Hard to get blood sugar down

Pota

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For a couple of weeks ive had problems lowering my blood sugar.

I use omnipod.
I have changed injection site, and also bought new insulin to see if that was the problem.
When its down to 5 - 6 mmol it stays there. But when I eat it quickly rises to 11-12mmol.
I use the same doses as before and it have always worked. The strange thing is that my blood glucose stays in the range between 10 - 12 for a long time, it wont go over and not under ( 3 - 4 hours)
Even when i repair with extra insulin doses it still stays as 10 - 12mmol.

After some hours it quickly goes down to normal levels 5 - 6.

What could be the reason for this? Its not the injection site, its not the insulin. The doses i use after meal have been working before, now i often double-triple them before i get to normal level (takes 3-4 hours)
 

azure

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You say it's not your sites, but is it possible there may be slow absorption from them? Your insulin seems to be taking longer to work. For me, I find the majority of pump problems are caused by sites and sets.

Have you tried bolusing and correcting with a pen to see if the insulin works faster that way?
 

Pota

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Well, ive tried many different sites, but still it just wont work.
Im now trying my hips for the very first time, dosent seem to give me the effect i need.
 

azure

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A few years ago that's what I had to do - totally change body area (I'd used my tummy only). I'd started to panic and worry that I'd become resistant to insulin or something, but changing to my bum solved my problem (after I'd got the sets right).

It may be worth experimenting (very carefully) to see if, say, bolusing in your thigh with a pen makes any difference. That might give you a clue what's going on. Note that if you've increased your doses because of this problem, you may want to put them back down if you try this in case it's absorbed better and you go low.
 

CarbsRok

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Have you done any basal testing? If not then try that as a first option.
 

Pota

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Its strange. Because when my blood glucose is back to normal it stays there. So there shouldent be any insulin resistance.
the hard part is between 10-12 to get it down bellow 10. Its like my liver thinks 10 is low :p And when its under it all ok. Excersise helps alot to get it down
 

azure

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Ive used my bum all my life. But this started 2 weeks ago.

I've used a pump for 12 years. I started on my tummy which I used with no problems for 4 or 5 years, then had the issue I described above, and moved on to my bum, then thighs. I wasn't suggesting the bum was the magic place : D Just suggesting a possible thing to try :) Diabetes can be weird and problems can happen suddenly, I've found.
 

iHs

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@Pota

If moving to a different area doesn't sort the problem, it might be that a 30 degree angle or 90 degree steel needle set is what is needed and of course the Omnipod doesn't have. This was one of the reasons why I didn't push for a patch pump just in case. Let's hope though that moving areas help and a bit of increase in bolus mzybe
 

noblehead

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Yeah. Its very strange. Ill try moving it to another place than my tummy and hip


I find my sides work great @Pota

Do some basal testing just to make sure your basal rates are fine, but to reduce your postprandial spikes try bolusing ahead of your food.

Needless to say if things continue as they are then do mention it to your pump team.
 

Pota

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32
Strange.
If the blood sugar dont go above 10 it gets down to normal level.
If it goes above 10, i need to inject alot more insulin. And its hard to get bellow 10. After some time it do get bellow, but i need to inject twice as much as i usualy do to the same meal.
 

noblehead

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@Pota, most of us find that we become more insulin resistant the higher our bg levels are, so say 1 unit of insulin may bring your levels down by 3mmol/l when in normal range that same 1 unit may only bring your levels down 1.5mmol/l when in double figures.
 
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noblehead

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@noblehead, aha i see. But can this occure so fast? I mean, it started maybe 2 weeks ago.


Like everyone else here I'm no expert on these matters @Pota and only offering a opinion on what I know and from my own experiences, I'd be inclined to discuss your bg control with your pump team to see if they can offer any clues as to what is going on.