Hi,
I have been a type 1 diabetic since 1999. In the last year or so I have started really tightening my blood sugar control. We are trying to start a family and I need my A1C below 7 (last time it was 6.5 ).

Anyway, because of this tighter control I have started having low blood sugar more often. I find that when I do have an episode of low BS I binge really bad while waiting to bring it up. Then when it does come up it shoots sky high not to mention it kills my calories for the day.

I know the rule is to eat 15 grams of fast acting carbs and wait 15 minutes but during that 15 min I have a hard time stopping myself from eating. I think my brain knows that food will make the shaking, sweating and confusion stop so it screams to keep eating until I feel better. It is especially bad if I wake up to low BS at like 3 in the morning.

When I am at school or work I can't just sit down and binge so I am able to do the 15 grams and wait thing, but at home it just doesn't work as well.

I'm just wondering if anyone else experiences this and what you have found (if anything) that helps control the binge. I was thinking of making "hypoglycemia survival bags" and putting like 15 grams of fast acting carbs along with a small granola bar or something in a bag then in case of emergency I can open the bag and treat my BS. Any other ideas?

Thanks so much!

I think you are right, have the 15 g right there and no guessing, then lay off.
Also I am wondering about your injections. Are you planning insulin based on the carbs in the meal, or eating to your meter? Not sure which method you are using. Wonder if a change would help prevent the lows. I have a friend who has switched to injecting to the # of carbs in the meal, and has been doing much better since.

Of course, I want to say, any changes need to worked through with diabetic educator, doctor etc!

Lows are scary and so uncomfortable! I was using individually sized juice (like sunny d light) when I was having lows. They brought me out quick and it was portioned.

I don't have them anymore since I had a medication change but it always mad me resent that I had to take in extra calories on a day that I had been on plan.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have always based my insulin on the carbs I am eating. I think for a while at least I am stuck with at least some lows. I am trying to keep my BS so low (no higher than 110) that almost any exercise, exertion or even cleaning can push it too low. Also, when it is high (over 130) I am having to take insulin to bring it down which sometimes results in lows. I think I am still fine tuning everything and will hopefully get the lows to stop soon.

When my A1C's were averaging a 7.2-7.5 I had almost no lows but now trying to keep them below a 7 is making lows happen more often. Still only about 3 times a week. I am seeing my endo on the 5th of May so I will see if she has anymore suggestions.

I do hate when the lows push me over my calories for the day, especially when I do go on a low BS binge! I am going to try those small juice boxes- what a great idea!

Thanks Again!

I know exactly what you mean - I had planned on going to the gym yesterday after eating way too much Easter candy pushed me 500 calories over my daily limit. I took a shot of humalog, fell asleep on the couch, woke up, and my sugar was 45. Of course I couldn't go work out being that low so I ate more candy to bring it back up ( not the best choice, I know, but it was all I had on me), and still felt shaky and awful so I kept eating until I felt better. I wound up being 800 calories over, only 400 of which I worked off at the gym because by the time I even got there it was already 9:30 pm : ( . I hate having low sugars, I can't help myself from shoving pretty much everything and anything in my mouth until I feel like I'm stabilizing .

Absolutely. I've had some crazy binges due to low blood sugars. Insulin is a growth hormone, and sometimes when you have too much, and your blood sugar is dropping quickly, it makes you insanely, insatiably hungry.

I've found that staying away from food and just using glucose tabs (which taste ok but not great) helps a lot. One glucose tab typically has 4 grams of carbs and 15 calories.

Oh, and be prepared. When you get pg, you will have some insanely low sugars during your first trimester, most likely. My worst was when I was pg with my second. My DH was home, thank God. I was belligerent and completely out of it. He forced an entire can and a half of regular Coke down my throat before checking my blood sugar. When he checked it, it was 24. I had a similar bad low with my first, but not quite as severe.