Hello all! I am not well (flu - yuck). I generally need more insulin when I’m sick, but today has been a little frustrating. I have doubled my basal rates just to keep everything under 200! I don’t think it has anything to do with bad insulin or malfunctioning pump - I’m just needing more insulin from being sick. I’m wondering if people have similar experiences when they are sick - do you generally have to greatly increase your insulin? Thanks!
Yes, this happens to me with some illnesses, especially the flu. As if the flu wasn’t bad enough we have to deal with that frustration as well!!! Basically, your immune system is releasing inflammatory molecules to fight the bug, but these same molecules can decrease your sensitivity to insulin, which is why your bg goes high and your insulin needs go up. My experience is very similar to yours, doubling the basal just barely brings it under 200 even when I’ve had very little to eat…constant correction boluses…but I’m usually afraid to turn it up much higher because I have an even harder time sensing lows when I’m sick:)
Yes, same here. The only time this didn’t happen was when I was taking an antibotic that sent me so low that I barely took insulin at all. That was a strange experience.