Bloodsugar Trends?

[belyro]

I'm just wondering if anyone else finds that just when they think they've found a bloodsugar trend, it changes?

For example, one week I can know exactly what this much food or this much insulin or this much exercise is going to do to my bloodsugar, but two weeks later it could be different.

I understand day to day fluctuations based on stress, etc. but I often feel like just when I get comfortable with a bloodsugar trend, some aspect of it becomes unpredictable again. :hmmmm2:

[spike]

Mine change so quickly there's no time to establish much of a "trend". :)

[rzrbks]

belyro

I'm just wondering if anyone else finds that just when they think they've found a bloodsugar trend, it changes?

Yes, but generally, if I'm patient, I find that things fall back in place again.

[belyro]

Mine change so quickly there's no time to establish much of a "trend". :)

How does the fact that you have no "trends" work with your pump? (You're pumping, right?)

[CycloneKitty]

I'm just wondering if anyone else finds that just when they think they've found a bloodsugar trend, it changes?



On a regular basis - to the extent that I dont even think I have a trend. But sometimes i will be cruising along ok - then whamo - Im off the scale for no apparent reason. I think I have just learnt to have an extra shot if the Bg raises too much

[Cyborg]

Some trends, like rising morning bg due to DP, is repeatable and easily handled with a pump. If you have a variable basal, then there probably is a trend in bg that is responsible...

[spike]

How does the fact that you have no "trends" work with your pump? (You're pumping, right?)

Some days I run higher than others based on the fat content, accuracy in counting carbs, activity level, insulin uptake quality of a particular site. My pump makes it all more controlled than on MDI, but some days I'll run high, as compared to another. I use 2 basal profiles to adjust between long term changes in my bg's. one is 16U/day and the other is 14U/day.

[Cyborg]

Doesn't the trending apply more to basal insulin than bolus insulin. I mean, to find a trend is bolus insulin usage, you'd need to eat the same thing at the same time, all the time...

[spike]

Doesn't the trending apply more to basal insulin than bolus insulin. I mean, to find a trend is bolus insulin usage, you'd need to eat the same thing at the same time, all the time...

Don't know who u are asking, Cy.

carb ratios can change from day to day based on the insulin resistance one creates or eliminates, based primarily on fat intake differences.

[Cyborg]

At least with me, once I have my basals set, I'm finding my carb ratios are pretty much the same all day. I do see trending in my ISF (insulin resistence) though...

[It Ain't Over]

I had this discussion with my endo when I was having some severe bouts of hi bgs that would go on for a week at times.
He said this was insulin resistance by definition. It required a big time change in the basal rate, and the insulin to carb ratio went off the scale at the same time.
Found the answer to it last year when I started using Symlin. I quickly found the hi's could be beat down by taking a very hi dose of Symlin. Usually it will take at least 15 units, sometimes it take two or three of those in a row, but it will stop the hi insulin resistant periods I continure to have.
After I reported this to the endo he said that confirmed his suspicions, he believes I am experiencing releases of glucogon in large amounts. Said the Symlin will stop either the glucogon, or whatever is signaling its release. I was not clear on that point.
With that I have been trying to find out as much as I can about this glucogon. I read this summer where the thinking is to lower the carb intake and that should lower the glucogon stored. I have been working to lower my carb intake since. Yes, it has reduced the number of these difficult sessions, and I think they are not so bad as before. Last one was about two weeks back, went to 360 right after a dinner, hit it with 15 unit Symlin mixed with 4 units Novolog and it leveled out within an hour with a reoccurrance next morning after breakfast that went only to 250. Quelled that one and have been ok since.
Much better than the 400's I was getting before this.

[spike]

At least with me, once I have my basals set, I'm finding my carb ratios are pretty much the same all day. I do see trending in my ISF (insulin resistence) though...

Mine are lower in the AM (pretty common). I'm 8:1 in the AM and 10:1 later on. I'm sure you must have read about that in the pumping books.

[Cyborg]

Mine are lower in the AM (pretty common). I'm 8:1 in the AM and 10:1 later on. I'm sure you must have read about that in the pumping books.


Yes, indeed... Your insulin to carb ratio could be higher in the morning due to decreased insulin senstivity (higher insulin resistence) in the morning.

[BlueSky]

..... Last one was about two weeks back, went to 360 right after a dinner, hit it with 15 unit Symlin mixed with 4 units Novolog and it leveled out within an hour with a reoccurrance next morning after breakfast that went only to 250. Quelled that one and have been ok since.
Much better than the 400's I was getting before this.

Bear in mind that insulin resistance is more intense at high BG than it is at low BG. I suspect that the more insulin resistant one is, the more pronounced this effect is. And I find it confuses the correction bolus dosing issue enormously. If I let my BG go up to 360, it would probably take 20+ units of Novolog to get it down again..... :rolleyes: Which is why I try not to ever let my BG go over 200.

I haven't noticed fatty meals making any difference to insulin resistance. But a common complaint of low-carbers is that their BG becomes more sensitive to carbs over time. To me this is counterintuitive, as one would expect reduced dietary carb to cause more insulin receptors to become available :hmmmm2: .

[MJM]

Bethany, It changes not just weekly for me but almost daily. I have yet to discover a valid reason for this, but testing blood sugars frequently is a way of having some control over it.

[Jackets]

I'm on a performing musician's schedule, so I'm sometimes awake until 5 AM (because of after parties and whatnot). Between 3 to 4 AM I have a drastic drop. And if I'm not careful, I'll still go low in my sleep on top of the drop that already happened earlier. I don't understand it really, I simply drop in the AM hours during a huge span of the morning. I adjusted my Lantus shot and try to aim for a 170 to 180 blood sugar before I go to sleep. That's the only way I can wake up with a perfect blood sugar.

[spike]

I'm on a performing musician's schedule, so I'm sometimes awake until 5 AM (because of after parties and whatnot). Between 3 to 4 AM I have a drastic drop. And if I'm not careful, I'll still go low in my sleep on top of the drop that already happened earlier. I don't understand it really, I simply drop in the AM hours during a huge span of the morning. I adjusted my Lantus shot and try to aim for a 170 to 180 blood sugar before I go to sleep. That's the only way I can wake up with a perfect blood sugar.


Ever considered pumping? You could get away from shooting for 180. Just set your basal rate to your personal needs and you could be safe if you went to bed at 100-120. On mdi, I too used to want to be high at bedtime. Over the years, that's gonna bite you.

[Jackets]

Not a big fan of having something constantly attached to me.

How would setting a basal rate stop me from dropping though? I'm fairly ignorant on the whole pump thing, but I assume it doesn't pump glucose into you when you drop.

[belyro]

Not a big fan of having something constantly attached to me.

How would setting a basal rate stop me from dropping though? I'm fairly ignorant on the whole pump thing, but I assume it doesn't pump glucose into you when you drop.

I have the exact same question. I'm scared of going low at night so I try to keep my bloodsugar a little higher before going to bed. How would the pump keep me from dropping at night?

Currently I'm on Levemir, which is actually much better than any of my previous basal insulins have been. I can go to bed at 110 (if I'm feeling brave) and wake up at around 110, as long as I don't have any other complicating factors (e.g. more activity in the evening than normal, illness, etc.)

[spike]

Not a big fan of having something constantly attached to me.

How would setting a basal rate stop me from dropping though? I'm fairly ignorant on the whole pump thing, but I assume it doesn't pump glucose into you when you drop.

Just set a low basal rate. Once you determine your correct basal rate(s) for the entire day/night, you could fast withot going low. sleep in without going high or low. frees you from a rigid schedule. Just imagine--why do you think so many of us pumpers ARE pumping? Not to be trendy--to control our bg's. Do you self a favor and read up on it, rather than getting bits and pieces from me and rest of us pumpers. If you care about your health, you owe it to yourself to get up to speed on the reasons people pump. Call MM or Animas and ask for a rep to go over pumping with you. Get a pumping book like Pumping Insulin by John Walsh and see what the fuss is all about. Don't keep yourself in the dark. By the very nature of your question, I can tell you are indeed, in the dark about pumping.