off, but I never needed so much sugar. I'm seeing my endo in a week thank goodness. I'm just so frightened, I don't feel safe. I don't want to get low

 

[EllieM]

You're still in the honeymoon period?

 

[phdiabetic]

You're still in the honeymoon period?

Maybe? I think I still am since I can't see any explanation for this apart from my own pancreas deciding to help out. But I have been diabetic for two and a half years now, you would think I would stop honeymooning...

 

[Tony337]

Don't panic which is easy for me to say..........
I had something similar only yesterday and i.m not on a pump.
Keep eating keep checking it will come up.
It does come up.
Mine did but i ate too much and ended up with a high one.
Ive been type 1 for 43 years i didn't panic but i ate too much.

It happens to me occasionally and i put it down to insulin resistance suddenly not resisting anymore.

Let someone know just in case.

Good luck

Tony

 

[phdiabetic]

Don't panic which is easy for me to say..........
I had something similar only yesterday and i.m not on a pump.
Keep eating keep checking it will come up.
It does come up.
Mine did but i ate too much and ended up with a high one.
Ive been type 1 for 43 years i didn't panic but i ate too much.

It happens to me occasionally and i put it down to insulin resistance suddenly not resisting anymore.

Let someone know just in case.

Good luck

Tony

Thanks. My mum is sitting with me, I know I am safe with her.

 

[EllieM]

Not necessarily. BVut if your pump is off then the only insulin coming in is from your pancreas, which shouldn't make you go hypo... Having said that, if you stacked your insulin then there might be a little insulin left over. But having said that, it's hard to imagine that there's enough insulin left to give you a major hypo... Good luck.

 

[Jeremy_Wood]

@phdiabetic I hope everything turns out well (I'm sure it will!)

These kind of things can happen with diabetes. It's scary and it sucks, but it's a part of this wonderful condition we all have (sarcastic face).

You're doing absolutely the right thing checking bloods regularly and taking carbs to bring yourself back up. I've had this a few times in the past when I've accidentally injected way too much (like doing my long-acting twice) and it makes for a lot of worry but as with everything in diabetes it's manageable.

Keep on top of it and if you need any more advice give us a shout.

J

 

[DunePlodder]

I suggest you also eat some more substantial slower acting carbs (e.g. bread) as well as the fast acting ones you've mentioned. One thing for sure, you'll end up high..

 

[slip]

Any chance you may have inadvertently given your self a bolus of insulin as you were turning it off? (I've never touched a pump before so no idea if that is even a possibility!)

You can carry on doing what you're doing (test, quick acting carbs, wait a while and repeat) - sugar surfing(?) and hopefully avoid too much of a rise later, or go for the more substantial slower carb route and more than likely end up high.

Mums are great!

 

[phdiabetic]

Any chance you may have inadvertently given your self a bolus of insulin as you were turning it off? (I've never touched a pump before so no idea if that is even a possibility!)

You can carry on doing what you're doing (test, quick acting carbs, wait a while and repeat) - sugar surfing(?) and hopefully avoid too much of a rise later, or go for the more substantial slower carb route and more than likely end up high.

Mums are great!

Definitely not an accident, my last bolus was 5 hours ago, I checked my pump history. I've now come up to the 9's so at least that's some progress. Still sitting with my mum

 

[phdiabetic]

I suggest you also eat some more substantial slower acting carbs (e.g. bread) as well as the fast acting ones you've mentioned. One thing for sure, you'll end up high..

Thanks, I would have done that but I dropped so quickly there wasn't really time. And once I was low, I was sure that double my usual hypo correction would fix me up...apparently not. I'm now in the 9's so I won't bother to have any more food. I will have some slower carbs if I start to come back down again though.

 

[DunePlodder]

I use a Dexcom, but it's amazing how often, when I'm desperately waiting for a change of direction, that I give up, treat with food/insulin, & then the very next reading goes down/up. Infuriating!

 

[Tony337]

Thanks, I would have done that but I dropped so quickly there wasn't really time. And once I was low, I was sure that double my usual hypo correction would fix me up...apparently not. I'm now in the 9's so I won't bother to have any more food. I will have some slower carbs if I start to come back down again though.

You are on the mend if you are in the 9s and I'm so pleased .....
I may be an old trumper in comparison but I still get scared when things are going the wrong way.

Good luck to you

Tony

 

[Jeremy_Wood]

Thanks, I would have done that but I dropped so quickly there wasn't really time. And once I was low, I was sure that double my usual hypo correction would fix me up...apparently not. I'm now in the 9's so I won't bother to have any more food. I will have some slower carbs if I start to come back down again though.

Good news! See, it wasn't that hard after all was it?

 

[Cobia]

Maybe? I think I still am since I can't see any explanation for this apart from my own pancreas deciding to help out. But I have been diabetic for two and a half years now, you would think I would stop honeymooning...

Either way dont panic watch it and ajust to suit what is happening.

Im at 2 years and my honeymoon i think is comming to an end was bolusing 1-15 now 1-10 im the other way....

My experiance so far has been never think the insulin rate is carved in stone.... things happen..

Keep the chin up dont loose your focus..

Hope you have a better night.

 

[TheBigNewt]

One assumes that when pumping there's continuous flow of insulin into the subQ tissues that is absorbed into the bloodstream at the same rate as it's delivered (ie contstant level). But I suspect at times like this some insulin was sequestered like a bolus and then delivered more rapidly (like a bolus) which caused your BS to drop like a bolus even though you had not executed a bolus for 5 hours. If this is an isolated event I would not jump to the conclusion of honeymoon right away.

 

[.gurley]

Yes I have had variations as well, pain but due to absorption rates that happen from time to time. I have had a lowish reading stick then woken up with a raised glucose in the morning and the other way around, it can be really annoying! Overall my Hb1ac is 33 so still good with 2 way spikes, I adjust rates Basal and Bolus as needed and try like mad to get my sets at the right angle etc. but as with most things Diabetic you get to learn what suits you best over time. Good luck.

 

[mytype1.life]

How are you doing now?

 

[phdiabetic]

Didn't get any higher than 9's, turned my pump on once my blood sugar seemed flat (with a -20% temp basal), bolused and slowly came back down. Had a good night after that!

Thanks everyone

 

[Cobia]

Good stuff phdiabetic.

One assumes that when pumping there's continuous flow of insulin into the subQ tissues that is absorbed into the bloodstream at the same rate as it's delivered (ie contstant level). But I suspect at times like this some insulin was sequestered like a bolus and then delivered more rapidly (like a bolus) which caused your BS to drop like a bolus even though you had not executed a bolus for 5 hours. If this is an isolated event I would not jump to the conclusion of honeymoon right away.

Newt i have a question.


Im on mdi which is different to a pump...

If this is a frequent event eventho its a pump would a change in the insulin help?