I:C ratios and stress?

[RLK]

I've been fighting with my lunchtime post-prandial BGs for about a week or so. My basal rate seems to be ok, although I have yet to confirm that with a basal test (maybe tomorrow). I was even low right before lunch today! So I'm considering the possibility that my normal I:C (1:15) is not sufficient at lunchtime, and I'm going to try 1:12 tomorrow. But why is this? All I can figure is that my stress level is higher during the day (I'm having a tough time at work lately- 'nother story for another day).

Is this a plausible theory? Does anyone else experience this, where breakfast and dinner are one rate, and lunch is a different lower rate?

Thanks for your help, everyone!

[kgm0612]

Becky.......what do you do for work? I sit at a desk 6 hours a day and find I run a bit higher because of the lack of movement. Instead of adjusting my I:C, I just bolus a little extra (.5 to 1 unit) for the food that I'm going to eat.

Karen

[statdeac]

Absolutely, this is the case for me. Currently, I dose at 1:10 at breakfast, but 1:12 at other times of day.

[Olidus]

I am a bit different.
1:20 at Breakfast

1:15 at Lunch
1:15 at Dinner

and I take 1:25 if a late snack.
I am not all that active and need to adjust if I am not sitting behind my desk all day.

[RLK]

Becky.......what do you do for work? I sit at a desk 6 hours a day and find I run a bit higher because of the lack of movement. Instead of adjusting my I:C, I just bolus a little extra (.5 to 1 unit) for the food that I'm going to eat.

Karen

I work in the environmental field. Most days, I'm in the office at my computer, but I do spend some days outside. I also ride my bike to work a couple of days a week.

Strangely enough, the lunchtime troubles started recently, even though I've been at this job 4 years now. The only thing that even begins to make sense is an increase in my stress level. I've also been having more lows in the evening than normal, so I just cut my basals back slightly.

I'm going to see how the lower basal rate does today, and try increasing my lunchtime I:C ratio. Of course, this would be the day that I left the house with only 3 test strips! D'oh!

[Mich]

Becky,
I find that stress is a MAJOR factor in how my sugars run. If my levels are up, all I have to do is look for the stress. Sometimes it is mental and sometimes I don't even realize it is happening.

A recent example: I broke my little toe before we left for Yosemite (klutz) and most of the time I wore flaps and wasn't affected, but when we hiked, I wore sneakers and they hurt my toe. I gutted it out but had an unexpected bs rise each time. I run high when I travel, when under deadlines, when I'm sick or in pain, etc.

I can count carbs like a champ, but the stress sugar surges are the hardest for me to track. I have learned where they might occur now and watch for them.

Oh what fun we all have, huh? Mich

[rzrbks]

Here's two that might help--- they're both on Diabetes and Stress.

Diabetes management: How lifestyle, daily routine affect blood sugar - MayoClinic.com (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-management/DA00005)



Stress and Diabetes (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=47115)

[xMenace]

I'm all over the map. I could have a different I:C ratio for each hour of the day, but I'm not that into it. Please try some basal testing and eliminate that variable first. Ratios can definately change with lifestyle changes and due to aging. It's a constant battle.