It's the end of my logging week again, so I'm sitting down to examine the logbook that I hold so dearly close to my diabetes management's heart. The time that I set apart for this goes something like this. First, I update the logbook with my most recent numbers, Lantus doses, and any important comments including new prescriptions, strange food choices, or exercise. Next, I tally daily averages as well as averages for time of day. After that, I analyze those averages compared to the last weeks averages and look for any resounding patterns that might need changing.

It really doesn't take long, and usually I can see some sort of change that I'll try for a few days. But mostly, it's full of frustration because of the lack of patterns in my logbook. A prime example is the difference between my morning blood sugars from day to day. I can go from 72 to 120 or 159 to 59 or 284 to 46. There's no precise measurement of how much I might drop or if it will randomly decide to rise that day.

This past week, I lowered my Lantus at both the morning dose (from 17 units to 16.5 units) and the evening dose (from 16 units to 15 units). Despite these doses, I experienced two lows in the thirties (both after exercise though). I know that I'm making changes so I have to give my body some time to adjust. I'm just getting impatient with Lantus, but still not ready to go back on the pump.

I can't tell if it's the stabilized exercise routine (3 jogs this week compared to two last week and one the week before that) or maybe it's the decrease in carbs on my new diet. Or it could even be the time of month, the increased or decreased stress, or maybe a frustrating mix of all that. Whatever it is...I really hope that I can stop the lows in the thirties and keep the highs (a gross 356 after a 38 yesterday) at bay.

Looking at my averages, my morning numbers are way too low, followed by a peak of highs, followed by more lows, with a plateau in the evening. With the pump, I know exactly what I'd do...although it probably wouldn't work because it didn't seem to before. But on Lantus, I have no idea. I know there's an approximate 24 hour life for Lantus and it looks like it peaks at about 6-8 hours after the injection.

But knowing that, I still don't really know what to do. I know that I need to lower my evening dose again. The morning dose is really giving me trouble though. I'm thinking it's something to do with the timing of the injections.

I know that I am most insulin resistant from 8am to 12pm and from 7pm to 11pm. And I'm highly sensitive from 1pm to 4pm. So I need the peaks of Lantus to fall within those sensitive times. That means that I should take the evening dose at about 12am and the evening dose about 12pm. I'm usually awake at midnight anyway, so I guess that isn't that big of an inconvenience. But taking it at 12pm is a major inconvenience because of work and school. But hey, you have to do what you have to do...right?

I'm definitely willing to try changing the times (and maybe I'll set an alarm so I start taking them at exactly the same times) to see if it gives me more stability. I'll also try a lower dose in the evening so I don't wake up at 46 again. Maybe I'll do 16 units in the morning and 14 units in the evening.

I really hope that this starts to work better for me, because I'm really content going without the pump...but now I see that the pump wasn't the bulk of the issue (as much as I do hate it). My control is something with my body and not with my lack of management or the pump's inability to tweak in smaller increments.

At least lower averages overall is progress!