5.0 before bed

[James B]

Hi I’ve recently started correction dosages and seem to be doing well with this I’ve not had to do any corrections today and have been below 10.0 highest being 9.0 when I woke up this morning the first time since being diagnosed with type 1 on 03/04.

Tonight I had my dinner at 19:15 before eating my bloods were at 6.6 took 4 units of humalog and then 3 hours later and quite few high protein low carb snack, pepperami pork scratching some chorizo (I was very hungry tonight! ) I checked my blood sugar at 23:08 and it was 5.0 I thought this was to low and did another test at 23:15 and it was 6.5. Anyone know how 5 mins can make such a difference? Does anyone think 5.0 would be to low to go to sleep at, if so what would you eat to bring it up a tiny bit but not enough to need another unit of humalog? Thanks!

 

[trophywench]

Well providing your basal insulin keeps you rock solid steady all night, no 5 isn't too low - but there again you aren't 5 now and anyway meters aren't exact (allowed to be 10-ish percent either way, out) so you might have been between 5.5 to 6.5 the first time and between 5.85 to 7.15 the second time. Just cos the circulation isn't entirely 100% in sync everywhere it goes round the body, it's hardly surprising that in such weedy blood vessels that are in our different fingertips, tests won't match exactly even if you had enough people with a bodger each making holes in the sides of all your fingers simultaneously and doing the tests on identical machines again in sync. Plus the body takes different times to absorb anything and everything we eat - digestion and absorption don't stop like they've just met a brick wall.

6-ish or above is fine, and no I wouldn't personally correct unless I was 7+.

 

[Inka]

Hi @James B I wouldn’t go to sleep if I was 5. Even now I have a pump, I like to be high 5s minimum. On injections, I liked to be high 6s. Speak to your team and ask them if they recommend a number. If you need to, just eat a portion of, say, a digestive biscuit. They’re around 10g carbs, so you can half or a whole one, and know what you’ve had. Then replicate it if the amount you had worked ok for you.

I’d be cautious with the correction doses to start with. It takes a while to get used to things. Be extra-cautious if you correct in the evenings.

 

[SB2015]

Hi @JamesB, when on injections I tended to go to bed with a BG of around 6.
However once we started to eat earlier in the evening which then allowed any basal insulin for the meal to have done its job, I then became confident to go to bed in the 5s.

If I felt that I was too low, I would probably go for a Jelly Baby, as I know exactly what the carbs are and it is low and quick. (i am impressed that @Inka can consider eating just half a digestive!)

 

[Inka]

It would be a different matter if it was a chocolate digestive @SB2015

 

[trophywench]

… especially were it a dark chocolate suggestive @SB2015 & @Inka

 

[trophywench]

I used to aim for 6ish pre bed on jabs, but honestly at the stage James is currently at, I'd much prefer he went for high 6s to low 7s at the moment - don't try to run before you've had time to confidently and reliably master the skill of walking, James!

 

[brisr949]

Mmm i want a digestive now 🙂

 

[rebrascora]

If I felt that I was too low, I would probably go for a Jelly Baby, as I know exactly what the carbs are and it is low and quick. (i am impressed that @Inka can consider eating just half a digestive!)

Well I would really struggle to stop at just one jelly baby, probably more than half a plain digestive. I tend to have a multigrain cracker (3g carbs) or two with cheese if I am a bit low. I had a really sweet tooth pre diagnosis and like any recovering addict I try to avoid temptation whenever possible, so sticking with savoury is the safest option for me and the smaller carb content of one cracker gives me more flexibility as to how many I need to eat to bring me up.

 

[MrDaibetes]

5.0 I find is okay for me to go to bed on. We are all different though, if you are not confident I’d eat a biscuit or something with 10-15g of carbs but I’d speak to your team first and see what they suggest.

 

[James B]

Tha

I used to aim for 6ish pre bed on jabs, but honestly at the stage James is currently at, I'd much prefer he went for high 6s to low 7s at the moment - don't try to run before you've had time to confidently and reliably master the skill of walking, James!

thanks! I feel like I’m doing well at the moment and really taking all this knowledge everyone’s giving me in! Hopefully I’ll have it more consistent numbers before long but I know there’s a long way to go

 

[Inka]

Tha
thanks! I feel like I’m doing well at the moment and really taking all this knowledge everyone’s giving me in! Hopefully I’ll have it more consistent numbers before long but I know there’s a long way to go

Yes, it’s a marathon not a sprint 🙂 Small, steady steps - and always with caution.

You’re doing really well. It’s a lot to get used to.

 

[SB2015]

Well I would really struggle to stop at just one jelly baby, probably more than half a plain digestive. I tend to have a multigrain cracker (3g carbs) or two with cheese if I am a bit low. I had a really sweet tooth pre diagnosis and like any recovering addict I try to avoid temptation whenever possible, so sticking with savoury is the safest option for me and the smaller carb content of one cracker gives me more flexibility as to how many I need to eat to bring me up.

That is a very sensible strategy.
I tend to use a low reading as an excuse to have a biscuit.
There have to be some perks to this.

 

[SB2015]

Tha
thanks! I feel like I’m doing well at the moment and really taking all this knowledge everyone’s giving me in! Hopefully I’ll have it more consistent numbers before long but I know there’s a long way to go

It sounds like you are doing very well James.
Just keep asking questions and we will help in any way that we can.

 

[Hepato-pancreato]

Don't think you would go to sleep anyway as your already worrying. As others say James small steps. Daunting at first but as time goes by the easier it gets. You will never get it perfect all the time.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

thanks! I feel like I’m doing well at the moment and really taking all this knowledge everyone’s giving me in! Hopefully I’ll have it more consistent numbers before long but I know there’s a long way to go

Good to hear @James B - keep asking questions and we will do what we can to help 🙂