Insulin and going hypo

[hyphenate]

My glucose has been running high for a long time, and only recently have I put an effort into getting it down to normal. High levels don't seem to bother me, except for the eyes (when they get all blurry), but now, hypoglycemia is really doing a number on me. Three times this week, I've gone low, once to 63. Waking up in the middle of the night sweating bullets is not much fun!

How often do you go low, and what kind of insulin are you on? I just switched from Levemir to Novolog 70/30, which is better because the Levemir seemed to contribute to edema in my legs and ankles. The mix doesn't seem to affect me the same way, thankfully. And the new combo does seem to lower the level a lot better.

When you do go hypo, what do you eat or drink to bring your numbers back up quickly? I have some chocolate chip cookie dough that I've eaten this past week, and some chocolate bars, but I understand it's not as quick as just something completely made from sugar. And milk is the only thing other than iced tea for drinking.

[Warpy]

1. A snack of protein and complex carbos is best

We'd give our patients some peanut butter crackers and a glass of milk. The problem with a high sugar snack like fruit or (bad boy) a candy bar is that it will spike your sugar quickly and then drop it as quickly. The complex carbos cause a slower rise and the protein will keep it there.

If this is a common thing in the middle of the night, you need to call your doctor ASAP. You're not going that low yet, but every time you drop your sugar you lose a few brain cells. Dunno about you, but I'm past the point of being able to spare any. It may be a case of lowering your PM dose or eliminating it completely, or scheduling a bigger bedtime snack.

One of the things that happens when we sleep is an increased sensitivity to insulin, which is why that 3 AM wakeup with shakes and sweats happens a lot while people are getting their insulin dose regulated. After 3 AM, your liver starts to release some glycogen, so if you sleep through the low, you will probably have normal or slightly elevated sugar at breakfast.

A good discussion can be found at http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_control_tips/hypoglycemia_prevention.php

Let your doc know you're still waking up with hypoglycemia on the 70/30. It sounds like he needs to reduce the dosage or change the timing.