October 26, 2006
Other, Thyroid
Question from Santa Maria, California, USA:
My daughter started menstruation at the beginning of the year. I’m noticing a pattern where her morning blood sugars are in the high 200s mg/dl [14.4 to 16.6 mmol/L] and then high most of the day, a few days out of the month. It seems like the current correction ratio isn’t working and it takes much more insulin to bring down her blood sugar. I have read some of the other question and answers that talk about the same issues. She also has low thyroid. Can you give me more information about how the low thyroid effects menstruation and about insulin resistance before the menstrual cycle? Or, do you know of a web site or book that can help me understand this better so I can come up with a plan? We are not due to see the doctor for another six weeks and I need all the information I can get. I feel like we should increase her basal rate for that four or five days of the month. Just when we think we have a handle on it, then it happens again. It is very frustrating. Any help is appreciated.
Answer:
There are two different questions here. The low thyroid makes insulin needs go down because of the slower metabolism. With respect to your daughter’s hormonal cycles, by all means, change the basals and change the carbohydrate to insulin and correction ratios during the day or two before a period and during the period. Of course, you need to control the glucose all month.
LD
