How much can you increase your insulin dose when you have a cold/ flue?

Derek Cotter

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi,

I am on Humulin M3 30/70 fast/slow mix twice daily. I started this three weeks ago as my Gliclazide was no longer working sufficiently so I am very new to the world of insulin!


Yesterday I awoke with a temperature of 38, a massive head cold and the sweats.
I ate one brown roll and my levels went to 20mmol/L and stayed there for hours

I just woke up at 4am and my levels are still 19mmol/L.

I`ve increased my dose but is there an average amount that I should be increasing it by?

Any help would be great.

Thanks,

Derek.
 

Omnipod

Well-Known Member
Messages
531
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
when I was on injections, I used to increase my background insulin by 30% and then increase my bolus insulin by 10% at a time. If I was staying high, Id increase it by 10% the following day....
when you have an infection, you will need more insulin. if you are high, you also need to drink as much water as possible to avoid getting dehydrated. If you are dehydrated, then insulin does not work.....
 

tizzy

Well-Known Member
Messages
256
You need to speak to your gp or nurse because I'm not sure if you can increase the doses on mixes I may be totally wrong but when I was on the mix if I had a higher dose the long term bit just kept on lowering my blood sugar but did nothing to the food I had eaten again I may be wrong but please get advice before you do anything
 

mrman

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,419
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
There is another thread on mixed insulin with illness. general idea is to increase a couple of units, test more, drink plenty. next day of still high increase a couple again. Be careful when getting better as the insulin may need reducing again or if appetite is less and less carbs are eaten may require a reduction also. Whatever you do sick day rules require more monitoring than usual.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 people

Beachbag

Well-Known Member
Messages
688
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Filling in forms! ;)
Hi,

I am on Humulin M3 30/70 fast/slow mix twice daily. I started this three weeks ago as my Gliclazide was no longer working sufficiently so I am very new to the world of insulin!


Yesterday I awoke with a temperature of 38, a massive head cold and the sweats.
I ate one brown roll and my levels went to 20mmol/L and stayed there for hours

I just woke up at 4am and my levels are still 19mmol/L.

I`ve increased my dose but is there an average amount that I should be increasing it by?

Any help would be great.

Thanks,

Derek.
Hi Derek
I think your wife asked a question yesterday on your behalf? Sorry you're still so poorly!
I am on a mix and have had a similar problem. I wasn't given a % to work by, so did it by my meter. 2 extra units per injection is the usual starting point, but that wasn't enough to reduce my BG so I increased by 4 units next dose and yesterday by 6 which has worked. You may need to increase by more. I also cut out carbs completely and upped my water intake to above my usual 2 litres. You are most likely dehydrated and at moment Fluids are far more important than food, so don't worry about not eating, just drink loads! Monitor carefully and reduce insulin as your levels improve. I hope this helps and you feel better soon.
Geri
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 people

Henry_Sugar

Well-Known Member
Messages
60
My DN set my machine to increase my bolus injections to +25% for illness. So that's maybe a good starting point for you. ;)
 
Last edited by a moderator:

ElyDave

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,087
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I've just upped my morning bolus by 1 unit, from 3-4. Will see how that works. I'm taking my DAFNE notes away with me for Christmas.
 

Henry_Sugar

Well-Known Member
Messages
60
well I'm on steroids AND have a heavy cold / flu & my +25% for illness is now up to +40%

Guess you just have to adapt ppl :cool:
 

ElyDave

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,087
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hope you feel better soon Henry,

It's been 10days plus before I've felt confident reducing my basal again from the +25%. Levels have been higher than I'd like since before Christmas, both due to excess eating and the cold; yesterday was completely loony tunes because I'd taken evening and morning sudafed to help the cold, then went and ran a 10km race (which I probably shouldn't have done, but it was for charity). I was >>8 most of yesterday, today feel much better and hovering back around 5-6 again
 

Henry_Sugar

Well-Known Member
Messages
60
@Ely

Thank you for your kind wishes but to be honest I'm ok ;) A heavy cold & some kinda chest infection is par for the course for me in the winter.

I had steroids in November but only needed the +25% option to keep me in check. TBH I'm awful at catching something from ANYBODY !!!

I'm pretty sure somebody coughed in Australia and it founds it way to me in the Uk :mad:

BTW neither locum I saw with the chest infection warned me that steroids would up my blood sugar levels, if it wasn't for my DN I would NEVER of known........:(

Guess that's the NHS for you........
 

ElyDave

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,087
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
The steroids are well known for it, any GP should have told you that. We had to give them to my son once and had to check for sugar in the urine.

In my case, I'm my own worst enemy, didn't check the sudafed leaflet until I'd already been taking it for two day, didn't twig that an adrenaline mimic would up the blood sugars :facepalm:
 

Henry_Sugar

Well-Known Member
Messages
60
well I'm kinda back to normal now ish......

when you get ill your right, you need to check everything & just be that bit more careful !!!!

Lessons for us all to learn I think;)