Am I mad - or do I need help???

[glodee]

I'm really struggling here. Started insulin 3 months ago after a lifetime fear that I would ever develop diabetes. My 15 yr old is type 1 also, and coping brilliantly! Unfortunately, I'm not.
Tonight I feel fearful & depressed. I'm worried about having a hypo & not waking up. Stupid, I know. Diabetic nurse told me the only people that happens to are those who drink alcohol.
Well a few nights ago I went to bed on 12.2 (HIGH) and woke up less than 3 hrs later at 1.8. Think I tested from habit rather than symptoms, but they came in seconds after reading that number.
I've been diabetic for nearly 5 years, but somehow the transition to insulin is causing me huge stress, and the onset of symptoms I didnt have before
(numb hands, painful foot)
I really need to get a grip - and quick. Thi nk I just wanted to rant - sorry!!

 

[Northerner]

I think you might need to talk to your DSN about lowering your basal insulin (the levemir). I had problems initially, and also developed a fear of night hypos. After getting the basal (lantus, for me) at the right level I very rarely worry now. I can go to bed on 6.x and wake around the same number, with no dramas in the night. I also used to wake up if I had dropped low. If I've been drinking I usually have a slice of bread and peanut butter before bed and that tides me over.

Something else that can happen is that, with the extra insulin you are now receiving, this may have revived some of your pancreas' own insulin production. I believe this is what happened to me.

 

[shiv]

Just to point out your nurse is wrong about 'only people who drink alcohol don't wake up' - this isn't true at all, lots of people sleep through hypos. I know I've slept through a fair few in my time.

Sorry to hear you are so stressed - big hugs. As Northe said it sounds like it could be a basal issue.

Just a q - with that drop from 12.2 to 1.8, had you taken any fast acting insulin before you went to bed?

 

[glodee]

Thanks Northe & Shiv,
Funny you should mention - that day I took 2units fast acting at 2 30 pm, and at 4pm took 1 unit correction and then 2 units with meal at 6 30. Usually the gaps are much wider & I did wonder if thats what happened. My intake of apidra is low ( max 5 units), and I take 8 units of Lantus once daily. It all feels very unsafe and unpredictable. Somehow, worngly, the way I feel now I'd rather be in double figures that this carry on!!

 

[Northerner]

Thanks Northe & Shiv,
Funny you should mention - that day I took 2units fast acting at 2 30 pm, and at 4pm took 1 unit correction and then 2 units with meal at 6 30. Usually the gaps are much wider & I did wonder if thats what happened. My intake of apidra is low ( max 5 units), and I take 8 units of Lantus once daily. It all feels very unsafe and unpredictable. Somehow, worngly, the way I feel now I'd rather be in double figures that this carry on!!

Hmmm...it can 'stack up' and hit you later. That's still a big drop though! Exercise can hit my levels hours after - a long run might affect me for up to 40 hours so I need to lower my insulin, fast and slow, for that.

 

[PhoebeC]

Was it a bad night of sleep, where you tossing and turning or stressed.
When im stressed i hypo more.
xx

 

[bev]

Your nurse is wrong.😱 Of course you can hypo through the night - and not be a drinker! Alex is 12 and often has a hypo through the night - and he does NOT drink! I would completely ignore her advice and set your alarm for 2 or 3am for the next few nights to see if there is a pattern to this. You may need to reduce your evening meal insulin or perhaps your long acting. The drop you had is quite big in the timescale - so there must be a reason for it.

I do understand that the medical profession need to help people to feel calm and relaxed about diabetes - but to tell you something that is so stupid is beyond belief and dangerous. She should have been going through your insulin requirements and levels and working out how to stop this happening again.🙂Bev

 

[Caroline]

I hope you are feeling better. Although it is good to talk things over with your care team, I often find the best advice comes from here as many forum members have lived with diabetes for may years and have learned how to cope and tweak things for the best results.

 

[runner]

Thanks Northe & Shiv,
Funny you should mention - that day I took 2units fast acting at 2 30 pm, and at 4pm took 1 unit correction and then 2 units with meal at 6 30. Usually the gaps are much wider & I did wonder if thats what happened. My intake of apidra is low ( max 5 units), and I take 8 units of Lantus once daily. It all feels very unsafe and unpredictable. Somehow, worngly, the way I feel now I'd rather be in double figures that this carry on!!

As the others have said, sounds like it might need a bit of tweeking, and like Northe says, you may have become more sensitised to insulin. I find things like gardening can have a dramatic impact. If you're really worried, it might be an idea to have a snack before bedtime while you're tweeking levels? If you take your basal at night, you could try discussing switching to morning to see if that helps?