[dar917]

Hey guys. Is there a correlation between being hungry and your liver dumping glucose, or is it mostly a fasting thing?

I am getting pretty frustrated over here. I tend to get hungry every couple of hours and if I don't eat, instead of going low my stomach growls and my BG goes over 200. WTF? I can eat, bolus accordingly and still be high hours later. Like today, my numbers were all good all day (highest was 128 before dinner); then I had band rehearsal, came home and was feeling hungry--BG was 230! Is it possible my body is really sensitive to lows and dumps glucose before I go low enough to feel it?

I suppose I need to do more post prandial testing to figure out if this is what is really going on. I could give more examples. Saturday a friend and I went to the RenFest; it was a few hours before we ate and my stomach was growling, then was over 200 all afternoon. Sunday, rode my bike to work and being on my feet at work, stomach starts growling a couple hours in and BG is way over 200 again. Gah!!

used to be some days I would wake up around 6-6:30am from my stomach growling; I'd wait for it to stop and go back to sleep, I suppose that's when my liver would dump?

Sorry if this doesn't make any sense; I just don't know how to make it stop without eating everything in sight all day. I'm ~126lbs, 5'9". I go to the dr again Oct. 6; my a1c is going to suck.

[dbc]

Seeing as you're going to see the Dr shortly, maybe talk to him about trying metformin??

Although it's nominally a T2 drug, it can help some T1s by reducing liver dump. I've been on it for a while now, & I don't have DP or liver dump issues, so for now I'm sticking with it.

It's not expensive, the initial side effects can be miserable for a few weeks until your system adjusts, but maybe worth a try. . .

[dar917]

What kind of side effects does Metformin have? I worry about hypos but (unfortunately?) I don't get them very often.

[davef]

Originally Posted by dar917

What kind of side effects does Metformin have? I worry about hypos but (unfortunately?) I don't get them very often.

Dar,

Some people experience gastric/stomach upset when they start on Metformin. I have read that T1's starting Metformin need to carefully watch their numbers, as you may not need as much insulin (especially if you have insulin resistance). Do talk to your doctor.

[fgummett]

Metformin's common side-effects tend to be gastro-intestinal... from extra gaseous emissions, to nausea and loose movements BUT not everyone gets these and they tend to improve after a few days/weeks of starting.

Sounds like more frequent testing for a couple of days may be the key; to see if you are indeed going low and then having your liver compensate. Have you tried eating low-carb..? This could not only reduce the hunger carvings but also help to stabilise the BS; so you get more of a longer, shallower wave-like BS as opposed to a rapid rise and fall.

[JJM335]

Originally Posted by dar917

I am getting pretty frustrated over here. I tend to get hungry every couple of hours and if I don't eat, instead of going low my stomach growls and my BG goes over 200.

I suppose I need to do more post prandial testing to figure out if this is what is really going on.

Are you sure you are taking enough basal insulin? How much Lantus are you taking and when? Once or twice per day?

You need to do some basal testing. If you are taking too little Lantus, you could be compensating by taking too much bolus insulin with your meals. When that starts to wear off, your Bg's will start to rise.

As a recent T1, provided you are not massively and abnormally insulin-insensitive, I would stay clear of metformin which is more appropriate for T2's. You probably have to knuckle down and do the basal testing. This can be a PITA, but it is absolutely essential. If your basal doses aren't correct, nothing will work properly and your Bg's will wander all over the place, often in a way that seems to be incomprehensible.


Joel

[ant hill]

Originally Posted by JJM335

Are you sure you are taking enough basal insulin? How much Lantus are you taking and when? Once or twice per day?

You need to do some basal testing. If you are taking too little Lantus, you could be compensating by taking too much bolus insulin with your meals. When that starts to wear off, your Bg's will start to rise.

As a recent T1, provided you are not massively and abnormally insulin-insensitive, I would stay clear of metformin which is more appropriate for T2's. You probably have to knuckle down and do the basal testing. This can be a PITA, but it is absolutely essential. If your basal doses aren't correct, nothing will work properly and your Bg's will wander all over the place, often in a way that seems to be incomprehensible.


Joel

I agree with Joel Darlene, I take 12 hourly shots on the levemir and I have had done this with Lantus too as this do give me stable control. Don't worry too much on your A1C. You may get a suprise.

[dar917]

Oh geez, I didn't realize anybody else had replied. I didn't get any notifications; sorry I was gone so long!!

Anyway, yeah. I don't know. It seems if I eat a little here and there just to keep my stomach from growling my numbers are better. My morning fasting numbers are perfect 9 out of 10 times, and my a1c as of Monday was 6.9! I don't seem to have any lows lately; in the 70's is about as low as it's been getting. I do take Lantus twice a day, it could be my morning dose is off still but I won't have time to do any basal testing for a little while.

Thanks!

[IrishJoe]

I have the opposite problem... I rarely feel hungry or full.

[Eviltwinkristy]

Originally Posted by dar917

Oh geez, I didn't realize anybody else had replied. I didn't get any notifications; sorry I was gone so long!!

Anyway, yeah. I don't know. It seems if I eat a little here and there just to keep my stomach from growling my numbers are better. My morning fasting numbers are perfect 9 out of 10 times, and my a1c as of Monday was 6.9! I don't seem to have any lows lately; in the 70's is about as low as it's been getting. I do take Lantus twice a day, it could be my morning dose is off still but I won't have time to do any basal testing for a little while.

Thanks!

It sounds like your basal rates are off and/or your insulin to carb ratio needs to be adjusted. What I learned was 2 hours after you eat or bolus your numbers should be within target range but 3-4 hours after it is your basal rate that is affecting your current blood sugars. Like if you ate something at 9 in the morning bolused for it and then 2 hours later it was normal but 4 hours later your blood sugar is going high then you need to increase your basal rate. The best way to do this is to write down everything you eat (carb count), how much insulin you take and check often and you will see the pattern. Most people have a few different basal rates but this is with the pump. Blood sugars tend to drop in the afternoon for most people. Pumping Insulin is a great book to guide you with this and it explains everything. I do recommend the pump for anyone! I was so against it at first but then after I went on it...it makes everything so much easier. Also stress could cause increases in blood sugar...I know right before an exam my blood sugar goes up tremendously!

[ant hill]

Originally Posted by dar917

It seems if I eat a little here and there just to keep my stomach from growling my numbers are better. My morning fasting numbers are perfect 9 out of 10 times, and my a1c as of Monday was 6.9!

Darlene, that's a good A1C and that don't suck at all. Go on have a icecream.

[dar917]

I think part of my problem is I'm not riding my bike as much as I'd like to any more either; now it's getting colder and windy and not as much fun, but my blood sugar is definitely higher on days when I don't ride my bike. I've had to go from work directly to rehearsals and shows down town the last week, so no time.

Last night my sugar was 71; I ate some peanuts and chocolate, this morning I was 125. Bumped up my Lantus another unit this morning; checked a little bit ago, was 214 and my head is killing me. My nose has been bugging me too so I dunno if I have a sinus infection or what's going on; I took a Sudafed and I can breathe but my head still feels funny. I think I have a yeast infection too. I was fine when I went to the doctor last week! I'm sick of this ****.

[ant hill]

Hello Darlene, Do you have a warm up physicly before you go about practising in your orchestra? In the melbourne symphony orchestra thay have a warm up doing some shaking and waking and clapping hands and the like. Is there such a thing that to do this would have some effect with performance of an orchestra??

On a lighter note LOL I have been talking to a friend about going about learning the Violin and I have been given some music notes so now it's getting a violin and a teacher. What do you think Darlene? Should I. I don't think that I would get a Stradivarius violin LOL but something a bit more affordable. I am not a virtuoso yet.

That chocolate may have some affect on BG as it's low GI that have a lasting affect that keep you high for a long while and was it milk chocolate Dar?

[dar917]

Hi Peter, we don't do any physical warm ups in my band before we start rehearsal. Maybe a breathing excercise, or play a B-flat and see how long you can hold it.

I think it's never too late to learn an instrument, but it's harder to learn when you're older is all. Good luck!

Well, I had maybe a 1/2 oz. of dark chocolate and a fun-size Snickers bar. Being I was 71 I didn't think it would be that bad. 125 isn't too bad for fasting but I try to have it under 100.