I had just gotten Kayleigh into the crib for a nap, and my wife had just left to go shopping with a friend. Two hours ago, I tested at 201, and took ten units of humalog to correct. Around two, I realized that I was sweating, and not feeling too sharp. Tested, and I was at 51. Holy carp! Small bottle of orange juice, peanut butter sandwich and a cherry coke (my wife will kill me for drinking one of her cherry cokes), and I’m up at 120. Probably going to go way higher, I’m sure I over did it, but I’m at home with the baby, and don’t want to take a chance on bottoming out.
I’ve been low before. Before I was diagnosed as a T1 back in May of this year, I had been diagnosed as a reactive hypoglycemic probably 15 years ago in the Air Force - so I knew what going low meant - but this was a low without warning, just hit all of a sudden (I realize I’m preaching to the choir here). I’ve always hated the feeling afterwards - just absolutely wiped out, feeling clammy and all that other fun stuff. Again, I’m preaching to the choir, I know. Anyway, time to sit back and let it come back up online, and then test again in 30 minutes. Maybe I’ll get the chili going for dinner tonight. Who knows.
Is there a chance , you still had " insulin on board " , besides delivering your correction dose ??? In any case Chili is good , it is the amount , which will affect the BG numbers. Hope you feel better !!..
I had a low at about the same time you had yours…I did a set change before breakfast ( pumper ) ; number on my sensor and finger poke a bit higher than I liked and questioned, if the set change was /was not working
( scar tissue or ??) …then went for a 5 k walk …I did not take any extra food ( this is where I went wrong ) and crash I did .At least I know , my set change did work …my sensor was showing numbers arrow down …wish I had brought my glucometer along …eyes NOT focussing …
Nel - I test four times a day and dose according to a sliding scale for correction. The only steady shot I take is a basal dose of Lantus in the evening, and my last dose (prior to the Humalog correction this afternoon), was the basal at 5:00 yesterday evening. My waking glucose (wow - my wife let me sleep in!) was 118, so I was pretty happy with that. I’m not sure what caused the spike that I corrected - I think next time, I’m going to double check before correcting.
I’ve only been diagnosed since May of this year, so I’m still working to get a handle on it all. It’s a roller coaster ride, I’ll say that!
A possible discussion with your Doc /Endo could be 1 ) carb ratios and 2 ) sensitivity ratios for corrections .
Sensitivity ratio is carbohydrate ratio divided by 5 …ie my carb ratio for supper is 1u for every 19 grams of carb ; my sensitivity ratio in this case is 19 :5 equals 3.8 …1 u will bring down my number by 3.8 mmol/L( Canadian ) …in your case multiply by 18 …you are likely using mg/dL ( US ) …For a 200 reading , I likely would have delivered 1.3 u ( difficult to do , when not using a pump ) …wish you well .
Yes sooo much to learn …TU a great place with " serious stuff " and the stuff Danny and others make us laugh You still maybe going through the honeymoon phase as well ??
Sugar Insulin
0-120 0
121-150 3
151-200 6
201-250 10
251-300 15
301-350 20
351-400 25
Over 400 – 25 units and recheck in 2 hours
This is the sliding scale that I’m on. I’m taking Humalog for the corrections.
This was the first time in a long time that I took that much insulin. In fact, looking back at the record, that’s maybe the third time since I was diagnosed in May that I took ten units (other than the first week getting under control).
Danny, I think you may have misunderstood - my wife went shopping. I stayed home and was watching the baby. Looking at it now, I realize a big part of the problem was not eating right this morning or at noon. I did go to the store and grabbed some groceries, but didn’t do a whole lot of walking around.
I think it has more to do with weight versus dosage than anything else. Six weeks before my diagnosis, I weighed about 290. The day I was diagnosed (I was in for other issues), I weighed 250. Starting the insulin has pretty much stopped the weight loss. I know that I need to get more active, but between work, and taking care of the baby, it makes it difficult to find time.
The sliding scale seems to work well at the lower doses. I usually keep my sugar below 120, so I’m usually just on the basal dose in the evening. Occasionally, I take the 3 units, and rarely take the 6. Like I said, today was the first time in a long time that I spiked as high as I did.
My next MD visit is November - I think I’m going to see about going to an Endo at that time.
Recently in one of the Forums the word " sliding scales " came up . Please visit if you have a chance :
" What do you divide by " /by Tiffany Easter started on October 1 .
How do you project the foods you take in and amount of insulin related to amount OR don’t you give insulin for the food consumed only basal delivery ( did I read this correctly ??) Have you met with a Certified Diabetes Educator/Dietitian ?
I think your point is well taken with your weight less , your insulin intake most likely less too .And the insulin corrected your Hi’s …maybe you had ketones too prior to diagnosis ?? . Be well …
Robert - I must agree with all the sage advice you’ve received from Nel, Danny & Mark - I can’t imagine taking 10 units of Humalog!!
Everyone is different, I realize, and I weigh less & use a pump, but i am still blown away by this dosage/correction system. I think you have a good idea to test again if at this level next time - try washing your hands first also, to verify nothing on them to mess with the test. I have struggled with many issues over the years, & would definitely test again before the 2 hour mark, especially if at home alone with the baby - I do tend to be a bit OCD, however.
I agree with your thought about seeing if an appt with an endo could be made - or perhaps a CDE if not an endo? If nothing else, your experience seems to have sparked some ideas for your routine with the next out of range result you endure - it seems there is always another one, no matter what we do or how we do it! Be well, and let us know how things go for you.
WOW! 10 units seems like a lot! honeymoon stage?!?!
i remeber my 1st major low. i was in mexico! it was like the first time i’ve ever gone low and was 35 and then i kept feeling low and ran out of testing strips which were back in the hotel and i like couldn’t walk back i was so low!
Sugar Insulin
0-120 0
121-150 3
151-200 6
201-250 10
251-300 15
301-350 20
351-400 25
Over 400 – 25 units and recheck in 2 hours
This is the sliding scale that I’m on. I’m taking Humalog for the corrections.
This was the first time in a long time that I took that much insulin. In fact, looking back at the record, that’s maybe the third time since I was diagnosed in May that I took ten units (other than the first week getting under control).
Danny, I think you may have misunderstood - my wife went shopping. I stayed home and was watching the baby. Looking at it now, I realize a big part of the problem was not eating right this morning or at noon. I did go to the store and grabbed some groceries, but didn’t do a whole lot of walking around.
Robert, typically with the sliding scale you take that much insulin along with your meal if your premeal BG is that corresponding number. This is why I think the sliding scale is confusing and old fashioned and I believe carb counting is the way to go. I have never seen a correction dose that high and I would assume that 1 unit would bring you down more than 10mg/dl especially considering you had OJ, a sandwich, and coke to bring you back up to 120 (which probably amounted to 100 gr carbs) it would appear you’re on about a 1unit: 12g carb ratio and that you over corrected by about 8 units… 8units X 12g carb = 96g carb.
You should really try to get on an insulin/carb ratio… it’s much easier; and also get a clear explaination on the correction factor and when/how to use it. For most…NOT ALL… 1 unit will probably bring BG down by 30-60 so you need to know how that affects you.
Yuck. Stealth lows are no fun. Although, I can’t quite call that a stealth low 'cause of the big correction dose you took
Good job on testing when you felt funny, and treating. You probably had to drink all that sugar to cover the correction dose. But in the future, eating that much to treat a low IF your correction dose is on target, will likely lead to big high later. Ah, the joys of balancing blood sugars!
The lows that plunge suddenly–because of too much insulin/not enough food in your body–are the ones that usually feel the worse. I can have a “soft landing” to 51 without noticing it–if it has happened gradually over several hours.
Best wishes. It sure helps to hear all the “been there, done that” comments from our tudiabetes friends.
Is it possible that you’re insulin resistant? I deal with a little kid so I really don’t have a good idea of what an adult dose is, but given how surprised all the other adult T1s are by your dose scale, I’m wondering if maybe the reason for it is insulin resistance. T1s can develop insulin resistance too, and that might account for the scale you use… but if that’s truly the case, I would expect that your endo would be on your case to exercise your heinie off (exercise increases insulin sensitivity). Just speculating, of course, what do I know…?
You still maybe going through the honeymoon phase as well ??