Female hormones

[MushyPeaBrain]

For some time now once a month I have very challenging BG and I am guessing it's to do with female hormones. When I first started pumping I would sometimes notice I needed 20% extra for a couple of days the week before my period. I could go months without needing this so might not have even been that.

Now though all of a sudden I will wake up with slightly elevated BG and this rises steadily, sometimes rapidly, and refuses to be corrected with a bolus. The first few times I thought it was a bad site/set but it isn't.

This morning I have had to put 30% extra basal and even with corrections my BG is only holding stable. I did my breakfast bolus with correction but haven't been able to eat as BG hasn't dropped at all. This is SO annoying!

To give you todays example woke up with BG 5.8 (normally 4.5) and started rising up to 7 within 30 minutes. Temp basal increase put on when 5.8 and small correction given. Walked son to school and was still 7 when got back. This was all just before 9am. Gave 3u (normal 2.5 for breakfast) and BG dropped to 6.8. An hour later no drop. 2u more and still no sign of BG dropping. No breakfast ( as like to see BG reducing and pre-meal like to be in 4s). It's now 11.45 and BG only dropped to 5.6 so no breakfast for me today. It's like I've never even bolused. How can I need so much more insulin

Do other female pumpers get this and how do you manage it please?

 

[CarbsRok]

It just sounds as if you need to basal test and reset your basal.

 

[MushyPeaBrain]

I thought that the first month so retested, changed my basal and then about a week later massive hypos and had to put all my basals back to where they were before. Repeated the whole sage next month (without realising the link at first) and then the third month I increased temp basal and waited it out.

I may have to set another basal up for when this happens. Just confused how it can make me so insulin resistant too.

 

[iHs]

I too have about 4 days every month when bg stsrts to rise up and just get on with it now instead of worrying what's caused it. Who knows whether its hormones or the moon in the sky but good job I can change the settings to cope

 

[Riri]

Yep. Every month about 3/4 days before period high sugars but at random times. These usual last for first few days of period before major dipping in blood sugars for a few days. There's no set pattern though so the old temp basal gets used quite a bit and I just adjust with random boluses as needed. Very frustrating but nothing some if us ladies can do about it.

 

[Ash2014]

You class 7 as high? I can only dream of blood sugars at your level! Lol good work!

But to keep in line with your subject I also rise pre menstrual cycle then need about 30% less 2 days in to cycle. Again like you this doesn't happen every month so guess its the great unknown about hormones and diabetes.

 

[chloe1]

Hi I have set 3 different basal rates on my pump as I am drastically affected by hormones. I have a low rate for the week of my period. Then slightly higher for a well or so after. Then when I am ovulating my BG rises a lot so I have another rate for that. However I still have to tweak all these every month. As well as needing different rates for change of season, and cold weather. I think I will never be able to just leave the rates as they are. But that's the great thing about the pump, it can be fine tuned to your needs, and I feel so much better since having it.


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[MushyPeaBrain]

Ah glad it's not just me!! It's more the insulin resistance that annoys me but this is mainly between waking and lunch so probably can't. do much about it except suck it up when the time arrives each month. Thank goodness for the pump hey!!!!