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Been a Type 2 Diabetic for a while but new to Forum

D

Dazzen

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I've been a type 2 diabetic for over 10 years and overall my levels are well controlled with light exercise and a good diet, however, the one thing I do seem to struggle with is insulin resistance.

I can go weeks with my sugar reacting how I expect in terms of high and lows etc but then sometimes out of nowhere even though I am eating the same things my sugar just never comes down for example I have done two correction doses of Rapid insulin today but it has not impacted my sugar levels (in terms of bringing it down) but I haven't eaten anything today.
 
Dazzen said:
I've been a type 2 diabetic for over 10 years and overall my levels are well controlled with light exercise and a good diet, however, the one thing I do seem to struggle with is insulin resistance.

I can go weeks with my sugar reacting how I expect in terms of high and lows etc but then sometimes out of nowhere even though I am eating the same things my sugar just never comes down for example I have done two correction doses of Rapid insulin today but it has not impacted my sugar levels (in terms of bringing it down) but I haven't eaten anything today.
Click to expand...
Can't specifically answer you question but the hot weather does seem to be having an impact on people having unpredictable blood glucose levels.*
 
Welcome to the forum @Dazzen
I'm pretty sure someone will come along and be able to give some answers to your question

When it comes to diabetes, it can be such an individual thing, that said we have a wealth of knowledge and experience on the forum, so please feel free to tap into it and ask as many questions as you wish.

Alan 😉
 
Welcome @Dazzen 🙂 When you get unexpectedly high sugars, the first thing to do is to change your insulins to fresh cartridges/pens. Occasionally insulin degrades and doesn’t work as well. Another thought is where you’re injecting. Perhaps you have some thickened areas that don’t absorb as well as others.
 
Hi and welcome.

Which insulin(s) do you use and what sort of doses/correction factor do you use?

I use Fiasp as my rapid insulin and I find that once my levels get above 10mmols/L it becomes much less effective, more so than with NovoRapid which I used before I changed to Fiasp and I find it helpful to stack small corrections to bring it down if I get above 10 and it is showing no sign of coming down again. I find small corrections over a period of a couple of hours safer than me getting frustrated and jabbing one really large correction which we often refer to as a "rage bolus" Stacking corrections is frowned upon and discouraged by medical staff but as long as you have a CGM (Constant Glucose Monitor like Libre) and keep a close eye on your levels afterwards, it can be very effective.
Generally I try to proactively keep my levels below 10 because I know it will take more insulin to bring me down than it will to prevent me from going that high, but you do have to keep your eye on the ball if you are going to correct below 10 and I wouldn't recommend it without a CGM.

As regards why it sometimes goes up and stays up, there are about 42 factors which impact BG levels. Food and Exercise and Medication are the 3 main ones but lots of others can cause your levels to go up and indeed come down. Some of these things like alcohol we have control over and some, like the weather or stress or illness, we don't, so there is always going to be a bit of ebb and flow with diabetes management and you have to learn to be flexible and have different strategies to deal with various situations which crop up. It is totally normal to have a few really good days or even weeks and then it all goes to pot for a few days or a week and then it often goes back to plain sailing again. Nothing in life stays the same and insulin needs certainly don't. Sometimes you can figure out why you are suddenly high, like a bit less exercise or you slept badly. I had really stressful dreams last night and tossed and turned and gave up at 4.30am when the nightmares continued and I have had to jab 3 stacked corrections to keep a lid on my levels this morning. I might have been able to get away with just 1 or 2 corrections if I had gone for a walk after I injected the first one but that wasn't possible at the time.

Anyway, I hope you find being a member of the forum helpful. The experienced members here have been pivotal in helping me to understand my diabetes and manage it well, even when things go haywire, although many would not consider stacking corrections, but we all have to find what works for us as an individual with the insulin we have.
 
Sometimes my BG goes high and I can see no reason - I am eating the same as usual, I have no added stress, I am exercising the same level as usual, the weather is the usual British gloom, I am taking no extra medication or had a recent vaccine, ... I change my insulin as recommended but it stays high for a couple of days. Then it goes back to normal.
My working hypothesis is my body needs the extra glucose to negotiate with some nasty germs before they become a full on cold. As it is successful at brokering a deal before the full on strike/walk out, I never experience any further symptoms.
 
Hi there, and welcome to the forum @Dazzen ! It’s great to hear that you’ve managed to keep things well controlled overall for over a decade, but I can imagine how frustrating and confusing these bouts of insulin resistance must feel, especially when you’re doing everything “right” and still not seeing the results you expect.
What you’ve described - sudden periods where your insulin doesn’t seem to work as usual, even with correction doses and no food - is something many people with diabetes experience from time to time. It’s one of those areas where the science is still catching up, but some common culprits include:
  • Hormonal changes or stress (even if it’s low-level or not immediately obvious)
  • Illness or inflammation, even something mild like a cold or a hidden infection
  • Poor sleep, which can really throw insulin sensitivity off
  • Injection site fatigue or lipohypertrophy — if you’ve used the same area frequently, it can affect absorption
  • Temperature extremes, like very hot or cold weather, can sometimes mess with insulin effectiveness too
Some people also notice their insulin resistance increases temporarily before or during changes in weight, exercise habits, or other medications. Even dehydration can be a sneaky cause! As others have noted - there could be a lot of reasons for it, ranging from something reasonable to something that could sound like taken from a sci-fi movie.
It might be worth mentioning these episodes to your diabetes team if you haven’t already, especially since you’re using rapid insulin - they might be able to help spot a pattern, review your injection technique or sites, or even check whether any adjustments to your background insulin or timing could help buffer those stubborn highs.
You’re definitely not alone in this, and it’s completely valid to feel frustrated. Some of the most experienced folks still have days (or weeks!) that don’t make sense. Please feel free to share anytime - it’s a great space to compare notes and support one another through the weird and unpredictable bits of life with diabetes.
You’re doing brilliantly by tuning in and asking the questions, I hope today smooths out for you soon. :star:
 
Thank you all for your replies, it nice to know that it doesn't happen to just me 🙂. I will keep everything every has suggested/mentioned in mind as we have had some extreme heat recently which did effect my sleep.
 
rebrascora said:
Hi and welcome.

Which insulin(s) do you use and what sort of doses/correction factor do you use?

I use Fiasp as my rapid insulin and I find that once my levels get above 10mmols/L it becomes much less effective, more so than with NovoRapid which I used before I changed to Fiasp and I find it helpful to stack small corrections to bring it down if I get above 10 and it is showing no sign of coming down again. I find small corrections over a period of a couple of hours safer than me getting frustrated and jabbing one really large correction which we often refer to as a "rage bolus" Stacking corrections is frowned upon and discouraged by medical staff but as long as you have a CGM (Constant Glucose Monitor like Libre) and keep a close eye on your levels afterwards, it can be very effective.
Generally I try to proactively keep my levels below 10 because I know it will take more insulin to bring me down than it will to prevent me from going that high, but you do have to keep your eye on the ball if you are going to correct below 10 and I wouldn't recommend it without a CGM.

As regards why it sometimes goes up and stays up, there are about 42 factors which impact BG levels. Food and Exercise and Medication are the 3 main ones but lots of others can cause your levels to go up and indeed come down. Some of these things like alcohol we have control over and some, like the weather or stress or illness, we don't, so there is always going to be a bit of ebb and flow with diabetes management and you have to learn to be flexible and have different strategies to deal with various situations which crop up. It is totally normal to have a few really good days or even weeks and then it all goes to pot for a few days or a week and then it often goes back to plain sailing again. Nothing in life stays the same and insulin needs certainly don't. Sometimes you can figure out why you are suddenly high, like a bit less exercise or you slept badly. I had really stressful dreams last night and tossed and turned and gave up at 4.30am when the nightmares continued and I have had to jab 3 stacked corrections to keep a lid on my levels this morning. I might have been able to get away with just 1 or 2 corrections if I had gone for a walk after I injected the first one but that wasn't possible at the time.

Anyway, I hope you find being a member of the forum helpful. The experienced members here have been pivotal in helping me to understand my diabetes and manage it well, even when things go haywire, although many would not consider stacking corrections, but we all have to find what works for us as an individual with the insulin we have.
Click to expand...
To answer you question about insulin I am on Lantus and Novorapid and use 2 unit per 3 mmols for corrections
 
Hi and welcome,....
 
Welcome to the forum @Dazzen
Diabetes certainly likes to keep us on our toes, and the extreme heat has made every effort to confuse things.
 
Hi @Dazzen and welcome to the Forum 🙂. Yes it has happened to me as well on the odd occasion and I have absolutely no idea why!
 
trophywench said:
There's a list of over 40 things that can affect blood glucose, Daz. Plus as well as the 'sensible' reasons - eg what colour underwear you put on today! Not actually eating doesn't usually help very much either, TBH.
Click to expand...
Here’s that list of factors that can affect BG levels @Dazzen - it’s a wonder we ever get our BGs to behave!

Northerner

Thread '42 Factors that affect BG'

A useful list for when you're making that 'piece of cake' calculation 🙂

42 Factors diabetes.png

ETA: Article about the table:

https://diatribe.org/42factors
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