Unexplained high sugars

LoisCoxx

Active Member
Messages
31
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi all,

I'm tearing my hair out. For two days my sugars have been stupidly high (looking between 17-25, the lowest it's been is 10). I feel rubbish obviously but I have no idea what's causing it, or how to sort it out. My correction doses aren't working, or don't seem to be.. I've changed my pens, changed my lancets in my machine, used a different box of test strips, changed needles, changed injection site, washed hands, checked sugar on my toes. I'm away from home as well so not able to check ketones. Not sure if I'm sickening for something or what. I'm also currently in transition from child to adult services (yes I'm 21... Don't ask!) so don't have anyone to call as my old diabetes nurse isn't around. Aargh any ideas?!

Thanks in advance

Lois x
 

azure

Expert
Messages
9,780
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
If you've changed your insulin, needle, etc then you've done the right thing. My only other thought is where you're injecting. Have you tried changing injection sites?

Could it be hormonal?

Is it possible you're coming down with an illness? I had unexplained highs this week, even after corrections and now have a cold. I didn't feel ill when I had the highs. They were in advance of my cold symptoms.

Do you have the number of your local diabetes centre (mine's at my hospital)? No matter if you're between services, I'd hope you'd be able to speak to a DSN there and get some advice.

Drink plenty and keep testing for ketones.
 

himtoo

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
4,805
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why can't everyone get on........
Hi Lois
welcome to the forum :)
i have had a read of your post and my first question -- how are you feeling otherwise. ?
sometimes when we are coming down with either a bad cold / flu or some infection in another part of the body ( urinary etc) that can push blood sugars up and they just don't respond to normal injection doses.

I am putting a link to sick day rules just in case http://www.mydiabetesmyway.scot.nhs.uk/resources/leaflets/SickDayRulesForType1.asp

all the best !
 

Charles Robin

Well-Known Member
Messages
570
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Seeing as you've already changed pens etc these have probably been eliminated but here goes: are you loading the right type of insulin? I had really random swings a few years ago, before realising I was putting short acting insulin into my long acting pen.

Next, how old is the insulin? If it's all out of date or has all spent weeks out of the fridge, it might have lost a lot of its effectiveness.

Any changes to your food? When you say you're away from home, are you in a different country? If you can, check the nutrition information on what you've been consuming. I once drank flavoured water, but I tried a different brand from usual. Turns out that it was flavoured with sugar.

Sorry I can't think of anything else but I hope you get on ok.
 

LoisCoxx

Active Member
Messages
31
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Thanks for the advice. I have changed sites. I feel rubbish but only rubbish as in high blood sugar type rubbish.. I think I might be coming down with something though because my housemates are all getting full of cold. I'm not in another country, just in London haha!

No change in foods and I hardly ate anything yesterday for feeling rubbish. Also, my pens are pre filled and disposable..

Coincidentally I've just doubled my usual correction dose and after a couple of hours it's come down to 8.5 but that makes me think my insulin sensitivity is higher than usual, therefore infection.

I don't have any ketone strips but I have what I usually refer to as 'ketone head' and 'ketone belly' which is just a feeling I can't explain haha..

Drinking lots to flush out!

Thanks again for the advice, just going to wait for the illness to come now.

X
 

SamJB

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,857
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Sounds to me like you basal dose is wrong, perhaps due to infection. If you can try to get your levels down to a reasonable level before bed time, you could do a basal test: don't eat or inject a few hours before bed time, compare the before bed and before breakfast levels; for every 1.6 mmol/l difference, change your basal by 10%.
 

LoisCoxx

Active Member
Messages
31
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Thanks so much for the advice. I have been trying to do basal testing! It's just so difficult because if I even increase by one unit my sugars tend to either plummet in the night or I have the annoyance of dawn phenomenon. diabetes is just so frustrating, I feel like crying (many due to dodgy blood sugars)
 

LoisCoxx

Active Member
Messages
31
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
No ketones though - thank god, or actually - thank insulin !!