I am 47 years old, have had type 1 diabetes for 35 years, and I have always been stable and on the same dose, but, in the last year or two, I seem to need to keep increasing my long acting insulin (8 units total). Does the approach of menopause affect blood sugar levels in women with type 1?

It is always advertised that estrogen and progesterone, which are made by the ovary with cyclical menses, are agents which induce insulin resistance. Therefore, the lack of these hormones may improve glucose levels on a theoretic basis. However, I am not sure I have ever seen examples of this, clinically.

I would want to know other things which may be more related to the increased insulin requirements. For instance, I would want to know about weight gain, change in diet, or change in exercise patterns. An 8 unit increase over two years is not a lot. Have your goals changed? Thinking about all these issues is part of working toward better blood sugar control.

JTL