I had a 67 this morning at 9am and took 2 smarties. I also ate 1/2 banana about a half hour later for which I didn’t take insulin for since I had just gone low. Went up to 240 an hour after the 67. Is that because the banana without insulin and it didn’t go into my cells? That seems crazy to me. I do go higher in the morning but a 240? Any input? thanks.
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Hi John @jwatkins,
I haven’t any idea what a “smartie” may be or the number of carbs in the two that you consumed. I am not a medical doctor but I’ve had what feel like a millennia or experiencing “lows” and over-treating them.
I suggest that you took way too much carbohydrate and that coupled with the adrenaline surge which naturally boosts BG brought you to the 240. I know that for me, each gram of carbohydrate increases my BG by about 3 mg/dl at that time of day so to bring my BG from 67 to 100 mg/dl, I would have eaten 10 to 12 grams of carbohydrate.
Hi John!
I have morning BG spikes too sometimes and it’s just the hormones that wake us up in the morning. My guess is that your spike was because of the banana without insulin. Usually two packs of smarties is perfect to correct a low like your 67. I would try giving insulin for the banana next time!
… and John @jwatkins there is a thing called the 15 - 15 - 15 rule; it worked 60 years ago when I was first introduced to it and that was 30 years before the first, really crude, BG meters and it works for me now.
Now with numeric BG devices [meters and CGM] if you are hypo - but greater than 25 mg/dl - take 15 [and no more] grans of carbohydrate, wait 15 minutes and recheck BG and if still below target eat another 15 grams and … . This method is to help avoid correcting and causing a possibly disastrous spike which will lead then to a sudden drop.
I know it may be contrary to our automatic reactions but now after I’ve done just about everything possible with diabetes I know I feel better physically when I don’t cause hypo rebound.
I think it was the banana. They’re pretty high carb & in the morning the effect would be greater.
Thanks for the input. I have a feeling it was the banana without additional insulin. Dennis, I’ll try your old formula too.
Oh my, this answer is sooooo helpful to us and our 4 year old.
Thank you,