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Is anyone’s blood glucose through the roof at the mo?

P

PimmyB

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi there
I know we’re having extremely hot weather at the moment but over the last two days my blood sugar levels have been so much higher than normal (regardless of the heat.) I changed my insulin cartridge last night, thinking it might be something to do with a dodgy Fiasp cartridge. However, no change with the new cartridge. I’ve done dose corrections/allowed 20mins before eating and injected more insulin than I would do normally, (for what I’m going to eat) but still high. Finger prick checks confirming running high. Haven’t had a green from my Libre Sensor 2 since Sunday! Anybody else had this experience?
 
Unfortunately there is no right or wrong answer to your question - the hot weather can cause both high and low blood glucose depending on the person - I take less insulin in the heat as mine goes lower but equally there are others (Like yourself) who shoot up - sounds like you are doing everything right to try and alleviate it though - maybe perform a basal test to make sure your basal needs haven't increased if you are starting from a high level all the time?

Excerpt from the 42 factors that can affect BG

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Up or down I'm afraid - with Diabetes there is no definitive text book I'm afraid!
 
Which basal insulin are you using or are you on a pump?

I find that once my levels are above 10 Fiasp becomes much less effective and my correction factor needs to be stronger, in fact I am a bit naughty and I stack Fiasp corrections once I get above 10 if levels don't start to come down after the first correction. I keep a record of each correction so I know what time and how much I injected so that I can check back later and work out roughly how much is left active.

I simply do not let my levels go above 10 and stay there. I use as much insulin as it takes to bring them down again. If I used a bit too much then I can always eat a jelly baby or two if my levels start going a bit low later, but I have in the past jabbed as many as 4 stacked corrections in a 2 hour period to bring it down. If the problem persists and I am constantly needing corrections for more than 2 days then I increase my basal dose for that period. (I have split dose Levemir which is flexible enough to do this) If you have Tresiba which is very long acting then probably best to wait a bit longer before you adjust it or speak to your DSN if you are not confident of adjusting it yourself.

Hot weather makes some people more responsive to their insulin and other people find it stressful and their liver throws out extra glucose because of the stress, but there could also be other factors causing high levels like not sleeping well (perhaps due to the heat) or an illness brewing or perhaps you are less active because it is too hot. Or you might be dehydrated as that can inflate your BG levels. The important thing is to use your insulin to bring it down again. If you decide to inject another correction it is important to keep a close eye on your levels whilst that extra insulin is active, so don't stack corrections and then go to sleep and keep hypo treatments close to hand and perhaps raise your low alarm up to 5 or more to give you warning that your levels are at last coming down.

As regards waiting 20 mins between injecting and eating that might be fine when levels are in range, but once levels are above range, I wait until that insulin brings me down into range before I eat and that might be 2 hours after injecting if levels are high. If I eat whilst they are high they will stay high. I try to stick to a general rule of not eating if my levels are above 8mmols. If they are above that I simply wait for the injected bolus and whatever correction I injected to bring them down below 8 before I eat. Not always possible but mostly it is. If I am going out and I am high I will inject a correction whilst I am getting ready
 
Inka said:
My blood sugar has been fine during the day, even dropping a bit lower than normal, but at night it’s shot up. Total pain. Nighttimes are the worst for blood sugar issues.
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Same here, I've had trouble keeping it down at night although it's fine during the day.
 
I am struggling to sleep in the heat and when I do it is not very deep sleep. This results in higher BG at night.
But, like others, I am ok during the day.
 
I've been pretty solidly high for last 5 days could be the heat but also I'm still honeymooning think few more of the beta cells have kicked the can in as my insulin needs have jumped 2 units extra basal and increasing insulin carb ratio by 1 digit. Just about got myself back in range this morning could be illness as well potentially as that always makes me run high
 
My BGs are running higher during the hot weather although I can only verify with FP meter. I suffer with the heat even before diabetes. As mentioned by others hot night time temperatures make it worse. My carbs are much lower as I have been mostly living off salad for days. This morning is cooler,only mid teens, but the house is around 25 degC. Windows already opened to let the warm stuffy air out.
 
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