Hypo that doesn't want to quit

[GrammaBear]

My blood glucose was 42 (2.33) at a little past midnight.  I treated it with 2 glucose tabs, about 3 ounces of full sugar soda, and a cheese stick.  I waited 15 minutes and retested my numbers.  They came up from 42 (2.33) to 58 (3.21).  I ate some more glucose tablets and tested yet again and this time the number was 75 (4.16). 

Shortly after midday lunch I felt hypo again and tested only to find I was 62 (3.43).  My question is - many of us using insulin have had these hypos that don't want to quit.  Has anyone had any luck in determining why this happens and how to treat them once and for all?  I feel like rubbish and I am not physically sick.  I'm tired of dealing with diabetic surprises.  Anyone else ever feel like this?

[Pattidevans]

Kathy

Yes I have dealt with this fairly recently.  You are on a pump... over the hours 10pm to possibly morning try to reduce basals by 0.05 per hour.  The hot weather we are having has affects and possibly if you have hot weather it will be to blame.

Frankly we are moving house and I have been fighting lows a lot...turned down my basals as I am doing a lot of physical work and it's hot!

[nytquill17]

I feel your frustration. I think it's totally normal to be just tired of having to deal with it, especially when it takes you away from getting on with your life because you don't feel good!

I feel it's been helpful for me in those times to recognize that as much as we are told that diabetes doesn't stop us from doing anything we want and leading normal lives - especially when we feel that letting diabetes "stop us" or "set us back" in any way also means we have failed at being diabetic, at having the normal BGs we're supposed to be aiming for all the time - the fact is that I *do* have a serious medical condition that sometimes means that even with my best efforts I feel ill or tired where someone without this condition wouldn't. Or that I have to spend time doing things, like treating hypos, or waiting in line at the pharmacy, or filling out forms, that other people wouldn't. Not so I can wallow in self-pity or feel that I'm sick or broken, but just to be honest with myself about the fact that when I feel I have so many extra hurdles and frustrations, it's not because I've done something wrong but because I really DO have extra hurdles and frustrations! And then I realize that all things considered I'm really doing quite a good job coping with it all, and I feel better and more willing to take care of myself

I don't think there's any kind of special solution to this that will resolve it every time, or something you don't already know how to do. The answer is, I think, just the usual hard work and drudgery - treat the hypo, think back on your insulin decisions, look for patterns, decide whether to make changes or wait and see another day. One thing I might recommend is not to have the cheese stick right away, because that will slow down digestion of everything else in your stomach. Wait until your BGs are safely back up, and if you need a "stabilizer" until your next meal, have the cheese stick then!


I would also say maybe don't feel like you need to have permission or confirmation from someone else before changing your insulin doses - if it seems to you after all your experience with your own body and your own diabetes, that the thing to do is change your insulin doses right away, then do it! Or if you think you should wait and see if it repeats, then do that.

[Pattidevans]

Just a thought having re-read the thread, 2 glucose tabs isn't very much.  I nearly always need 3 and sometimes 4.

[Liam]

Well not on its own but with 100mlish of say cola it would have been about enough? 100ml of cola is about 10g carbs. If I'd been that low I'd have put a -temp basal rate on too. I'd do -50% for an hour at that number most likely. Well as long as I could stop eating as when I get in the 2s I often eat and eat even with a thought at the back of my brain saying I shouldn't lol

[Pattidevans]

Oh I missed the soda... but no idea what 3 oz is carb-wise since we use ml or old fashioned fluid ounces and our pints and gallons (thus our fluid ounces) are completely different to US measures!

[nytquill17]

A UK fl. oz. isn't the same as a US fl. oz?

[Pattidevans]

No it's not Nyt!

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-US-and-UK-fluid-ounces

[nytquill17]

You learn something new every day!

[GrammaBear]

'Mr. Google' says that 3 fl oz in U.S. is about 88.7 ml.  Sorry I forgot to convert it.

[Pattidevans]

No worries Kathy.  I only knew because when I was flying we visited the USA lots of times and adopted a sort of "bi-lingual" approach😆

[GrammaBear]

Well not on its own but with 100mlish of say cola it would have been about enough? 100ml of cola is about 10g carbs. If I'd been that low I'd have put a -temp basal rate on too. I'd do -50% for an hour at that number most likely. Well as long as I could stop eating as when I get in the 2s I often eat and eat even with a thought at the back of my brain saying I shouldn't lol

Thanks for mentioning the temp basal rate Liam.  Sometimes I tend to forget doing that in my frenzy to bring my numbers back to a respectable level.  If it is any consolation to you, I often eat more and more in my effort to raise my numbers even though I logically know I should stop!