# Basal Rates and Hormones **URL:** \ **Category:** Hormones\ **Created:** [May 31, 2018, 12:51pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133 "2018-05-31T12:51:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Jen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jen/32/4777_2.png) [@Jen](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jen)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/162 "2018-08-02T16:16:59Z")
For example, right now I just dropped to 3.9 mmol/L with over 5.5 units of insulin on board… Time for a second breakfast consisting of a bowl of cereal! ---
**Author:** ![Jen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jen/32/4777_2.png) [@Jen](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jen)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 2:44am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/163 "2018-08-04T02:44:51Z")
I’ve been running consistently high for the past two days, so just raised my basal rates another 5%, which has brought me down nicely for the time being. So far a total of 40% increase, and I have about a week left in my cycle. ---
**Author:** ![Jen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jen/32/4777_2.png) [@Jen](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jen)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2018, 3:21pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/164 "2018-08-05T15:21:42Z")
Basal rates up another 10% yesterday…for a total of 50% increase. I’m still running entirely out of range (high) over the past 24 hours, so I’ll likely increase again later today. ---
**Author:** ![Katers87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@Katers87](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Katers87)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 10:19pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/165 "2018-08-06T22:19:22Z")
I went off the Nuvaring for the 4th week this month. My basal needs dropped dramatically yesterday (3 days in). I have yet to bolus today even though I dropped my basal by a unit this morning. I just binged on a bunch of jolly rancher fruit chews to raise my blood sugar 😋 I bought a stash of yummy sugary stuff earlier today. I figured I might as well enjoy the ride while it lasts! I guess birth control really increases my basal needs. Usually the 4th week of the Nuvaring is the time of my highest basal needs. Nothing else has changed in my routine. ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2018, 11:12pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/166 "2018-08-07T23:12:01Z")
For whatever reason, I’ve been needing +20% basal this week when I should theoretically be at +0% right now. Maybe it is a holdover from my stomach virus last Wednesday. Anyway, I have historically had difficulty with lows when transitioning from work to home on days when I’m running extra basal. And boy oh boy did that happen again today. I decided to keep the +20% basal going continuously and just not pre-bolus for dinner. Wrong answer. I caught the tank early but still used three juice boxes to catch it over a 40 minute watch-and-wait period. I don’t know how high I’ll rebound, but my priority was getting the drop to stop. So…maybe I’ll just accept that I have to turn off the extra basal an hour before I leave work and then turn it back on once the evening settles down. This is the part of diabetes that bugs me…not all the self-care steps…but the SURPRISE!! aspect of daily life that can happen at a moment’s notice (or without notice at all). Thank goodness for a lot of test strips and Dexcom. ---
**Author:** ![Nickyghaleb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Nickyghaleb](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Nickyghaleb)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2018, 11:56pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/167 "2018-08-07T23:56:39Z")
> [@T1Allison](#): > > IDS had told me that 1/4 of women see a spike of 25-50% extra basal needed strictly during ovulation. And then the mythical 3-5 days before menstruation that “many women” need 25-50% more basal Okay. I’m in. I am the least organized woman you have ever met and have very little insight into my own hormones or cycle. So actually I’ll start with _I THINK I’m in._ I think I know what’s coming up, but I’m not positive. 🙄 but I THInK I’m in the 3-5 day range right now, maybe, so according to this, I should be experiencing a need for a higher basal. 🤦‍♀️ I want very badly to help. I’m going to contribute what I can. And I’ll go try again to recruite Th ladies from my group. There are some organized little buggers in there. ---
**Author:** ![Nickyghaleb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Nickyghaleb](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Nickyghaleb)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 1:15am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/168 "2018-08-08T01:15:17Z")
@T1Allison, I hope this is okay. I’m moving over your questions for anyone who is cruising the thread to consider for themselves. If anyone reads and would like to contribute, I think it goes without saying, their participation is more than welcome. Number of years with diabetes: MDI or pumper: CGM? Diabetic during reproductive phase of life? perimenopause? menopause? Did you notice any insulin resistance or sensitivity due to hormonal changes? How did it impact your bg control? Your diet? How did you manage it (or not manage it)? Do you use hormonal birth control? What kind? Do you experience insulin resistance or sensitivity due to hormonal changes while using birth control? Let me know if this is okay. I’ll tear it down if it doesn’t belong. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nickyghaleb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Nickyghaleb](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Nickyghaleb)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/169 "2018-08-08T01:19:43Z")
I’m trying to put my answers in… fingers crossed. > [@Nickyghaleb](#): > > Number of years with diabetes: 15 > > MDI or pumper: pumping for 11 years > > CGM? Yes > > Diabetic during reproductive phase of life? perimenopause? menopause? > Currently pre-perimenopause… if i didn’t just make that word up. > > Did you notice any insulin resistance or sensitivity due to hormonal changes? I… have… never…noticed. If you can believe it. However, you’ve caught my attention with talk of these “periods” of stubborn highs and easy lows. There’s something about it that sounds familiar. I’m watching now. > > How did it impact your bg control? Your diet? How did you manage it (or not manage it)? I have not managed it. Obviously. > > Do you use hormonal birth control? What kind? I don’t. 😕 > > Do you experience insulin resistance or sensitivity due to hormonal changes while using birth control? —— > > Let me know if this is okay. I’ll tear it down if it doesn’t belong. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 1:30am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/170 "2018-08-08T01:30:36Z")
Love it. Thank you!! ---
**Author:** ![Pgithens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@Pgithens](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Pgithens)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 1:55am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/171 "2018-08-08T01:55:40Z")
It’s all Nicky’s fault I’m here! 😉 and she asked if some of us in her other group would answer the questions… Number of years with diabetes:38+ MDI or pumper: pumper for 21 yrs CGM? Yes, Dexcom G6 Diabetic during reproductive phase of life? Yes perimenopause? menopause? Menopause Did you notice any insulin resistance or sensitivity due to hormonal changes? Absolutely! How did it impact your bg control? I had to lower basal rate by .1 (25%) for a few days starting on the flow start day. VERY insulin sensitive at this time prior to ovulation. After ovulation, during the week prior to Aunt Flo visiting, I had to increase my basal rates by st least .1 (25% or so). Usually became VERY insulin resistant then. Your diet? Ate less carbs when resistant, more the time prior to ovulation. How did you manage it (or not manage it)? Do you use hormonal birth control? What kind? I don’t need to. When I did, I had greater insulin resistance, pms, weight gain, etc. but now I don’t need it. I haven’t had a cycle since March. Do you experience insulin resistance or sensitivity due to hormonal changes while using birth control? Nope, insulin resistance. And, hi! My name is Pati and I’m from NJ! ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 2:03am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/172 "2018-08-08T02:03:39Z")
Thank you!! ---
**Author:** ![Nickyghaleb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Nickyghaleb](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Nickyghaleb)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 2:23am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/173 "2018-08-08T02:23:56Z")
Hi Pati from NJ!! Nice to meet you. 🤗 And you’re WELCOME! I think you thanked me back there somewhere… Wasn’t so hard, WAS it? And I’ve already learned something from your post. See? You done good. ---
**Author:** ![Nickyghaleb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Nickyghaleb](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Nickyghaleb)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 3:07am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/174 "2018-08-08T03:07:31Z")
> [@T1Allison](#): > > I just can’t wrap my head around why the medical community claims that hormones CAN impact your blood sugar…but just in the vacuum of 3 - 5 days prior to your period…because, Why??? Are you saying this isn’t true?? This “fact” was my springboard. My plan was to start with looking for this… is there a point to that? ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 3:10am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/175 "2018-08-08T03:10:43Z")
I’m saying this statement is true…but inadequate. I am impacted by hormones at least 2.5 weeks of each cycle. Start with the 3-5 days prior, but know that it’s probably much more than that. Your most insulin resistant hormones peak prior to 3-5 days before your cycle starts. ---
**Author:** ![Nickyghaleb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Nickyghaleb](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Nickyghaleb)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 3:12am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/176 "2018-08-08T03:12:08Z")
Makes sense. Now to figure out where I am in my cycle… ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 3:15am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/177 "2018-08-08T03:15:12Z")
I saw something about a girly watch. Maybe it can track your girly parameters. ---
**Author:** ![Katers87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@Katers87](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Katers87)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2018, 8:33pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/178 "2018-08-09T20:33:59Z")
I’m having some serious problems with lows over here. It all started on Sunday. I stopped using my NuvaRing last Wednesday night. I had to replace (routinely) my Tresiba pen over the weekend. No other major changes in my routine. The lows started Sunday night, and have slowly gotten worse each night since- despite lowering my dose 2 units. I even ate pizza on Sunday night without a follow-up dose since I ate early and was running in the 90s at bedtime, but I still went low multiple times during the night. A 10-15 minute walk generates around a 30 mg/dl drop (varies a bit depending on time of day), and I’m going through Gatorade bottles like crazy. Since it’d been a couple of days of waking up to lows, I didn’t wake up to my alarms last night and dropped super low for quite a while. Which of course just makes me even more tired today. I’ve never experienced this dramatic of a change in my basal rate. I don’t know if I should blame the NuvaRing or my Tresiba pen change. You’re technically still supposed to have some active hormones leftover from the NuvaRing during the 4th week, but maybe they wore off after a couple days?I used to stop using it during the 4th week in the past, and I definitely would’ve noticed a change this dramatic. I’m tempted to drop my basal 2 units tomorrow, but then, of course, I’m supposed to start up on the NuvaRing again. Also, for me it takes days to completely adjust to a new dose on Tresiba. I want to go hiking this weekend, and that’s going to require a ton of sugar if this basal thing keeps up like it is. I don’t really know what to do. Maybe I’ll just aim for a really high bg level tonight and drop my Tresiba dose by a unit tomorrow. I’d probably rather deal with highs at this point which is a rare statement for me. ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2018, 8:58pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/179 "2018-08-09T20:58:42Z")
> [@Katers87](#): > > I don’t really know what to do. Maybe I’ll just aim for a really high bg level tonight and drop my Tresiba dose by a unit tomorrow. I’d probably rather deal with highs at this point which is a rare statement for me. I hate that for you, @Katers87. When I get into this sort of scenario, I used to try to optimize control but then it bit me more often than I ended up being comfortable with. These days if I have that many variables going on, I try to go for whatever seems to be safest and just do what I can for control. I wish I had better input for you! ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2018, 3:06am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/180 "2018-08-10T03:06:26Z")
> [@Katers87](#): > > I don’t know if I should blame the NuvaRing or my Tresiba pen change. This rings so familiar to me. I got to the point that I was throwing away Lantus pens every two weeks suspecting a problem with them when there was still plenty of Lantus left in them. I think in my case it was hormone fluctuations and not the Lantus pens (even though my pharmacy was mishandling them). But I can never know for sure. Good luck w the problem solving. Please let me know how it goes this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Michelejean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@Michelejean](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Michelejean)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2018, 3:38am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133/181 "2018-08-10T03:38:54Z")
So here’s what I know and have experienced for a number of years. I’ve needed different basal rates for the two days prior to and the first day of the Aunt Flo visit. I’ve been diabetic for 43 years, worn a pump 25 of those years and had 6 miscarriages and one lovely 17 year old daughter. I didn’t tweak my basal rates for AF until after I had my kid. But my endo and I have developed a theory that yes, hormones right before my period starts cause my insulin needs to rise. She’s a diabetic too, has a kid 3 years older than me, and also goes thru these times in her cycle where there is a different basal rate need. We call it our “sick day” basal rate (my husband would concur, although he’s recommending other meds during this time) 😉 So my regular basal rate is 17.95, my sick day is 21.275. I will tell you this small ratio difference can put me in a low bg in about 2 seconds if I do not switch back on day one of my AF visit. Hormones are crashing, cats and dogs are living together, mass hysteria. I also had an ablation 10 years ago, and I thought that would help the sitch. Nope as far as extra insulin needs, yes, in that I wasn’t incapacitated for 3 days when the dang B came to visit. Since the ablation, it’s trickier to tell when she’s about to show, cuz the cramps and bleeding are minimal… Not sure if this helps, but it’s real. Don’t let any dr./endo tell you it’s not. Michele… 😘 [Previous page](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133.md?page=8) [Next page](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/basal-rates-and-hormones/4133.md?page=10)