Fine-tuning lantus dose

[corwin]

I'm trying to fine tune my lantus dose and I'm not sure about the amount I should take. I was on 16 units for a while and in the past 2-3 weeks I'm usually waking up around 110. It's not bad but I'm wondering if it can be better. Last night I tried taking 17 units. I woke up 5 hours later to test and my bg was 76, a bit lower then I feel comfortable with, so I took a small sip of regular coke and went back to bed. 3.5 hours later I woke up 89. Now I can't seem to decide if I should stay with 17 and risk going even lower then 76 during the night or just accept fasting bg of around 110. I know it probably seems very picky to some people but I'm really trying to get everything as good as I can. Any suggestions?

[Simon]

I'd be quite happy at 76 though there is a lot of random variation so you really need to monitor over several days to get an accurate idea of what is normal. When you get it right your morning bg should be close to your bed time bg. I pitch mine so that the lowest of the random variations is just above 4 mmol/l. It gives me an average morning bd of about 5.6 mmol/l.

[seacomp]

You should look into spiltting the Lantus dose. Many people get somewhat beter results (with a small reduction in overall basal dose) when they take their Lantus in two shots.

[TenderVittleS]

I like to have mine at least 100 in the morning, I think 16 units is okay.

[Clint]

IMO, waking up at 110 is very good.. just curious, what do you want to be at in the morning?

[Tatermom]

I think you should stick w/16. If you had not gotten up to take that sip of Coke, you might have had a hypo. Sounds to me like you caught yourself on the way down.

[grace girl]

Also, remember that it takes 3 days of a new dose of lantus to really see the full result. If I were you I would watch it for a few days and see what it's really doing.

[Clint]

that depends on the person, when I make a lantus change, I see it day 1

[nonnymouse]

My husband is on Lantus and asked me to ask you the following questions:

1. Is Lantus the only type of insulin you are taking?
2. Are you on any other meds for the diabetes?
3. Do you exercise in the evening?
4. What is your age and how long have you had diabetes?
5. What is your overall level of physical health?

If you want to answer, he'll try to answer your inital question. :)

Susan

[corwin]

Thanks for the advice guys, it seems that the general thought tend toward the safer side of higher bg. I'm up late today and I already took 17 units again, we'll see how tonight goes. I know that waking up around 110 is far from bad but if I could wake up on a safe and constant 80-90 range I'd be happier, it's that "IF" that I'm trying to figure out now. When I was honeymooning, or at least "honeymooning more" I'm not sure if I still am a bit, I used to wake up around 80 almost every day on 14u of lantus, I guess I'm trying to be as close to that as I can.

nonnymouse:
1. Is Lantus the only type of insulin you are taking?
No I'm also taking novorapid.
2. Are you on any other meds for the diabetes?
Nothing other then insulin
3. Do you exercise in the evening?
Nope
4. What is your age and how long have you had diabetes?
30, 6 months
5. What is your overall level of physical health?
Other then T1 it's very good.

[nonnymouse]

My husband is a T2, not a doctor, but he agrees with you about trying the 17u again and seeing how that does for you, and adjust if you need to.