Adventures in low blood sugars

Let me start by saying I started composing this post while in the shower this morning. (Again with the shower composing! I need to invent waterproof paper and pens that will write in the shower so I can write this stuff down while I’m actually thinking about it.) I had one of those I’ll-remember-this moments. And, of course, as I sit here at the computer, I got nothing. Can’t remember for the life of me where I started.

Anyway. Back to the task at hand. Hi, my name is Michko and I’m here to talk about blood sugar. Oh, wait, that sounds like an addicts’ meeting.

OK, seriously, I do want to talk about blood sugar and how lately mine’s been a little wacky. But wacky in a good way, if there is such a thing. For the most part, my blood sugar is fairly predictable. It’s not often that I get a number or range I wasn’t expecting.

Over the last two weeks or so, things have been not so predictable, though. In fact, my numbers have been quite lowish. Something I’m enjoying, actually. It's mostly lower than normal fastings, but also some post meal numbers that are under 130.

For example, I had been craving a steak, egg and cheese bagel from McDonald’s for a long time. I tried desperately to kick that craving in the ass, but to no avail. I hadn’t had one of these bagels in years and was almost desperate for one. Armed with my Novolog, I guesstimated carbs, fat, etc., and two hours later I was 95. Yes! I felt so good about that, thinking for sure I had simply counted carbs right.

A week or so later, I had that same hankering. Couldn’t shake it and since the cupboards were really bare thanks to my Sunday sickness, I went for the bagel again. (It wasn’t nearly as good as the first one and I think my cravings for that are over now!) My fasting that morning was 104. I knew I had time to get the girls to the sitter and make it to McDonald’s without going low. I shot up while in the drive through lane, ordered and then ate at my desk.

Just shy of two hours post, I started feeling the low coming. I thought for sure I was high and dropping. Not so; I had hit 65. I grabbed a handful of M&M’s and went about my day. I assumed I had taken too much Novolog. HOWEVER, again just shy of two hours after that, I hit 50 (with no symptoms of a low, mind you, until right before I tested).

Just an isolated incident and case of Michko over guesstimating? Well, this weekend I had a fasting of 61, which was weird by itself, but I took it. I had a slice of cheese toast for breakfast on bread that as of late has been shooting my numbers high enough to make me consider ordering my old favorite bread online that my WalMart doesn’t carry any more; I didn’t take any Novolog. Two hours later…59!

And most of this is happening during a time that I had stopped my morning walk for various reasons (working late, sick family, recovering from sickness). For roughly two weeks, I didn’t get up to walk, I was sick AND my period showed up, all of which (especially my period) usually kick my blood sugar into the 200s.

So this morning when I got up to walk (yeah, me!), I walked into the bathroom and felt the whoosh of a low. I felt sick to my stomach, I was having a hot flash/cold sweat, and all I really wanted to do was lie down. But no shaking, interestingly, which is really my signal for a low. I got dressed—determined to walk—and made it downstairs to my meter (I should really keep that thing by my bed). This morning’s fasting was 65. It wasn’t until then that I even considered the possibility that I’ve been taking too much Lantus. It was one of those d’oh! moments.

I still wondered, though, how too much Lantus could be affecting me during a time when I hadn’t been exercising and when all those other high-inducing factors were present. Could it be that my walking regimen had finally caught up and my body was responding this late?

Over the last several days I had also wondered about how my weight might be affecting my numbers. Since I started walking again and having a renewed sense of self, I also took the plunge and stepped on the scale. I have been fighting with about 7 lb. that keep leaving and coming back. After last weekend’s sickness, I stepped on the scale (yes, I was stacking the deck in my favor, but whatever, right?!) and found that I had lost those pesky 7 lb. I considered the weight loss, while minimal, could be the kicker that was making my numbers lower. But when those damn 7 lb. showed back up (maybe it’s the scale?!) and my numbers were still low, I had to think in other directions.

I still can’t really put my finger on what’s going on. And since I had stopped logging for some unknown reason, I can’t really look back to see any patterns. Yes, this is motivation for starting my log again, although I’m not starting off on such a good foot since I said last night that I would do it today, and, well, I haven’t.

I suspect that my lower numbers are primarily due to the walking, which is making my Lantus requirements go down. So, tonight I’ll take two fewer units than I did last night (thank God I’m comfortable self-medicating) and we’ll see where I am in the morning.

On a high note (no pun intended!), I've hardly been using the Novolog at all lately except for meals that I know will make me high.