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unexplained high's

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Emmal31

Emmal31

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi,

I could really do with some help. The last month or so I have been having unexplained high's usually around the 15mmols - 16 mmols, there hasn't been any pattern to it as in the same time of the day when it does happen. My injection sites look and feel fine, since it's been happening for a while now I've gone through different insulin pens so it can't be a bad batch. Nothing has changed really in my diet etc. So I really don't understand why it keeps happening, I was just wondering if anyone had any idead's why the high's might be happening?

I have been feeling very tired lately but I'm not sure if that's down to the high's or just general tiredness? I'm thinking maybe I should just go and see my gp as it's been happening for a few weeks now but I don't want to waste their time. Any suggestions?
 
I think you should talk to your GP/DSN as soon as you can. I can't think of anything off hand that it might be, unless you're fighting an infection maybe? Clearing a mystery like this is never a waste of time, it's what the experts are for.
 
Hi Emma, I'm sorry to hear about the problems you are having :( Are your fasting levels high, or is it that you are getting big spikes after eating? It could be your injection sites - my consultant told me to change from using my stomach a few months back, even though it looked and felt fine to me. He said I would probably need less insulin when I changed to new sites - and he was right! You've been diagnosed just a few months longer than me, so it could be a similar thing causing your highs. Another possibility is the season - my insulin requirements can fluctuate according to the season - it may even have something to do with the amount of daylight!

You wouldn't be wasting the doctor's time, and you need your energy back for your little one! 🙂
 
Hi Emma,

I agree with the guys...it could be an infection, or injection sites (or needles?).

Are they happening every day? I know you say there's no pattern on when in the day but are they every day? or maybe just some times of the month???

hope you feel better soon and get it sorted 🙂
 
Could be thyroid issues - or anaemia - or anything really.

How long since you tested your basal insulin dose(s) for accuracy?
 
One thing I have noticed is that i will check it 2 hours after a meal and it will be within range. Then when I come to the next meal time it's high and I can't explain why. That has happened a few times but it's not the only time it goes high. I'll have a meal that I have all the time and I know what to give myself for and I eat the same portion as normal and it'll be high. I've also had high's in the morning where I have checked it before bed it's within normal range and then I've checked it in the middle of the night and it's within range but when I wake up it's really high again for no aparant reason. In the last few weeks my lantus has gone from 26 units to 32 units.

It has happened a few days in a row and then they go back to normal again for a couple of days. Sometimes it's most of the day I struggle to get it down even with several corrections and others it'll just be the one high and then it'll go back to normal

I rotate from arms/tum/ bum and thighs.

Thank you for all the suggestions.
 
Emmal31 said:
One thing I have noticed is that i will check it 2 hours after a meal and it will be within range. Then when I come to the next meal time it's high and I can't explain why. That has happened a few times but it's not the only time it goes high. I'll have a meal that I have all the time and I know what to give myself for and I eat the same portion as normal and it'll be high. I've also had high's in the morning where I have checked it before bed it's within normal range and then I've checked it in the middle of the night and it's within range but when I wake up it's really high again for no aparant reason. In the last few weeks my lantus has gone from 26 units to 32 units.

It has happened a few days in a row and then they go back to normal again for a couple of days. Sometimes it's most of the day I struggle to get it down even with several corrections and others it'll just be the one high and then it'll go back to normal

I rotate from arms/tum/ bum and thighs.

Thank you for all the suggestions.
Click to expand...

it sounds like you are doing all the right things Emma...and you've already increased your lantus. I'd say you need to record every injection, blood test and what you eat for a couple of days and then speak to your DSN about other ideas.

Could possibly still be an infection... do you feel at all unwell?
 
What is this talk of some sites being dodgy etc? I have seen it mentioned a few times....they have only told me about tummy at the moment, I know as things go on that I will find out more, and I know you can use thighs etc - but does the tummy cause absorption issues or something??

Sorry you are having high readings, I agree with maybe recording everything and see if you can sus any patterns or not...? Hope you can get it sorted x
 
lauraw1983 said:
What is this talk of some sites being dodgy etc? I have seen it mentioned a few times....they have only told me about tummy at the moment, I know as things go on that I will find out more, and I know you can use thighs etc - but does the tummy cause absorption issues or something??

Sorry you are having high readings, I agree with maybe recording everything and see if you can sus any patterns or not...? Hope you can get it sorted x
Click to expand...

Sites can become 'dodgy' if you use them too much as it can lead to absorbtion issues. Injecting in the same place for too long can lead to lipohypertrophy which results in unpredictable absorbtion of the insulin.
 
And if it's really really bad you might be able to see or feel a bump or hollow, but usually, you can't notice anything. Except that 'that jab didn't do anything, I wonder why?'

That is one 'good' thing about pumping - because you continuously take all your inulin in one spot for 2 or 3 days you actually notice after a couple of hours that insulin isn't working so you can move the site. I could hardly remember where I'd had the last jab on MDI.
 
Northerner said:
Sites can become 'dodgy' if you use them too much as it can lead to absorbtion issues. Injecting in the same place for too long can lead to lipohypertrophy which results in unpredictable absorbtion of the insulin.
Click to expand...


I see. Thanks. I wondered about this for another reason too, I have a TONNE of stretchmarks from having my two little ones, it hurts on different bits of my tummy (I think because of this) and I wondered if because there is 'scarred' skin there, if it could cause any issues with absorption etc over time too....🙄
 
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