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Season change, insulin needs change

Fairygodmother

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,320
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
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Bigotry, reliance on unsupported 'facts', unkindness, unfairness.
When your insulin needs rise as summer departs, how does your pump cope?
I’m asking because mine’s currently giving too little. Set changed, extra bolus given, hello autumn.
 
Hi Fairygodmother

From memory you and I went onto pumps at a similar time.

I’ve had to strengthen my ratio settings and my targets over the last two weeks.

Figured it might be weather related as well.
 
Mine has several different user defined basal/bolus settings eg start,hi10,hi20,hi30.

I'm on hi20 at the moment, should gradually move down to "start" as summer approaches.

Am guessing if you are on a more fully closed loop you just have to wait for your pump to catch up?
 
Yes, Ellie I am. I think you’re using the Tandem HCL whereas I’m on the Medtronic. So’s Paulaah.
 
Paulaah said:
Hi Fairygodmother

From memory you and I went onto pumps at a similar time.

I’ve had to strengthen my ratio settings and my targets over the last two weeks.

Figured it might be weather related as well.
Click to expand...

Hi again.
How are you?
I’m already on the low target of 5.5 and ratio of 5.0; I’m wondering whether I’ll need to change the basal setting. The bigger waking rise is the most significant season related effect, for me, so for now I’m giving a bit of extra insulin if needed and adding an extra 10g of carbs to breakfast calculations. Fingers firmly crossed.
 

I’m on the omnipod 5 so I think the functionality is different, but I’ve tweaked everything and got it under control. The only fly in the ointment is I think I might’ve started with a cold. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it’s a non-event as it will mess my graphs up haha!
 
Hope that you trounce the cold before it trounces your graph. Stay well.
 
Fairygodmother said:
When your insulin needs rise as summer departs, how does your pump cope?
I’m asking because mine’s currently giving too little. Set changed, extra bolus given, hello autumn.
Click to expand...

This is gonna sound stupid but I didn’t know that insulin needs rise…
 
Hoodiegirl
said:
This is gonna sound stupid but I didn’t know that insulin needs rise…
Click to expand...

I don’t know if they do for everyone, but some of us experience seasonal changes in insulin needs. As far as I know, some need more in cold weather, some less.
How long is it since you were diagnosed?
Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones whose needs don’t change.
 
Mine fluctuates with lots of factors, weather, sickness (or even a mild cold), daylight changes and so on (I think it probably alters when someone turns the light off in the living room too...)

Thankfully loop (AAPS) handles it now - so never notice, it just ramps up or down as required using an algorithm called Dynamic Insulin Sensitivity Factor, based on previous ISF over the last 7 days.
 

That’s all very well, you’re technically skilled, and android; I’m less skilled, and iOS (consider this has a hollow laugh emoji here. No, I don’t have one on my phone but wish I did.)
I’m full of admiration for the way you’ve built your loop and the fabulous results it’s given you.
 
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