April 2, 2001
Daily Care
Question from Pasadena, California, USA:
Generally, I am in good control, but, for the past five days, my body has not been responding to insulin. My numbers have been in the 175-200 mg/dl [9.7 -11.1 mmol/L] range, even fasting. I have taken my normal doses of insulin, I have been getting sleep, and I’m not sick or stressed out. I have even been eating only chicken and vegetables because I’m too scared to eat carbs. Help!
Answer:
Could you have spoiled insulin? Change all insulin bottles and see if this helps.
Do you have ketones?
Might you have some infection blocking how the insulin is working?
Do you have some other problem with thyroid or cortisone overproduction?
You should contact your diabetes care team so that they might give you more specific advice since what you are describing is highly unusual unless you are not getting insulin, receiving spoiled insulin or some other problem co-exists.
SB
[Editor’s comment: I’d also wonder if you might be using a different meter, or somehow have a problem with the meter’s performance.
WWQ]
