sigh, i want to know if it happens to you guys. but my bgs are always high before period starts, (even if i am already eating a low carb diet, and exercising)
and it could be high for a whole week… my doctor think that it’s quite common, and suggests me to inject more, but i’m always reluctant to do so, i always feel like i have already injecting more insulin than i should, and of course i am scared of gaining more weight ( i mean apart from appearance, that can’t be a good thing too right? )
the good thing is it will pass, and i will feel all good and happy after period starts (and even get some slight hypos once pms is over)… perhaps i need to adjust my pre, and post menstruation insulin dosage… but it’s just so frustration :’( i just can’t wait till this is over >.<
Happens to me. Took me about 6 months of tracking period days with blood sugar changes to figure out on what day of my cycle it would usually start. I run a temp basal of 20% more for about the last 10 days of my cycle. A pump makes that pretty easy to manage. But I also have to restrict my carbs more than usual because I get really resistant. Without the increased insulin my bg’s are sky high. .
I’m so glad to hear that I’m not alone, months after months it’s pretty obvious that i get really resistant before period starts, but sometimes it continues to be high even after period starts, and sometimes not, it’s just all very mysterious (I’m only diagnosed a bit more than a year)
And I feel like I get hungry easier pms, which make things worse sigh…
Yes, it happens to me. I have to adjust not only my basal rates (I just adjust them all upwards, I don’t change the overall pattern) but also all my ratios. And it doesn’t always start on exactly the same day, either. And then either a day or two before, during, or a day after my period I get “The Drop” where everything suddenly returns to baseline and I have to rapidly lower all my settings. I don’t keep as detailed records as I should, but with a pump and CGM it’s much easier to keep on top of.
Happens to me too. When I’m not pregnant (i currently am), it happens to me a couple days before my period actually starts. My BGs increase sometimes a big jump, sometimes not. Then usually lasts 2-3 days, then my BGs go down a couple days before my period ends. Pretty much same situation as @Jen. I have to adjust basals and some carb ratios on my pump then quickly adjust them back. This is where documenting numbers is very helpful. I usually carry an index card at all times in my glucometer carrier with all my pump numbers. Periods are a funny thing. I’ve noticed it kind of depends on how much stress your body experiences while on it. If I’m in a lot of pain, my BGs are way higher, if not, then they are slightly higher.
If I’ve been working out a lot, my BGs are a lot higher due to more stress + PMS. Many variables to consider when thinking about all of this stuff.
Oh the joys of diabetes and being a woman!
Busybee
Wow! I wish mine was only a couple of days. More like 10 days or two weeks… Before I started on a CGM I was spending about half of every month super high. I definitely agree that there are variables that contribute to the variability (haha).
Ugh. Every. single. month. So frustrating! My blood sugar will rise in weird and unexpected ways (but also not consistently) about 10 days before the start of my period. I also suffer from horrible Dawn Phenomenon in those days too, and become very insulin resistant. I too experience a weird drop right before or after my period starts but sometimes will still have some odd numbers even during my period. I also eat low carb, but I noticed that I can even fast, and my BG will still be higher than normal.
It makes me worried for when menopause will happen. I wonder if men out there with T1D even realize how lucky they are.
Awww so nice to hear from you all, even though it’s an extremely unpleasant thing we are talking about, there are better months and worse ones but yes, the insulin insensitivity period can last up to ten days or two weeks, which is really frustrating !!! Well at least we can hope that it passes…
well, I cannot take any credit for it! Let me say that i think it largely depends on how long a woman’s period lasts. My mom always had longer, heavier periods. I never did. My period usually lasts 6 days at the most.
I have had some wicked highs. If I go out for fast food as a treat with my family a couple days before my period, I can be up in the mid 200’s in a wink. Its horrible. I’m normally not like that. Staying hydrated during my period really helps my BGs and overall health. I have to be very careful of my diet while on my period. My BGs are sensitive to diary, fatty foods, carbs, everything except protein. I’m not on a low carb diet normally but like a medium level of carbs. When I’m on my period, i’m on low carb.
Totally agree, diabetic men don’t know how good they got it!
My periods are quite a bit shorter (2-3 days). Before I started on a CGM it wasn’t uncommon for me to get BGs in the 300s and 400s if I didn’t respond fast enough (which is hard, because it happens extremely suddenly for me, sometimes in two phases, though). And if I am late in responding, I spend the rest of the two weeks or so high. I thought I was crazy until I saw it on a CGM, first on a trial run of a CGM in 2009 (which was one where I didn’t get to see the results until after it was disconnected), and then when I got my Dexcom in 2015. It was then that I saw, yep, my insulin needs really can change drastically and literally overnight without any changes on my part. I usually have to change my insulin doses (all pump settings) by about 25% throughout the month.
I try to limit carbohydrates during those weeks, too. But it’s even harder because it’s during that time that I really want all the junk food that I normally don’t crave!
Oh my goodness, I totally know that feeling! All I want to do is eat chocolate, candy and fast food!
Its horrible. And why is it that during my period, my defenses seem to be at their worst, agh!
hey girls, this month i am really trying, not to fall for all those cravings, hoping that things will be better. but pms high is still high, i am like a week before my period starts, and just now my bg was 342 (two hours after lunch, i ate and exercise as normal…)
maybe i really should increase both my bolus and basal, i have been soooo reluctant, because i’ve been really scared of putting on more weight (my doctor thinks i am still in a good range, i was diagnosed 1.5 years ago, gained around 8 lbs since then, but lost around 30 lbs right before Dx…) sigh…
I hear you on the PMS thing - for me it is at least a week beforehand, but it’s not always the same. Don’t stress the weight too much - it’s a pain and it’s not fun, but - you lost a lot of weight prior to dx because your body was literally eating itself. Weight gain after dx is - to a certain extent - your body going to back to what was healthy - you sound like you’re past that initial weight regain stage at 1.5 years. Added to which, the damage of having really high bg all the time is going to be much worse than an extra few pounds.
However, at 1.5 years, you might also be moving out of the honeymoon phase - which means you are going to have to up your basals anyway. (Just for info: My day time basals almost doubled when the honeymoon phase ended - and it was almost overnight. I didn’t put on any more weight as a result of the increased insulin).
I have found that really really dark chocolate helps with cravings. I have a square or two with a cup of decaf coffee, and i feel much better!! It’s low carb (make sure you get the right one, mine is 92% cacao with 13g carb per 100g - so 2 squares is like 3g) and quite rich/ bitter, so i don’t eat too much of it.
Yes. Just yes. My hormones and my period are erratic, but I always know it’s coming when my BGs rise. I have to do temp rates anywhere from 110% - 200% for half a day to several days at a time. I also need more to cover my food. My pump and CGM combined have been a god send for my monthlies as I can watch carefully and adjust as needed. It’s a little scary walking around with twice as much basal insulin than I normally need, but I can at least see when it starts to drop and adjust accordingly.
Worse is craving food because of PMS combined with the hunger of a high BG… I may be found in a coma one of these days, covered in chocolate and mac ‘n’ cheese.
I think PMS insulin resistance is associated with the post-ovulation rise in progesterone (and possibly estrogen?), which are known to cause insulin resistance. I definitely see resistance after ovulating each month and (am MDI) increase my Lantus dose slightly. It usually helps, but nothing is perfect and I think that whatever hormones my body kicks out each month can vary dramatically. I wind up chasing highs with Humalog. It stinks in general, but especially in trying to figure out BG control! Totally with you… Jessica
