Lots of high readings?

silverfrost · #1 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 05:27 PM

Hello, everyone. I'm posting because today has been pretty bad reading-wise. My sugar will not leave the 200-250 area, despite taking the proper amount of insulin. (In fact, the third time I found it high, I overshot just a bit, and it somehow ended up even higher.) I'm not doing anything different from what I normally do, my insulin is not expired or anything... I'm not eating unusual foods with excessive carbs either... I'm just not sure what's going on.

My diabetic educator told me a little while ago that illness can cause the body to produce a lot more sugar, but I certainly don't feel sick other than from the symptoms of the hyperglycemia I've been experiencing. So does anyone have any insight on what else might be happening?

I'm relatively new to this, as I was just diagnosed with Type 1 in May of this year. I haven't experienced this type of thing without a more obvious reason before (usually I miscalculate and know why in the end, but this time, it's not like that...), so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Penny · #2 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 05:45 PM

Sometimes there just is no explanation. Usually if I have a day or two like that, I have a couple of days follow it when I have trouble keeping my numbers up. My numbers were all over the place for a couple of days, then yesterday I did not feel well, and it is getting worse today. Maybe you are working up to something.

I hope not, and I hope things calm down soon.

ant hill · #3 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 06:03 PM

Hello and welcome to DF. Diabetes is not just an overnight understanding and you will be asking a lot more questions on how why is this so. So hence this web site.

Harold · #4 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 06:54 PM

First thing I'll ask you, do you feel like your running that high? If not then check you meter and strips for the correct coding. Also strips can become contaminated so try a different vial of strips. Now if you do feel like your running high then try a different vial of insulin. Sometimes they expire early. There is no way you could know what the vial as been exposed to before it was in you hands. All of that aside it could be you have a low grade infection or early into getting ill or fighting off an illness. Then it could be the seasons changing and many taking insulin report a change in insulin sensitivity with the start of Spring or Fall.

RobiJo · #5 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 06:59 PM

Check for Ketones. You need MORE insulin when you have ketones. Keep testing every hour or two to monitor and be careful not to stack your insulin. (Covering the high with insulin every hour would do this and you will crash)

Even if your meter is reading high...if you are taking insulin to cover and weren't really that high, you'd be feeling low. If your not, the readings are probably pretty accurate.

iDream · #6 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 07:30 PM

Wait a bit after the meal, 2-3 hours, check, if above 200 still, correct it (no food, just insulin), test in 2 hours.

silverfrost · #7 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 08:17 PM

I did feel quite high, yes. I was very tired and dehydrated. I might try switching insulin pens just in case.

I also tried taking a corrective dose two hours after eating, and it seemed to work well. Although, now I need a snack, and I'm going to eat something that won't send my sugar flying high again.

I'll keep testing and drinking tons of water. Thank you all

tanyatype1 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 09:07 PM

Hi there Silverfrost! (cute name btw) Since you were only diagnosed in May, maybe you're "honeymoon" stage is coming to an end and you're going to need more insulin overall. (Not sure if you've been high just today or more frequently.) Welcome to this awesome site!

ngueld · #9 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 10:34 PM

Those kinda days suck...there's really no explanation...you should be back to normal the next day. If you're like this for awhile you should up your dose of long acting insulin.

It could be hormones or something. For me I tend to be a little higher a day after being inactive or eating more than usual.

silverfrost · #10 (**permalink**) 10-16-2007, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tanyatype1

Hi there Silverfrost! (cute name btw) Since you were only diagnosed in May, maybe you're "honeymoon" stage is coming to an end and you're going to need more insulin overall. (Not sure if you've been high just today or more frequently.) Welcome to this awesome site!

Hello

Yeah, I was thinking my honeymoon stage might still be happening up until now... If it continues to remain high, I'm going to call my Endo and see what she recommends as far as increasing insulin.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ngueld

Those kinda days suck...there's really no explanation...you should be back to normal the next day. If you're like this for awhile you should up your dose of long acting insulin.

It could be hormones or something. For me I tend to be a little higher a day after being inactive or eating more than usual.

I experience the same thing, especially days during which I'm inactive. In fact, I had to change dosage once I came back to college this semester. All that running around to class made me have lots of scary hypos because I wasn't used to doing that much. So yeah... maybe lounging around on the weekends has done some damage the opposite way.

xMenace · #11 (**permalink**) 10-16-2007, 06:21 AM

One thing to be aware of as time goes on is the tendency to have different apsorption rates from different sites. After some years scar tissue will add to the problem. I've had caass where that large first correction that didn't do anything kick in many hours later. II now make it a point to wake up in the night and test in these situations.