Blood Sugar when ill

[Kerr1992]

Hey folks,

So I took quite ill on Sunday and it is having quite an impact on my blood sugars. since I went on the pump in October I have managed to keep it within or at least close to the range that it is set to. However, I was rushed into hospital with a suspected virus (high hr, high bp and a temp of 39) and I can't seem to get my blood sugar stable. I've even made a sick day setting on my pump which is more than doubling my basel rates. even though I'm feeling slightly better now it's still not right.

does anyone know why this might be? I know that illness has an impact of BG but I didn't think it was that much. I'm never usually ill so never really had to deal with this.

Thanks
Craig

 

[noblehead]

You just have to follow the Sick Day Rules Craig, the following is a Sick Day Rules flowchart that should help:

http://www.mydiabetesmyway.scot.nhs.uk/resources/leaflets/SickDayRulesForType1Flow.asp

Just to add, if in doubt just change your insulin/set just to rule out that this could be the cause of your high bg levels.

 

[Kerr1992]

Hey,

I'll have a look at the rules. I've changed my set about 3 times in the last 2-3 days. I always seem to have sufficent active insulin to cover how high my sugar levels are so I must be getting bigger spikes or something as my pump isn't giving me any corrections. I never usually run a BG of 24 though! was fine this morning :-(

 

[JBlaza]

Hi Craig,
I don't have any advice but you are not alone in this!
I have also just had my first experience of this as I was only diagnosed last May. I have had a really bad cold and had to put my basal up from 16 to 24 and found if I ate anything carby I had to take double the amount of Novorapid (so 2 units for every 10g of carbs when I normally do 1 for 10g). I think it was partly down to being a lot less active than normal on top of the sickness itself as I normally gym or run 5 days a week and went to basically sitting about the whole time. 4 days later my ratios are still not quite back to normal.
And I have only had a heavy cold.
Jen

 

[Kerr1992]

ah, I've only increased my basal and not my bolus. I'm not in the habit of being ill but this suspected virus seriously wiped me out lol.

my mum phoned NHS 24 when she visited and was looking for advice. They sent an ambulance immediately because I was a diabetic and blood sugar and ketones were increasing. paramedics arrived and plugged me in and suspected I was going septic which resulted in a blues and twos drive straight to A&E and a night in the hospital. Quite glad my mum visited actually.