??? for Diabetics...

It's no secret that I'm a type 2 diabetic - I was diagnosed in 1999.  Things have DRAMATICALLY improved for me since WLS - especially my morning blood sugars.  They used to be in the high 100's, no matter WHAT I did!  Now, they are consistantly in the 90's.  I used to inject 92 units of Lantus every night, and would take, on average, 60 units of Humalog over the course of a day.  Now I do 23 units of Lantus at night, and IF I need any Humalog over the course of a day, it's usually between 3-8 units, total.  I'm THRILLED with the improvement, as is my PCP.  In fact, he may take me off insulin altogether at my next appointment. So last night, I stayed up kinda late working on some Girl Scout stuff, and decided to have a little popcorn.  Not the best choice, but I'm one of those crunchy-salty types, so I like to have some once in a while.  And I gave myself an appropriate dose of Humalog, the only dose I took yesterday, to counteract the carbs in the popcorn. Well, I woke up at about 1:15am (was LOL at a dream I'd been having  ), and felt a little shaky.  I got up to go to the bathroom, and realized I was a LOT shaky, so I went downstairs to test my blood.  It was 67!!!  Holy crap, I've NEVER seen numbers that low - in fact, the lowest I've ever tested at was 87, so THAT scared me!  I quickly fixed myself a slice of bread with some peanut butter and ate that slowly.  By the time I got settled back into bed, I felt a lot better.  This morning at 7:30, my blood sugar was 101.  Good to go.  But my question is - heck, I don't even KNOW what my question is!  Has anything like this ever happened to any of you?  Did you end up going off insulin after such an episode?  I do have a call in to my PCP, but until I hear back, I'm just curious about what kind of experiences any of you may have had. THANKS BUNCHES!!!

Darla, I was using Lantus and Humilin along with Metformin and Glucophage prior to my RNY. My endocrinologist had me stop the use of Insulin the day of my surgery.....and I never had to use it again. I was off both oral meds within 6 months of my RNY and after one year he removed the diagnosis of Type II Diabetes from my chart. My A1C is now 4.3.........it does sound like it may be time for you to have your meds adjusted. Have you ever seen an endocrinologist? Or has your PCP been solely in charge of your DIabetes management? Jana

Hey Miss Darla!!! They most likely need to reduce your dose of Lantus and Humalog (adjust your slding scale).  Most likely, you didn't need to even take any because of the popcorn, from what it sounds like. I guess what I would do, if you are going to have a snack, don't cover it, but check your blood sugar 1-2 hours after eating and see where your blood sugar is.   Just my opinion, but definitely do what your doctor says.  Yes, I have seen this happen to pts.  They were on too high of a dose of insullin. See you Saturday!

THANKS for your replies! My A1C was 6.8 in October, down from some ridiculously high number pre-op - I was once 11-something!  I had gone to the IDC with Park Nic several times when I was first put on insulin, but for the past couple of years it's just been me & my PCP.  I was taken off all oral meds when I had my surgery, but have continued with the greatly reduced insulin.  I'm wondering if he'll switch me OFF insulin and have me go back on oral meds for a spell?  The nurse I left my message with said 67 wasn't a number to be overly alarmed with, but for ME it was like a deep, dark pit!  And shaky?  good grief   My next appointment isn't supposed to be until April, but I'm guessing me might want me in before that, unless he decides to handle this by phone for now...  (I love my PCP, he's just right for me.  Enough bs'ing to keep me smiling, but none where my health is concerned   )

67 is an ok number.  Last Friday I was at 44 in the morning!  Of course, if you aren't used to the ups and downs, 67 can feel pretty scary. I was 1 day without insulin, and I now know that I will never be off insulin completely, but with the pump, that is ok.  Good luck to you with your PCP...I am betting you will be going off insulin completely!

Laurie, just to be sure I understood you - you were one day without insulin, and you know you'll never be off it completely... does that mean your sugars went high on that day you didn't have any? I'm glad you're okay with your pump.  I was never offered that option, but I didn't really want it anyway.  I'm not too into "techie" things!    And with my spare tire, I was afraid of how it would stay put!   If I ever had a 44, I'd think my meter was broke!!  Or I'd call 911 or something...  YIKES!!!

Yes, I was eating as I should be after surgery - mostly proteins and SF stuff in my water, and when I finally got home to replace the resuvoir in my pump, my sugars were over 300! When I have insulin in my pump, I can keep my sugars between 85 and 110 - which is really good and I hardly ever give myself insulin when I eat, and never before bed because it will be too low in the morning then.

holy buckets!  Are you Type 1?

I was diagnosed in Sept. of '96 as type 2, but by time I went to an endocronologist a couple years later, he diagnosed me as type 1, since he did a different type of test to determine if my pancreas was producing any insulin at all, and it isn't. 

The reason he did that was because before going to see him, I had lost 136 lbs, and my bloodsugars never went down, so my PCP put me on insulin and I gained it all back, plus some. He stated that if I had lost that much weight and was a type 2, my glucose levels should have come down, but since they didn't....well...you now know the rest of the story.

Darla, I have seen a pt's blood sugar as low as 18!!!!!!!!!!!  They were not doing well and it was a medical emergency, but they came out of it!!! Talk about scarey!!! My dad can tell when his blood sugars are in the 80's, he says he gets a little shakey (which he hasn't had for a while).  BUT he doesn't check it all the time now.  He doesn't need to, as he is always in low 100's or 90's.  No longer on insulin.  The one effect of wt loss.!!! Love ya!