A Low Blood Glucose Rant

Type 1 and LADA
1

Lots of talk here lately about depression, having troubles just coping with the everday reality of have Type 1. Well, I am definately on that bandwagon this weekend...

My glucose monitor did not buzz at all Friday night, but I work up with a meter readig of 26. I can usually function fairly well when I am very low, but this hit me like a ton of bricks. I treated several times for the low, and actually stayed in bed until 11, which is so not my style. There were things I had to do, but it took me until 3:00 before I reallly felt ok.

Last night my glucose monitor buzzed a lot and I treated with juice. Woke up this morning at 161 meter reading. Took a correction. One hour later, my glucose level plummeted from 140 to 57 in 25 minutes. Now it is one hour later and my glucose has started to rise quickly: 100 to 115 in three minutes.

I understand what is happening sort of, but mostly I am just highly frustrated and definately felt the need to rant a little. Can I just say that I HATE DIABETES!!!!!

2

I can totally relate. This disease never follows the rules. That is why I don’t get too caught up in all of he precise mathematic calculations for calculating this or that ratio or factor or whatever. Because in the end it is all approximating anyway, and not that far from just plain guessing. A human is a biological living organism and there are too many variables for anything to be predictable.

3

Sorry you've having an awful couple days, Spock - been there, done that! It's so frustrating when everything goes haywire and you don't know why. Definitely makes you rant!

For me, the answer definitely isn't in throwing out all the calculations, which would lead to an even worse and longer lasting mess, but to reevaluating some, looking for patterns in what happened, and when all that's left to look at is gremlins, giving them an obscene gesture and moving on.

4

Sometimes when my BG is bouncing around and I am correcting a lot (with carbs or insulin), I try to just let my BG find its own level (whether that be 160 or 250). Once it hangs stable for an hour or so then I begin to do corrections and SLOWLY bring it back down to a normal range. While it can be a frustrating slow process sometimes that helps stop the bouncing from high to low back to high and get back on a normal bg track.

5

Could it be a change in temperature. Over the last few weeks as its slowly gotten hotter than Hades here, I've had to drop my basal rates, cause literally they would work fine for a few days, then bam I'd be low all day long, snacking on jelly beans.

Yesterday I had to adjust all my basals AGAIN, lol and was able to eat a mini cupcake without bolusing for it to get my bg back in range. I know it's frustrating, but for me, I've just realized you have to be flexible and roll with the punches with this thing, there is NO rhyme or reason why our numbers do what they do when they do it.

6

Yes! Together now! I HATE DIABETES! My complaint (this time,) is not as much with the illness but with insurance. I have been dealing with the perfect storm of clerical errors at 3rd party administrators, cobra coverage, my insurance company, my endo's office and clinic billing office. I have been able to hold it together....it sounds like you have as well, but sometimes you wonder how we cope! Super heros! Others have no idea.

So....let's rant and then feel proud. Good luck!

7

Certain insurance companies can be difficult, I've always been really fortunate to have coverage through really good companies that has been easy to work with.

8

Jim - I've thought about your technique of letting a high BG find its level before responding with insulin (Anyone ever deliver a "revenge bolus"?) and exercise. Patience is difficult for me, but I can see the logic in your tactic. I suspect that you're able to get back into your target range more quickly than my roller-coaster approach. Thanks for writing about this.

9

Me too! I have been very fortunate, but a series of SNAFUs this past month has been challenging.

10

Spock - I totally get your frustration. We play a game where the rules change from day to day, even meal to meal. I hate feeling low but fortunately lows can be corrected relatively quickly when you're aware of them. Persistent high blood sugar is particularly trying as it takes its damn sweet time to recede. I can't think straight and my skin feels oily. Ugh!

I know you probably just wanted to vent but I hope that you'll draw whatever useful lesson, if any, from this experience. Good luck!

11

Ok By the #'s if that were me
1. I know how many Carbs will Raise my Bg's , ave 5 pts per Carb..
2. I don't use ,nor want a CGM= they just aren't accurate enough for me..and should only be used by those with Hypo Unawarness..and even then, Manual Testing is still required to confirm the #'s for better accuracy before Treating..
3. The 15 & 15 rule , If it isn't going up after 15 min, I take another 5 carbs and if I have a Bolus Still Going, I know the ave of how many in % per the ave of 3 hrs it takes to run it's course.. Thus if I took a Bolus of 9 units , I use 25% the 1st hour, 40% the 2nd and 35% the 3rd..and if it;s Hour # 3 starting? I have about 35% of the 9 units left = 3 units to go and I also have to Treat that as well..

4. Thus Knowing What your I:CR is.. Insulin-To-Carb Ratio ..If it's 10 carbs - 1 Unit?
And I have to Treat 3 extra Units? = 30 carbs

5. If I got a 26? 120 = I need 100 pts by 5 pts per carb = 20 carbs , wait 20 min and test again to be sure I'm going up.. If not? Take In 5 Carb extra Increaments and wait 15 min and test again..

in emergency situations? I will Over Carb, but keep track of how many extra Carbs I took.. wait 30 min and then bolus /treat those Extra Carbs.

you took a Correction and then went from 140 to 57 in 25 min? Guess what? You OC.. Over Corrected..Treating a 140? - 90 = treat the 50 bal by my SF of 15-1 = take 3 units. and don't expect to be back down into the 90's for at least 2 hrs.. If I Am? I OC and have to take at least 5 carbs to treat that last hour of Bolus correction..

your meter showed 15 pts in 3 min? You know these meters will give you a Different reading everytime.. and so what's the problem with a 115? R U OCD about tight control?
Can't Be Done.. Not with these In Accurate Pumps, Meters, CGMS and Surely these In Accurate Insulins.. not on a Long Term Consistant Basis..

If you can stay above 80 and Below 140's and ave testing 10x day and ave our 115's on your Meter? Add another 10% in Blood Plasma and what do you have? 120's and doing better than some 80% are..

Anolther News Flash? Controling our BG's Isn't the total cause of our Complications..
Its a Auto Immune Disease, that is attacking Every Organ and wants to Destroy it..
Getting Good Control BG's just slows it down in Some, but not for others..

But they don't want to tell us that .. and why do you think so many Endo's are so Lax in Tight Control? More that try have more problems than not.. Unsafe Driving to just takeing care of themselves and the dif. btwn 5% vs 6% and what it takes? Can't be done consistantly , unless? Your Rich, Have OCD and are a Perfect Diabetic!
Weight every ounce/carb, Don't eat it if you don't know Exactly the Carbs, etc..

I and many others have had 6% A1c's for yrs, told we in the top 10% . but we still get all the Complications.. I used to ave 5.5% A1'cs , but had alot of Hypo's ...

and thse are Not Fast Acting Insulins either.. taking 2-3 hrs to be in full effect on our BG's? A Normal Pancrease with Human Insulin does it in Minuets..

12

Great input, everyone! Weather chaanges can be bad. However this just got worse and worse yesterday until the paramedics showed up at the door..... Have not had that experience in YEARS! Tested on arrival at 24 and I was completely out of it--but could function on Saturday at 26. Go figure.

As far as carb to recovery rates, I struggle there a lot. Example: Overnight lows are treated with fruit juice. It is fast, easy to absorb and drink, instead of chewing jelly beans or skittles. Let's say I had dinner at 5:00 with a perfect 100 glucose by meter, eat 30 carbs and take the correct bolus. Then at 11:30, 6.5 ours after the meal, I start to plummet. Sometimes I need to drink 60 carbs of juice or more and still can't get the level to rise. (And I have Basal tested overnight a couple of times recently. I reset my rates and tested fine.) Honestly if I lower them anymore, I will hardly be taking anything--overnight rate is.2 from 10 to 6am; total daily basal is 10.6.

I really want to say Thanks. My husband refers to you all as "my community, my peeps." He is correct.

13

So sorry about your weekend adventure. Again, good luck.