Spending more time in low teens

[Jimmy2202]

Evening all.

Due to a large work contract I’m in the middle of, with it being a lot of working at height for days at a time, I’ve purposely kept myself in the low teens to be safe when working up there.

Trouble is once this contract ends the next one starts which is again the same situation.

I’m still 60% ish in range.

Am I ok doing this or do I really need to be getting myself under 10 at all times?

 

[Inka]

I think you’re right ensuring you run a bit higher, but I’d try to stay a little lower. That way you’re still safe but not too much above target. I’m not sure how much your blood sugar drops during your job or how easy it is to eat, but if you could stay a few mmols lower then I think that would be a good compromise.

 

[Jimmy2202]

This is a common day. My levels will always drop nice and quick and then i make sure I eat again when getting around the 6m/mol level. (I can eat when ever I like really when working) and I always have plenty hypo goods on me.

 

[Inka]

Daft question, but what’s causing those drops? Are you bolusing before them or is it just the level of physical activity?

 

[Jimmy2202]

Daft question, but what’s causing those drops? Are you bolusing before them or is it just the level of physical activity?

Yeah my job is very physical. So I know if I eat a sandwich and I spike to say 14, I know very well it will drop after half and hour to an hour…

 

[Inka]

Yeah my job is very physical. So I know if I eat a sandwich and I spike to say 14, I know very well it will drop after half and hour to an hour…

As you’re fairly recently diagnosed, your own insulin might be ‘helping’. It’s a hard thing to get right at the best of times. If you’re able to pre-bolus just a little earlier, that might help. You had a spike around 3pm. If that was due to top-up carbs (and no bolus), then spacing those out, annoying as it is, would reduce those kinds of spikes. I fully appreciate its hard when you’re working though.

 

[Jimmy2202]

Th

As you’re fairly recently diagnosed, your own insulin might be ‘helping’. It’s a hard thing to get right at the best of times. If you’re able to pre-bolus just a little earlier, that might help. You had a spike around 3pm. If that was due to top-up carbs (and no bolus), then spacing those out, annoying as it is, would reduce those kinds of spikes. I fully appreciate its hard when you’re working though.

This is my question tho, as I don’t ever bolus at work - should I be bolusing at work to stop these spikes? Or are these spikes fine as they come back down so quickly?

This is what I’m unsure about

 

[Inka]

Th


This is my question tho, as I don’t ever bolus at work - should I be bolusing at work to stop these spikes? Or are these spikes fine as they come back down so quickly?

This is what I’m unsure about

Your time in range suggests that it might be wise to bolus a tiny amount of insulin. It might be that you could then reduce your basal. It’s a delicate balance. I think you stopped your bolus from your own choice not after medical advice?

Early in my honeymoon, I would have seen similar patterns. I ate breakfast, spiked up to approx 13 but was then back in range at lunch and 3.8 without any insulin. What I did was take a small amount of insulin for my breakfast to keep the spike down, and then I had a snack mid-morning to keep my blood sugar up and stop me going too low. If you have a Libre, it will be a lot easier to judge what time to have a snack (with no bolus).

If in any doubt, speak to your team for advice.

 

[Jimmy2202]

Thankyou @Inka

I’ve bolused for my lunch today as day off work so time will tell. Waiting game for 2 hours now hate it my weekend with my little boy I should be enjoying life grrrr

Thankyou for your help tho