My BG readings are all over the place. Yesterday was a dream: I flatlined at around 100 Saturday night and had a mellow BG day. Simple dinner--ham, grilled veggies and a peach, covered with normally adequate insulin.
Woke up this morning at 132, corrected. Corrected an additional 2X and was still 150 at noon. Ate. I hate to eat when my BG is wonky, but I did and it was a very carefully calculated 32 carbs--something I eat frequently and have no problems with. Nothing to eat all day but that lunch. Then it went completely nuts:
Changed the pump out on Saturday and am about to do it again with the newest vials of insulin. Meter reading is currently 210.
Hmmm, I haven't run into this that much but, when stuff like this happens, I'll usually use a site I don't use much (like the "love handle" area...) and go with it and turn my basal up to 200% until it goes down. Sometimes, it'll happen quickly and sometimes it may take a bit longer.
If my site acts stale, even if its freshly installed, I've been pulling the plug sooner rather than later. In those cases I like to inject my corrections with a syringe so I can be confident that the insulin is delivered. I like AR's idea of starting up the new site with a temp basal +% -- it'll make up for the lost basal from the poorly absorbing old site. BG vigilance is the key there.
A poorly absorbing site is a likely cause but you should also check the reservoir/infusion set connection and smell for insulin. Also check the site connection for any moistness.
Sometimes you just can't reach a definitive conclusion - you just have to do something new, monitor closely and move on.
When I was having a lot of trouble with my Medtronic pump this Spring, it turned out that days like yours were sometimes caused by a reservoir problem. I'd be getting some insulin but not enough and there was a very faint smell of insulin on the pump. What was confusing was that the sites would be fine... I should add that AR was the person who really pointed me in the right direction with that problem.
I SO want a definitive conclusion.. I am SO tired of all this ..... I just want to live and be happy.
I switched out on Saturday night and was working great through Sunday. Today it all sucks. After 10 years, maybe I am running out of good sites. Shut the CGM down for an hour (maybe the readings were hinky,) and will go to bed soon at 152 meter reading with 1.6 units on board--which should lower my BG 170 points. Sleep?
I am in a bad, self absorbed place....
AR, tell me about turning the basal rate up. How do you determine when and how much? I have only done it for steroids, and it was very successful. But when how do I determine amount and timing? It frightens me.
Just want to say I hope you can figure this stuff out. I totally relate to the 'being so tired of all this'...it's so damn frustrating. sometimes there are answers, sometimes not. But we never give up, give in because we have no choice. It's OK to be in a bad, self-absorbed place; this nasty disease does just that...self-aborbs us to no end. Take care! :)
