Hi guys, Ever since I started dorming, I have a lot of middle-of-the-night-lows anxiety. I sometimes don't go to bed for an hour of when I am ready to sleep just b/c of my blood sugars. I have just gotten on the CGM, which is great, but due to a little skin irritation, I don't wear it all the time. I have been drinking about 1/2 to 3/4 cups of milk every night to prevent middle of the night lows and so far it seems like it's going pretty well (bg is around 120-150).
I have recently started drinking milk (after a period of drinking no milk) and I honestly don't mind it from time to time, especially seeing that it keeps my bgs where I want it to be, I am fine. However, I heard a lot of conflicting things from milk in the non-diabetic health spectra (including somebody suggesting to me it is like near toxic...). I am a health-sciences major, so I do take caution in these claims, but for the sake of finding a healthier option for digestive purposes, I was wondering if anybody here tries or has tried goat's milk and if it has the same effect on blood sugar as cow's milk. I heard goat's milk has less lactose, so that is the only concern for me as it is the only reason I do consume milk in the first place.
Milk will likely be digested quickly by your body for two reasons: Lactose is a simple sugar (disaccharide) and it is a liquid that can be digested faster. Higer fat content (whole milk) will digest a little slower than skim milk, but I personally have not noted much of any difference as milk hits my BG very quickly (maybe 10-20 minutes?). I have not tried goats milk in years, but all of the above principles should be at play.
I do not really think I can comment on the health aspects of milk. If milk is getting and keeping your BG in your target range than I think it is a great late night snack.
Why drinking milk instead of lowering your basal profile at night? With basal insulin on board you have no other choice but with your pump you can eleminate the cause.
The reason is because before my nurse changed my basal right, my night sugars were ridiculously high. Even when I gave proper insulin for everything I ate, so I usually had to correct twice in four hours for my blood sugars to lower to around 160. I never really had that problem before, my blood sugars were always around 100s or 80s when I woke up and were never resistent to corrections like the way they were before my recent endo appointment.
Since my nurse changed my rate (and that too, only by a little bit) my blood sugars have improved incredibly and I am satisfied, but as of now I don't want to touch my basal rates. It's a tricky balance. My blood sugars will be around 130 then drop to maybe 112 or so a few hours later, depending on when I ate my last meal. So when it drops 30 or so points regardless of whether the drop was from 160 to 130 or 130 to 100, I drink milk and have crackers and usually my blood sugars remain at a level comfortable where I am worried it won't drop to ridiculous lows when I'm sleeping.
So it's all about maintaining this tricky balance, which is how my body works I guess. My basal rates constantly change. I am, by nature and anxious person, so obv that has an effect on my rates. When it comes to school, it's ridiculous. I am happy with this arrangement for at least the semester. We'll see once the school-stress comes off.
I would talk to your nurse about it. Most people are very sensitive to insulin at night - especially for the time between 2 to 3am. To prevent lows for 2am you adjust the basal for 1am. For 3am you adjust the basal for 2am. Perhaps these two adjustments are all it takes to overcome the critical phase. Perhaps the 3am needs adjustment too - depending on your experience.
I agree with pulling back your basal a tiny bit at night.
Keep the milk around until you get it down correctly. The fat in the milk is a big factor in how fast the lactose is absorbed. If you are drinking whole milk vs non fat or 1%. They all have different absorption rates.
Also I have the end all to skin reactions for both insulin pump sets and sensors.
I put an IV3000 tape down on the area and poke the sensor through the tape. This way the adhesive never touches my skin. Often the adhesive would run along the wire or cannula and cause irritation on me. Since I started using this method. I get no irritation at all. The wipes never seemed to help me much.
For the past year and a half I have worn my CGM continually and It's been awseome for me. My a1c around 5.9% from around 7% before. Also my family worries less about me because I got a constant reminder system.
