Levels whilst ill

[L3wisr]

Do they shoot up a fair amount?

Over the last couple of weeks I've been getting atleast two reading a day of 15+ with my other reading still being significantly higher.

I was taking 4 lantus and would wake up around 5.6 which then changed to 11/12 for a week straight. I've eventually raised it up to 7 units but now I've been having hypos at night (never had one before).

I've also been having the exact same food as previous. It's really annoying as I don't know what I have to do to fix it.

Hba1c also jumped from 35 to 49

 

[urbanracer]

Do they shoot up a fair amount?

Over the last couple of weeks I've been getting atleast two reading a day of 15+ with my other reading still being significantly higher.

I was taking 4 lantus and would wake up around 5.6 which then changed to 11/12 for a week straight. I've eventually raised it up to 7 units but now I've been having hypos at night (never had one before).

I've also been having the exact same food as previous. It's really annoying as I don't know what I have to do to fix it.

Hba1c also jumped from 35 to 49

Hi L3wisr

I would imagine that there is a huge amount of variability and that it probably depends on the individual and what the illness is.

I had a really ****** cold at easter, lasted a week but didn't raise my BG's noticeably.

I thought you were supposed to combat high BG's when ill with a couple of units of rapid acting, testing and taking insulin at regular intervals (sick day rules), have you been told something different?

 

[noblehead]

Follow the Sick Day Rules when feeling unwell and have high bg levels, there's a good explanation in the following about what you should do:

http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=141

 

[yingtong]

I have keep records of my B/S for many years and I refer to these when I'm ill,enabling me to adjust my insulin early to prevent my B/S getting out of hand.

 

[L3wisr]

Hi L3wisr

I would imaginne that there is a huge amount of variability and that it probably depends on the individual and what the illness is.

I had a really ****** cold at easter, lasted a week but didn't raise my BG's noticeably.

I thought you were supposed to combat high BG's when ill with a couple of units of rapid acting, testing and taking insulin at regular intervals (sick day rules), have you been told something different?

I've not been told anything tbh. Was told not to take units to combat levels until I have taken the Dafne course but Alls I've been told about that is that I'm apparently on a waiting list.

 

[pinewood]

I've not been told anything tbh. Was told not to take units to combat levels until I have taken the Dafne course but Alls I've been told about that is that I'm apparently on a waiting list.

So you've never given a correction dose and inject only when eating? It sounds to me like your medical team are just trying to cover themselves - seems a little patronising to tell you that you need to do DAFNE before using insulin to correct. I've been doing it pretty much since diagnosis and not had any issues. You know your body and how you react to insulin better than anyone else.

 

[L3wisr]

So you've never given a correction dose and inject only when eating? It sounds to me like your medical team are just trying to cover themselves - seems a little patronising to tell you that you need to do DAFNE before using insulin to correct. I've been doing it pretty much since diagnosis and not had any issues. You know your body and how you react to insulin better than anyone else.

I started doing it in my own a couple weeks ago. To be honest when I was diagnosed my levels were really good, it was only a couple months back when things started going back. I'm yet to have an appointment were I haven't had to lower my insulin, could only go for so long I guess haha.

 

[noblehead]

@L3wisr register with the following, its an on-line carb counting course which by all accounts is very good:

http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

 

[June_C]

When I became a little more confident, I began to 'tweak' my insulin units as I could see patterns emerging, but I was told by my GP's DSN not to tweak. I have ignored her comment (she's an absolute treasure in every other way) as only I know what my bg levels are doing regarding to diet and exercise. I sometimes think that with all the best will in the world, some DSNs and even Consultants don't credit us Ds with the intelligence to understand our disease and control it by ourselves. Yes, it's a bit hit and miss sometimes, but through experimenting, we all find a way to deal with our "problem".

 

[HaroldC]

Tweak away. You'll make mistakes. It's not a precise system (best you can hope for is ~30% accuracy) or a constant system (yep, it changes), but it IS consistent. Once you know it, it's good. Personally, I can tell I'm getting a cold 1/2 a day before the first tickly sneeze - my BG shoots up by 7-10mmol & I need about 50% extra basal insulin (either by pen if I'm not pumping, or more easily on a temp basal when I am).
Tinker away. Beware of pitfalls & test lots. Your DSN gets experience seeing lots of people. You get experience 24/7 on just your needs. Go for it.

 

[June_C]

My apologies for repeating myself, but I agree with @HaroldC, tweak all you like until you achieve the results that you looking for. Only you know what certain foods do to you, some are a disaster, others you can get away with. We are all different.........Most importantly, test, test, test as it's the only way you'll learn.

I still get huge surprises, a lunch one day will raise my bg by 2.5 and yet another day with an identical meal it only goes up by 0.3. I'm slowly accepting that diabetes can be very unpredictable at times and I have to adjust almost on a daily basis, but who said diabetes was easy