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Hypos

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

newbs

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
For the past couple of days I have been having a lot of hypos, particularly bad ones due to BG dropping very quickly. Yesterday at work I went from a 6 to 4.2 in 30 mins so drank some lucozade to stop a hypo. 15 mins later my blood had dropped to a 3 despite the lucozade and I had to have some glucose gel.

Today my blood dropped from 11.1 to 2.3 within 45 mins. The symptoms feel so much worse due to the quick drop.

I'm not sure why the hypos are happening, have reduced my basal and boluses. Today I injected 5 units NR with breakfast and 4 units NR with lunch, cut back the ratio from 2:10 to 1.5:10 too. Reduced Lantus from 13 units to 12 but morning results are good so don't think it is a basal problem.

I have changed my Lantus site but surely this wouldn't affect my BG all day, would it?

Any thoughts would be good.
 
You hadn't been exercising or not eaten everything for what you inject? Or stressed?

I've had this problem & I know how you feel.

Hope the cut back on your insulin does the trick
 
Possibly the milder weather affecting you? I've been reducing my novorapid like billy-o over the past two or three days, still having hypos left, right and centre :( And it'll all change again when the flipping snow arrives tomorrow! 😱

Hope it's just a blip for you and that you have some nice steady days to make up for it 🙂
 
Not exercising or stressed more than usual. Guess it could be the milder weather though, I guess we'll see over the next couple of days if that is the case! Not looking forward to going back to freezing cold, enjoyed the spring sunshine.
 
newbs said:
For the past couple of days I have been having a lot of hypos, particularly bad ones due to BG dropping very quickly. Yesterday at work I went from a 6 to 4.2 in 30 mins so drank some lucozade to stop a hypo. 15 mins later my blood had dropped to a 3 despite the lucozade and I had to have some glucose gel.

Today my blood dropped from 11.1 to 2.3 within 45 mins. The symptoms feel so much worse due to the quick drop.

I'm not sure why the hypos are happening, have reduced my basal and boluses. Today I injected 5 units NR with breakfast and 4 units NR with lunch, cut back the ratio from 2:10 to 1.5:10 too. Reduced Lantus from 13 units to 12 but morning results are good so don't think it is a basal problem.

I have changed my Lantus site but surely this wouldn't affect my BG all day, would it?

Any thoughts would be good.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure why you think that a change in your Lantus site wouldn't affect you all day, since the Lantus is long acting, I would have thought that's exactly what would happen if you have different absorption from the different site?
 
Stress gets me ( You dont notice!) Hope you sort & good luck 🙂
 
I'll tell you what I reckon - cos I had a spectacular long hypo one afternoon right out of the blue - and where was I? - at the Diabetes clinic, that's where!

The only only thing me, a consultant and 2 DSN's could put it down to - was a pool of old insulin somewhere in me, giving itself up. Do you know when you inject insulin if it doesn't absorb as it should, it can sit round in a pocket for up to TWELVE years? - and then decide to release itself and nobody knows when or if that is ever going to happen.

I mean I've had sudden hypos before but once treated they are done with. This was just ridiculous.

And I also reckon Lantus might be the culprit, it's a bit weird in it's action, isn't it, compared to any other insulin currently known to science - turns crystalline inside you doesn't it? and then sort of melts bit by bit.

Half a bottle of my Lucozade (normally, approx 4 x enough to increase my BG by 3.0), a whole bottle of clinic Lucozade and a whole packet of custard creams later (my appt was at 2.30 - it was nearly 6pm by this time!) and they decided they'd let me drive home. With another bottle of Lucozade in case ......
 
Are the hypos within the time frame that you'd expect your bolus to be still working? If so, it's probably the novo. If not it is likely the Lantus. Have you actually tested your basal to see if it's right? See instructions for testing basal here http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=120 about half way down the page. It's a PITA but it's something we all need to do from time to time when things start to go a bit wonky like they are for you right now.
 
trophywench said:
Half a bottle of my Lucozade (normally, approx 4 x enough to increase my BG by 3.0), a whole bottle of clinic Lucozade and a whole packet of custard creams later (my appt was at 2.30 - it was nearly 6pm by this time!) and they decided they'd let me drive home. With another bottle of Lucozade in case ......
Click to expand...

Wow, you were in a good place for this to happen though. This is similar to what happened to me on Friday really, it did make me panic when I treated as normal but was still dropping fast! 😱

On reflection after last night, I'm thinking it may be the Lantus. Went to bed with BG of 10.8, woke this morning at 4.7.
 
Oh God yes - you shouldn't drop like that overnight ever.

Is your basal alright the rest of the day? Cos if it is you can't just halve it or summat else you'll just be high all day instead.

Maybe try swapping it to the morning instead of bedtime? - or splitting it.

Basal test time!
 
trophywench said:
Oh God yes - you shouldn't drop like that overnight ever.

Is your basal alright the rest of the day? Cos if it is you can't just halve it or summat else you'll just be high all day instead.

Maybe try swapping it to the morning instead of bedtime? - or splitting it.

Basal test time!
Click to expand...

My basal seems to be ok in the mornings but afternoon and evenings a bit ropey. Another 2 hypos today and I'm not getting any signs until I reach 3.1 or lower now. Will reduce my basal tonight by 2 units and see how I fair tomorrow ...
 
Well if you're having a lot of hypos (and sounds to me like you maybe actually plummet overnite, causing a rebound high) you will lose your warning signals so you have to aim higher! Don't go for anything under 7 for a few weeks. Hopefully will reset your clocks.

Plus you've had a lot of stress haven't you? and sounds to me like it may have lifted following the input of your daughter's counsellor, but you are still on the same 'stress fuelled' doses.

Try - treating every single hypo (even a 3.9) with 10g fast acting EVEN if you are about to eat your dinner! and as I say do not correct below 7, and don't think of going to bed on less than a 7.

Once you have got it evened out at around the 7 give or take, then you can tweak it down again.

Or - make an urgent appt with your DSN and run it past her/him. If they are any good they'll try and sort you out.
 
Reduced Lantus last night and woke up at 13.8. Injected as normal with no correction, 9.6 mid morning, 4.0 before lunch. 13.9 now ... I just can't get a hold of it at all.

DSN not available today so will try her again tomorrow.
 
Meanwhile, for goodness sake and your own, set the alarm for approx 2.30 or 3.00 am and test.
 
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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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