Right, we all know about the southern heat wave of the US right now… Anyway, yesterday it was about 104 and my family and I were looking at travel trailers, all of which weren’t hooked up to have the air on, so it was like a sauna in each of them. I’ve had this happen before but the circumstances for yesterday were that I had, had a very carby lunch, but I was very low when I woke up. 48, to 43, to 60 before lunch.
Anyway, we were looking at campers for over an hour, went into a good many of them and left. Cool off in the car, go home. Not thirty minutes after getting home, I look at my CGM and it says I’m over 200. I test. 289. I figured with all of the walking I would go low because, that’s normally what happens. But I’ve gone high after being in the heat for a while before.
Is anyone having this problem, and/or have any suggestions on what to do for those days I end up being outside in the triple digit heat, to keep myself from going high? Does anyone know why this could be happening?
Hey Jessie - I always go the opposite in heat/humidity (wrote about that in my blog last week). I find it so annoying - as I’m sure you are finding having high BG’s annoying! Sorry I can’t help you.
How long were you in the heat? What kind of insulin do you use? Insulin brands have various temp cutoffs as to when they start going bad. Apidra is the lowest at about 77degrees (which makes no sense to me as to why it is marketed for pump users. Don’t they know we aren’t in A/C 24/7?)
My doc told me that there are some people who have to totally go off of insulin pumps during the summer because of the heat. You may want to check with your doc about getting an insulin with a higher heat tolerance or going on shots temporarily if you know you’re going to be outside much. (i.e., vacation days, etc…)
I’m on Humalog, and on a pump. My pump does get a little warm in the heat, so I usually go inside as soon as it starts feeling warm. I thought about my insulin going bad, but it’s still working for me today, which would kind of cross out the “going bad option”, or so I would think.
It’s a good suggestion, I don’t think I was dehydrated though. And yes, I got back into range within an hour thanks to an injection and no carb dinner. Thanks for the suggestion though.
In my opinion unless you are working construction in 100 degree heat the insulin that one uses in their pump is most likely not going to fail within 3 days of use. Especially considering most people are going to be in an A/C cooled car, work building and house not to mention if insulin were that sensitive to slight increases in heat than having an insulin pump next to your body all day long would definitely cause failure.
Other reasons could be an air bubble in your line, incorrect bolusing, the pizza effect (carbs and fat and delayed onset of the carbs hitting your system) bad infusion site to name a few.
I’m in the Morgantown area of West Virginia working construction. Two weeks ago we were re-roofing a large complex and I’m sure the temps on the roof were around 100. I use an insulin pump with humalog and would only get about 2 days out of it before it would quit being effective. I have had several spikes after a day of work where corrections from my insulin pump wouldn’t bring the highs down. I defiantly think it can be attributed to the insulin ‘spoiling’ because of the heat.
Actually, there is a cop in town that has to go off his pump during the summer because the heat under his vest causes his insulin to not work. He can change it and an hour after being in the heat, it doesn’t work anymore. Gets a shot from the vial in the fridge, and he’s comin down. SO… yes, heat does have something to do with it. It’s not something to laugh about. Just glad you’ve never been stuck in that situation and not been able to get insulin and gone seriously high. Trust me, from personal experience as well, it’s not fun.
My sugars drop like a rock also while in the heat. I think that we are in the minority though. I’ve heard so many say that their sugars rise when they are in the heat too long. My Insulin is usually kept cool so I can’t comment on it being spoiled by the heat in a shorter time span, although anything is possible.
As you were low in the morning your liver might have counteracted what caused the high at lunch. I think what usually is responsible for lows when it is hot, is that some of the metabolism processes are accelerated. The insulin is than ‘quicker’, than the food. Maybe also the glucose from your food reached your blood when you had already ‘used the insulin up’ with whatever you took to treat the low and therefore you got high.
(Does anyone understand what I want to say…? Sorry for my bumbling English.)
Your English is Good. Yes, all your comments are possibilities. This one is for sure with me. “I think what usuallyis responsible for lows when it is hot, is that some of the metabolism processes are accelerated”. My sugars lower at the warmer shower setting also.
I can go either direction in the Texas heat, which is averaging around 102 this week. I know if I’m in the heat, I will skyrocket or plummet, depending on…who knows? I got so sick at my brother’s outdoor summer wedding a few years ago - sugar was in the 400s. I’ve seen it happen both ways, just like you. I agree that stress hormones are probably a factor. Lows are more common, but highs CAN and do happen from heat.
I always try to check to make sure my insulin didn’t get direct sun, make sure any pump infusion sets are adhered well, make sure I’m hydrated well, etc. I make sure my hands are clean and dry when I test. But I am with you - never know whether I will run low or high on days when I’m out in the elements like that. The lows supposedly happen because of increased bloodflow, better insulin absorption, increased physical activity outdoors, etc. The highs? I can only assume it’s some physiological insulin resistance issue from adrenaline, stress, etc.
