Hypos

G

Gemma.

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi,
I have been type 1 diabetic for just over a year and the last week I have been experiencing a lot more low glucose levels. I have been taking the same amount of insulin where before I would rise then go into the 'green' correct levels but now I'm not going above 9mmol but going low.
I have even been reducing my background insulin.
Would there be any reason for this? Any advice would be great.
Thanks
 
Hi @Gemma. there are various possibilities for an explanation, but whatever the reason you will need a bit less insulin. Then it is sorting out which one to change Basal or Bolus

It is possible even after a year since diagnosis, that you still have some beta cells that are still throwing out some insulin (The Honeymoon Period). Once the beta cells have had a rest once you start injecting insulin some of them survive the beta cell attack by the antibodies, and then play at the most unexpected times, and without warning. For some this period goes on for quite a long time.

Have you changed your routine in any way. Small changes can have a big impact on our insulin needs. I found that for an active day I needed to either reduce my bolus and/or my basal insulin.

You mention that you are taking the same amount of insulin. Are you on fixed doses at meals or are you carb counting and working out a dose to match what you want to eat? In addition to adjusting my bolus for different amounts of carbs, I also find that for different meals i need to make adjustments. This is especially true for fatty meals, where the fat causes the glucose to be released more slowly.

Do you have a half unit pen? This allows you to make smaller changes to your doses. They are available in reusable pens, which reduce waste in comparison to the disposable ones. You then just need to store the replacement cartridges of your basal and bolus rather than boxes of spare pens. Good for when you go away too.

Just a few thoughts and I am sure that others will come along with more ideas.
 
Great response from @SB2015 which leaves little left for me to add.

But rather than saying nothing, I will expand on the things which could affect your BG to suggest
- are you more relaxed/less stress? This could be because you have become more used to managing your diabetes or something completely different. Our "helpful" livers dump glucose to give us the energy to deal with stress so, when we are less stressed, the liver dumps less.
- have you been drinking a little more alcohol? Our livers don't like alcohol so spend their time dealing with the "toxin". Being "singled minded", it postpones the glucose drip.
- have you had your covid jab recently? So eof us found this caused our BG to lower although I am not sure of the scientific reason why

I definitely second SB's suggestion of the half unit reusable pens if you do not have one already. If you get them, make sure you request two as you need a back up.
 
Thank you all for your replies. The only thing difference is I had the flu injection but that was 2 and a half weeks ago.
I do have the half pens so can lower the amount of insulin I am currently taking. I have lowered my basal insulin too, for example the other night I was 8 going to bed then had hypo during the night.
I have been doing finger pricks too and just changed freestyle libre but still getting much lower reading than usual.
 
helli said:
- have you had your covid jab recently? So eof us found this caused our BG to lower although I am not sure of the scientific reason why
Click to expand...
I strangely had a week of low blood sugars after my covid jab, I even had to reduce basal in the end. I assumed I was going to get ill, as I usually run low the day before I start running high (and usually at the same time feel rubbish), but in this case it was just low.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top