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20384621 tn?1496630572

Diabetis

My husband just started taking insulin May 4th.  Last night we checked his sugar 2 1/2 hours after he ate and it was 225.  He had his 50 units of insulin right after he checked his sugar.  Went to bed and got up around ten to 8.  Checked his sugar and it was 239.  Why did it go up during the night, he didn't eat anything after he took his shot.  He went to bed.  This is the first time it has done this.  He is not new to being diabetic, he has been for the last 8 or 9 years.  He was taking pills and it was fine, he lost almost a 100 pounds and now his sugar is high and had to be put on insulin.  We don't understand that.  Yes we have changed a lot of what we eat, but don't understand why this happened.  His doctor doesn't have any explanation on why.  We are thinking of changing doctors because he is getting tired of the run around.  We thought if you lose weight and eat right he wouldn't have to be on insulin but it went the other way.  He is getting frustrated with it, we have more questions then answers.  He is going to talk to a diabetic nurse on the 28th about how to do with food porations and stuff like that.  Please help.
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Avatar universal
well you will have to

Helpful - 0
5536886 tn?1455827346
How is your husband doing?  Has he had any other nights of his sugars going up like that?
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231441 tn?1333892766
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi,

Your husband's sugars continue to be very high.

The high sugars in the morning could be

1. His insulin dose the night before was not enough to cover what he ate and his actual insulin requirements (225 and 239 are pretty close, and both high).

2. Dawn phenomenon.  This is when the liver releases glucose in response to overnight fasting.

Are you following low carb eating / diet.  Low-carb / ketogenic can be very helpful for reducing insulin requirements and helping to control blood sugars.

Normal blood sugars are typically in the 80 - 120 range.  So it would be great if your husband could get his levels a bit closer to this.

Can you ask your Dr (or find a new Doctor) who will put your husband on a basal-bolus dosing regime?  This is where he takes both a basal insulin to cover background requirements and then also doses insulin to cover the amount of carbs and protein in his meal.

This approach will give better control   From what you've said it looks like he is doing a 'sliding scale" approach.

Another thought:  has your husband been tested for type 1 diabetes?  Or is it just assumed he is type 2.  Adults can also develop type 1, which would be an absolute requirement for insulin even though he lost weight.

Please come back and discuss and tell us how he's going.
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231441 tn?1333892766
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