Hello, So I’ve heard that it is not recommended to take hot showers after receiving an insulin shot. Apparently it makes the insulin get into your blood faster. Is this true?
Also, say this is true and the child has to receive an extra dose of insulin because their blood levels are too high, but the child isn’t gonna eat anything, so you don’t dose for carbs. Would it be ok to take a shower then because you technically want the insulin to get to the blood sooner so the glucose can lower?
I enjoy a good hot bath but usually take mine before breakfast. Extreme heat such as in saunas can lower glucose - there was a time when people with diabetes were warned to avoid them for that very reason.
I do recall a friend with diabetes saying a hot shower worried nicely to lower hers, but I don’t know that you can measure how much the shower would cause someone to drop - is it 5 points a minute or 1 point every 10? I’ve never used it for lowering my number, but it could be something to discuss with your doctor about factoring in.
hi @arodric5002 a hot shower can “affect my blood sugar” in a variety of ways. first is the increased blood flow and uptake by cells warmed by the hot water. second, I have noticed that a hot shower reduces inflammation and in a way, increases my insulin sensitivity. For example, my infusion sets (I use a pump) don’t typically work well for the first 6 hours unless I take a hot shower, due to the irritation and small inflammation near the infusion site.
ok so what the heck? answer - everyone may see different results. use your tools, your blood meter and or CGM. if you take a shot and a shower makes you low… then take less insulin or eat more or don’t shower right then. Diabetes is a bit of a science experiment and if you are a good observer you will come to learn what happens when and why. that’s all you need to be successful.
taking a walk right after a meal (implies meal time bolus shot) causes me to go low if I took the full amount of insulin for that meal. so here’s what I do. I have an extra serving of fruit or I take less insulin. I do not “avoid walking”.
with a kid, your mileage may vary. being in a sauna or hot tub or hot shower only has an effect if I am less than 2 hours from taking my bolus (meal or correction shot). after that no effect. it might be easier to walk with a child then to prep them and clean up after a shower, my 9 year old HATES hot water so I can’t guess how it would all work.
there is a thing called a “correction” shot. this is where you are correcting for a high blood sugar and you are not eating anything. Please discuss how this works with your CDE, pediatrician or endocrinologist. If I am above 140 mg/dl, I may use a correction without eating to bring down my blood sugar.
Alexa @arodric5002, like “everything diabetes”, everyone needs to observe how different activities, foods, insulin type and dose, works on one’s own body. As @joe says, ‘diabetes is a bit of a science experiment’.
For me, I’ve found a correlation between the timing of a meal, insulin dose and the warmth of a shower. Many of my showers are late afternoon, after a day’s activity and before supper for which I take my standard insulin dose calculated by a consistent I:C ratio. My BGL following supper and insulin doesn’t appear to be affected one-way-or-another. However, on days I delay my shower until 9 PM, I often see a dramatic drop in BG from the time I suspend my pump until it is reattached 25 minutes later; my CGM transmits BGL directly to my pump.
Another example. Seventeen days ago I was injured and had very little activity for a week other than to get into my wife’s therapy hot [104 degrees F] tub on our lanai located 8 feet from the bedroom slider. I would have 25-30 minutes of movement therapy within an hour of breakfast with insulin, and my BGL would remain steady. This soaking di not apparently affect my glucose level. The science of this is puzzling me.
I’ve also noticed that my glucose level will drop if I take a hot shower.
Alexa,
Thanks for this topic! I have noticed drops in my BG when taking a “hot” shower and couldn’t figure out why. Now I know. It makes sense to me, because as living in Arizona has taught me, heat makes my sugar levels drop. Every year when the temperature starts going up I have to adjust my basals. So, heat from the shower having this effect makes sense!
Pam K.
Hello!
Good to know it helped you! I never thought hot temperature could also mess with diabetes. We are fairly new to this stuff. Good luck 