I've been having way too many lows for my comfort level lately. But I've yet to change my insulin. Why? Because I'm worried that lowering by just one unit will send me back into the 200s or that it'll be the Humalog and not the Lantus that needs adjusting. Or both.
Since I've started doing a yoga class twice a week and doing twenty minutes on my own at home, my blood sugars have been in the trenches. My averages have dropped, yes. But I'm having too many lows in the middle of the night, too many after I've just eaten, and too many below 70 that I don't catch early enough.
The other night, I had a snack before bed but didn't bolus for it. I just didn't feel like it and I wasn't sure I really needed more insulin in my system. I expected to wake up in the 200s and I was okay with that. But around 6am, I woke up with weak knees, a knotted stomach, and sweaty sheets. I had already dropped to 52.
A few nights later I went to bed not expecting blood sugar problems. I'd eaten a hefty dinner with plenty of carbs and I thought I'd judged the insulin correctly. But at 2am, I woke up at 84. Not that low, but not tolerable for me to go back to sleep. So I treated with a normal snack and most of a Coke. My Lantus was already in so I knew I'd need to offset both the current drop and the peak in the early morning. Sure enough, that snack didn't hold me over. At 9am, I was 54.
After dinner last night, Marvin and I were watching a movie. I started to feel the tell-tale signs. It's a different kind of low when it's right after a meal. My stomach was weak and I felt antsy, not shakey or sweaty. I was 62.
The thing that I cannot stand is how all these lows completely blow my efforts to lose weight. I've been exercising consistently for over two months now. I've been doing yoga for about six weeks and I upped my efforts two weeks ago. I have not dropped a pound.
I feel more fit than I have and Marvin says I look like I've lost weight, but the scale will not budge and my clothes are not getting any looser. There is no point in extra yoga classes when my blood sugars are dropping so low that I have to consume a meal just to keep them up. There is no point in risking my life over night lows because of my extra exercise.
Tonight, I'm heading to another hour and fifteen minutes of yoga in the studio. I'm forcing myself to lower my Lantus to 33 units instead of 34. Even if I could see 80s and 90s, I'd be happier than 50s and 60s every time I turn around. My aim is no lower than 100 because of my history of seizures and blackouts, but anything is better than what I'm feeling lately.
Hopefully, I can get the lows back under control. And hopefully, I can see a decline on the scale sometime soon. I'd love to lose 18 to 20 pounds total, but I'd give anything for 3 to 5 at this point. Or to just be able to fit into my clothes again.
