I have been rather unstable blood sugar wise the past two weeks. Where I was normally waking up at about 125 or more, suddenly I am as low as 38. I will suddenly spike to 385 and bolus (less than recomended) then less than an hour later be at 50 and still have a bunch of insulin onboard.
I have dropped my total daily bolus by almost 1/3 over the past week and am still waking in the 50s.
I have always been exceptionally stable and predictible.
What would be causing this sudden change and what should I do now?
Kelly
I would definitely schedule an appointment with your endo. Something is going on for sure! When you say you have stopped your “daily bolus” do you also mean you’ve dropped your basal rates? If you are waking up that low, you definitely should reduce your basal. I would suggest doing basal testing first to re-do your basal rates, and then work on the bolus. Whatever is causing it, you definitely need to make some changes. But before you assume anything ongoing, I would consider more temporary problems such as bad insulin, an infection, hormonal changes. Obviously you want to test much more frequently until things settle down.
Hi Kellyone: Well, your situation is definitely perplexing, and I am sorry that you are going through this. I looked at your profile and couldn’t tell your age–I am wondering if this could be hormone related? I hope others chime in with ideas.
That might be a good guess, but had everything related to that -including ovaries removed almost 20 years ago. I can’t figure this one out either, latest 50 bg I decided to wait a few minutes to see what would happen and within 20 minutes I was up to 100.
Scariest part was Wednesday morning at 38 bg even after treating with glucose tabs and eating 1 cup of fresh pinapple, a whole grapefruit and 1/2 cup of milk (without bolus) bg only moved to 50.
Only change I have made is to add fish oil capsules but have never heard of this kind of reaction (taking for high Trigliceies)
I’m glad you posted this - I’ve been going through the same thing! I have never had any nighttime lows before this week. In addition, I have been going low 2-4 times a day all week. Normally that doesn’t happen unless I’m going on extremely long runs. I’ve had to cut my running out completely this week because I’ve gone low every afternoon/evening after work - I’ll eat something to correct for the low, and that will cause me to spike high, but then I drop back down and go low again. In addition, I’ve cut my basal dose nearly in half from what it was last week, and still, 2 lows today. Interested to see what others have to say.
Thanks Zoe, I did mean to say I dropped my basal dosage not bolus(although I have been cutting that from recomended levels also). I will watch over the weekend and call endo Monday if things stay so irratic. Changed insulin bottle that has not helped - been using multiple bg meters to ensure that isn’t an issue. Hormones, there shouldn’t be any. Currently regularly test every two hours and more frequently if somehing unusual is happening.
Everything I think of requires blood tests. I think thyroid nodes. An endo will have some good ideas. Don’t let yourself be given a 3 month wait-for-it appointment! The U on the bottle doesn’t say 500, does it? Keep us posted.
Please let us know what you uncover. The only time I experienced something like this was when I was on an antibiotic that caused low BG. It heightened insulin sensitivity so much that I barely needed any bolus. It was strange & I even used another meter because I couldn’t believe the readings. Other meds can have this effect also. Sounds like your pancreas is waking up!
Are you sure your pump is delivering the correct amount? I’d check this first.
Yeah, thyroid was the first thing that came to my mind, too. Adrenals was second. Either autoimmune thyroid (Hashimoto’s) or autoimmune adrenal (Cushing’s/Addisons) disorders can affect BG like that. I would get yourself to an endocrinologist and get some tests to make sure you don’t have another gland going the way of your pancreas. Though I devoutly hope not!
I noticed from your profiles that you’re both using Animas 2020 pumps. Have you ruled out possible pump errors? Could the pump be over-delivering insulin? I believe this has happened before.
To the group: Didn’t this happen with some Minimed users recently, resulting in one or more deaths? I seem to vaguely remember pump error was blamed.
I’d get the pump checked, if nothing else than for peace of mind.
Could it possibly be the weather? Here in the midwest I noticed a huge increase in lows into the 40s and 50s when the tempertiure changed abruptly from 60s-70s and rainy to high 90s almost 2 weeks ago. I am now on a lower basal rate for summer and experiencing way fewer lows.
I agree, Kim. I forget about weather here where it doesn’t change by that much. I once went to a tropical area, walked down a beach to eat homemade pasta (which I rarely eat), went to bolus and the needle broke. So I ate and walked back to the hotel thinking to correct a huge high and I was borderline low. I continued taking greatly reduced insulin until I returned home.
hmm, this is a tough one. Maybe the insulin went bad? Also, as the other users have recommended, I would go to the doctor, because it could be something else.
Keep us posted.