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Tips for early morning work starts

D

Day0_NZ

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hey guys,

I get up for work between 5 and 5:30 am most mornings and sometimes my levels are a little low, where I can’t drive.

What’s the quickest or easiest way of getting those levels up so I’m able to drive without waking up even earlier to have breakfast, I don’t usually feel like eating that early anyway. I was thinking a single slice of whole grain bread with peanut butter?

Any other tips for early mornings?

Thanks.
 
A quick acting carb like a glucose tablet or two or a jelly baby, bread and peanut butter might take a while to bring your levels up as its fat and protein too and it would need injected for, or of course if waking low is a regular thing then make basal adjustments as waking low often can increase the risk of losing hypo awareness
 

Hi,

If it's any consolation to you. I've been in the same boat for a number of years. (Silly o'clock.)
I got up an hour earlier than needed too.
I'm not a breakfast on waking guy either. It's pending on how low you are? But I dealt with 5gs of fast acting then followed by 10 of slower acting carbs.
Don't drink any booze on a "school night." Stunts any liver dump?

What sort of insulin/s do you use..? (I'm asking about the basal.?) a glargine style basal like Lantus can be a "player."
 

Thanks for the reply, I’ve been started in 10 units of Lantus a day which I’m currently taking at midday.

Can I please ask what types of food you have for the 5g and 10g in the mornings?
 
Day0_NZ said:
Thanks for the reply, I’ve been started in 10 units of Lantus a day which I’m currently taking at midday.

Can I please ask what types of food you have for the 5g and 10g in the mornings?
Click to expand...

Something like a JB & a digestive biscuit for me.
For me Lantus lows whilst doing a day's graft can recur if it's hit with short quick fire carbs only.
That's regardless of getting the basal dose bang on with testing?

I just noticed you haven't been long diagnosed, couple of weeks?
Any honeymoon period prior to the Pancreas finally giving up could be tricky.
 
Not everyone will agree with this but when you wake up and before testing have a wine gum. Wait ten minutes and test. The reading should be fine to drive and then enjoy your day.

If driving is your job or if you have had any of your C&D categories taken off your licence and want to get them back you do not want to be showing too many lows on your meter.
 
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You could try taking your Lantus in the morning just after waking. I don’t get up as early but my BG is consistently between 5-6 overnight, sometimes rising to 7 as I start moving around.

I get up at 7am, take my basal, get the kids to school & then eat breakfast at 9am. By the time I’m eating any small rise is back between 5-6.
 

Hi there, what levels are you getting on those early mornings? x
 

Cool thanks, would love a wine gum! I assume a wine gun lifts the BG just a little but your basal stops it going too high?
 
Day0_NZ said:
Cool thanks, would love a wine gum! I assume a wine gun lifts the BG just a little but your basal stops it going too high?
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For most a wine gum is an instant hit and raises your BG. By how much is down to the individual and the hit will not last long so if driving for a few hours you will need some other source of slower acting carbs as well. Do a test one morning.

You sound surprised by the mention of wine gums. Did your Medics not talk to you about treating Hypos? https://www.diabetes.co.uk/how-to/treat-a-hypo.html

Day0_NZ said:
It’s varies, but sometimes has been around 4.5 - 4.9
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Those sorts of levels do not mean you should treat and wait 45 mins before driving. The mantra of 5 to drive is a good one but is not law. The recommendations are that if you are between 4-5 then eat some carbs and off you go, no need to wait. The recommendations if under 4 (Hypo) are you should treat with carbs and then wait 45 mins and retest.

Obviously if you are ever experiencing what you think is a Hypo, whatever your reading is as we are all different, then you should not drive till you have treated or feel better.

With all aspects of driving you should not take any unnecessary risks but don't let controlled T1 worry you too much.

Be safe.
 
Day0_NZ said:
It’s varies, but sometimes has been around 4.5 - 4.9
Click to expand...

Ah. Well as already mentioned those levels do NOT mean you cannot drive immediately, if that was the case I would hardly be able to drive at all, mine are in the 4s at least 50% of the time. The law is that IF you are under 4 do not drive, IF you are between 4 & 5 then take a snack before driving. The '5 to drive' mantra is a catchy one which is why they use it but it refers to when you have HAD a hypo whilst driving, have had to stop and treat and then WAIT until it's gone up to 5 before continuing to drive. Having said all that, common sense has to come into it along with personal judgement. For example, if YOU know that usually you drop quickly when you're in the 4s then of course it's best to have a snack anyway. It's all about safety and avoidance so I do drive in the 4s and I do have a snack when I'm between 4 & 5 as advised but as I said you don't need to wait for your levels to go up to 5 in the circumstances you describe. Hope this helps. x
 

I did have the talk on treating hypos but not a nuanced discussion around 1-2 wine gums or jelly beans to do minor corrections. I.e at this stage I wouldn’t know if I should take a single jelly bean if I’m hovering around the 4.5 mark.

Thanks for your other comments, that’s quite reassuring. My aim is to have this beast (mostly) under control but also be able to sort little issues like this easily so your help is warmly appreciated.
 
Day0_NZ said:
Thanks for the reply, I’ve been started in 10 units of Lantus a day which I’m currently taking at midday.

Can I please ask what types of food you have for the 5g and 10g in the mornings?
Click to expand...
I also get up at Sparrow's fart (5 am) but only have to drive a bik so as long as I am 6+ I am happy to set off for the 30 minute uphill cycle.
If you can manage a glass of juice/2 jelly babies/30-60 ml lucosade that should take you into the right zone for driving. Longer term you may have to reduce basal (lantus) or adjust the timing so you don't wake up low nor end up over correcting a low so that you bounce up and down all day.
Personally I often skip breakfast entirely and by sugars are on a more even keel and no snacks are needed.
You are obviously testing because of the driving so I guess you will have an idea by those sugars where any dips are happening?
 
Day0_NZ said:
It’s varies, but sometimes has been around 4.5 - 4.9
Click to expand...

Hi,

Some of our members from New Zealand. Use "NZ" in the username.? (Assumption alert.) Not sure of your geographic location. If this is the case? You may have different protocols..

The snappy rule of thumb in the UK is "5 to drive." To be fair, I'd be happy with those numbers you wake with.. 4 is the floor..
A little bit of liver dump with "nill by mouth" for me after getting my act together for work & walking a dog? Could push me up 3mmol? However, insulin can take you any route? I've also dropped whilst out with the hound. (Amendment, sadly missing the walks as my dog is no longer with me.)
I do Lantus. For you there could well be that honeymoon too. I do my bolus at the 10/11pm mark.
But find I can hypo a good 15/16 hours later with no apparent fast acting on board.

As I mentioned up thread regarding my own experience, "Lantus can be a player."
 

Super helpful, thanks for the comment. I guess I’ve seen so much information from so many sources lately, just want to make sure I can very quickly sort myself out in the mornings if I need too and this forum (and the people on it) is very helpful!

Do you have a carb limit that you snack to when you’re around that range? I. e. Do you maybe have half a 10g muesli bar to get going or a wine gum situation like Pete?

Cheers
 

Yeah I’m pretty new to it and don’t usually have breakfast on weekdays but generally like a little snack somewhere. I have noticed some mornings my sugars do increase without me doing anything so I guess that’s liver or honeymoon?
 

Your assumption is correct! I’m new to this so I guess time will tell if i regularly wake this way or not. I did mention above I sometimes go up without eating anything anyway!

I do my bolus at midday (trying to decide if that suits...) so could be bang on that 15 hour mark?

Sorry about doggo
 
Thanks.
The dog had a good run.. 18 years. (No cure for old age.)

I do mine at 10/11. I can get lows around 2/3am or 5 if they sometimes both if they happen? A wake on a perfect score in the melle. Clocking off or dipping a toe into "overtime?" I can start dropping again.
Lantus is touted as working for 24hs. The reality is it can tail off @20/22??
Now oddly, I front a band. On a gig day for night I will fast from 12/1pm? The show starts 9pm I can go on till midnight then pack up time? (Note I'm aprox 2 hours late with the basal?) I can still hover around the late 4s even dipping into hypo teritory.
I normally eat after a show, like the hungry intensity of "singing for supper."

If your budget allows to use a CGM set up.? (Always back up to check calibration with a meter.) You may find this benificial not only regarding work balance, but lifestyle too..?
I keep an at a glance BG readout (updated every 5 minutes.) on the "A pillar" of my van. Nicknamed the "blood nav."
 
KK123 said:
The law is that IF you are under 4 do not drive,
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Just going to be a tad picky but there is no offence of driving with a reading under 4. If other offences such a careless driving or an accident happens and under 4 or a Hypo is in evidence then that can be seen as a contributing factor.

The regulations set down by DVLA do not constitute offences in themselves but evidence of abuse of the regs can be enough to have your licence withheld followed by the nightmare of attempting to get it back.
 
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