Daughters BGL all over the place after having a sick bug

[Nap2]

Hi,
I’m a parent of a type 1 diabetes daughter. She’s 13 and this time last week became poorly and was sick so much (with low levels). I took her to hospital and they helped us to stop her being sick and get her hydrated.
Since this has happened her insulin needs in the day are around 30% of what she had literally the day before she got sick but what is strange is that even if she doesn’t eat before bed she will get very high at night (18mmol). It’s like her body is digesting her food at night (is that possible).
Has anyone had this experience? I’ve been getting up in the night and giving her a couple of units to help but she seems insulin resistant compared to the day when she hardly needs any fast acting insulin.
Any advice would be great, I’ve contacted the diabetes team but thought advice from type 1 people would be great. Thank you!

 

[JasonDiabeticSince1970]

Hi, while I am not a parent of a child with diabetes I am myself, a T1 diabetic with 54 years of living (now 56) with it so know with first hand experience of what your daughter is going through.

After an illness, the body often experiences a stress response. This means the body releases more stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones signal the liver to release stored glucose into the bloodstream to give the body extra energy to fight off the illness. However, because your daughter has Type 1 Diabetes, her body can't produce insulin to handle this extra glucose, leading to high blood sugar levels, especially at night when the body’s natural processes might release more stored glucose.

The liver plays a significant role here. It stores glucose and releases it when the body needs more energy, such as during illness or fasting periods. This release of glucose is a normal process, but without sufficient insulin, the glucose remains in the blood, causing high blood sugar levels.

Your daughter is a teenager, and her body is undergoing a lot of hormonal changes. Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, which fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, can also impact blood sugar levels. These hormonal changes can make it more challenging to maintain stable blood sugar levels, leading to spikes and drops.

Given these factors, what your daughter is experiencing is likely not due to insulin resistance but rather a combination of her body’s response to the recent illness and the natural hormonal changes of puberty. Here are a few things you can do to help manage her blood sugar levels:

1. Monitor Blood Sugar More Frequently: Keeping a closer eye on her blood sugar levels can help you catch high levels early and adjust her insulin dosage accordingly.
2. Adjust Insulin Dosage: Her healthcare team might need to temporarily increase her insulin dose or change the timing of her doses to better manage the higher blood sugar levels.
3. Healthy Diet and Regular Activity: Maintaining a balanced diet and regular physical activity can help manage her blood sugar levels, though it's essential to monitor how these activities affect her insulin needs.

It's essential to work closely with her diabetes care team during this time. They can help adjust her treatment plan to better manage her blood sugar levels and address any other concerns you might have.

I hope this helps explain what's going on with your daughter.

Do wish your daughter all the best and reassure her that this time will pass and like me go on to lead a positive life while at the same time living with T1.

Please feel free to ask any more questions or express any concerns you might have.

 

[Nap2]

Hi, while I am not a parent of a child with diabetes I am myself, a T1 diabetic with 54 years of living (now 56) with it so know with first hand experience of what your daughter is going through.

After an illness, the body often experiences a stress response. This means the body releases more stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones signal the liver to release stored glucose into the bloodstream to give the body extra energy to fight off the illness. However, because your daughter has Type 1 Diabetes, her body can't produce insulin to handle this extra glucose, leading to high blood sugar levels, especially at night when the body’s natural processes might release more stored glucose.

The liver plays a significant role here. It stores glucose and releases it when the body needs more energy, such as during illness or fasting periods. This release of glucose is a normal process, but without sufficient insulin, the glucose remains in the blood, causing high blood sugar levels.

Your daughter is a teenager, and her body is undergoing a lot of hormonal changes. Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, which fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, can also impact blood sugar levels. These hormonal changes can make it more challenging to maintain stable blood sugar levels, leading to spikes and drops.

Given these factors, what your daughter is experiencing is likely not due to insulin resistance but rather a combination of her body’s response to the recent illness and the natural hormonal changes of puberty. Here are a few things you can do to help manage her blood sugar levels:

1. Monitor Blood Sugar More Frequently: Keeping a closer eye on her blood sugar levels can help you catch high levels early and adjust her insulin dosage accordingly.
2. Adjust Insulin Dosage: Her healthcare team might need to temporarily increase her insulin dose or change the timing of her doses to better manage the higher blood sugar levels.
3. Healthy Diet and Regular Activity: Maintaining a balanced diet and regular physical activity can help manage her blood sugar levels, though it's essential to monitor how these activities affect her insulin needs.

It's essential to work closely with her diabetes care team during this time. They can help adjust her treatment plan to better manage her blood sugar levels and address any other concerns you might have.

I hope this helps explain what's going on with your daughter.

Do wish your daughter all the best and reassure her that this time will pass and like me go on to lead a positive life while at the same time living with T1.

Please feel free to ask any more questions or express any concerns you might have.

Thank you for such a clear information. My daughter has been diagnosed since Jan 2023 and had a 6 month honeymoon period, so feel we are still getting used to certain parts of the management.
It does feel like we get a good run of levels and can mostly stay 70% in range but then something happens, and then have to alter dosage again.
As you have said puberty is massive, she’s been growing quite a bit recently and know that raises sugars.
Your reassurance has helped, sometimes it feels like a losing battle!