Springtime highs - Type 1

Type 1 and LADA
#1

every spring (at least around this time each year) for the past three years my BG's have gone crazy for about a week.

Some background, I am a 15 year Type I, 45 years old, tightly controlled, my last 3 a1c's were 5.8, 6.0. 6.0. I use a pump with Novolog and a Dexcom, eat a paleo/low carb diet (about 50g carbs a day, no grains, dairy or legumes) and average 18-20 units of insulin a day total (basal and bolus). I consider anything over 140 high and anything under 60 low - and spend the majority of my day within those boundaries.

It started again yesterday, my BG's have been in the mid to high 200's without eating anything different (low carb paleo for the past 3 years). My body becomes extremely resistant to insulin, yesterday my daily total was 35 units - nearly double what I normally need and I never went below 200. This morning - still fasting from dinner last night - I am over 250 and have taken more than 6 units of insulin and ran two miles with no change. I feel fine, not sick. I've changed insulin and sites multiple times when this happens and it doesn't help.

If the pattern holds this will happen for the next week and then things will go back to normal - but why? what is going on? Is it some weird allergy that doesn't have any normal symptoms?

Does anyone else have this happen to them?

#2

I don't have a direct answer for you but do have a few comments. Human beings have been exposed to night/day and seasonal planetary rhythms during our long evolution. It makes sense that our body rhythms take cues from our external environment. One of the antidotes that multi-time zone travelers use to treat jet lag is to expose themselves to the sun for at least a few hours when they arrive at their destination. The sun is a powerful stimulant to reset our circadian rhythm. I suspect we also respond to seasonal variations as well.

I was diagnosed with a stomach ulcer when I was a teenager. The diagnosis came in March. I have noticed a definite pattern to stomach problems recurring in March, not every year but too many to not notice a pattern.

Since you have ruled out a possible infection or a bad infusion site, you may conclude that each spring your body produces a spurt of counter-regulatory hormones that create insulin resistance and difficult control. This re-occurance for three years in a row does make this a trend.

Your awareness of this trend permits you try some counter-actions. If it were me, I would experiment with some intermittent fasting when this spring BG pattern presents itself. Perhaps one or two 24 hour fasts will produce desirable results.

Your control is excellent. I look forward to updates about this situation. Good luck.

#3

Are you a pumper? Or using MDI? Do you CGM?

Since you can see that this is a pattern for you with spring temp and light changes have you considered using a temporary basal rate for this time frame? I know when I'm sick a temporary basal rate increase helps keep my numbers in range. The same thing works for monthly hormone cycles. The same thing can work in this situation.

Just curious, does it correspond to the daylight saving time time shift? My son has a disrupted internal time clock, and time shifts wreck major havoc with his wake sleep cycle. DST changes upset all of his normal cycles and it takes about a week for him to get back in sync.

If this is what is happening to you then you can expect it to take about a week to settle down. If you use a temp rate and CGM you can see when it is time to drop/taper back to your normal basal rate.

#4

Hi. I can only say that within my now 51 years of T1, seasonal weather changes have always been a problem: I get high BGs when the weather changes--fall and spring, mostly. (We, however, are expecting rain, sleet, and up to 5 inches of snow tomorrow...)

I agree with Terry that you have great control. However I would advise that you relax and let this pass. It will, I promise you. You can fast, correct, whatever, but your body is still going to do its thing. Just let it. A few high BG readings will not have a major long range effect, but lows caused by fasting and correction might.

#5

I just have had the same phenomenon these past few
days. No amount of bolusing or fasting in March will decrease my BG s…I have had this for several years and am convinced it is a spring allergy.

.

#6

I am Type 1 for 33 years now, its strange how little information is available for seasonal changes, if a cold or flu affects our blood sugars than weather and allergies should also. Most people get less sunlight in Winter and that does affect the body and blood sugars.