Are all 'high's explainable?

Type 1 and LADA
#1

I know… We’re new to all this.

We try very hard to understand why V gets a high blood sugar reading. Usually we can come up with a reason; sometimes logical (pizza) sometimes not logical (thunderstorm took out the DVD player in the middle of a movie)

But… Are they ALL explainable?
Does anyone every have high readings for no apparent reason?
Does it ever happen? Often?

V had a good day yesterday; all readings good; normal day; normal night. We had such hopes that maybe we were on to something, you know, maybe kind of knew what we were doing.

This morning: 243
Makes my head hurt…
Anyone?

#2

Highs you speak of are difficult to explain. I have found that when they occur it is impossible to stop them even with a correction bolus. you are a victim of hormones other than insulin. There are stress hormones that will happen some time after a severe low. When you have such a low the pancreas sends a message to the liver as glucagon telling it to release glucose into the blood which it does for several hours until it is told to stop after which you go back to normal. Then if you are under an insufficient insulin dose your body then generates another trigger to the liver to do it’s thing giving you another high. This is the so-called Dawn Phen. you hear about. The trick is good control, stop lows from happening and take enough night insulin without causing any lows.then. The main problem at night is undetected lows.

I’m assuming that you are counting your carbs right and you are dosing the bolus right. Try to get on a pump. your life would be so much easier. Dick Meade PS. Get the book called Using Insulin which explains it all. your going the have diabetes for a long time so learn all you can. I have been diabetic for 56 years

#3

I am so sorry but all I can say is welcome to diabetes. It could be stress, cupcakes, other medication, carb overload, planets not aligned. Actually it sounds like she may have dropped throughout the night and her liver kicked out glucose. Whatever the case may be, sometimes it just happens and it’s ok. As a diabetic with a mother who is not, my only advice would be not to place blame when lows & highs happen. It certainly isn’t something we do on purpose, it’s just part of the dance and we are never, ever perfect. We are trying to control and uncontrollable disease. Give yourself a break, too. You are doing great. :slight_smile:

#4

Never tempt the diabetes gods by thinking you’ve got it figured out:) They hate that & send high BG to remind us we’re mere mortals.

I replied to your last comment on “Is a low-carb diet a must?” to mention gastroparesis regarding V’s lows after breakfast. I have this & it makes BG all the more unpredictable. Like V, I inject after meals. Anyway, you can read it, if you like, on that discussion.

Eating dinner & going to sleep shortly after can account for high fasting (aside from Dawn Phenonmenon). Don’t know if V has high fasting frequently. He’s not awake to correct highs, or to really know how evening food is effecting BG.

Some truly are inexplicable, but mine that are I’ve attributed to:

Stress/hormones (being stressed sends me soaring)
Not getting enough sleep (maybe this is a stress type effect)
Sleeping in (this gives me high fasting BG. Endo says I’ve overslept my basal)
Gastroparesis
Not timing insulin correctly
Miscalculating carbs
Insulin nearing expiration
Meal too high in fat/protein
Eating meals too close together

#5

We normally get up about 2 to check during the night, and the BG has been fine. I hate to start getting up twice a night… We both need a little sleep. Maybe we’ll try check later, like 3:30 to see if he’s going low then. I could just sit up all night and poke him every half hour…
I’m going to start tracking the fat content of dinner…
And he did sleep 15 minutes later than usual this morning…
Is there any way to get more time in a day to keep all this straight?
Sorry, I shouldn’t complain…

#6

I think they are all explainable. But you often don’t know the reason. If that makes sense. When I get high but don’t know why, there’s probably a very good reason; I just don’t know what it is. If it’s only occasional, well, that’s just a downside of diabetes. There’s not really anything you can do. However, if he’s consistently high at a certain time, then you should probably increase his insulin (or talk to the doctor) to figure out what’s happening. The human body is really complicated, and your blood sugars depend on a lot of things, many of them you prboably don’t know much about. You just have to work with the knowledge you have and hope it works out.

I will say, though, that (if I recall correctly), my sugars were much wackier when I was a kid. Once I reached about 20 or so, they stabilized more, and I didn’t have as many completely incomprehensible highs.

#7

Well, he doesn’t have a pancreas, so that bit is eliminated… Does have the liver, though…
I have Using Insulin and Think Like a Pancreas… There’s just so much to learn, so fast. I’m amazed at how people can manage this and a regular life as well!
After 56 years, I guess you are proof it can be done.
We’ll start testing closer to dawn… maybe we’ll learn something.

#8

Thanks Kelly. I know they happen. My anal little self just can’t abide things that don’t line up and behave properly. I’ll learn…

#9

Horrible getting up in the middle of the night to test. Hate that. No sitting up all night poking him. You both need the rest.

15 minutes won’t make a difference. Between the blasted gastroparesis & dawn phenonmenon, I have to stick to a very regular schedule, which goes against my nature. Have to eat right away in the morning to prevent BG from going even higher.

My best morning numbers are when I eat lower proteien & not much fat for dinner. Hoping V never experiences this, but I’ve had dinner digest 8 hours after eating. Thankfully, this only happens with dinner.

I don’t want more hours in the day since it will mean more time devoted to diabetes:)

Hope V appreciates what a wonderful partner you are!

#10

Dawn Phenomenon?

#11

DP is when you wake up to much higher BG than before bed. There’s a lot here on DP if you want to do a search.

Basically what happens is that the liver starts dumping glycogen in preparation for the new day. Of course, without insulin BG can get quite high.

#12

No I was suggesting that maybe that’s what is going on. LOL I know what it is. Thank you though. :slight_smile:

#13

Sorry! Thought you were asking what it was:)

#14

Very well put Kelly ! I wrote an article once on the," Dance".
Gerri, could you explain why you have to eat breakfast right away,
I think it has something to do with the Liver, but I forget most of it.

#15

Hey Ray,

Yep, having to eat breakfast right away is because of dawn phenomenon–liver dumping glucose in the morning. Seems counter-intuitive to eat when already high, but I’ve learned that this make BG even higher in the morning. Correct, inject, eat helps.

#16

So I guess the eating part stops the liver from dumping. What makes BG even higher
in the morning ? Not thinking too clearly today !

#17

Yes, exactly.

The liver dumping glycogen in the morning as we’re waking up is a natural process. It’s getting the body geared up for the day after rest. Lowest BG is around 2-4 AM. Some people seem to have a greater liver dumping response than others. Of course, people without diabetes have insulin to keep BG level at normal levels so their fasting BG is fine.

#18

hehe it’s all good. :slight_smile:

#19

Thank you so much Gerri! I was sitting here literally crying about being high,your comment about the diabetes gods made me laugh,and realize I was mortal!

#20

Glad it made you smile!

I’ve been thinking of building a shrine to the Diabetes Gods to keep them pacified & outta my face. Maybe a altar with some candy bars? Will let you know if it works.