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Just carnt beleve it! Hypo

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

AceFace

Forum Moderator
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Morning Everyone, yesterday i had a Hypo after all my moaning about being too high, the day before i had a review with my DBN says i was too high so as usual all units went up.
Yesterday i was 8 at 12:30 before i had a sandwich, i live out of a car as you know im a rep, i was coming out of a call felt a bit shaky tested and was 3.5 thought dont panick mr mandering, has some lucazde and tested 3.1 now i panicked used two GSF Syrups then started to climb infact went to 20
I know all you experienced Calm Hypo experts will tell me its the wrong thing to do, why did it fall from 8 to 3? I had to park the car up for 45 mins it was late wanted to go home, im angry the units were put up, im too scared to use the new units.
 
Hi Simon, are you on fixed doses? It sounds to me like you'd be much better off carb counting to inject specifically for what you are eating. It is a bit hit and miss while you first are determining what your ratios are but once they are sorted it is much easier and you have so much more freedom, especially in terms of things you can eat. Lucozade I've found isn't the best hypo treatment these days, since they changed the recipe I've found I have to have loads to get my sugars back up. It might be worth trying something like coke as an alternative? Don't beat yourself up too much, hypos are scary at the best of times. Pat yourself on the back that you made it through this one - now all you need to do is modify your hypo treatment technique for the next one 😉
 
Hi Simon, are you on fixed doses? It sounds to me like you'd be much better off carb counting to inject specifically for what you are eating. It is a bit hit and miss while you first are determining what your ratios are but once they are sorted it is much easier and you have so much more freedom, especially in terms of things you can eat. Lucozade I've found isn't the best hypo treatment these days, since they changed the recipe I've found I have to have loads to get my sugars back up. It might be worth trying something like coke as an alternative? Don't beat yourself up too much, hypos are scary at the best of times. Pat yourself on the back that you made it through this one - now all you need to do is modify your hypo treatment technique for the next one 😉
Morning Sprogladite im on fixed units lantus 38 humalog, 14 lunch, 16 evening im just too inexperienced to mess up or down units it worrys me
 
Morning Sprogladite im on fixed units lantus 38 humalog, 14 lunch, 16 evening im just too inexperienced to mess up or down units it worrys me
Have you spoken to your DSN about carb counting or going on a course? I really think you would find it helpful, it would give you a lot of confidence. I think the approach of just putting your units up when you see your DSN isn't going to make you feel very reassured that it's the right thing to do - especially now you've had a hypo. Did the DSN explain why your units were being put up specifically, other than 'your numbers are too high'?
 
Have you spoken to your DSN about carb counting or going on a course? I really think you would find it helpful, it would give you a lot of confidence. I think the approach of just putting your units up when you see your DSN isn't going to make you feel very reassured that it's the right thing to do - especially now you've had a hypo. Did the DSN explain why your units were being put up specifically, other than 'your numbers are too high'?
I have a carb counting book good one as well i wouldnt know how many units to take per carb, the course is for type 1 only in this region, and no the DBN just said your HBac1 was 80 too high more units she is very experienced but gets a 0 in compassion and explaining things.
 
Sorry to hear that Simon, it's very easy to over treat a hypo, I've done it myself and I'd wager alot of people on here have too. I'm guessing the reason for the hypo was because you hadn't eaten enough carbs for the insulin, so today add something else to the sandwich and see what happens. I found it really tricky to eat the right amount of carbs on fixed doses and get on much better now I carb count (still had hypos last 2 days though 🙄, so in no position to advise you lol!)
I use jelly babies or a small carton of orange juice, which seems to work well for me 🙂
 
Sorry to hear that Simon, it's very easy to over treat a hypo, I've done it myself and I'd wager alot of people on here have too. I'm guessing the reason for the hypo was because you hadn't eaten enough carbs for the insulin, so today add something else to the sandwich and see what happens. I found it really tricky to eat the right amount of carbs on fixed doses and get on much better now I carb count (still had hypos last 2 days though 🙄, so in no position to advise you lol!)
I use jelly babies or a small carton of orange juice, which seems to work well for me 🙂
Thanks Lucy im really troffing today, i will just have to learn to stay calm while treating it, i bet i panic again lol
 
Most Type 2 Diabetics on Insulin are denied Carb Counting courses as tgey designed for Type 1.
 
Most Type 2 Diabetics on Insulin are denied Carb Counting courses as tgey designed for Type 1.
Ok so i will have to do it myself i can do it two ways count the carbs or if like im fixed lets say i have 14 units of humalog how many carbs would i need to eat to cover that, is there a formula
 
There was a chap with T2 when I done my carb counting course, however he was having difficulties and had charcot foot. My hospital run a diabetic workshop every couple of months and lots of T2 attend, carb counting is covered regularly.

I hope you have a hypo free day Simon (hope I do too lol!) 🙂
 
I overtreat hypos too and end up in the 20's, as I panic so badly. I then have to put in novo rapid to bring it down again. I am trying to not overtreat but sometimes difficult .I now have orange juice in the small cartons and sugar pepsi in the home etc. The orange juices are good as they act quickly and I try to stop at one carton . Hope it goes smoothly today.
 
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Ok so i will have to do it myself i can do it two ways count the carbs or if like im fixed lets say i have 14 units of humalog how many carbs would i need to eat to cover that, is there a formula
There is an online course. I am sure some one will be along to point you in that direction.
 
Hi Simon I was in the same boat as you when I first went on to Insulin ( 3 years ago) I was sent on a T2onic course (Type 2 on insulin ) can you ask your DSN if they do this course in your area. It was a great help to me 🙂 I use the Carbs and cals app on my phone even now and find it a great help , also look at the info on food packaging to work out the amount of insulin to use.
Hope you get it sorted out soon. It does eventually sink in and so becomes second nature to do the calculations .
Best of luck and hope you get it sorted soon.
Malcolm
 
Ok so i will have to do it myself i can do it two ways count the carbs or if like im fixed lets say i have 14 units of humalog how many carbs would i need to eat to cover that, is there a formula

Generally people use a ratio of 1 unit for every 10 grams of carbohydrates to start off with and see how that goes before making adjustments. So you'll want to use the carbs and cals book/app and divide the carbs total by 10 to get the number of units to inject to start off with.

That being said, it's well worth checking with your DSN to make sure she is happy for you to proceed with this, as after all we are just strangers on the internet.

Feeling very hypocritical now as I didn't ask my DSN or have any sort of training when I started carb counting either. I guess it's a case of 'do as I say, not as I do' LOL :D
 
My suggestion would be to measure the total amount of carbs in a standard lunch you have Simon, take the dose you were advised and look at the results.

Eg,
Check BG before lunch

Then eat a normal lunch - say as an example you usually have a sandwich (2 slices of bread), snack bar, and a piece of fruit - then check your BG 4 hours after eating

At this point almost all of your meal insulin will be finished, and your meal carbs will have been digested.

If your BG is higher than your pre-lunch BG, then you’ve eaten too many carbs, so try the next day without the snack bar.

What you are looking for is the number of carbs that matches your dose - then whatever you eat for lunch, you need to make it up to that total (or always eat the same lunch!)

Fixed doses work best with regular carb amounts per-meal. You just need to work out what totals you are aiming for for each meal 🙂
 
My suggestion would be to measure the total amount of carbs in a standard lunch you have Simon, take the dose you were advised and look at the results.

Eg,
Check BG before lunch

Then eat a normal lunch - say as an example you usually have a sandwich (2 slices of bread), snack bar, and a piece of fruit - then check your BG 4 hours after eating

At this point almost all of your meal insulin will be finished, and your meal carbs will have been digested.

If your BG is higher than your pre-lunch BG, then you’ve eaten too many carbs, so try the next day without the snack bar.

What you are looking for is the number of carbs that matches your dose - then whatever you eat for lunch, you need to make it up to that total (or always eat the same lunch!)

Fixed doses work best with regular carb amounts per-meal. You just need to work out what totals you are aiming for for each meal 🙂
Thanks for that im going to try that i was today 8 before lunch i took 2 units less because i just didnt want to go through yesterday again two hour after i was 16 so i guess i ate two much
 
Have a check at 4 hours Simon as your insulin is probably still working at two hours 🙂
 
Keep us posted 🙂
 
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