BG rollercoaster, need help

[Brian23]

Dr. think i may be LADA, have not been on any meds until I got the flu on Christmas(could not get sugar down do to sick and medicine i was taking). I began Lantus (6-8 units/day) and now my BG is all over the place. I work shift work and try to take my lantus @ the same time every day (1 p.m.). Here is the last 30 hrs. of testing and eating:

5:30 am (118 mg/dl) Just got off work
6:30 am - Ate granola bar, drank low carb (2g) protein shake
12:30 pm -(110 mg/dl) Just woke up
1:35 pm - 6 units of lantus
1:40 pm - Friend chicken, mash potatos, Sugar free pudding
3:40 pm - (145 mg/dl)
4:30 pm - honey roasted peanuts, Go to work @ 6p.m.
7:30 pm - (65) felt kinda funny - was @ work doing light duty
7:35 pm - Ate small payday candy bar
8:30 pm - Fried Chicken, mash potatos, small cheese cake
10:30 pm (256 mg/dl)
11:30 pm - Protein shake, peanuts
5:30 am (133 mg/dl) just got off work
6:30 am - cinnamon roll, 3 scrambled eggs
7:30 am - (262 mg/dl) about to go to bed
12:30 pm (245 mg/dl) just woke up
12:45 pm - 7 units of Lantus
1:15 pm - sausage and scrambled eggs.

I have read that these types of highs and lows have negative effects on health? Can someone help? I have experienced 3 hypo's (60,63, 65mg/dl) since i started Lantus 10 days ago.

[xMenace]

Try cutting out the white starches and sweets: granola bar, potatoes, cinnamon rolls, and cheese cake. Replace with brown rice, multi-grain bread, and fresh fruit. Try some veggies. I don't see any!

YouTube - V8 busboy commercial (http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=JgbxSecNwTs)

[noroardanto]

This is my 3rd week on Lantus. I used to take 40 units before bed, at 10pm and got high readings 1-2 hours after diner (diner at 6.30 pm). Increase to 50 units before bed, everything is ok now.
Although advertised as peakless and last 24 hours, (at least for some people) Lantus can have peak in about 8-13 hours, and can wear off less than 24 hours. You will need extra snacks to compensate for your peak to prevent hypo. My Lantus peaked in about 12 hours.
I agree that you need to cut the chese cake and cinnamon rolls, alternatively, you can have them just before starting your excersice.

[BlueSky]

I agree that cutting back on those carbs will reduce the spikes. But it looks like you really should be injecting Humalog, Novolog or Apidra before meals. The trick in managing diabetes is to provide insulin where it is needed the most. And in your case it is at mealtimes. As you are having lows between meals, you probably need to reduce the Lantus too.

IMO, diabetics should be started off on mealtime boluses as this is where additional insulin is needed the most. They should only be given Lantus when they don't produce enough of their own insulin to keep BG down between meals. Most doctors do things the other way around - they start off with Lantus only. And it results in the kind of problems you are having.

[Brian23]

One of the reasons I am eating the Cheese cake and stuff is fear of going hypo again. Another reason is that I am 27 years old, 5'11 and weigh only 136lbs. I have always been a thin guy, but I have lost 10 lbs since having the sugar problems. I weighed 145 lbs in July when diagnosed, then lost 10lbs in a couple of weeks. My weight is now 138-135 lbs and I would like to get back to 145-150 lbs. Any help would be appreciated?

[BlueSky]

One of the reasons I am eating the Cheese cake and stuff is fear of going hypo again. ...
That suggests that you are taking too much Lantus. The only way to get of the roller coaster is to take insulin where it is needed (mealtimes) and reduce insulin where you don't need it (between meals - the Lantus)

...My weight is now 138-135 lbs and I would like to get back to 145-150 lbs. Any help would be appreciated?
The best way to put on weight is to eat more fat, for two reasons. It doesn't push up your blood glucose. And fat contains more than twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrate. So you put weight on quickly, at the same time as blood sugars are stable. Using carbohydrate to put on weight is difficult because the food you are eating drives up your blood sugar. And when your blood sugar is high, you lose weight. Foods that are good for gaining weight are eggs, cheese, nuts, full cream milk, chicken (with the skin), and meat/fish (with all the fat).

Ideally, you want to build muscle rather than fat. You probably lost a lot of muscle through high blood sugars. Increased lean muscle also looks better, feels better and improves insulin sensitivity. So you need to combine this type of eating with anaerobic exercise (weight training). For the best results, have a protein shake after your workouts. You have a 30-60 minute window of opportunity after workouts during which your muscles are more receptive to amino acids and other nutrients.

I found that this approach worked really well for me. But the bottom line is that you won't have much joy with gaining weight until your blood sugars are stable. And to achieve this, you really need to get that insulin regimen sorted out first. Good luck ! ;)

[xMenace]

And to achieve this, you really need to get that insulin regimen sorted out first.

LADA and its associated honeymoon can be pretty tough to deal with. Consistency is so important, and it's one thing you may have a hard time nailing down until the honeymoon wanes. Be patient and move in small steps.

[noroardanto]

[QUOTE=Brian23;293472]One of the reasons I am eating the Cheese cake and stuff is fear of going hypo again.

Whenever you feel that you are going into hypo (feels very hungry, trembling and heavy sweating), you may feel so hungry you can eat a horse! Be careful! do not over compensate the symptoms by eating too much. Eat 15gr of carbs (1/2 can of soft drink, 1 slice of bread etc.) wait for 15 to 20 min for your body to digest and turn the carbs into glucose. If the symptoms persist eat another 15gr carbs and so on. Most likely this will keep you from going into hypo without shooting up your glucose level.
I was frequently going ito hypo when still on Novomix30. Whenever I felt I was "too close" to going into hypo, I drank half can of coke (always have one for emergency) for fast recovery, then eat a more "slow to digest" carb like a slice of whole wheat bread about 15-20min later for prolonged effect.

[cheryl]

Dr. think i may be LADA, have not been on any meds until I got the flu on Christmas(could not get sugar down do to sick and medicine i was taking). I began Lantus (6-8 units/day) and now my BG is all over the place. I work shift work and try to take my lantus @ the same time every day (1 p.m.). Here is the last 30 hrs. of testing and eating:

5:30 am (118 mg/dl) Just got off work
6:30 am - Ate granola bar, drank low carb (2g) protein shake
12:30 pm -(110 mg/dl) Just woke up
1:35 pm - 6 units of lantus
1:40 pm - Friend chicken, mash potatos, Sugar free pudding
3:40 pm - (145 mg/dl)
4:30 pm - honey roasted peanuts, Go to work @ 6p.m.
7:30 pm - (65) felt kinda funny - was @ work doing light duty
7:35 pm - Ate small payday candy bar
8:30 pm - Fried Chicken, mash potatos, small cheese cake
10:30 pm (256 mg/dl)
11:30 pm - Protein shake, peanuts
5:30 am (133 mg/dl) just got off work
6:30 am - cinnamon roll, 3 scrambled eggs
7:30 am - (262 mg/dl) about to go to bed
12:30 pm (245 mg/dl) just woke up
12:45 pm - 7 units of Lantus
1:15 pm - sausage and scrambled eggs.

I have read that these types of highs and lows have negative effects on health? Can someone help? I have experienced 3 hypo's (60,63, 65mg/dl) since i started Lantus 10 days ago.

Ok well from what I see, you might need a snack before you start work, more then honey roasted peanuts try a granola bar then, to not have a low then it looks like you just couldn't handle that carb load later on.....ok so with that 262 did you do a correction dose or just go to sleep it looks like it kept you level even if it's a high level. Your lantus is actually fine. from the looks when your fasting, cause whatever you go to bed with you wake up with the same number and that is what the lantus is technically supposed to do is keep you level...

I'd say the diet choices seem to be the culprit, and of course, you very well may need a carb choice of food before work starts, that is what it looks like to me....and your high's was rebounding and just not the right load of carbs for you without some kind of fast acting insulin, I think it looks like you could handle 30 ish carbs tops, seems like anymore then that, your going high, and all just from what it looks like over here...

Cheryl

[TenderVittleS]

Instaed of eating cheesecake, drink a small amount of juice. Its amazing how much just a little juice can correct a low, cheesecake will last in your body a long time because of the carbs.

[Nikky]

Instaed of eating cheesecake, drink a small amount of juice. Its amazing how much just a little juice can correct a low, cheesecake will last in your body a long time because of the carbs.

Agreed.
Whenever going hypo I need something with FAST carbs or I will be riding the roller coaster for the rest of the day.
My liver will go Airborne by itself if what I eat isn't fast enough.
I have always been advised that it is actually better to eat something plain sugar when going low then something containing fat and medium-long carbs.