Basal testing questions

suzyq63 · #1 12-22-2008, 05:23 PM

I'm pretty sure that we need to change Alison's lunch and supper I:C ratios but figured we should try basal testing first since the only basal testing we did was an overnight a couple of months ago.

I took advantage of the snowy day on Friday to do it. But I did do a small correction at breakfast; so I don't know if that would have affected the outcome. This is what we got:

8:55 188 (breakfast; covered; 1.06 unit correction)
10:55 208
12:10 191
1:10 160
1:40 hungry; had one string cheese
2:15 127
3:10 106
3:58 95

Was that long enough to make judgments about basal? If so, it looks like her basal is slightly too high. I stopped at the 95 because Alison tends to drop faster once she gets into the 90s.

We're doing afternoon into evening today and so far this is what we have:

12:55 158 lunch
2:55 242
4:00 205
5:00 178
6:05 177

Lunch I:C ratio is 1:18. I think she needs about 1:15 or 1:14. Supper is 1:20; I think she needs 1:16. She's not going sky high but I'm doing too many corrections. Her target is set at 135 (I'd like it a little lower) and the only time she's in range (+/- 10) is before breakfast.

What do you experts think? Thank you!

fredntan2 · #2 12-22-2008, 10:30 PM

Hi,
I copied this from Gary Schieners author of"Think Like Pancreas"
about basal testing.
http://www.integrateddiabetes.com/pump_bt.shtml

from 1pm to 4pm she dropped 65 points.

I'm still learning how to adjust things myself so I'm not much help.

Eric's mom · #3 12-23-2008, 08:27 AM

We are too still learning how to basal test. I found this article to be helpful.

http://www.centremedsurg.com/Forms/B...Worksheets.pdf

There are work sheets and basic information, like when to stop the test when low or too high.

Maybe this will help you too.

fredntan2 · #4 12-23-2008, 10:10 AM

I also pay mine for basal test.
and we all do it together. misery loves company.
and since the other kid is also fasting, she also gets paid
20 per basal test.
They would get the moneyout of me anyway.
I'll go broke doing basal tests

suzyq63 · #5 12-23-2008, 03:07 PM

Thanks. I was a mean mommy and just did the test without making any comments even (that usually works the best due to the autism issues). Thanks for the article. I haven't made any changes to her basals yet but have changed the carb ratios. She spiked up to 270 last night due to homemade chicken noodle soup (not that many noodles). I'd really like to be able to figure out pasta/noodles!

StillMamamia · #6 12-23-2008, 03:16 PM

I would either

1) do a second day of basal testing

or

2) post 2 to 3 days of BG readings to get more details.

Just from what you posted, my first inclination would be to say up the AM basal for now and observe. Of course, that also depends on the overnight readings.
Have you spoken to your endo for advice as well?

suzyq63 · #7 12-24-2008, 09:33 AM

Thanks Paula. I probably should do another test to be sure. I just went back through her logs again and I can see that she stays pretty steady from 2 hours after breakfast (she has hardly any breakfast spike nowadays) until 4 hours after. There is always a drop between 4 and 5 hours after breakfast - sometimes 15 points, more often 25-45 points in that hour. Next week will be better to attempt another test - after Christmas.

I changed lunch and supper ratios yesterday. Lunch is now 1:15 (down from 1:18) and supper is 1:16 (down from 1:20) and her numbers looked a lot better.