Insulin requirements constantly changing

[jamesl89]

Hello,

I've had type 1 diabetes for 23 years, was diagnosed when I was 12. I've grown up and always found I was able to live with diabetes and had no concerns, now I've gotten older it seems a lot harder to control.

The amount of insulin I need seems to fluctuate massively, last week it was like insulin was water and was having no affect so I ended up having to constantly correct high blood sugars, now this week I'm the total opposite and having to take a lot less insulin as food doesn't seem to be rising my blood sugars.

Does this happen to anyone else? It makes it so hard to manage not knowing how insulin is going to affect my blood sugars.

 

[Juicyj]

Hello James and welcome to the forum.

Anything from change in weather temp, illness, weight changes, stress, sleep etc etc can all impact so needs can and do change. I tend to work off the principle that if I see a pattern with highs then I change my basal dose, although it's best to do this after doing some basal fasting tests to check first, also insulin can go off in warmer weather and injection/infusion sites (depending on whether you inject or use a pump) will also affect absorption. Even dental infection can cause highs too.

It happens to all type 1's at some point, have you done DAFNE yet ? If you need a link to a basal fasting site to run through the basics this is a good one: https://www.mysugr.com/en/blog/basal-rate-testing/

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Yes I have the same problem and assume that some things trigger the pancreas to behave in different ways day to day. None of the usual 'rules' explain my variations so I've learned to live with it. If I underestimate the carbs I'm eating and hence my BS goes high into the high teens no amount of correction injections have much effect until a few hours later. I've never seen this noted or explained in any of the columns/literature. You're not alone.

 

[Tony337]

Hi @jamesl89
Welcome.
As @Juicyj has said there are so many variables that can cause insulin resistance and or sensitivity.
My neighbour and i have 100 years of experience between us and have come to the conclusion sometimes it happens for no reason at all.
My struggles with it last between 12 and 24 hours but his can last for over a week!
As you say water one minute barely need a drop the next.

Ask a professional and they get a bit twitchy as they don't know why it happens either.

My libre is my salvation as having alarms going off is such a help.

A few years ago i was as high as a kite with an armful of insulin on board so i set off on a long walk at speed nothing nothing nothing then wham everything reversed the opposite way .........i only had half a bag of jelly babies with me and was half way up hill an hour from home.
The speed it started to drop at was scary and i just managed to stagger home in time.

I hope i am wrong and you find a logical explanation for it and i wish you all the luck in the world.

Tony

 

[mariavontrapp]

I'm Type Two and have had similar problems over the last few weeks. I put it down to the warmer weather but also a lot of viruses and covid going around which could affect readings.

 

[In Response]

I've had type 1 diabetes for 23 years, was diagnosed when I was 12. I've grown up and always found I was able to live with diabetes and had no concerns, now I've gotten older it seems a lot harder to control.

How are your injection sites?
Given I wonder if over 23 years some areas may have built up scar tissue which is affecting your absorption rates.

Have you tried injecting in a completely different area?

 

[jaywak]

You are definitely not alone there , it's happened several times over the last 49 yrs were I have thought I'm cured my diabetes has gone away I don't need insulin any more , then dam everything goes back to normal , I think it's something we just have to live with .

 

[Melgar]

I just want to mention the role of insulin resistance, this may be playing a role as others have mentioned. Although insulin resistance is the main driver in type 2 diabetes, it is also common in people without T2D. It rises and falls in everyone. It’s just remains high in T2D hence the high insulin secretion and high blood sugars.

In people without T2D (including TD1) if you eat meals that are high in carbs your insulin resistance will rise. Stress will also cause insulin resistance to rise too, but it will drop again. It is a natural occurring phenomenon. Obviously, insulin resistance means you are less sensitive to your insulin, whether it’s exogenous or endogenous insulin so you need more insulin to counter the resistance.

 

[Ushthetaff]

Have to say things have definitely changed as I’ve become a “ crumbly” , these days nothing surprises me and I realise what happens one day doesn’t happen the next even if things are exactly the same

 

[jaywak]

Have to say things have definitely changed as I’ve become a “ crumbly” , these days nothing surprises me and I realise what happens one day doesn’t happen the next even if things are exactly the same

Oh definitely