Hypo - rebound

Hope this is in the right part of the forum as I guess that this is one of those questions which DAFNE graduates with a better memory than I could/should be able to answer!

After a hypo and the taking of rapid acting CPs - jelly babies being my preferred option - we don't correct for a high BG reading at the next meal. Why is that exactly? Is is something to do with a rebound effect where the BG rises because of the liver firing out stored glucose? If so, wouldn't we need insulin to get it back again? (Ooooo - feeling embarrassed now it is in writing as I think I should know the answers).

Alan

I'm not a HCP, just another diabetic patient.

When you've had a hypo, I was told your body is more prone to having another one for the next 24 hours so corrections for hypos are generally not recommended.

I was a diabetic very prone to quick correcting before DAFNE (it has been a hard habit to break) but I have found waiting does work as long as you have a correct for you arrangement with your insulin.

To put it bluntly - your background insulin should be what corrects it - not your quick acting.

Since doing DAFNE and trying to break my habit, I have come to learn that the 'another hypo' really does occur - even if you aim to only put yourself down to 12 BG from say, 21 BG, by injecting 3 units (saying that 1 unit takes you down by 3), it is likely you'll make yourself hypo still.

This is also why DAFNE teaches us to pick how we treat our hypos as well (2 fast CP and 2 slow CP as you may require) - so we don't shoot up our BG a drastic amount.

Take care - and don't be embarrassed about asking - DAFNE is a change of regime so unsureness will happen sometimes. Even I question it sometimes! ^_^

Alan, the liver does shoot out stored glucose but once the body recognises that your blood sugar levels are back within a normal range the liver will reabsorb that glucose. If you correct, you will be correcting for glucose that will be reabsorbed and then you will be hypo again. I hope that makes sense