Handling lows caused by Symlin
I've been using Symlin since late 2006 to reduce the blood glucose peaks that I get after eating.Symlin works by slowing down food processing so that your sugar levels rise more slowly after you've eaten. Typically you need to reduce your insulin dosage and, if you're using an insulin pump, take the bolus over an extended duration so that you don't have a low. It takes time to get used to Symlin and figure out how much Symlin to take and how to properly take whatever insulin you need to cover the meal.
When I started using Symlin I had a lot more lows. They were hard to fix because the Symlin slowed down the absorption of the juice or Gatorade that I took to get my blood glucose levels up.
I finally figured out this tip for fixing low blood sugars that are caused by Symlin. I chew one dex tablet at a time, holding the chewed up mess in my mouth for as long as I can. That way some of the dextrose is absorbed through my mouth What does get into my stomach is easier for my digestive system to work on. After 2-3 tablets I wait for 15 minutes and see how things are going.
This works much better than drinking a lot of juice and then having to deal with the super highs later. The juice absorption is slowed enough by the Symlin that it takes more time than usual to work.
If you're using a pump, don't forget to cancel any bolus in progress otherwise you may have a recurring low shortly after fixing the first one.
posted by Bernard @ 5:10 PM
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