In the normal course of things, having a fasting of, say, 82 would be cause for celebration. In fact, almost anything under 100 should be considered an accomplishment.
So what have I been doing lately upon seeing those numbers at 5:30 a.m.? "Oh for the love of Pete and all that is sugary! What does it take to get a fasting over 100."
I know what you're thinking: Did I read that right? Over 100?
Yes, you read right. Most days I prefer to have a fasting of at least 125 and would really rather have it a touch higher than that for insurance. Because the last thing I want to do at 5:30 a.m. before going on a vigorous walk is be forced to eat something so I don't go low. The last couple weeks it's been a nice excuse to get back in bed, but I'm really working on motivating myself to get out of bed more often.
So last night before bed I was 115. Which is a great bedtime number if you don't plan to get up and exercise in the morning. Based on the last several nights of having a snack -- or going crazy low -- and still not having a fasting high enough to avoid food, I had a bigger snack and resisted the urge to bolus for it. Even resisted the urge to bolus for just half of it.
And what happened this morning, you ask? Well I achieved my goal: I woke over 200.
Commence head banging.
OH, Michelle!! I feel your pain!! Been there , done that....
I'm so sorry!! Keep trying!
Mousie
Michelle Kowalski,
Has anyone ever recommended you set a temp basal to a reasonably lower amount on your insulin pump when you wake up with sugar levels around 100 mg/dl before your morning walk?
Or why not keep the basal the same, but have just a *small* snack before the walk? I mean in terms of using your correction and carb ratios to calculate how many carbs you would need to achieve a certain blood sugar level before the walk.
Your carb ratio for one unit of insulin equates inversely to your correction ratio for one unit of insulin.
(1) Say it's morning, fasting and no active insulin, you're sugar level is 100 mg/dl, but you want it to be 125 mg/dl. That means you need to raise your blood sugar only 25 mg/dl.
(2) Say you have a carb ratio of 10 carbs per one unit insulin, and a correction ratio of 30 mg/dl per one unit insulin. That means if you eat 10 carbs with no insulin bolus, your blood sugar level will rise 30 mg/dl.
(3) But you only want it to rise 25 mg/dl, so you know that you need to eat a little less than 10 carbs.
I could give you the exact algorithm to correct blood sugar upward with carbs (as opposed to downward with insulin), but if you follow the above pattern substituting your OWN carb and correction ratio values, and your own fasting blood sugar value, it could help you approximate an upward blood sugar correction before your morning walk -- or even help to avoid over-correcting from a low blood sugar (not that severe lows are the right time to do any calculations).
Dantony C.
Hey Dantony. Yes, I've tried using a temp basal rate and couldn't get that to work for me either. When I have to eat prior to walking I usually take something that's about 25 g of carbs -- not a "full" breakfast. It depends on where I am. This morning when I woke at 72 I knew I needed more than just something to get me by. I feel like I've tried it all. I might try finding something that's only about 10 g as you suggested.
Food is a four letter word for me. I feel like I should be called Cleopatra - Queen of Denial.
I can't get it in my head that things are different. It's still SSDD. I'll convince myself to eat all kinds of things that are bad for me but just can't justify doing the good for me things. I feel like a ship on a tossing sea, but I'm the one running the wind machine. Oh, and I'm the one throwing myself overboard and crawling back in the boat thinking - oh, why is this happening to me? or life is so unfair.
Before exercise I always have 1 carb (15 grams) of food. I usually have a low after exercising so I am learning to eat that carb so I dont have that low. Its scary to have a low and then HAVE to get something into your system before you go lower. Having a 6 oz yogurt (dannon's lit & fit is 15 grams of carb) or I will have a rye crisp with non fat peanut butter on it. Just find something that works for you.
It all takes management and experimenting I have finding to control the blood sugars, espedcially with exercise. But its all worth it when you see the normal numbers and I feel so much better when I exercise.
Take it easy on yourself, it will all come around!
Before exercise I always have 1 carb (15 grams) of food. I usually have a low after exercising so I am learning to eat that carb so I dont have that low. Its scary to have a low and then HAVE to get something into your system before you go lower. Having a 6 oz yogurt (dannon's lit & fit is 15 grams of carb) or I will have a rye crisp with non fat peanut butter on it. Just find something that works for you.
It all takes management and experimenting I have finding to control the blood sugars, espedcially with exercise. But its all worth it when you see the normal numbers and I feel so much better when I exercise.
Take it easy on yourself, it will all come around!