Daughters BGL all over the place after having a sick bug

SimplyJason said:

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.

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