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Struggling with hypos

alhubb

alhubb

Well-Known Member
Messages
101
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I was recently diagnosed as type 1 (Dec '16) and have so far been in good control of my BG. However, I work in a lab so often on my feet all day and I walk to and from work (3 miles each way) and fairly often have hypos at work or on the walk home. The symptoms are pretty bad and last for up to a couple of hours after I have treated them and wipe me out afterwards (very, very tired). I have tried a few things to combat them, by reducing my bolus at breakfast/lunch to combat it, let my BG get a bit higher than normal before I walk, take a snack with me (a banana or something) but it still seems to be happening. I was wondering if anyone can offer advice or tips? I want to start running/cycling again soon, but worried about the hypos!

Thanks
 
Keep some glucose tablets on you, or lollies, sweets like jelly beans work too. Depends on your preference. I keep a few jelly beans or similar type of sweet in an empty test strip container in my pocket when I leave the house.
 
Hey @alhubb Sorry to hear about your hypos..

Firstly what's your insulin regime and are you carb counting ?

After diagnosis your insulin needs can change due to your pancreas experiencing a honeymoon period, when you start taking insulin it alleviates the stress the pancreas experiences and so will start to fire up some insulin production again so experiencing hypos is pretty common and you need to reduce your insulin intake. I would suggest speaking to your DSN about your hypos with a view to reducing your insulin.

In the meantime testing is absolutely essential to try and prevent hypos occurring, I use jelly babies (x3) to bring me up quickly, then follow it with 10g of carb so a digestive biscuit or bag of crisps to ensure I don't dip again, however adjusting your insulin is key to reducing the amount of hypos you experience. Exercise is possible too once you have your insulin adjustments under control, best wishes ;)
 
Hi @Juicyj, thanks for replying.

I am currently on novarapid (4ui breakfast, 6ui lunch and 8ui dinner) and lantus (8 ui am and pm). I am not carb counting yet as my numbers are really good and waiting for me to get used to everything first and then going on the course in the view to starting.

Yeah, I currently have a f ew sweets etc when I go low to combat it and have some biscuits as well and seem to manage it well. My insulin levels are good when I do a normal amount of moving etc, but as soon as I do intense exercise, I go low. Very frustrating. Thank you for your advice!
 
Also, if changing your bolus is not helping and the hypos happen every day you may need to change your basal.
 
Last edited:
alhubb said:
Hi @Juicyj, thanks for replying.

I am currently on novarapid (4ui breakfast, 6ui lunch and 8ui dinner) and lantus (8 ui am and pm). I am not carb counting yet as my numbers are really good and waiting for me to get used to everything first and then going on the course in the view to starting.

Yeah, I currently have a f ew sweets etc when I go low to combat it and have some biscuits as well and seem to manage it well. My insulin levels are good when I do a normal amount of moving etc, but as soon as I do intense exercise, I go low. Very frustrating. Thank you for your advice!
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I can appreciate how frustrating it is ;)

Still speak to your DSN about the hypos though, the NHS thought process is to avoid them as much as possible although it is inevitable they will occur, so it's good to have a chat with them to explain what is going on, as you are not carb counting as yet they may want to talk to you about the events which influence them to offer you advice on avoidance and how to manage your insulin intake in regards to them. Personally I prefer not to feed my blood glucose so use my insulin management to avoid them and I do like to keep in touch with my DSN so find reasons to stay on their radar as it's good to have the contact and support.

Well done on achieving good levels though, this is a step in the right direction ;)
 
You may need to change your basal if you are going low. A couple of weeks after my diagnosis my insulin doses were adjusted and lowered as my pancreas was still producing insulin and i was hypoing after most meals every day... at one point i came off novorapid for lunch and sometimes dinner all together for a couple of months depending on how much walking around/exercise i was doing after eating. It's all a roller coaster at first. Now 18 months in that lovely honeymoon period is now over and my body requires alot more insulin!! It's all alot to learn, take in and remember at first..it's all trial and error to begin with it does get easier. Always visit the forum for any questions or worries! Somebody will always try to help!
 
Firstly, to manage your sugar levels somewhere close to the normal range is difficult, really really difficult. They don't usually tell you this when you are diagnosed because they don't want to worry you but it is true.

That said there are many techniques that you will become expert at, which will help you keep things under control most of the time so that you can get on with a great life.

You will learn what you body requires, how much insulin you need for a certain meal or snack at a given time of day. How that dose should be adjusted to prevent hypos if exercising afterward etc, etc. It is complicated because there are so many variables but you will get skillful.

An even then, you will make mistakes resulting in a high or a low blood sugar, that's the way of it.
But each mistake can teach you something. Look for the cause of the hypo. If within 2 or 3 hours of your last meal and dose, either not enough carbs or too much insulin. If beyond about 4 hours of a meal and dose, it is likely your basal dose was too high. Possibly both. Its complicated but with perseverance you will become the worlds best at managing your levels. To help yourself do this, test regularly, keep a log of doses, sugar levels and what you eat and get as much education on the subject as you can. Keep talking to your diabetic specialists, keep learning from mistakes and become the worlds best!

From what you say it sounds like your BG levels are declining between meals which is not good and suggests your basal dose is too high.

I recommend not eating food to sort out a hypo. I use Glucotabs and take 3 (12g CHO) as soon I notice a hypo coming. Its effect on BG levels is much more predictable than biscuits and bananas etc, they fit in my pocket and don't go stale because of the plastic case. I don't go anywhere without them. One less variable!

Best of luck.
 
Basics:

If you are high or low 2-3 hours after a bolus this is your bolus or eating that is incorrect.

At all other times it will normally be your basal that would be incorrect.

You need 1/2 unit pens. Male sure you have spare pens, incidentally.

You will learn how your individual body reacts but the above for timings is pretty spot on for long term thinking.

The most important thing I would suggest is keeping in regular contact with diabetes team..
 
Thank you for all the great advice. I've just received a pen that will do 1/2 units, just need to change my prescription to refills and not flex pens so I can use it!

I think I have got a good grip on the amount of insulin etc to take on "normal" days, but as you said, I am sure something will change soon which will mean I go up or down. I just need to learn how to change my insulin needs for when I do more exercise than "normal". It is very difficult planning my day ahead, really not used to this.
 
alhubb said:
Thank you for all the great advice. I've just received a pen that will do 1/2 units, just need to change my prescription to refills and not flex pens so I can use it!

I think I have got a good grip on the amount of insulin etc to take on "normal" days, but as you said, I am sure something will change soon which will mean I go up or down. I just need to learn how to change my insulin needs for when I do more exercise than "normal". It is very difficult planning my day ahead, really not used to this.
Click to expand...

It does take some getting used to.

Glad you got 1/2 unit pens. They can make a big difference to tweaking insulin and the blood results. (Especially if having smallish doses).
 
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