Basal/Bazal/Basil...

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rossi_mac

rossi_mac

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I'm clearly still learning and have done quite a lot tonight.

I finally found that link about Basal testing, and found the link posted by Niki/Sofaraway, and thank you Niki, It really makes sense of it all, here is the link for those that missed it.

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.co...wn_to_Basals/1

When I was diagnosed, I was under the impression that my Basal was a long term drip of insulin to cover things like a biscuit or 3 with my tea break! Clearly not!

And I see why I was advised to take my Basal at night due to the Dawn Phenomenon.

So I'm thinking of adjusting my Basal, but thinking I should test a couple of times first.

Niki said...
To test in the morning, if your fasting is in range, then skip breakfast and test every hour, if your blood sugars stays stable then your basal is right, if you hypo- then it's too much, if your blood sugars rises it's not enough.

Which makes sense, but I'm a bit worried about not eating for so long!! Has anyone got any hints about how to succesfully last so long without eating

Or any other opinions on how many tests I should do for such a test.

I thought my basal was good as I was waking at okay levels, but I guess I could be tighter controlled, i.e. I could take more.

Last question, does the Liver ever stop producing glucose???

Obviously I realise the Liver can pack up too but generally for us types does it stop?

Cheers

Rossi.
 
rossi_mac said:
I'm clearly still learning and have done quite a lot tonight.

I finally found that link about Basal testing, and found the link posted by Niki/Sofaraway, and thank you Niki, It really makes sense of it all, here is the link for those that missed it.

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.co...wn_to_Basals/1

When I was diagnosed, I was under the impression that my Basal was a long term drip of insulin to cover things like a biscuit or 3 with my tea break! Clearly not!

And I see why I was advised to take my Basal at night due to the Dawn Phenomenon.

So I'm thinking of adjusting my Basal, but thinking I should test a couple of times first.

Niki said...
To test in the morning, if your fasting is in range, then skip breakfast and test every hour, if your blood sugars stays stable then your basal is right, if you hypo- then it's too much, if your blood sugars rises it's not enough.

Which makes sense, but I'm a bit worried about not eating for so long!! Has anyone got any hints about how to succesfully last so long without eating

Or any other opinions on how many tests I should do for such a test.

I thought my basal was good as I was waking at okay levels, but I guess I could be tighter controlled, i.e. I could take more.

Last question, does the Liver ever stop producing glucose???

Obviously I realise the Liver can pack up too but generally for us types does it stop?

Cheers

Rossi.
Click to expand...

That link doesnt work huni, can you send it again please :D
 
So do you mean fast until luchtime ?? :confused::confused:
 
rossi_mac said:
Well I guess my Q might be how mant times do I need to test for??
Click to expand...

Id probably do every hour or so I think , depending on when you get up and when you have lunch .... :confused: so would you fast for like 4 hours ish then ? I would think it would be about that , if you were going to start risisng you would do within a couple of hours though , I usually do .
 
I generally don't fast when doing day time basal testing, but go for a small carb free meal instead so that may be something to try if you are concerned about not eating for so long...?
As for if the liver stops giving off insulin? The amount and the rate it does can vary a lot of time, which is why basal rates can change over time but I'm not sure that it ever, without some other problem, stops altogether.
 
does this test have to be done to find out ur basal???

i was at the dietition last week and I had been taking 13 units of basal but he said it was too high for me as i was going hypo too much and now im down at 10 units of lantus, I cant believe i only need such a small amount lol

how much do u lot take??
 
rossi_mac said:
Or any other opinions on how many tests I should do for such a test.

I thought my basal was good as I was waking at okay levels, but I guess I could be tighter controlled, i.e. I could take more.

Last question, does the Liver ever stop producing glucose???

Obviously I realise the Liver can pack up too but generally for us types does it stop?

Cheers

Rossi.
Click to expand...

If your waking levels are OK then I thought this was a good indication your basal was OK.
 
I take 34 units of lantus a day but dont have any other insulin but have glucophage and gliclizide top dosage as well and for the first time had a decent reading of 5.9 this morning. It is normally higher than this so hopefully I might be about right with my dosage. I inject in the mornings.
 
litto-miss-loz said:
does this test have to be done to find out ur basal???

i was at the dietition last week and I had been taking 13 units of basal but he said it was too high for me as i was going hypo too much and now im down at 10 units of lantus, I cant believe i only need such a small amount lol

how much do u lot take??
Click to expand...

It can be done to assess if your basal level is right if you've got conerns about it. But don't do it without consulting your dsn, especially if they're advising you on adjusting it.

It's a very individual thing how much everyone needs so comparing amounts doesn't really say much, I know of people who take as little as 6 units a day, and others who take ten times that.
 
Waking yourself up in the night to check your basal through the night is a good idea.

I too would second what Nikki said (although as Aymes says, possibly not mwithout consulting your diabetes team first...) and do the breakfast-lunch/ lunch-dinner fast and see if your sugars remain steady. You can still drink lots, so that helps to keep you full if you're worried about being hungry. I've done it before (and funnily enough am doing it this morning) and I think ideally, you need about 6 hours' worth of tests to be sure...
 
i have heard of this fasting but i couldnt do it myself as i would be to hungry. i know my basal is ok for me as i do the night tests. i wake up during the night a few times and test to see if my levels are stable and not going up and down.

i would defo talk to your dsn before embarking on any type of fasting as they may think it is not needed.
 
Cheers,

I'm defo going to do it to try and understand things better, although I'm waking good, it's not great, I generally wake high 6's or 7, sometimes low 6's, so if I can get it to waking low 5's wouldn't that be better?

low carb meal sounds like a good idea, to keep me going!

Thanks, I'll let you know the results!

Not doing it this am, as had a few beers last night, and they can do silly things!
 
rossi_mac said:
Cheers,

I'm defo going to do it to try and understand things better, although I'm waking good, it's not great, I generally wake high 6's or 7, sometimes low 6's, so if I can get it to waking low 5's wouldn't that be better?

low carb meal sounds like a good idea, to keep me going!

Thanks, I'll let you know the results!

Not doing it this am, as had a few beers last night, and they can do silly things!
Click to expand...

Tut tut , drinking AGAIN !?!?!?! 😉😉
 
rossi_mac said:
Cheers,

I'm defo going to do it to try and understand things better, although I'm waking good, it's not great, I generally wake high 6's or 7, sometimes low 6's, so if I can get it to waking low 5's wouldn't that be better?

low carb meal sounds like a good idea, to keep me going!

Thanks, I'll let you know the results!

Not doing it this am, as had a few beers last night, and they can do silly things!
Click to expand...

i really would not do this testing while fasting without prior knowledge from your diabetes team rossi.
 
aymes said:
I generally don't fast when doing day time basal testing, but go for a small carb free meal instead so that may be something to try if you are concerned about not eating for so long...?
As for if the liver stops giving off insulin? The amount and the rate it does can vary a lot of time, which is why basal rates can change over time but I'm not sure that it ever, without some other problem, stops altogether.
Click to expand...

i agree with what aymes says, i know i could not fast!!

today for the first time I had a carb free lunch, omlette, started at 9.4 a little high i know but thought would be a good number to do the test incase basal too high and might drop, 5 hours later at tea I was 9.3, rather pleased with this result:D

but will do it again sometime soon just to make sure. I also test during the night when i wake sometimes just to see im remaining stable. Hope this helps.
 
Hey guys/gals,

Well I decided to do it anyway today, I didn't really have a skinful last night so I thought rather a weekend day than a work day.

Thanks for all the concern but I don't see how it's dangerous if I'm monitoring myself so regularly! And I realised I couldn't fast for another 6 hrs so I had a few pieces of smoked mackrel (carb free) and a couple of eggs (also carb free I think) to keep me going. I didn't inject for any meals
as I didn't eat carbs. I know a lot of you mention waking up at 3am or something but seriously wouldn't be wanting to do that I'd never get back to sleep for a start!

Results...

So I went to bed last night at 6.7
I work at 10:30 - 6.3
11:30 - 6.3
12:30 - 6.6
13:30 - 5.5
14:30 - 4.3
15:30 - 4.4

So what does his mean??

Answers on a postcard. And don't worry I'm not going to do anything drastic, although I think I will test a couple more times to see if the same thing happens. It's just really to help me understand things.

Thanks again

Rossi.
 
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they look pretty good, you're staying pretty steady, a little drop towards the end but I suppose potentially that could be heat or exercise of some description? I'd always say do things a few times to make sure it's a pattern but I'd saying it's looking like your basal is fine, if not pretty close to it.

Looks like you're staying steady overnight too so maybe no need for a 3am reading if you really don't want to do it!
 
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