How much does your BG level drop over night?

[relyt]

I have been a diabetic for about 8 or 9 months and ever since I switched from NPH to Lantus, my blood sugars have dropped alot over night. I take 20 units of Lantus at 10pm and my blood sugars throughout the day are fine. But if my blood sugars are not at at least 200 or 230 before I go to sleep at 11 or 11:30, I wake up low. This has not really ever bothered me too much because I just have a small snack to raise my blood sugar alittle and it adjusts fine, but I have read of other people who drop only 30 to 40 mg over night while I drop 90 to 120 mg over night. Is this normal when you take Lantus at night, what are other peoples average dropages over night on Lantus.

[lorilei]

mine don't...i think you need to take a look at your basal and/or your food intake/bolus before bed...the goal is to hold somewhat steady...the smart ppl will come along to help you...but 230? seems rather high .. something's not right....

[DanG]

...I have read of other people who drop only 30 to 40 mg over night while I drop 90 to 120 mg over night. Is this normal when you take Lantus at night, what are other peoples average dropages over night on Lantus.

I drop like you do when I do lantus at night - but no more lantus at night. Switch to doing lantus in the morning when you wake up. Lantus usually doesn't last 24 hours, so the hours 12am to 7am when you sleep you theoretically do not need a basal insulin - at least, I don't really need basal. So, I let the lantus time out at 12am or so and wake up fine. With my 20u lantus in the morning, I do drop a bit at night - about 30 points, but that is easy to manage without feeding the insulin, i.e. no snacks before bed, which is fine with me. You might just try to switch on your own, although you are a bit new to this insulin thing - you say you have been at this only 9 months (I've been doing insulin 35 years since age 22). If you try to mention this type of approach to the doc, he cannot consider that type of avant garde type of suggestion, but you might want to be under his/her care for your move to morning lantus. Others split lantus and take some at bed and then at wake-up - that did not work for me - the paramedics were here at 3am. Be real careful - insulin is a bit tricky - as you already know.

[KCP]

It might be that you might want to look at splitting the dosage as i found i was having the same problem when i first started on Lantus. I would give insulin in the evening and no matter what i was at night i would wake up hypo, and quite badly too. Or when i switched ot giving in the morning i found i was waking up high. After using a CGMS for three days i found i was dropping below 2.0 over night and rising up to 12 in the morning.

So i split the dosage and i now give 8 inthe morning and 8 at night and my levels are and have been perfect ever since.