COVID and sharp rise in blood glucose and insulin requirements...

[t1dluke]

Hi all,

I'm a bit freaked out at the moment as I'm really struggling to control my blood glucose. I'm a type 1 diabetic and I had a positive lateral flow test on March 14th as I noticed that my throat was sore. Since then my throat has become a lot worse and it feels like I'm swallowing glass and I can't sleep.

Over the past two days I've noticed my basal blood glucose has risen from 5.6 mmol/L (pre-COVID) to 9.4 mmol/L (during COVID). My blood glucose is now sitting at 11 mmol/L and I've only had 1000 calories today and I'm drinking lots of water. I have doubled my basal dose tonight as my morning BG has been 8 and 9.5 mmol/L over the past two days but I am a bit worried as I've lost about 6 lbs over the past week due to loss of appetite so I'm hoping my insulin requirements don't crash out of nowhere leading to a hypo.

If anyone has experienced covid before, how long did it take for your insulin requirements to go back to normal? Or have they returned to normal at all? It is so frustrating as I had a good routine, covid is ruining my bg control!

Thanks.

 

[NicoleC1971]

Hi all,

I'm a bit freaked out at the moment as I'm really struggling to control my blood glucose. I'm a type 1 diabetic and I had a positive lateral flow test on March 14th as I noticed that my throat was sore. Since then my throat has become a lot worse and it feels like I'm swallowing glass and I can't sleep.

Over the past two days I've noticed my basal blood glucose has risen from 5.6 mmol/L (pre-COVID) to 9.4 mmol/L (during COVID). My blood glucose is now sitting at 11 mmol/L and I've only had 1000 calories today and I'm drinking lots of water. I have doubled my basal dose tonight as my morning BG has been 8 and 9.5 mmol/L over the past two days but I am a bit worried as I've lost about 6 lbs over the past week due to loss of appetite so I'm hoping my insulin requirements don't crash out of nowhere leading to a hypo.

If anyone has experienced covid before, how long did it take for your insulin requirements to go back to normal? Or have they returned to normal at all? It is so frustrating as I had a good routine, covid is ruining my bg control!

Thanks.

It s not unusual to need more insulin when fighting any virus and it is hardly surprising you have lost weight given sore throat and generally feeling grotty.
My covid was a big nothing but as with other viruses this newish variant seems to hit people differently. I hope you can find something to soothe your throat and I'd imagine that when you start to feel better your blood sugars will go back to base. Incidentally they aren't massively high for a type 1 IMO and certainly won't be damaging you long term
That said you should test for ketones if your sugars continue to be a bit high or you feel nauseous and excessively thirsty, have fruity breath etc.

 

[lessci]

I can't advise on insulin as a T2, but when I had COVID just after Christmas, very few symptoms, (sore throat, runny nose), but my BG's were almost double their normal levels, and getting them down was a real fight every day

 

[JohnEGreen]

I am olso unable to comment on insulin issues but having been hospitalisd with covid recently since returning home my blood sugar levels have become highly eratic and going extemely high to very low randomly and it has become very hard to control them.