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Spike after shower?

nutribolt

nutribolt

Well-Known Member
Messages
528
Location
United Kingdom
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi everyone,

I have noticed that my BG goes up by about 1 to 2 points immediately after shower. It comes down as well fairly quickly in 10 to 15 minutes but it makes me wonder:

1. Is it common or I have something unique going on here?

2. If its common, what can be the cause for it?
 
@nutribot how do you know your blood sugar goes up?
Is it based on Libre readings or finger pricks?
I ask because the heat from the shower could impact Libre readings and actually your blood sugars are fine. This would explain why your readings return to normal.
 
In Response said:
I ask because the heat from the shower could impact Libre readings
Click to expand...

That’s very interesting. Always thought showering had no impact, but while I’ve been wearing a Libre more consistently, I’ve been noticing a rise from showering, particularly when they’re very hot.
 
I always notice this on my Libre but never took the time to double check with a meter to see if it's just the Libre or real.
I might have a little experiment some time, as now I'm curious :)
 
I get this with the Dexcom G6. As Nutribolt says, it returns to it's original number quickly. On the odd occasion I have cross checked, it isn't replicated with a fingerstick test.
 
In Response said:
@nutribot how do you know your blood sugar goes up?
Is it based on Libre readings or finger pricks?
I ask because the heat from the shower could impact Libre readings and actually your blood sugars are fine. This would explain why your readings return to normal.
Click to expand...
Ah.... yeah its on libre ... haven't cross checked with finger prick mainly because it drops so quickly anyway.
 
I know this is an old thread, but commenting in the case that anyone else should ever have a situation like this.
I also have an issue with spikes after a shower, but my spikes are usually about 30 points. I take my readings via finger pricks.
Right now I am only eating once a day, usually between 11am & 2pm.
Got up this morning, and my reading was 92. Took a shower, and my reading was 121. This is a regular thing for me.
I've never taken another reading after that, as I figured it would take at least an hour to go down. Seeing the original poster say that he tested again after 10-15 minutes, I tested again after 20 minutes, and it had actually gone down to 103 already. I do take a longer shower, probably 20 minutes.
Still frustrating that this happens, so if it happens to anyone else, know that you are not alone.
 
The question is really whether it's a real effect or an artefact of the way the sensor works (temperature compensation, chemical reaction change) - my feeling is that I get no actual BG change, and that the change in the libre is purely a processing artefact, however there was a thread, either here or on diabetes.org.uk where someone had an actual change as demonstrated by finger prick readings. YMMV.
 

​

MammaJenn is using finger pricks, so she is saying it is a real effect. No libre involved.
 
Ah I missed that, sorry. In which case I've no idea, though as I mentioned above she's not the only one there are certainly other threads discussing this (though when you search you'll also see that some people suffer the opposite problem - which is quite possibly to do with increased blood flow to the tissues where insulin are injected. As with all things Diabetes related, YMMV :)).
 
When I used the Libre CGM then I always saw a jump in blood glucose levels when showering . However when using Medtronic GUARDIAN 4 and previous Medtronic versions of their sensors I have never seen a significant blood glucose spike. I have not used the Dexcom system so I can’t not comment on this .
 
nutribolt said:
Hi everyone,

I have noticed that my BG goes up by about 1 to 2 points immediately after shower. It comes down as well fairly quickly in 10 to 15 minutes but it makes me wonder:

1. Is it common or I have something unique going on here?

2. If its common, what can be the cause for it?
Click to expand...
Same happens to me, the increase in body temp coupled with the movement, con your body into thinking it is working harder at a physical task than it actually is. So it starts converting glycogen to glucose.
 
If I get in a hot shower with my libre reading accessible, it falls initially. Then it plateaus and starts to rise. I figured it was a hot/cold thing. Heat makes it fall. Cold (when you get out) makes it rise.
 
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