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Question- Increased insulin requirement in hot weather

A

Amanda 4 willow

Member
Messages
6
Location
Gloucester, uk
Hi, I'm new to forum and new to pumping too. My son, 10 years old, diagnosed at 18months, has recently been put on an insulin pump.
We've had a rocky start, but in time I'm sure it'll be great for him.
What I'd like to ask is has any other pumper noticed a need for Increasing Insulin during hot weather?
Normally, Marcus needs less insulin during hot weather (injections) but recently, he seems to need as much as 200% increase in his basal level- and still he's high.

I find this very odd!

Anyone out there with a child also on the pump? I'd love to pick your brains about lots of things!
Cheers
Amanda
 
Amanda, I'm going to 'bump' this back up in the hope that other pump users may offer some advice.

Nigel
 
I use far less insulin in the heat and have to use temp basals (-50% ) for even short walks in the heat and I suspended my pump this afternoon whilst gardening in 30+C and was still below 4 mmol for dinner. I think it's more common than to use less.
I wonder if it is because of his age, a growth spurt, hormones etc and unrelated to the temperature.
 
Thanks for the reply Phoenix,

This is pretty much what use to find on injections, a reduction in the need for insulin (around 30% reduction) but twice this year when the weather was hot, I've noticed a sudden increase in his blood sugars and I've increased his basal rate. I'm running a secondary basal profile at the moment, which is around 160% his normal amount, though that changes during the 24 hour period (130% at night, and varies between 170% and 140% during the day). It seems to have done the job, his BGs are now mostly in single figures, only now I'm fighting mild hypos. Obviously I've over done it slightly. His diabetes nurse hasn't an easy explanation for it either. Though... she suggested that it might be the Humalog, insulin loosing potency? She suggested changing the cartridge every 4 days, instead of every 6.

Another thing I've noticed is that Marcus has completely lost his awareness of his hypos. He was down at 1.4mmol at clinic a couple of weeks ago and neither he, nor I, realised until he went bandy legged. Usually this loss of awareness only happens when he's been having lots of hypos...but he hasn't, if anything, since he's been on the pump he's had less hypos and more hypers.

Amanda
 
Humalog losing it's potency is a definite possibility.
This article suggests that it may be a problem
http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_treatments/insulin_humalog_heat.php#axzz0sXFprxXx

I also found this dated July 2009
Diabetes patients taking NovoLog((R)) (insulin aspart [rDNA origin] injection) can now use the insulin in their pump for up to six days following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a labeling change, diabetes care company Novo Nordisk announced today.(1) The previous label allowed for NovoLog((R)) to be stored in the pump reservoir for two days. This makes NovoLog((R)) the first and only rapid-acting insulin with this extended in-use time.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/157676.php

Novolog is the US name for novorapid

Unless things have altered this means that the other makes are not approved (in the US but probably elsewhere too) for longer than 48hrs in a pump. I checked the info sheet that comes with Apidra and sure enough it does say it should only be stored in a reservoir for 48 hours, though I haven't had a problem with it .
 
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