Something like that, is the medical meaning of Insulin Resistance. This seems to be what leads to Type 2 diabetes.
But I think we type 1's tend to lump a few things in as "insulin resistance" as a practical, or unbrella term. The three things I can think of are:
- insulin resistance, as described, your cells are resistant to insulin. I understand this can be chronic but also change hour to hour, eg, you can improve sensitivity by exercise
- lowered insulin absorption, eg from injection site, whether localised problems (like scarification) or general issues such as the problem of injecting/infusing as opposed to natural release. Also less useful or potent insulin might fit in here
- temporary heightened insulin requirements - can happen through the effect of stresses, those hormonal releases, liver dump, etc etc
Often it's impossible to know what is what, and for better or worse, insulin resistance seems to be a natural umbrella term for "insulin not working as planned"
I'm not sure on if it is useful or not to describe a process that acts like resistance but may not be. Not sure. Certainly worth trying to be more specific when we can, for diagnostic purposes.
In the case of driving for an hour, I would expect a wash of stress hormones being the cause. I don't know enough to say
if this stress problem would cause heightened insulin requirements, or instead, interfere with the body to utilise the insulin (ie, temporary, real resistance). Any smarties help with that one? This happens to me all the time, too.
As always, this is me blundering along in my thoughts and I am so happy to be corrected, I might learn something. I should put that in my sig.
