# Valerian Root?



## JimBear (Nov 12, 2018)

Hi folks,
I'm under quite a bit of stress lately/difficulty sleeping. I've taken sleeping tablets before but they're not recommended for long term use so I have tried Kalms (main ingredient Valerian Root), and I think they've helped me drop off to sleep.

I've been on them about 2 and a half weeks now, but I've noticed my blood sugars have been dropping dramatically to the point I have been hypoing pretty regularly (insulin only). I've even changed my divisor substantially and I am still hypoing to the point I have done several carby meals with no insulin and pretty good numbers afterwards.

I can find no information online (or in the leaflet) that valerian root has this effect (found a couple of online stories about blood glucose running high).

For example, the other evening my number dropped to 3.8 two hours after eating and I took two dextrose tablets (one tablet usually increases my number by about 0.5). By bedtime, my number dropped to 3.6! I then took 3 more tablets. I've never had to take 5 tablets to get myself safely out of a hypo.

I was just wondering if anyone else has had any similar effect with valerian root. I cannot say with any certainty that this has been the cause, but the only other thing which has changed is the amount of stress I'm under - everything else, diet, weight etc is the same.

Thoughts and opinions most welcome
Jim


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## Bruce Stephens (Nov 12, 2018)

Might it just be suppressing glucose production by the liver a bit? WebMD suggests that it might interact with other medicines handled by the liver, so that seems possible.


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## mikeyB (Nov 13, 2018)

There are a couple of reports on the net of folk saying their BGs dropped with Valerian, and a couple saying it went high. I think the thing to do, as it’s clearly a benefit to you, is just go with the flow and lower your insulin as you are doing. I don’t think it’s much to do with the liver. The vasodilator effect of Valerian may have improved circulation to your underperforming pancreas, which could be celebrating by chucking out a bit of insulin. Who knows. There’s been no research one way or the other.


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## Bruce Stephens (Nov 13, 2018)

And if it works, just sleeping a bit better might make enough of a difference that you'd notice. (Lack of sleep is associated with insulin resistance, I think.)


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## JimBear (Nov 13, 2018)

Thanks for all your replies folks.

It's really interesting to hear your comments. Today I've made some alterations (but not sure they're so wise):

Pre-brekkie number: 6.1
Breakfast: 18 units (including correction to aim for 5.0)
Post 2 hours: 8.3
Later in the morning (around 11.45) I was feeling a little dizzy (this is not uncommon as I have another problem causing this), and had already eaten a few peanuts as mid-morning snack (which until recently I didn't know contained carbs). I checked my blood around this time: 4.3, so I knew I had just dipped into Hypoland or was about to.
Pre-lunch number: 5.1 (presumably from the nuts)
Lunch should have been 18 units, but I skipped it.
Post 2 hours: 8.7
Pre-dinner: 5.1

So you can see, even without insulin, my pre-dinner number was pretty spot-on. My main concern though is I don't like the high post-lunch number; and was that number on the way down by two hours and so even higher before I tested, or maybe still on the way up! If I had injected, my post lunch number would have been high-ish at probably around 7.5, but I would have been below 4.0 by dinner. I don't really want to start eating more just to compensate. It's very strange...


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## PhoebeC (Nov 15, 2018)

What are the times?


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## JimBear (Nov 15, 2018)

PhoebeC said:


> What are the times?


Pre-breakfast: circa 6.45
Breakfast injection: circa 7.00
+2hrs: circa 9.30
Pre-lunch & injection: 1.00
+2hrs: 3.30
Pre-dinner & injection: circa 6.30
+2hrs: circa 9.00


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## JMyrtle (Nov 16, 2018)

Another one to try is Echinate a Purpura root, its main use is to prevent colds and ' flu and I start taking it in November/December until March as I have had radiotherapy to my chest which left me with a shadow on my lung.
I starting taking it again on Monday and noticed an instant drop in my b/ g readings, particularly my first one of the day which is always too high at around 7.8.
Since Tuesday that reading has been under 6.5, my pre dinner readings under 6.0 and the 2 hours later and retiring readings are under 7.0 putting me into the normal rather than pre range.
Yesterday evening to give it a good test  l ate lasagne, a glas of red, a cheese scone with butter and extra cheese, crisps , a mug of hot chocolate made with full fat milk and two squares of 85% dark chocolate, after that lot l only managed 6.8 after two hours!
Investigation on Google shows a link between Ecchinacea Purpura and reduced b/g, l know we are all different but l thought it was worth sharing the info.


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## silentsquirrel (Nov 16, 2018)

JMyrtle said:


> Another one to try is Echinate a Purpura root, its main use is to prevent colds and ' flu and I start taking it in November/December until March as I have had radiotherapy to my chest which left me with a shadow on my lung.
> I starting taking it again on Monday and noticed an instant drop in my b/ g readings, particularly my first one of the day which is always too high at around 7.8.
> Since Tuesday that reading has been under 6.5, my pre dinner readings under 6.0 and the 2 hours later and retiring readings are under 7.0 putting me into the normal rather than pre range.
> Yesterday evening to give it a good test  l ate lasagne, a glas of red, a cheese scone with butter and extra cheese, crisps , a mug of hot chocolate made with full fat milk and two squares of 85% dark chocolate, after that lot l only managed 6.8 after two hours!
> Investigation on Google shows a link between Ecchinacea Purpura and reduced b/g, l know we are all different but l thought it was worth sharing the info.



All the fat might have slowed the spike down so that your peak was long after the 2 hour reading, though!


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## JMyrtle (Nov 16, 2018)

Nothing like destroying a girls best hopes


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## JimBear (Nov 16, 2018)

JMyrtle said:


> Another one to try is Echinate a Purpura root, its main use is to prevent colds and ' flu and I start taking it in November/December until March as I have had radiotherapy to my chest which left me with a shadow on my lung.
> I starting taking it again on Monday and noticed an instant drop in my b/ g readings, particularly my first one of the day which is always too high at around 7.8.
> Since Tuesday that reading has been under 6.5, my pre dinner readings under 6.0 and the 2 hours later and retiring readings are under 7.0 putting me into the normal rather than pre range.
> Yesterday evening to give it a good test  l ate lasagne, a glas of red, a cheese scone with butter and extra cheese, crisps , a mug of hot chocolate made with full fat milk and two squares of 85% dark chocolate, after that lot l only managed 6.8 after two hours!
> Investigation on Google shows a link between Ecchinacea Purpura and reduced b/g, l know we are all different but l thought it was worth sharing the info.


Wow! At this rate we can abandon insulin altogether and just rely on these two lol. Well done on the reduced numbers!


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## silentsquirrel (Nov 16, 2018)

JMyrtle said:


> Nothing like destroying a girls best hopes


Sorry! 
I am not saying don't have butter, cheese etc., by the way, just need to be aware that the peak value may be much later than the standard 2 hours.


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## JMyrtle (Nov 17, 2018)

No worry silentsquirrel response was definitely tongue in cheek!
Today's morning reading was 6.2 which is a whole 1.6 lower than my usual reading of about 7.8,, 
that was with two Kalms tablets before going to bed as l also have trouble sleeping and had some in the cupboard.
Yes l know I'm a mess but that's life!
New regime from now on two Kalms tablets before bed and one Echinatea before getting up, l have got my other readings into the normal range by diet but it was the waking one that defeated me every time because my liver seems to do what it wants to do overnight.
Going to bed with a reading between 6.0 and 6.5 and waking to 7.8 having eaten nothing is truly frustrating, l understand how it happens, it's the not being able to control it that is the annoying bit..


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## JMyrtle (Nov 17, 2018)

JimBear said:


> Wow! At this rate we can abandon insulin altogether and just rely on these two lol. Well done on the reduced numbers!


Wish it were true for everyone but l was only "slightly diabetic" if you get my drift with a HbA1c of 45 at my last review so l didn't have to lower my readings by much to get into the normal range as l still seem to be making insulin but my liver is delivering more glucose than l have insulin to process it with.


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