I know someone posted about this, but I searched and did not find it.
I had some major dental stuff and am on high doses of Amoxicylin. I cannot get my BG down. For example:
170 at bedtime; bolused to correct
10:30: 185 bolused 1.3 u to correct
5:30: 184 bolused 1.6 to correct
6:00: set a temp basal of 1 unit per hour, instead of the usual .6
8:30: 193 bolused 1.6 to correct
I have take 4.5 units of correction insulin since bedtime last night and still cannot get the BG down.
I take the amox in the morning (about 7 am) and in the evening (about 8 pm). I am slamming insulin with no effect and am afraid I will completely fall! Is it the drug that is doing this? The trauma of the surgery? The surgical drugs (sedatives)?
Any ideas or suggestions are greatly apprecitated. Thanks.
I would guess the surgery rather than the antibiotics. I have had antibiotics, including amoxicillan before with little apparent effect. I’m a bit apprehensive about surgery as I am having one in a couple of weeks.
It is hard to say whether it is the antibiotic or the surgery…I had Levaquin for a month and it did not seem to change things very much. It may be a case of "your diabetes may vary."
I had major surgery at the end of August to remove a kidney tumor (turned out to be benign, thank goodness), and was expecting major trouble with BG due to the surgery. It turned out not to have much effect other than I did need to lower my TDD (both basal and bolus) as I was not eating much for several days. The worst part was the poor control in the hospital…they just used regular insulin subcutaneously (instead of IV), were feeding in Dextrose IV, and were not very aggressive in controlling my BG…was running in the 200s most of the time. I was happy to get home and get back on my regular regimen.
When things change like this for me, I just test more often and make changes in both basal rates and bolus I:C until things work out…then when things start to go back to normal, slowly slide back over a period of a few days to what was working before.
I just cannot get a handle on this–first time I can remember since I have been paying attentiion. Raised to a temp basal of 1 unit, with correction as above. Got down to 77 at lunch. Ate a 22 carb meal, took the required 2.2 units and am now 223. I have bolused 3 units over the last 2 hours and my BG only goes up. I am starting to get scared.
I know you cannot fix this, but I really have no where to get any help, so I just cry on your shoulders. I am never high. (I am the authoer of “When do YOU freak out”) But this is becoming more and more of a problem. Maybe I just need to start all over: basals, correction (it has been taking a LOT more insulin to bring down a high) and carb ratio. Wait until off the amox, and until the weekend and take the plunge, I guess.
AND I am terrified to eat. Not much food over the weekend, due to the dental thing and now I am terrified to put food in my mouth. I am HUNGRY! Right now, life pretty much sucks!
I just got my diabetes forecast magazine and briefly scanned over an article re: antibiotics. Let me see if I can locate the article and I’ll sum it up for you/… it’ll be tomorrow though (sorry!).
Please don’t freak out (I read that thread quickly). I think lots of us with T1 would love to have your numbers.
My endo. says that even with “perfect” carb counting and accurate ratios going over 200 is going to happen with some frequency…there is that much variability in all kinds of other external factors. I don’t like it either…but I don’t let it freak me out and ruin my life. If it is consistent, I adjust ratios to try to bring the averages down. If it is a short term thing, I wopuldn’t freak out.
You’ve had this a lot longer than I have…but I remember I was scared to begin adjusting the insulin myself and was scared the first time I had to take 10 units to cover a meal, etc. (I was afraid I’d end up hypo) but eventually I got used to it and more comfortable.
On vacation I ate some creme brulee (along with a big multi-course meal) , must have misjudged the carb count, and ended up at 350. Was I unhappy ? Yes. But I didn’t freak out…I just bolused to correct and it came down.
I probably will be more careful in the future. It was a one time thing.
It may be that while you are on this medication or recovering from the surgery you might need a tighter ratio than the 1:10 you are using…
Just a thought from a guy who has had two prostatitis (nasty but diabetic cyclists get it, the infection of the prostate.) so the effect of infection in any form in the body will raise the BG levels. I have been on lots of different types of antibiotics and generally I have to increase my insulin by 25% to 30 % - if really nailed then a bit more. But I do use a CGM and will see that I have an infection a good two days ahead of symptoms presenting. The same with any attack on your inmume system (which, lets be honest is a little tired !!) - no doubt someone will be able to confirm this for you. But I tens to take a day off and start the antibiotic and deal with each three hour window and monitor. The once I have worked it out, leave higher basal for 3 days of a five day course. It will be different for all of us. I hope this helps, Its not the antibiotic _ its the bacteria, and the type.
Sorry, it’s Diabetes Self Management magazine and the article is on probiotics and prebiotics and their affect on counteracting antibitotics. I apologize for the misspeak; I did just skim over the article. I am sorry I cannot be of any help. I agree with other posters however, infections do tend to push up your BG levels.
