I recently hurt my back and while I don't usually take meds to manage pain, I opted in this time and am taking both Oxycodone and Valium (and ibuprofen). I've noticed that I've had pretty useless boluses since taking hte meds. Every now and then I bolus and see my bg drop appropriately, but mostly it just goes up as if I didn't bolus at all, and I'm hesitant to just keep correcting--what if it all finally kicks in!?
Admittedly with the back injury I'm pretty sedentary so I can't exercise to jump start my metabolism. I find it very frustrating of course. I'm coming off of two consecutive A1c's of 5.7, so having my bg basically sitting at 200 for days straight is driving me crazy!
Anybody know if it is the drius, or just the combination of not moving much, and probably high cortisol activity due to the injury? Ay tips to get around this? The frustration from the pain and inability to do things is more than enough for me. I really would like to not have the mental agitation added in.
Pain in itself is an inflammation and can be a stress on your body causing the release of hormones like cortisol which can cause high blood sugars and insulin resistance. I'm not aware of either Oxycodone or Valium causing high blood sugar.
I agree with Brian. It is much more likely the pain and stress itself as well as the lack of exercise. Have you altered your basal rates until this period of stress and pain is over? (Which I hope is soon!)
I take Valium from time to time and haven't noticed that. Steroids are really problematic and make us very insulin resistant, so perhaps the opiates are having a similar effect. Is there any information in the pharmaceutical documentation that came with your prescription?
I used Oxycodone for a few months in 2012-2013 while recovering from knee replacement surgery. My BG was not affected, but I was going through physical therapy and also going to the gym for workouts that did not hurt my knees. The exercise may have been part of the reason that I did not have high BGs.
So normal. I know that for me to be in pain and having to be labile means an increase of basal rates by 15% or so just to start. It also lowers my insulin to carb ratio. What I learned after surgery was to look at a 24 hour period and see how much compensatory bolus was for highs. Then, I would add that to my 24 hr basal rate, being careful of course to divide the total by 24 hours. Remember that this is temporary and be kind to yourself. you do not need the additional stress of "being a bad diabetic because of bad numbers." Hang in there!! What you are experiencing is Type 1. Hope this helps.
I took Oxycodone for almost a year, I cannot say the drug elevates my BG but I did have a much higher TDD, and I did use more correction insulin during times when my pain was high. ....
As a result of D, I had 13 teeth extracted in early 2013. After Dx and starting tight control last May, I've had a series of heavy duty (6-8 hrs
on novocaine) dental surgeries to restore bone and place posts for implants.
I take hydrocodone (generic vicodin) for a few days after these. I don't see any effect on insulin sensitivity in this brief period, but I do find I have to up my carb (and hence insulin) intake. Low carb/high fat meals that I would normally enjoy literally do not stay down if I am taking narcotics. Narcotics tend to shut down digestive function, and I think low carb meals take more energy to digest.
Possibly being immobile is affecting your needed basal. Maybe raising it very slowly and cautiously would help.
