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Help with BMs

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Spireite72

Spireite72

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
tested my BS level just before dinner 8.4 tested again 2 hrs after 5.7. Took 1 500 Metformin and 2 units NovoRapid. Should be 4 NovoRapid but Nurse said to do 2 today because my BS was only 6.6 last night. I take 10 units lantus in 1 hour. Worried because it’s now 5.7.
 
Spireite72 said:
tested my BS level just before dinner 8.4 tested again 2 hrs after 5.7. Took 1 500 Metformin and 2 units NovoRapid. Should be 4 NovoRapid but Nurse said to do 2 today because my BS was only 6.6 last night. I take 10 units lantus in 1 hour. Worried because it’s now 5.7.
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I would follow the advice you have been given @Spireite72

The Lantus should not lower your BG if it is set right. It is supposed to be dealing with the glucose continually trickled out from the liver day and night.

Do check BG if you feel shaky, extreme hunger, anxious, tingling lips, or extreme tiredness as these can be symptoms of low blood glucose.

If you see a reading below 4.0 you should eat 15g of fast acting carbs (sugar, a few jelly babies or 125ml of full sugar soft drink) then wait 15 minutes and recheck.

5.7 is a great result, but I understand your concern so soon after injecting.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
I would follow the advice you have been given @Spireite72

The Lantus should not lower your BG if it is set right. It is supposed to be dealing with the glucose continually trickled out from the liver day and night.

Do check BG if you feel shaky, extreme hunger, anxious, tingling lips, or extreme tiredness as these can be symptoms of low blood glucose.

If you see a reading below 4.0 you should eat 15g of fast acting carbs (sugar, a few jelly babies or 125ml of full sugar soft drink) then wait 15 minutes and recheck.

5.7 is a great result, but I understand your concern so soon after injecting.
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Thank you for the advice I took all my meds going to check my BGL just before 8.00
 
8.1 this morning just don’t get it confused.Com
 
Using insulin to manage BG levels can be a confusing business!

The insulin we inject is being to the wrong place and with completely the wrong profile compared to natural insulin. So it’s an imperfect system, but it’s what we have to work with.

Insulin itself will have an ‘activity curve’, and the food you eat will have an absorption rate. We have to try to get these to match so that the insulin works alongside the food... but it is not easy and there are lots of other factors that are affect blood glucose - stress, excitement, illness, ambient temperature, recent activity levels, future activity levels, alcohol, the condition of the site into which the insulin is delivered... the list goes on!

Plus the fact that your background insulin (basal) needs to be adjusted to match your needs for the illusion of ‘diabetes maths’ to have any chance of working. Too much or too little (or if your needs don’t match the profile of the basal insulin itself) can mean that your BGs are gently rising or falling on top of whatever is happening with food.

If can all seem very confusing, but don’t worry, you will get there in the end, and very soon you will get to understand how to best adjust your own insulin for different meals and activities to suit your own individual situation. You will become more expert in your diabetes than anyone!
 
BGL today 8.1 before breakfast 7.3 2hr after 6.0 before lunch around 12 o clock 4.8 , 2 hrs later I’m eating nearly 0 carbs at the minute lots of veg and protein :( just had a small apple see if that helps. Don’t think my insulin and Metformin is set at right units or if I need both at the minute. Don’t worry I won’t stop taking any with out say so of go or DSN
 
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Spireite72 said:
BGL today 8.1 before breakfast 7.3 2hr after 6.0 before lunch around 12 o clock 4.8 , 2 hrs later I’m eating nearly 0 carbs at the minute lots of veg and protein just had a small apple see if that helps. Don’t think my insulin and Metformin is set at right units or if I need both at the minute. Don’t worry I won’t stop taking any with out say so of go or DSN
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I'm afraid that's where your problems lie then, did your DSN or that not explain that if you are taking novorapid you MUST eat carbs, we take the insulin to cover the carbohydrates we take in, many people find that if they have a meal with no or little carbs then they don't need to take any insulin, I strongly suggest you call your team ASAP like now to get them to explain things to you in more detail xx
 
Spireite72 said:
BGL today 8.1 before breakfast 7.3 2hr after 6.0 before lunch around 12 o clock 4.8 , 2 hrs later I’m eating nearly 0 carbs at the minute lots of veg and protein :( just had a small apple see if that helps. Don’t think my insulin and Metformin is set at right units or if I need both at the minute. Don’t worry I won’t stop taking any with out say so of go or DSN
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I think that @Kaylz has given you some excellent advice Spireite...give them a call as soon as you can.
 
No they never said anything about having to take carbs only not to cut them out completely so I’ve been eating fruit and a slice of bread but trying to limit it to not much. Thank you the 4.8 panicked me a little I’ll call my DSN
 
The apple helped pushed me back up to 7.4
 
We use the insulin to cover the carbohydrates we eat, well the novorapid, did you discuss this when you phoned? What did they advise? xx
 
Nurse isn’t available at the minute got to phone in the morning. They explained very little in hospital it was here this is how to test your blood and yep you’re doing ok with injections a little about eating a balanced diet carbs are bad that kind of thing. I’ve learned more on here than anywhere I’d be lost without this forum. I know what I’m on but not what any of it is for she did say I may not need insulin for long so no idea
 
Spireite72 said:
Nurse isn’t available at the minute got to phone in the morning. They explained very little in hospital it was here this is how to test your blood and yep you’re doing ok with injections a little about eating a balanced diet carbs are bad that kind of thing. I’ve learned more on here than anywhere I’d be lost without this forum. I know what I’m on but not what any of it is for she did say I may not need insulin for long so no idea
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Call her in the morning Spireite...I'm clueless when it comes to insulin so unable to avise...I've never used it...she (DSN) does need to make herself available tomorrow...sometimes we need to be 'pig headed' about access to our health care professionals...be interested to hear how you get on.
 
Bubbsie said:
Call her in the morning Spireite...I'm clueless when it comes to insulin so unable to avise...I've never used it...she (DSN) does need to make herself available tomorrow...sometimes we need to be 'pig headed' about access to our health care professionals...be interested to hear how you get on.
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Phoned waiting for a call back from the Doctor my DN is off sick so waiting game now. 7.1 fasting 7.2, 2 hrs after this morning had a small omelette and a pear for breakfast.
 
Spireite72 said:
Phoned waiting for a call back from the Doctor my DN is off sick so waiting game now. 7.1 fasting 7.2, 2 hrs after this morning had a small omelette and a pear for breakfast.
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That's certainly better than yesterday. Siprieite...it always is a waiting game...have you had any advice on how the insulin works yet?...or left to fend for yourself?
 
Bubbsie said:
That's certainly better than yesterday. Siprieite...it always is a waiting game...have you had any advice on how the insulin works yet?...or left to fend for yourself?
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How to inject and store it looking after my sharps. Explained a little about the lantus been long lasting but not what it does I only learned about the liver BG from on here. Nothing really about the NovoRapid. Other than I take it with or just before eating and with my Metformin. After the help on here yesterday I’m trying to make sure I have at least 20/30 g of carb so the NovoRapid works properly.
 
Spireite72 said:
How to inject and store it looking after my sharps. Explained a little about the lantus been long lasting but not what it does I only learned about the liver BG from on here. Nothing really about the NovoRapid. Other than I take it with or just before eating and with my Metformin. After the help on here yesterday I’m trying to make sure I have at least 20/30 g of carb so the NovoRapid works properly.
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If you are to stay on insulin I suggest that you ask about carb counting at some point, there is no rush but it does make things easier when you've got everything sorted, it will take time when you start carb counting to get the correct ratios etc but you will keep track of the amount of carbs eaten, insulin taken and bg levels and along with your teams help will work towards your own personal ratios xx
 
Kaylz said:
If you are to stay on insulin I suggest that you ask about carb counting at some point, there is no rush but it does make things easier when you've got everything sorted, it will take time when you start carb counting to get the correct ratios etc but you will keep track of the amount of carbs eaten, insulin taken and bg levels and along with your teams help will work towards your own personal ratios xx
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They said I’m on very low doses of insulin and if I lose weight which I am and exercise.I have a good chance I can come off insulin and not to panic that I was put on insulin straight away. I’ve been looking up carb counting this morning and trying to start I think it was around 24g this morning. But don’t know how that effects my insulin units.
 
Spireite72 said:
They said I’m on very low doses of insulin and if I lose weight which I am and exercise.I have a good chance I can come off insulin and not to panic that I was put on insulin straight away. I’ve been looking up carb counting this morning and trying to start I think it was around 24g this morning. But don’t know how that effects my insulin units.
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I wouldn't head into it without talking to your team first, but as a standard you generally start on 1 unit covers 10g carbohydrate then adjust from there, some people also find that their ratios change depending what time of day it is as they say you become less insulin resistant as the day goes on, however in my case this isn't true xx
 
Honestly don’t know what I would do without you guys/girls the support and love is beyond words. Making one of the scariest things I’ve faced manageable
 
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