How Many Have Had This Happen??

[gettingby]

I woke up this morning and checked my bg. At 6:40AM, my bg was 61. Ok, not a problem. I ate 16g carbs and actually waited a little over 20 minutes. Rechecked at 7:00 and it had went down to 58. Uh oh, don't panic. Wait a few more minutes. Rechecked at 7:25 and was up to 127.
I know I did the right thing by not treating again but I can't figure out why it went down 30 minutes later but then went up 69 points on only 16g carbs.
Would any of you have handled a situation like this differently from the way I did? Is there any other way to deal with a situation like this? Should I treat with less than 16g carbs? Any help is greatly appreciated.:)

[jillsp]

That's a tough one. I know I would not have waited as patiently as you and would have treated again and then been sorry. I know that you were low, but usually first thing in the morning is when you have the least amount of active insulin in your body.....perhaps that is why the 16 grams affected you so much? You could have been low for quite awhile but not known it since you were sleeping and then taking into account there really isn't much insulin floating around you shot up eventually? I don't know....just hypothesizing. You did better than I would have and I would have been perfectly happy with a 127.

I guess also take into consideration the margin of error with our meters....

[gettingby]

Actually, I tested on my new One Touch UltraSmart and my trusted Ultra. Both meters gave almost identical readings so I know it wasn't a meter malfunction.

[Cyborg]

What did you eat?

[gettingby]

What did you eat?
To bring up my bg? The only thing I could find quickly was a Reese's Snack Barz (I know, not good). It's a small bar with crispy rice, marshmallows, and Reese's Peanut Butter. Total Carb: 16g. Sugars: 10g

[duck]

When you ingest a non-standard food, you get variability in absorption because of fats, proteins, other ingredients, etc. If this had happened with some type of glucose tab, I would worry a little bit. But not over a life-saving Reeses Snack Barz. :-

Also, you could be a slow digester (is that a word) early in the AM.

[jillsp]

But not over a life-saving Reeses Snack Barz. :-



I think I need to start carrying around those life-saving bars. I'm always looking for a way to justify what I like to eat....well, what's better than saving my LIFE?!?!?!?

[gettingby]

LOL. I bought those cause I thought my daughter would like them. She does. Guess I was lucky there were a few left.

[Penny]

Something like that happened to me today, but kind of in reverse. I fasted 12 hours for my doctor's appointment, when I got home, it had been over 13 hours since I ate, but I was 139, my morning reading had been 153. I ate 2 eggs and 2 pieces of low carb bread (14 carbs), because I was so hungry. I took 7 units of Novolog (the doctor's new instructions). Three hours later, I was 78 and still hungry. So we fixed a quick supper of baked chicken, stewed tomatoes, and a salad with avocado and black olives. About two hours later, I was sitting here, and started feeling low, tested and I was 58. Just to be sure I tested with my other meter, it was 56, while I was trying to tell my husband to bring me something sweet to drink, I tested again and was 48, and started having a scary feeling. This was all in a matter of maybe 10 minutes. Because they were handy, I ate a big handful of blueberries, and took a swig of warm (Yuk) Pepsi. Then I ate two slices of cold pizza. This finally helped me feel good enough to tell my husband what was going on....he thought I had flipped. Two hours later I was 79. Just tested and was 95. Could the fasting have caused all that, I actually had less Novolog that I usually have in a day.
Sorry Cin, to steal your thread, but I hated to open another for the same subject.

[gettingby]

Not a prob Penny. Steal away. LOL.:)

[duck]

Something like that happened to me today, but kind of in reverse. I fasted 12 hours for my doctor's appointment, when I got home, it had been over 13 hours since I ate, but I was 139, my morning reading had been 153. I ate 2 eggs and 2 pieces of low carb bread (14 carbs), because I was so hungry. I took 7 units of Novolog (the doctor's new instructions). Three hours later, I was 78 and still hungry. So we fixed a quick supper of baked chicken, stewed tomatoes, and a salad with avocado and black olives. About two hours later, I was sitting here, and started feeling low, tested and I was 58. Just to be sure I tested with my other meter, it was 56, while I was trying to tell my husband to bring me something sweet to drink, I tested again and was 48, and started having a scary feeling. This was all in a matter of maybe 10 minutes. Because they were handy, I ate a big handful of blueberries, and took a swig of warm (Yuk) Pepsi. Then I ate two slices of cold pizza. This finally helped me feel good enough to tell my husband what was going on....he thought I had flipped. Two hours later I was 79. Just tested and was 95. Could the fasting have caused all that, I actually had less Novolog that I usually have in a day.
Sorry Cin, to steal your thread, but I hated to open another for the same subject.

Yeah, depending on how the fasting made your liver react. It may have been releasing more glucose initially, gotten depleted, and then was unable to carry on its normal metabolic activities (ie, releasing glucose on its typical schedule). Just do what I do and punch yourself in the gut to show your liver who is boss...

(kidding, don't punch yourself)

[notme]

Not to be a wet blanket, but gastroparesis can also cause this to happen. Cin, talk to your endo and have them do the fairly simple test to see if your digestion has slowed. What may have happened is you ate, but it took you some time to digest because of slow digestion and it just took your body awhile to absorb.

On the other hand......I vote for punching your pancreas over your liver!!!!

[MJM]

I would suggest that you take 3 glucose tabs when you have a low as these are fast acting and start acting almost immediately. If you eat some food the swiftness of response would depend on what you eat. i.e. fats release carbs more slowly and consequently will take longer to reduce your BG. If after half and hour the BG doesn't rise, take another 3 glucose tabs.

[MJM]

Correction: Increase your BG and not reduce as submitted earlier.

[JasonSmithMT]

I always tend to follow the Rule of 15. That is if below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) each 15g of fast acting carbs, wait 15 minutes, test again. Repeat if not above 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L). In most people I wouldn't expect a Reese's Snack Barz to have a significant effect on glucose level after 20 minutes.

Jason

[Funnygrl]

You liver probably kicked in a little glycogen to help the situation too.

[gettingby]

I would suggest that you take 3 glucose tabs when you have a low as these are fast acting and start acting almost immediately. If you eat some food the swiftness of response would depend on what you eat. i.e. fats release carbs more slowly and consequently will take longer to reduce your BG. If after half and hour the BG doesn't rise, take another 3 glucose tabs.
I almost always use glucose tabs but I ran out of them and had to look for something quick.

[Penny]

I almost always use glucose tabs but I ran out of them and had to look for something quick.

Cin
At 52, I wasn't thinking too good. At 48, I knew I needed to do something, but could only think of eating something. I know I should have eaten my glucose tabs, but when I first noticed I was low, I didn't think I needed them. It just happened so fast. At what point do you start using the tablets, should I have at 58?

[gettingby]

Anything below 60, I use them. Usually if it's 60 or a little higher, I just eat something like a sandwich or such.