Low sugar levels in night

[Confused77]

In a moening level is between 5 and 7. Take Metformin and now 40 units Basal Insulin. Breakfast a mixture of Weetabix and Shredded wheat. Not mater what my activities by lunchtime level is 11-14. This remains and 20 units Insulin at tea time. n night level falls to high 4's to 6. Dabetic nurse suggested a quicker acting Insulin but left before decision made. Now they say need average blood test whcih would only confirm it about 9 ish. Any similar problem please

 

[Kaylz]

As a Type 2 on metformin and a basal insulin only I think with those results I'd be looking to change eating habits at breakfast time, its not the best breakfast as its just carbs and the evidence shows it isn't really suiting you seen as you rise so much by lunch, high 4's to 6 isn't really a problem as long as you aren't going below 4, this is something only your diabetic team can help with though I'm afraid as they know your circumstances etc xx

 

[SB2015]

Once I started to look at the amount of carbs there were in things, I was amazed to see just how much there was in cereals. Mind you that could be why I liked them so much. The best description I was given for cereals was ‘a bowl of sugar in disguise’.

From your values at Lunchtime, it shows that your body is not able to cope with what you are eating at breakfast. As @Kaylz suggests a change to that would reduce your levels.
Just one weetabix (29g) + one shredded wheat (20g) is already a lot of carbs and then there is milk.
We worked out how many carbs we were eating at meals and then in order to reduce the spikes in my glucose levels we set a target to aim for at each meal. For us that is 30g of carbs. It would be worth finding out what your pancreas can cope with.

 

[Inka]

Hi @Confused77 I think your options are to reduce your carbs or, if not, you’ll have to consider fast-acting meal-time insulin.

If it was me, I’d try to reduce my carbs. Do it gradually - don’t cut them all in one go. That way you’re being cautious and you’ll also be able to see better what works for you personally. Keeping active after meals can help too. Obviously that’s difficult now but even moving around the house can help rather than just sitting down after eating.

Your night-time 4s and 6s aren’t too low, but I’d want to be cautious n case they do drop further. See what your nurse recommends. Possibly a tiny bedtime snack - and I do mean tiny. Just enough to keep you around 6 rather than 4.

 

[trophywench]

Nearly all humans' blood glucose rises in the early morning, just as yours does. It's a primeval response, designed into the body from the outset, in order to enable us to wake up, get up and go forth to hunt the woolly mammoth or hunt and gather berries and seeds, depending on what we intended us and our family to eat that day!

Hence yes - we would all have exactly that problem, especially the increase by lunchtime, eating the same breakfast. Try testing nearer to when you finished eating it if you think 11 is high - I can guarantee it will be well higher than 11.

Type 2 diabetics are recommended, whatever they eat, whatever their lifestyle or age, to have an increase of no more than 3.0 between their pre meal and 2 hours post meal, readings.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Cereals are known as serial killers 🙂 so perhaps consider another breakfast option

 

[Drummer]

It all there was to eat was starchy foods then I would not eat - for me it is that simple. As a type two diabetic - even in remission - I cannot cope with carbs, they elevate my blood glucose, increase my weight so they are not on the list of things I eat.

 

[grovesy]

Some seem to be able to tolerate other cant.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Maybe, but since there's a whole section of the Diabetes UK website - Wholegrains and Diabetes - with recommendations and advice on portion sizes, it's only natural that people will take this as gospel and make it part of their diet.

Martin

Well it's blatantly obvious gospel or no gospel it aint working for the OP so they need to look at other breakfast options.

 

[Confused77]

Thanks for all the responses. For 20 years I have had the same for breakfast with no problems on Metformin and Insulin. Just changed virtually overnight. Also found out a year ago I had a large stone in my pancreatic duct which had been there a long while and no pain. Did ask if this could possible affect flow of natural insulin and never really got an answer.
If my level falls below 6 I know and average over past years is around 7.5. Expect it to be around 9 as just had blood test. Nurses I have had accept this as I have several other lifetime medical issues and try to get a decent quality of life balance.
Forgot to add I also mix porridge oates with other cereal

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thanks for all the responses. For 20 years I have had the same for breakfast with no problems on Metformin and Insulin. Just changed virtually overnight.

My diabetes has a habit of doing that too. I used to find it stressful, that something that ‘usually works’ suddenly caused BG havoc, but these days I‘ve just learned to roll with it.

I used to eat cereals, but about 10 years ago I started seeing all sorts of crazy numbers when I ate them, so I’ve moved on to other things.

There are lots of alternative breakfast ideas in the ’foods and carbs’ board. Some can cope OK with low carb or seedy breads if toast is your thing, others like a full-fat yoghurt and berries combo, with or without some oaty crunch stuff.

All depends on your individual reaction to foods, which you can use your BG meter to establish and experiment

Test, Review, Adjust

Managing blood glucose levels for type 2 diabetes. Learning how to achieve long term control by testing and diet.

loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk