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What should I do? Am I doomed?

S

smidge

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,761
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hey guys!

I've been struggling with my BG for a couple of weeks - spiking a bit higher than usual after food, coming back down more slowly than usual. I've adjusted my basal, splitting it into 2 small doses at 6.30am and pm and started to inject small doses of Apidra at each meal even if carb content is negligeable. This seemed to be working to get me back stable in the 5 - 7 range. However, I've now developed a really bad cold which started middle of last week and has got progressively worse. Anyway, since Saturday, my BG has been all over the place. Any food is taking it into double figures and it feels like the injected insulin is no longer working.

As an example, I had raspberries (50g), yoghurt (75g), lizi's granola (20g) for breakfast at 7.15am. That's 15g carb. I would usually jab 1.5 units insulin for this and my BG would be about 5.5 at 2 hours. Today, I was a little high on waking (7.8) so jabbed 2 units Apidra. 2 hours later, 12.8! I've just jabbed 2 more units in the hope of bringing it down.

Could my cold really be causing this? Before the cold started, I felt my LADA was progressing, but I seemed to have it under control. Now, it's wild. Should I wait for the cold to go and then see how it is, or should I talk to the DSN immediately? And should I increase my basal a bit in the meantime, along with my Apidra ratio or carry on as usual and correct if extra doses of Apidra when it spikes? What are your thoughts please?

Smidge
 
Smidge...

The first time you have a cold it can be a little shocking at the amount of extra insulin you need! The best advice is to just test regularly and adjust as required with the Apidra. Colds can be quite unpredictable beasts and what you are describing is quite normal!

I would make sure you test every 2 hours, keep a track of what you are injecting when so you have an idea about the amount of active insulin in you.. this is especially important with a cold where you can get a bit groggy and think did I inject then?! You may find that as your BG's rise you need to inject more insulin to have the same effect this is normal.. i.e. 2 units @ 8 mmol/l has more effect than 2 units @ 14 mmol/l. So if the original 2 units you have injected don't budge those BG's don't be afraid to up the dose.. just keep testing regularly.
 
Thanks for the quick reply and advice, Pneu. That puts my mind at rest a bit - I was really shocked by the rise in my BG and the lack of effect of the insulin. I'll carry on with the correction doses and hope it sorts itself out.

Thanks

Smidge
 
First of all; calm down. Your blood sugars will always rise with a cold/flu. There's a lot of it about at the moment; I just had my first ever bout of full on flu - it was horrible, and my blood sugars were all over the place.

You just have to take paracetamol, increase your basal, increase your bolus insulin/carb ratio and test a lot. Drink lots of water and try and rest.

If you think you are developing secondary infections (urinary tract infections or bad chest problems) go and see your doctor other wise don't worry, don't panic and get some rest. Watch your temperature as well; if it gets very high (i.e. around 40c) that might be an indication of a secondary infection for which anti-biotics may be appropriate - but speak to your GP. Anti-biotics, of course don't do anything for a virus (which is what flu is) but would help with the bonus complications that can piggy back flu.

We strive for perfection but don't always reach it; it's a very admirable approach to try and maintain a blood sugar levels of between 5-7 but don't beat yourself up if you can't do it especially when there are mitigating circumstances and a cold or actual flu is just that.

Doomed? Nope.

Dillinger
 
So reassuring to see Dillinger around. I am not a T1 but a first time bout of UTI has raised my BGLs to something I always avoid.
I will survive.
 
Ride the cold out Smidge and correct where necessary, hopefully you'll be over it in the next few days and your levels will return to normal :)
 
Smidge, just a thought for you. Have you checked that the pen is working correctly?
I've read on other forums about some apidra pens having a delivery problem, so worth checking this out as well.
 
Hey guys!

Thanks for all your advice. I slept most of the morning and woke with BG on 3.8, so had lunch rather than correcting - took usual amount of Apidra so I'll see how it is in a little while. This is the first bad cold i've had since diagnosis nearly 3 years ago. I had a couple of minor ones and a stomach upset last year, but they had only minor effect on my BG - this is far more tricky - highs and low all over the place :crazy: It's really alarming to see figures at 12s and 13s when you're used to 5s - 7s.

Carbsrok - I use the clickstar pen with my insuman basal, but I changed it a few weeks back because iit didn't seem to be working quite right. I actually use the Lilly Humalog pen for my Apidra as Sanoffi Aventis don't do half unit pens. I think the pen is OK. I did start a fresh batc of insuman on Saturday, so I guess I'll have to kepp an eye on it in case there's anything wrong with that, but I suspect you're all right and it's the cold causing it.

Incidentally, I low-carb and keep my carb intake at around 50g for the day. Should I increase this during illness or should I just stick to my usual routine? The reason I ask is that I seem to be craving carb at the moment but I am reluctant to increase it as it will probably just make the highs even worse. What do you think?

Smidge
 
Well, BGs went back to high 9s after lunch. Corrected wth a unit of Apidra, but they were at 11.8 before tea. I've just had a pretty low-carb tea (about 10g carb) and have taken 5 units Apidra which I was hoping would deal with the food at 1:5 ratio (double my usual dose) and correct the 11.8 downwards. Latest test after an hour was 12.3 tho :roll: I've also just taken my evening basal. I didn't increase that in case it causes problems overnight. I'll maybe increase my morning dose if still going too high. Trying not to panic but really struggling :(

Smidge
 
Hi Smidge
Just like yourself i came out with a full blown cold today, haven't had a cold for years. I said to my son i thought i was lucky this year and what happens, I wake up with one today. My sugars aren't too bad at present.
As the others have sent you good advice, but if you find your getting chesty and your sugars don't improve then i would contact your GP.
Hope you feel better soon
Tracey
 
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