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Sudden reduction in insulin need?

A

AntLockyer

Well-Known Member
Messages
62
Hi all, I've been taking the same amount of basal insulin for a few months. I'm on a low carb diet and as such don't need to take much if any bolus. For my basal I've been having 10 units at 7:30pm (I am normally around 5.5 at all times) and 9 units at 7:30am unless I am due to play golf when I reduce to 7.

Friday I woke up at 7:30 and was at 3.8 but then averaged 5.5 again I then went for a flu jab.
Saturday I woke up at 2:30am feeling awake but managed to go back to sleep. I got up at 5:30am for my round of golf and was at 3.2. Ate myself up to 5.3 at 6:15am. During my round of golf I ate my normal amount and felt a hypo. Ate something then tested at 3.0. Averaged out at 5.5 again for the day.
Took 8 units instead of 10 that night.
Sunday woke up at 7:30am and was 3.9 took 7 units instead of 9 and dropped to 3.7 during the day.
Last night took 7 units instead of 10 and woke up at 7L30 at a normal 5.5

Anyone else experienced this? I've made no change, my routine is very rigid and I've only ever experienced it going up a little randomly (usually stress related) never down.
 
How long have you been diagnosed? If very recent then consider the honeymoon period where your pancreas can still be producing insulin.

The problem is so many things can cause changes; like you say stress is one of them. Consider temperature, activity, emotions, illness. Any of these changed (apart from temperature as it's bloody cold where I am lol)?
 
I'm going through the same thing although I know what is causing it. No saturated fat in my diet and potentially a reduction in my bad cholesterol LDL levels :-) My basal has halved and I even scoffed some some chocolate at the weekend (first time in 1.5 years) without any detrimental effect.

The other thing that causes blood sugar drops for me as you mention is the cold. From what i've read the cold causes some peoples blood sugar to rise but I'm the opposite.
 
I've been on insulin for 18 months. Everything was pretty steady until I switched back to a primal/low carb diet and I got to my ideal basal within a week of switching and have been very steady since then (1 dip into the 3s and once into the 8s). No changes recently at all apart from the temperature, but that changed a couple of weeks ago and my BG didn't budge.

I'm trying to not be phased by it and will just reduce as needed.
 
AntLockyer said:
I've been on insulin for 18 months. Everything was pretty steady until I switched back to a primal/low carb diet and I got to my ideal basal within a week of switching and have been very steady since then (1 dip into the 3s and once into the 8s). No changes recently at all apart from the temperature, but that changed a couple of weeks ago and my BG didn't budge.

I'm trying to not be phased by it and will just reduce as needed.
Click to expand...


A possible explanation is weight loss if your on a primal/low-carb diet, my basal insulin has reduced by more than a third since I lost some weight, this together with any increase in exercise (golf in your case) will mean a reduction in your insulin needs.

Anyway I wouldn't too much, the 7 units seems to be holding you steady and out of hypo territory which is good news.
 
My insulin needs change often, week to week sometimes, even with a fixed routine. It happens to some people. I've gotten very good at reacting quickly when these changes occur and self-adjusting my dosages.
 
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