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Type 1, endometriosis and menopause

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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LouiseHawk

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Type 1
Has anyone experienced a disastrous increase in blood sugars due to hormonal changes? I had excellent control for 20 years (including during pregnancy) then GP made me come off the pill. Downward spiral and constant battle ever since.
Any advice would be appreciated as GP/diabetes specialist and gynaecologist don't seem to have any answers (or don't believe me....).
 
Hi Louise, welcome to the forum 🙂 I'm sorry, I don't have any answers for you either, but just wanted to welcome you - hopefully some of our other members can share their experiences with you. From what you say, the two do seem to be linked which is unsurprising I would have thought, given that insulin is itself a hormone. Have you tried speaking to a different GP?
 
Hi. Thanks foer the welcome! I've spoken to two gynaecologists (one disputed that hormones would affect my blood sugars - but he was a non-diabetic man.......), and I've seen three GPs. My diabetes specialist is sympathetic as is the diabetes nurse but they have no answers. We have tried a few things but it seems to be getting progressivley worse as I get older and closer to the menopause.
 
LouiseHawk said:
Hi. Thanks foer the welcome! I've spoken to two gynaecologists (one disputed that hormones would affect my blood sugars - but he was a non-diabetic man.......), and I've seen three GPs. My diabetes specialist is sympathetic as is the diabetes nurse but they have no answers. We have tried a few things but it seems to be getting progressivley worse as I get older and closer to the menopause.
Click to expand...

Is there any pattern to your levels, apart from the increase in insulin? What insulin regime are you on?
 
LouiseHawk said:
Has anyone experienced a disastrous increase in blood sugars due to hormonal changes? I had excellent control for 20 years (including during pregnancy) then GP made me come off the pill. Downward spiral and constant battle ever since.
Any advice would be appreciated as GP/diabetes specialist and gynaecologist don't seem to have any answers (or don't believe me....).
Click to expand...

Hi Louise, welcome to the forum. I'm T2 so not quite the same as you, and according to my GP yesterday I'm going through the menopause too, although it could be medications! Her best advice was to put up with symptoms but if they don't get better in a few weeks then to go back for blood tests just in case its the meds. My bs levels are going upward too so I assume that it does have an effect, just wanted you to let you know you are not alone 🙂. I put a thread on yesterday asking pretty much the same thing unfortunately not had any replies!!

Not sure I've helped,

Shirl
 
I can't help you directly, but can offer my opinion.
I have a mirena coil. Happily stopped my periods for a few years now. 2 months before I was diagnosed (april) I suddenly started periods again. At this point my BS was never below 17.

Now I have started insulin and got them down into mainly single figures, the periods have stopped again.

So the moral of story is...I do believe hormones play a big part in this.

I hope you get some answers soon xxx
 
Welcome!
Well your gynaecologist is wrong. Hormones do affect your sugar levels. The week before your due, they are likely to go higher and during your period, you're likely to go lower than normal. So if your cycle is all over the place, then your glucose levels will be too
 
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Hi everyone
Many thanks for all your replies. It's good to know that I'm not the only one. I had the mirena coil fitted - it was a disaster, sugars went up and up and I had non-stop bleeding for 7 months!! I guess I'll just have to put up with the sore fingers from all the testing and hope the way I'm managing it continues to prevent any long term complications (none yet after 26 years). I think the endometriosis exacerbates it as well.
Northerner - Thanks for the link - perhaps I should recommend it to the gynaecologist!!
 
I'm having lots of problems at the moment with fluctuating hormone levels and fluctuating blood glucose levels - it is exhausting and draining to be honest. I spoke to a DSN just a few weeks ago - only in passing - not a proper appt and she said hormones have a huge impact on our levels. I don't know what the answer is but you are definitely not on your own.
 
I feel the same, frustrated and exhausted - it's mentally draining as well as the underlying worry that continuously high blood sugars could be doing damage. I have my 6 month review next week and I'm dreading my hba1c, I'm expecting it it to be above 8%. The weird thing is when I was pregnant my sugars were the best ever, the hormones obviously work differently during pregnancy.
Thanks for sharing, maybe we should encourage diabetes uk to invest in some research?
 
That's odd isn't it, that during pregnancy your levels were ok (thank goodness) Perhaps it's the erratic up and down nature of the hormones now - who knows? I have increased my insulin substantially in the last 10 days and am waiting for the sudden drop! it makes it very hard to control. All the best with your Hba1c
 
Thanks. One question - does your sugar rise in the evening/early night? During mid-cycle in particular, mine can increase from about 6.5 two hours after my evening meal (about 8pm) up to 16-17 by 10pm. So in a two hour time frame it trebles. And then it can continue to rise until about 1am. I have some novorapid before bed and then check about 12.30 - I invariably have to have some more novorapid then as well. It's definitely not a kickback from a hypo as in the early evening I'm fully awake and I always get hypo warning signs. During the day my sugars are fine - nearly always under 10, and usually about 6.
It's so nice to talk to someone who knows what I'm on about and understands!! Thanks for your support.
 
Trouble with endometriosis is, it isn't just once a month even when the right bits of you are.

I dunno what to suggest, but at least you can correct wih fast acting - you ought to have tried living with it on one a day of pig insulin .....
 
Hi and you're right. Fortunately I've only ever been on human - twice a day when first diagnosed (1986) and also on the pill so the endo wasn't an issue. It is certainly easier with fast acting, much more flexibility and control.

Thanks to everyone for all your messages - it would appear that there doesn't seem to be a 'solution' other than the continual pumping in of novorapid and lots of testing to keep sugars down.
 
Well you've said the word. Pumping.

It doesn't make the problems go away at all, but you would probably be able to control em one helluva lot better.

You probably know how awfully errant BGs are in preganancy? - well this bit is much the same, but usually lasts a helluva lot longer than a pregnancy. So if people can get pumps while they are preg and do very very well on them because of everything being so minutely adjustable and so quickly - then the same must apply now, mustn't it?

Ask for one!
 
I'm a bit wary of pumps, not sure how I'd get on with one but I have my six month clinic next week so maybe I'll broach the subject. If my hba1c is high they might listen!!
 
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