Progesterone.

[zelack]

I'm on a ten day pill to get my womanhood back--just progesterone. I'm eating about the same, but my blood sugars have been pretty elevated (after meals in the 140-190 range, even when I start the meal borderline hypo; my basals are up AGAIN about two units, from 20 to almost 22, and I'm terribly scared of weight gain with the addition of that to food and correction boluses). I feel very out-of-it and the blood sugars naturally don't help. I'm away from home currently so sticking to a very low carb diet is not feasible; and the added insulin is really freaking me out because, as much as I use, I still get the spike and am having elevated sugars at night when just last week I'd be at 75 or 80 until breakfast. I'm so frustrated with increasing my insulin and worrying that I'm going to put on lots of weight eating the same amount; and even more frustrated that my blood sugars are suddenly so unpredictable.

Will things settle down once I'm back off this pill (another six days)? I know it's not at all healthy to be swinging between 80 and the mid to high hundreds all day, but I really can't get a grasp on things and I feel so defeated between the loss of control and the weight worries. I feel like I can't catch a break this week!

[zoelula]

I'm sorry, Zelack, I can't answer the question about progesterone and blood sugars, but I feel the need to comment on something I have read a couple times on here. It is a misconception that insulin PER SE makes us gain weight. Insulin is not fattening. Being on a higher dose of insulin does not mean more weight gain. The reason so many people gain weight when they start on insulin is because they are no longer losing protein in the urine. So eating the same amount, their body utilizes those calories and they go to fat.

If I understand this process correctly, when someone is using insulin but still suffering from high blood sugar they are not going to gain weight.

I understand your concern about weight gain as I am a little nutsy on that subject myself. Now that I am on insulin I know that in addition to altering my diet for better blood sugar control (and so I can take less insulin) I need to cut back my overall caloric intake and increase my exercise, not to lose weight but to maintain.

I'm sorry you are having a rough time but I wanted to reassure you a bit so you have one less thing to worry about.
zoe

[LancetChick]

I can always tell when progesterone levels are peaking in me because insulin resistance can cause my insulin needs to double sometimes, although it isn't usually that bad. Then it goes back to normal, so expect that to happen when you go off the pill. The good thing about a pill causing insulin resistance is that it's predictable, so with a little practice you should be able to maintain level blood sugars while having your insulin requirements vary considerably. If you're eating the same as before (including what you eat to treat lows), the extra insulin won't cause weight gain, but I gotta say that progesterone makes me really hungry, and I always gain a little bit of weight during a progesterone bender for that reason.

[mazea]

Progesterone has always doubled my blood sugar levels. When I started the pill I needed to double my novorapid and Levemir. As soon as I came off the pill I needed to half my insulin. WheN I became pregnant progesterone levels are high for the first 12 weeks I had to double my insulin, when I reached 12 weeks I had to half it again.
I think it might be because my pancreas is still working (1.5) and my pancreas stops when I have progesterone.:)
It will go back to normal but in the mean time monitoring A LOT is very helpful.