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Type 1 Readings not coming down

Job76

Job76

Active Member
Messages
42
Location
Wales
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
High readings
I have just came back from holidays where obviously I’ve had a lot more unhealthy food and drank a lot more alcohol I am taking my recommended insulin dose but my readings are staying high even with a correction dose and now this morning it was 14.7 I took 12 units I’ve had nothing to eat and I’ve took my slow acting insulin and still showing 12.4 over hour later anyone got any information or reason why g this thsnkyou
 
A couple of things come to mind
- are you unwell or stressed? Both if these things can cause our levels to rise and it is not uncommon to be stressed after returning from a relaxing holiday back to work.
- are you doing less exercise or drinking less alcohol? Both alcohol and exercise can reduce our insulin needs. If your insulin dose was enough on holiday (and assuming you drank and moved more than usual), you may need more on a "normal" day.
- are you correcting your highs? If so, are you using your usual correction factor? I ask because when my levels get high, I become insulin resistant. When my levels are higher than 15, I need twice as much correction and, until this correct works, my basal is not enough.
- are you eating when your levels are high? Due to the insulin resistance, adding extra carbs will exaggerate the problem. I always wait until my levels are below 10 before I eat.

In your position, I would start by reducing my levels using bolus correction (and eating few carbs) and, if they rise again, do a basal test.
 
In Response said:
A couple of things come to mind
- are you unwell or stressed? Both if these things can cause our levels to rise and it is not uncommon to be stressed after returning from a relaxing holiday back to work.
- are you doing less exercise or drinking less alcohol? Both alcohol and exercise can reduce our insulin needs. If your insulin dose was enough on holiday (and assuming you drank and moved more than usual), you may need more on a "normal" day.
- are you correcting your highs? If so, are you using your usual correction factor? I ask because when my levels get high, I become insulin resistant. When my levels are higher than 15, I need twice as much correction and, until this correct works, my basal is not enough.
- are you eating when your levels are high? Due to the insulin resistance, adding extra carbs will exaggerate the problem. I always wait until my levels are below 10 before I eat.

In your position, I would start by reducing my levels using bolus correction (and eating few carbs) and, if they rise again, do a basal test.
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Thank you so much for your feedback I have got some kind if chest infection I have been on to my GP this morning and waiting for antibiotics I got to keep eye on it over next couple of days,,thanks again
 
Job76 said:
Thank you so much for your feedback I have got some kind if chest infection I have been on to my GP this morning and waiting for antibiotics I got to keep eye on it over next couple of days,,thanks again
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Sorry you are unwell and it is affecting your blood sugars.
Depending upon your slow acting insulin, you may find it helps to increase it slightly (if you are comfortable doing so). Unfortunately, the benefit of Tresiba's long flat profile means that a change to that could take 3 or 4 days to have any affect by which time you will, hopefully, be feeling better. However, with shorter acting ones such as Levemir or Lantus, a change can be felt the next day which may help your raised numbers.
Keep a close eye on them and adjust if necessary ... but take care not to stack corrections.
 
Job76 said:
Thank you so much for your feedback I have got some kind if chest infection I have been on to my GP this morning and waiting for antibiotics I got to keep eye on it over next couple of days,,thanks again
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Sounds to me like you may need to follow some T1 sick day rules for dosing. Have you been given any and do you have any means for testing ketones?
 
Job76 said:
I have just came back from holidays where obviously I’ve had a lot more unhealthy food and drank a lot more alcohol I am taking my recommended insulin dose but my readings are staying high even with a correction dose and now this morning it was 14.7 I took 12 units I’ve had nothing to eat and I’ve took my slow acting insulin and still showing 12.4 over hour later anyone got any information or reason why g this thsnkyou
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Try eating some plain carbs. Sounds like your body needs food to act on insulin to get back to normal
 
j.d.ice said:
Try eating some plain carbs. Sounds like your body needs food to act on insulin to get back to normal
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This is all really helpful stuff. I’m the same as Job76 and find the potential solutions well worth trying. I am away at the moment and, like Job76, am drinking more alcohol and eating different food. I also have no idea what carbs I’m eating, unless I cook at ‘home’, so struggle with dosages. I’m on Humalog and Levemir.
 
I often find that insulin seems to act slower (has my insulin resistance gone up?) when my bgs are in hyperglycemic territory.

I have to restrain myself from overindulging in "rage bolusing" to get them down.

Of course you don't know whether you are hyper because your insulin resistance has gone up because of an infection or stress or one of the many other things that can mess with one's bg.

I find that alcohol on its own (unless it's a carby one) doesn't raise my bg, though the alcohol may encourage me to take my eye off of the amount of carbs I am eating. :)
 
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