First, thanks for all the welcoming comments from everyone. I feel very welcome.
Second, I was wondering if anyone else had the same problem I had all day today. I’m sure many of you have, but it’s driving me nuts.
I couldn’t go to class today because my sugar was too high to be sitting up completely, much less driving a half an hour to school. I checked and bolused every hour, checked my ketones every time I used the bathroom and took a couple of regular shots according to my ketone amount. I got everything back down to normal, except my sugar. My ketones were negative, I changed my site three times, and I altogether didn’t FEEL high anymore.
So, what’s the deal? I just checked about an hour ago and my sugar was still in the 400s. I don’t understand. I did everything I’m supposed to, I feel fine, and I have no ketones. How can my blood sugar still be so high?!
Earlier I was feeling low, and I thought, “yes! this is it! finally!” However, when I checked my blood sugar, it was 354. I didn’t eat anything, I just layed down feeling low. I fell asleep and when I woke up I immediately felt shaky. That never happens to me. I could be 38 and I wouldn’t feel like it until 15-20 minutes after I woke up. So, I checked again and I was 290. I decided to just eat something anyway. I was beginning to not trust my meter.
So I started using another one, and I’m STILL getting high readings. I don’t know what to do anymore. I can’t keep giving myself insulin or someone is going to have to use my glucagon, I’m afraid.
Your current condition is serious. Please consult your medical team immediately. Your A1c in combination with your current numbers makes it very likely that you are in DKA. I know this is what the ketone test is for but still this should be ruled out. In DKA you will have very high insulin resistance and you will need infusions.
What type of insulin pump do you use? Do you think the pump is still working properly?
I am sure that you know that when your blood sugar gets very high your situation can become serious. What you may not realize (and you need to read Holger’s note carefully), you will see part of the reason you can have difficulty restoring normal blood sugars is that you become insulin resistant. High blood sugars (and high insulin levels) cause insulin resistance. If you calculate what would normally be a proper correction, it will fall short of what is needed to restore normal blood sugars.
Of particular concern in your comment is that you felt “low” and shaky, fell asleep and then was high. You very well could have (finally) overcorrected had a low and then counterregulated and gone high yet again. This would just stack further upon your problems of insulin resistance.
Please be careful Kelsey. I do think Holger is right, you need to call you medical team. Call your medical team, diabetes center or your student health services. It is preferable not to drive, just call a cab. If you have actually counterregulated, glucagon won’t work and the consequences of a low can be quite bad.
I also think that you should go to the ER or at least call your endocrinologist.
Did you try changing EVERYTHING? When I have highs that I can’t explain, I change my insulin in my pump and my infusion set. I usually give my correction by injection to make sure that I get it.
Also, it is possible (given the heat) that your insulin went bad. You should ask your doctor if he can give you a new vial or if you still have a prescription and can get someone to get it, then get some new insulin fresh from the pharmacy.
Still I think that going to the doctor as soon as possible is best. This can be dangerous.
Sounds like you aware of what has to be done and since you’ve done it there is one more thing. You could have some type of virus that’s causing you problems internally. Having low grade inflammation can cause havoc with your bs.
Is your insulin cloudy? This is the time of the year when insulin can be subjected to extreme heat when shipped, if this is the case you may be taking something that will not be effective.
Try the control solution on the meter.I had something like this happen to me whe I was in third grade.I felt very low and my meter said i was like 180.I passed out not even 3 minutes after leaving the school nurses office.Turned out my meter wasn’t properly calibrated. Definately contact your doc.My experience has taught me you can’t always trust your equipment, sometimes you have to go with your instinct.
Nothing is more frustrating than a chronic high sugar – even when you are feeling like it’s getting down again ;( Even worse? Treating and getting little or no results! I’ve had the phenomenon of feeling low when I’m still in the 200s. Reason being? Symptoms of hypoglycemia are not based on a number, per se. Hypoglycemia is a relative response. So if you were in the 400s before you had symptoms - it’s perfectly normal that you would’ve felt that way as your sugar started to come down.
As for the daily high – by any chance did you have any caffeine or any type of medicine (antibiotics) that might have attributed to the high? I’m not sure but that would be my first guess. Not fair, I know. Caffeine saves lives every day! If the workforce could not have caffeine – studies show a decline in proclivity of up to 60%!!
What about a bad vial of insulin? Have you had it out in the heat? Sometimes my sons will run high for no reason and within the next day or 2 he comes down with a cold. Sometimes it is an indicator that he is getting sick. I usually call the endocrinologist after I have tried everything for some direction. Also, check your meter with the solution that comes with it.
