I can't seem to figure out why my blood sugar acts the way it does! It is always high. So, I figured I would ask all of you! Please help!
What kinds of food make it high? is it everything you eat or is it just certain foods? Are you getting the right amount of insulin?
That's all i can think of
For starters there are the obvious things: are your basals correct and also your I:C ratios (don't forget they can change during the day. Also, stress can affect you too as can getting ill with something. In my case, ambient temperature also affected me. I was always high in the summer and lower in the winter, although many folks are the opposite. I would change my pump settings usually in early April and mid September. Even small deviations in my exercise schedule could throw off my bs.
Don't forget that the settings that worked last year, may not be the same things year. Things are never static in our bodies. I ended up on about half the amount of insulin when I was in my 30s compared to when I was in my teens and early 20s. So don't be afraid to change your dosing. It doesn't mean things are getting "worse", just different.
I'm sure I'll think of other things that can affect my glucose too so I'll add them later. Oh wait, not sleeping well can make a difference too.
Cora
Pizza gets Riley BAD. She was at 387 last night 2 hours after eating it and with 9 units. She seems to be high more often than not these days due to puberty.
What affects blood sugar?
EVERYTHING!
Hormones, stress, food, exercise, that woman who cut you off on the way to work today. There are so many variables when it comes to maintaining a good glucose.
Nicole,
First, I agree with Pat (i had to put that first) and I would add allergies, time of day/night (body rhythm/cycle), for girls also time of month and the list goes on... Good record keeping is our best friend (and in cases like mine) our greatest nemesis, lol- the great thing about good records is that you can start finding the patterns.
For me, I have found that nothing works right unless/until I get my basals right. Your doctor should be able to work with you on how to test and adjust that - and there are great online resources, too... As a rule, it is easier for me to find the patterns once that underlying stability is fixed - but all in all it is still a lot of trial and error... I always tell folks I am my own favorite science project/video game (now with the CGM and pump) - good luck and as you get things figured out, share 'em with us!
Cheers!
A-D
i also agree with pat.
anything and everything affects my blood sugar. I'm going to be doing another round of basal / I:C ratio checks once daylight savings rolls around. That one lousy hour can just throw everything off!
For myself, when i notice that my numbers are continually higher, i get super frustrated and test less often than i should. BUT to bring the numbers down, there is really no better way to figure out what's going on than to MONITOR, MONITOR, MONITOR that blood sugar.
It's just information on that screen...Not a measure of how "good" of a diabetic you are!
Temperature affects blood sugar. Especially if you've just given a bolus/injection and then, for instance, you take a hot shower...Being nervous around performing for me also requires constant sugar consumption. Eating really refined flour and little protein (like at camp) = the worst blood sugar disaster ever!
What Sarah said is so true. While the numbers can be frustrating, you can't let them hurt your diligence, even if they hurt you physically and emotionally.
Keep in mind that insulin absorption also plays a role. First, some places just are not great for absorbig insulin. Second, some places are good, but if you give shots in the same place all the time, the tissue will break down and not absorb well. This means that you need to make sure to give the shots in the best places and to rotate.
I have the same problem with my blood sugars always being high!! It gets soo frustrating because you feel like you're doing everything you can to keep your glucose in range, and then you get a "bad" number on your meter. I watch what I eat, and I've definitely noticed that stress can make it go up too.
All you can really do is keep an eye on it to make sure your blood sugars aren't rising. I don't know what I hate worse: when my blood sugar is high or low! It's just a constant roller coaster, and I just try to not let it get to me...
Thanks all of you for your input, and please keep it coming! I notice heat tends to make it higher, if I'm not very active, but if I'm active at all, it goes low. any meal above 60 carbs tend to send it up too, but I'm not good at recording things, so it's hard to tell. It is very true for me in that i get really upset when i see high numbers and it makes me not want to test, and also to take huge not calculated shots. I also have a big issue with measuring. I love to eat, and i hate taking the time to measure everything, and it gets very difficult to do at restaurants and school. any more advice anyone?
hmm well the way i control my blood sugar is taking one or more units extra of humalog to keep my sugars decent( if i have a high before i eat).
Hahahah this makes me laugh " the women who cut you off on the way to work "
yes the adrenaline from someone cutting you off would spike the blood sugar haha