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Thirsty but not high

MushyPeaBrain

MushyPeaBrain

Well-Known Member
Messages
647
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I've been on the pump for almost a year now and one thing I've noticed is periods of intense thirst, that are exactly like the ones I used to get that alerted me that I was high, but my BG seems fine. High for me used to be over 14 and I would get the thirst from about 16 onwards.

Now my control is so much better and my target BG is 5.3. I feel very healthy between 4.5 and 6 and the thirst seems to kick in towards 7. Over 7 I feel really ill, sometimes for hours afterwards even when my BG is back to normal. Sometimes I check BG and it's 5.5 and yet I feel so high.

Does anyone have this or know why it happens? I drink loads of fluid when it does and I always try and keep my fluid intake up anyway. When I feel like this I panic my pump isn't working :(
 
Hi!!!

Unfortunately I'm not able to answer why but... I was sat reading this and thinking the thirst thing sounds just like whats happens to me!!! I start panicing and do my BG and it's perfectly normal (well up until this last week anyway)

would be good to know if there is a reason to this :)
 
No reasons why but I get exactly the same. In fact it happened today and blood sugar didn't go above 6.8. It's very strange and not very pleasant!
 
Some medication can cause dehydration. I would advise you consult with your doctor, some renal or liver problems can be the cause of unexplained thirst, in my case it was raised calcium levels.

Best get it checked?
All the best
 
Wow I'm glad I'm not alone!!

I know I need to mention it to my doctor but I'm just dreading them wanting blood (I have serious issues with this and am only just building myself up to give my HbA1c!). Was sort of hoping it was a weird diabetic thing, although it's very unnerving!
 
MushyPeaBrain - sorry, didnt mean to frighten you, please dont worry ahead of things, they usually dont happen that way anyway.
Thinking of you and fingers crossed its all sorted soon.
 
I've noticed the same with Humalog. Previously injected Humalog for several years, only noticed the thirst without high BG since I started pumping.
 
This is very interesting and it seems it's not linked to a specific insulin. Anyone noticed any patterns with timing or anything?

Is anyone on other medications? I am on Alphagan to reduce eye pressure but thirst is not a side effect.

I feel like I'm going mad some days and it's really unpleasant to feel so ill when my BG is the best it's ever been.
 
No pattern that I've noticed. Especially annoying as being fairly new to pumping I get concerned there's a pump/tubing problem - and a risk I'll ignore the thirst one day when there really is a problem. Wastes blood & test strips too.
 
Still getting bouts of this like this and thought I'd bump old thread incase anyone had found the answer? My doctor didn't seem interested when I said BG was normal.
 
I had this issue as well then the light bulb went on. It only happened when I am taking antihistamines for hay fever. So now use a nasal spray, with no problems.
 
Lack of certain minerals can cause excessive thirst; though I can't recall the details, sorry!
 
Carbsrok the only thing I'm taking is Alphagan eye drops. Been on these for a while and although I can't rule them out as the cause I also can't change drops as I reacted to just about every other eye drop with bad nausea.

Hooked I have wondered about this and am going to take a multivitamin to see if it helps.

This thirst is so bad now it blocks my hypo signals as I just feel high all the time :(
 
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