High BG's i can't get down.

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SamByTheSea

SamByTheSea

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi guys, i really could do with your advice at the moment as i'm at a loss what to do.

Yesterday i had a hydrodilation injection in my shoulder as i have an on going frozen shoulder that refuses to get better. The trouble is that since having this injection at 11.00 am yesterday morning i haven't been able to get my BG's down below 13.0, 17.9 being the highest reading so far. I understand it's probably the steroid that was in the injection that is making my sugar levels go loopy but i've tried several different temporary basals, i've just raised it up again to 185% to see if that gets my levels down a bit. I've also done a complete set change with a brand new bottle of insulin. Ketones aren't too bad at the moment but if i keep getting high BG's i know the may appear pretty soon. I've tried contacting medtronic but keep getting sent through to the american help line and i didn't get on very well with them last time. I'm pretty much lost at the moment.
Should i go back to my pen injections until i can speak to my diabetic team on Monday or should i just stick with the pump and hope the levels even out soon. Thanks guys.
 
It's not at all unusual with steroids or anything traumatic or painful to need shedloads more insulin thereafter - just keep piling the insulin in until your body gets over it a bit. I had a knee op 12 months ago and it took months and months (about 6 months) to get back to where I started from insulin-wise. Knob all to do with infusion sets, or insulin going off, just to do with diabetes itself. Might be easier at times to do correction doses with a pen rather than your pump, but that's a matter of choice.

The only thing that can tell you how much extra you need is your meter - it might be +25% or +200% - you just need it and there's an end to it. How long for - another imponderable. For as long as you need it, and that's that.

Keep testing the ketones and accept it with a good grace - but don't get complacent though, cos one day you'll be mega hypo and you'll have got over it!
 
Thanks Jenny. Yeah i'm going to put my temp basal up to 200% Can't raise it up any more though as my 640g won't allow an increase of more than that. As you said if i need to continue making correction doses then i will more than likely use my pen. I'm sure i read somewhere that things should settle down within 48 - 72 hours, so hopefully this is true. Just that everything i seemed to try just hasn't worked, but i guess as long as i'm getting insulin into me in one form or another that's all that matters. Have to grit my teeth and just get on with it and to look out for one hell of a hypo thats sure to come soon. Again thanks for your help Jenny.
 
You will probably need to at least double your basal and bolus for about 10 days with a gradual reduction as the effect wears off.

Just make sure you have plenty of test strips and glucose handy. From experience it was a gradual decrease in basal needs so hopefully you wont have to many problems in that dept.

The easiest way to get more than your 200% basal is to set another basal which is higher than the one you have now then use a temp on top of that 🙂
 
Pumper_Sue said:
The easiest way to get more than your 200% basal is to set another basal which is higher than the one you have now then use a temp on top of that 🙂
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Of course why on earth didn't i think of that o_O I've only been on the pump for 6 weeks so i'm still pretty new to all this i guess. Thanks for your reply though Sue. I have plenty of jelly babies and lucozade to hand just in case.
 
SamByTheSea said:
Of course why on earth didn't i think of that o_O I've only been on the pump for 6 weeks so i'm still pretty new to all this i guess.
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I think you answered your own question :D No one can be expected to know everything about pumping from day one but you are doing a good job by asking an not throwing toys out of the pram. Even after many years on a pump I still learn different/new things about pumping.

There is probably somewhere in your set up mode that allows you to deliver more insulin but as I have no idea about your pump, I just thought the basal increase would solve your problem until someone more knowledgeable came along to help out.

Don't forget to change your pump time tonight and meter (Back)
 
Thanks Sue, you've been a huge help. Their probably is a link somewhere in my pump that allows you to change the dosage allowance, i'll have a little play around with it tonight and see if i come across it. I can remember the first two, three weeks of being on a pump were pretty rough and i was so hard on myself because i thought i was doing something (everything) wrong. Plenty of people including my fantastic diabetes team kept telling me not to keep beating myself up and that i was doing okay. It's taken a long time for it to sink in though. 😳
Wouldn't it be nice if your meters and pumps changed the times automatically 🙄
 
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