I just spent the night in the hospital from having a low episode. My wife called 911 and I was taken to the emergency room. My BG was 34 and I was unconscious. I went to bed at 10:30pm and the next thing I remember was being in the ambulance. My wife discovered me in an unconcious condtion about 1:30 am. Checked my BG at 6:00pm and it was over 500. I have never seen it that high before. Took a bolus of 6 units. (my insulin is U500 which is 5 times the normal strength). Checked again at 8:30pm and it was still over 200. I have only been on the pod for about 3 weeks. WOW…I really need to be careful.
YES…the same has happened to me more than 3 times, same story almost to the letter! I now set my alarm for 2 am if I ever take a bolus of over 2 units after 9 pm. Otherwise, we ar guaranteed a trip to the ER (and a healthy ambulance bill in the mail a few weeks later). I dont think its a problem with the Pod…just some acclimation. 3 weeks on the pod is not a real long time (I dont need to tell you) but before that, how long you been on insulin? Ever been on another pump? Not to be nosy, but why are you on U-500?
Isn’t there a verse in the bible that says that it’s not good for man to be alone. I glad that you weren’t alone. Probably scared the … out of your wife. Take care.
I was taking shots before the pump, for about 2 years. OmniPod is my first pump. I need more than 200 units in 3 days.
Sorry you had to go through that…must have been scary.
Wow, this really concerns me. I’ve had T1 for almost 25 years, on MDI, and have never been close to being unconcious. Hypos have always woken me up any time I’ve had them while sleeping. In the middle of the night, I can’t really count on anybody being able to check on me if I go unconcious because of bad pump programming.
How common is it for people to go on the pump after MDI and find themselves with more severe insulin reactions and hypos?
I did not have that experience.
I’m not sure that being on the pump makes a person more vulnerable to extreme low BG. I was still on MDI when I had my first reading below 40. My doctor had told me that I would not pass out from a blood sugar low because I was type 2. He never checked to see what “type” diabetes I had. As a consequence I frequenly had high blood sugar numbers and eventually my body became very used to that state.
It wasn’t until I saw an Endocrinologist that I was diagnosed as type 1 and told that I needed to be very careful when dosing insulin close to bedtime.
I’m really sorry you had such a frightful experience. I’m glad your wife called 911 and got help for you. Stay strong.
Did you double-check that 500 reading? I know more than once, my daughter has been in the 300s or 400s in the middle of the night, and just before I hit that button to do the correction, something made me stop and recheck. And, when I’ve rechecked some of those sky-high readings, she wasn’t always quite so high.
Also, depending on your site, you may still have insulin circulating even 2 1/2 hours later. I think the absorption rate is definitely slower than for shots.
Glad you’re OK now, and that your wife knew the difference between sleeping and unconscious!
I’ve actually had fewer lows after being on the pump. I used Levemir as my basal isulin prior to pumping with humalog for my meals. The pump allows for variation in the basal based upon time of day, activities, etc. This isn’t possible with that one/two shot basal–Lantus or Levemir.
I always check my BG before bed time. If there’s still insulin on board I figure out my ratio which is 90 points to 1 unit of insulin. Then I know how much my BG will drop over night. If I feel it will be too much, I drink a little juice. I’d rather be a bit high than too low.
Wow, talk about a baptism by fire. Very happy that you are back up and running. I’ve been using the Dexcom for just over a month. It’s alarms have gotten me up before my low got stupefying. The high alarm also helps me give correction boluses before I get too out of hand. Are you able to afford it (hopefully you have insurance that’s smart about this sort of thing)? I have hypoglycemia unawareness so there but for the grace of God go I. I send my best wishes to your wife – she’s a hero.
Here here on the wife praises. I owe mine my life! As I noted before, she has done the same fofr me 3 or more times before, and in fact she once could not revive me and itr turns out I had had a brain hemmhorage! Led to a stroke, paralysis for 6 mos. and an entire story around it is on www.supportersofwurvivors.com. My wife saved my life and became a true ROCK. Peace to you all!
If you have recurring hypogylcemic events, your insurance may approve you for CGM. I had to fill out a bunch of paperwork including the number of times I had been below 50 or 55 in the last six or so months. Also they wanted to know the number of times I had been to the ER. My endo had to fill out paperwork too. We both must have done it right, I was approved 4 hours after my CDE faxed in the paperwork.
Between the CGM and the Pod I feel like a cyborg. But I’ll take that over dead any day. Now I don’t have to worry about going hypoglycemic overnight and not waking up.
Brad has it right…I had to do the same paperwork (listing the number of times I was below 60 in the past few months) and the number of times I had been to the ER, and got approved for my Dexcom. It does beat not waking up! GOOD LUCK and PEACE!
Yeah, I recently filled out the paperwork for the Dexcom. It was pretty involved. They also ask for your BG logs for the last 60 days and how many times you’ve been unconcious. I was just approved as well.
Since this event I have been looking at CGM. At my next appointment I am going to ask my doctor about it. I am very nervous when I go to bed now.
Me too actually. I used to wake up with lows a lot, most likely from my Lantus. I haven’t had that nearly so much since starting on the pod! I set my alarm for 2 or 3am if I’m worried I might go low due to a late carby meal requiring a lot of insulin or something like that. I’m in the process of getting a CGM, so that should help too (hopefully!).
you can always change your basal rate for the night to prevent that from happening.
Your doctor can help you figure out if your basal rate needs to be changed overnight. Make sure you bring your logs with you to your appointment.
Like Jeff wrote, you can change your basal rate. You can also set a temporary basal rate (either a percentage or unit depending how your PDM is set up) if you think you may go low overnight. When I walk, I usually reduce my basal rate overnight so I don’t go hypoglycemic. I end my temporary basal about 5:00 AM so the “dawn effect” doesn’t cause me to wake up hyperglycemic. (Don’t you just love the juggling act of living with diabetes?)
Good luck fine-tuning your settings so you don’t go low.