Sorry if this has been asked

[msdiamonddawg]

I'm new here and haven't figured things out.

I had a question about morning blood sugars. I wake up about 5.30 am to great blood sugars. I walk my dog, take a shower and get ready for work. I leave for work about 7.30. Check my sugars and they are up to about 11/12. What do you do? I can't take insulin when my sugars are 5/6, but by the time I'm ready to leave for work they are high. I also don't eat breakfast until I get into work (8.30).

I've been a diabetic for a really long time and still can't figure things out sometimes.

 

[Elc1112]

Hi. Do you take background or long-lasting insulin before you go to bed? If skin would suggest taking that up slightly and see if it makes any difference

 

[msdiamonddawg]

I do take a long acting bedtime insulin. I'm scared if I up it though I will wake up with very low sugars? I know doctors always say insulin levels should be between 4 and 6, but I already feel pretty awful once it reaches low 5's and into the 4's.

 

[glenmoray]

Background is your long acting insulin, The one you take just before your meals. Is your quick acting or bolus insulin.



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[msdiamonddawg]

Does this happen to anyone else? I need to figure out what to do within those 3 hours between waking up and eating breakfast. Maybe I am running out of insulin too early? But if I'm waking up to great sugars, you'd think it's working and would last longer than 8 hours (aren't those suppose to last 18-24 hours?). Maybe if I bump the long lasting one by a unit or 2 at a bedtime I can figure it out? I don't know. :shock:

 

[SamJB]

I think what you've described is called the Dawn Phenomenon. It's a raise in blood sugars caused by hormones. It happens to most T1s. I need 2 units of insulin to cover mine, so always have 2 units when I wake. You could try taking just 1 unit of insulin before you walk your dog, it won't make you have a bad hypo, a mild one at worst. Make sure you do a few tests while walking your dog to make sure that you don't go hypo and take some sugar with you.

If you before bed and waking up levels are consistent then I wouldn't muck around with your basal.

 

[noblehead]

As Sam says it's DP, I eat and inject within 20 mins of waking otherwise a see a gradual rise in my bg.

Why is it you can't take insulin when your bg is 5/6 mmol :?

 

[msdiamonddawg]

I think what you've described is called the Dawn Phenomenon. It's a raise in blood sugars caused by hormones. It happens to most T1s. I need 2 units of insulin to cover mine, so always have 2 units when I wake. You could try taking just 1 unit of insulin before you walk your dog, it won't make you have a bad hypo, a mild one at worst. Make sure you do a few tests while walking your dog to make sure that you don't go hypo and take some sugar with you.

If you before bed and waking up levels are consistent then I wouldn't muck around with your basal.

Thanks for the information!! I am going to look into this. Much appreciated.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. I think you are also hitting the limitation of once-a-day long-lasting insulin. I just started Levemir at bedtime and find the same problem. It only lasts about 18 hours and I believe has a peak around 8 hours so late morning the insulin could be running out of steam. The real solution is to add fast acting insulin as well or do a split dose of Levemir or similar insulin if relevant.

 

[Dubai expat]

I split my Levemir in half, 30 units night and 30 morning, it means alongside my Novarapid I'm taking 5 injections daily but it works for me.

 

[msdiamonddawg]

As Sam says it's DP, I eat and inject within 20 mins of waking otherwise a see a gradual rise in my bg.

Why is it you can't take insulin when your bg is 5/6 mmol :?

Because that's a good insulin level to be at and if I take fast acting insulin, then go out and walk the dog for an hour, I go low. Like I said, low 5's, high 4's, I already start to feel the ****** low blood sugar feeling. I can't (or don't like) to eat breakfast that early so I was trying to figure out a way to prevent it from rising in those 3 hours from the time I wake to the time I actually eat.

 

[msdiamonddawg]

I guess it just shocked me that it goes that high once I wake up. From 5 - 12 is a big jump.

 

[noblehead]

Because that's a good insulin level to be at and if I take fast acting insulin, then go out and walk the dog for an hour, I go low. Like I said, low 5's, high 4's, I already start to feel the ****** low blood sugar feeling. I can't (or don't like) to eat breakfast that early so I was trying to figure out a way to prevent it from rising in those 3 hours from the time I wake to the time I actually eat.

I understand if you don't like eating so early. As I say I eat and inject then shower and walk the dog otherwise my bg would start to climb, perhaps having a chat with your DSN might be useful here.