Covid

[Lucyr]

Personally as a Type 1, I've always been told to only ever increase either by 10%. If not enough you can easily add another 10% whereas if 20% is too high, you can't take it out again.

I’ve always been told never change more than 10% too

 

[Proud to be erratic]

Fair enough. My DNS emailed me 20% when I had a bad infection, needing antibiotics and I used that during my chemo. I guess it's a matter of how strongly one's BG has risen.

 

[trophywench]

Fair enough. My DNS emailed me 20% when I had a bad infection, needing antibiotics and I used that during my chemo. I guess it's a matter of how strongly one's BG has risen.

You are not T1. You were having Chemo. You were already on ABs. Most of us who've been using insulin a fair while have been urged to err on the side of caution. At the end of the day we each need however much insulin we happen to need at that partic time - when I did my knee, I went up to 300% of my normal insulin - BUT I still had to get to 300% in graduated increases cos no point whatever in trying to cure the knee and causing me to have a severe hypo in doing so!

 

[Proud to be erratic]

You are not T1.

Yes, we'll spotted. I'm only a lowly T3c considered below T2 in the view of many medical experts. Evidence - my own GP was adamant that I only needed to test 4x daily and arbitrarily rationed my strips without even having the courtesy to discuss it with me.

You were having Chemo. You were already on ABs.

You have added 2+2 to make more than 4. My ABs were for an infection before I started chemo and that was when my DSN suggested a 20% increase. I used the 20% guidance to help me manage the highs during my later chemo. And still use it when stubbornly high.

Most of us who've been using insulin a fair while have been urged to err on the side of caution. At the end of the day we each need however much insulin we happen to need at that partic time - when I did my knee, I went up to 300% of my normal insulin - BUT I still had to get to 300% in graduated increases cos no point whatever in trying to cure the knee and causing me to have a severe hypo in doing so!

As a T3c after a total pancreatectomy I am wholly insulin dependent and that makes my diabetes extremely brittle. Apart from yo-yoing from hypo to hyper and back again several times a day in the early days, I once crashed from 9.9 to 3.9 in 20 minutes. That is how unstable I was initially. That's how difficult it can be to manage T3c; no pancreatic hormones to help steady metabolic functions. All got to be done by guesswork and personal intervention.

So, despite your response, I do understand the need for caution and the need to avoid going hypo. I've just had my very first 100% day in range for over 4 months, despite constantly being cautious and spending most of my waking day working at managing my DM - its still a Unicorn event. As, of course, do many others on this forum work at managing their DM.

However, perhaps your reaction could be related to the thread "Random thoughts on Hypos". Perhaps, in recent years there is a slightly wider recognition that however unpleasant it is to be hypo, nowadays there are relatively few people getting so low that they need emergency treatment. Perhaps that caution you learnt many years ago has shifted slightly and perhaps the emphasis has moved to getting one back in range (4-10) to prevent the long term damage from being high. The 20% figure originally came from my DSN; not my creation. I've adopted it because it has worked for me.

My late brother, a T2 with both legs amputated at the knees, proudly told me he'd had low BG from time to time but never been hypo. I didn't then understand the significance, I wasn't diabetic. Recently, his Widow told me he was diagnosed after being found in a coma and it was downhill from there on, 3 yrs later the first leg went and the second was already in trouble. Clearly the damage was already done, before his formal T2 diagnosis.

I did in my original post include a note of caution and then deleted it thinking it possibly a bit unnecessary. I think it would be unusual for someone new to diabetes to be unaware of the possibility of going hypo. Perhaps in hindsight ...

But I remember when the H&S legislation was deeply revised in the early 90s and one found (amongst many stupidities) a plethora of notices in public wash rooms saying "Danger, water from this tap can be hot". That was an over-reaction, heavily influenced by high priced legal advice to providers of public services - stating the obvious. They are rarely seen these days, perhaps people now know that hot water can be hot.

 

[Leadinglights]

Yes, we'll spotted. I'm only a lowly T3c considered below T2 in the view of many medical experts. Evidence - my own GP was adamant that I only needed to test 4x daily and arbitrarily rationed my strips without even having the courtesy to discuss it with me.

You have added 2+2 to make more than 4. My ABs were for an infection before I started chemo and that was when my DSN suggested a 20% increase. I used the 20% guidance to help me manage the highs during my later chemo. And still use it when stubbornly high.


As a T3c after a total pancreatectomy I am wholly insulin dependent and that makes my diabetes extremely brittle. Apart from yo-yoing from hypo to hyper and back again several times a day in the early days, I once crashed from 9.9 to 3.9 in 20 minutes. That is how unstable I was initially. That's how difficult it can be to manage T3c; no pancreatic hormones to help steady metabolic functions. All got to be done by guesswork and personal intervention.

So, despite your response, I do understand the need for caution and the need to avoid going hypo. I've just had my very first 100% day in range for over 4 months, despite constantly being cautious and spending most of my waking day working at managing my DM - its still a Unicorn event. As, of course, do many others on this forum work at managing their DM.

However, perhaps your reaction could be related to the thread "Random thoughts on Hypos". Perhaps, in recent years there is a slightly wider recognition that however unpleasant it is to be hypo, nowadays there are relatively few people getting so low that they need emergency treatment. Perhaps that caution you learnt many years ago has shifted slightly and perhaps the emphasis has moved to getting one back in range (4-10) to prevent the long term damage from being high. The 20% figure originally came from my DSN; not my creation. I've adopted it because it has worked for me.

My late brother, a T2 with both legs amputated at the knees, proudly told me he'd had low BG from time to time but never been hypo. I didn't then understand the significance, I wasn't diabetic. Recently, his Widow told me he was diagnosed after being found in a coma and it was downhill from there on, 3 yrs later the first leg went and the second was already in trouble. Clearly the damage was already done, before his formal T2 diagnosis.

I did in my original post include a note of caution and then deleted it thinking it possibly a bit unnecessary. I think it would be unusual for someone new to diabetes to be unaware of the possibility of going hypo. Perhaps in hindsight ...

But I remember when the H&S legislation was deeply revised in the early 90s and one found (amongst many stupidities) a plethora of notices in public wash rooms saying "Danger, water from this tap can be hot". That was an over-reaction, heavily influenced by high priced legal advice to providers of public services - stating the obvious. They are rarely seen these days, perhaps people now know that hot water can be hot.

I think somebody was having a joke when my OH received a pack of nuts and bolts and there was a sticker on the bag saying 'this pack may contain NUTS'

 

[Martin62]

There's a lot of it around at the moment, i'm on day 10 and know lots of others with it now too. Remember to drink plenty, hot drinks can help and caffeine taken with painkillers can make them more effective.

Hi Lucy
May I ask if your blood sugar levels were raised and if so when or if did they start returning to your normal levels, mine are still all over the place x

 

[Lucyr]

Hi Lucy
May I ask if your blood sugar levels were raised and if so when or if did they start returning to your normal levels, mine are still all over the place x

Hiya

I’d say 11 days after positive test they started returning to normal, (started not finished). It’s day 13 for me today, I’m still feeling rough, Sunday nights was my first negative test. Blood sugars are currently a bit high still but not as bad as they were - running around 10 ish with the occasional drop down to 5 and not hitting the teens too much. This is with testing and correcting after every meal and increased basal too though.

 

[Martin62]

Hiya

I’d say 11 days after positive test they started returning to normal, (started not finished). It’s day 13 for me today, I’m still feeling rough, Sunday nights was my first negative test. Blood sugars are currently a bit high still but not as bad as they were - running around 10 ish with the occasional drop down to 5 and not hitting the teens too much. This is with testing and correcting after every meal and increased basal too though.

Good to know you are getting back on track.
Pit of interest how soon are you testing after your meals ?

 

[Martin62]

Good to know you are getting back on track.
Pit of interest how soon are you testing after your meals ?

Oops that should say Out, bloody predictive text

 

[Lucyr]

To be honest it’s a bit random. I try and do it at 2 hours but always get distracted and lose track of time, and turns into at least 2 hours after.

Oops that should say Out, bloody predictive text