Information on menstrual cycle

May 12, 2011 20:06

AK 16 posts

Firstly just to say this is an amazing thread, and I can't wait to try out the suggestions. I think I had been thinking about this issue too simplistically ie just insulin requirements during the actual menstruation.

To respond to an earlier comment, I also used to be on the pill (or 'on the pull' as I just typed by mistake Embarassed ) and moved to the non-hormonal coil. This didn't seem to change how insulin affects me during TOTM so although you may be different, my advice is not to push yourself into a contraceptive method you don't like as you may find it wasn't worth it.

May 15, 2011 07:43

JayBee DAFNE Graduate
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 587 posts

Thanks for posting AK. Smile I would like to try the non-hormonal coil so I appreciate your feedback about your experience! I'm guessing you went back to the pill afterwards?

Okay, to touch in again on my progress. I have started having consistent higher body temps for the past couple of days and after a spell of good days, my BGs have been higher than expected.... what do we think? Time for me to consider putting my BI up perhaps? Smile Based on what we see, I think that if I do, it'll only be up by 1BI in the evening. Smile

Will be seeing what happens in the next couple of days - for my body's confirmation as well (especially considering I really should be doing some after evening meal checks as well - whoops).

May 16, 2011 18:34

AK 16 posts

I didn't go back to the pill, I stayed on the coil because I like contraception I only have to think about once every 5 years! Having said that, you do get heavier periods, I never used to have pain but I do now (but I still think it's worth it Razz ) etc etc From the diabetes angle though, no difference between them.

May 19, 2011 21:32

JayBee DAFNE Graduate
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 587 posts

I will be looking into the coil soon then! You sound like you've found it an absolute delight (well, despite the cons of course)! ^_^

JWo said:
I have started having consistent higher body temps for the past couple of days and after a spell of good days, my BGs have been higher than expected.... what do we think? Time for me to consider putting my BI up perhaps? Based on what we see, I think that if I do, it'll only be up by 1BI in the evening.

On the note of "do we think it's time to raise the BI" question - after all that, I was very very ill on tuesday! Needed to go into hospital for assistance with dehydration prevention and everything! ^___^;;

That explained the highs though during the days before considering once I started to stabilise on wednesday, I started to hypo in the morning! ^_^; I've reverted back to the 7 MORN and 14 EVE for now... I'm glad I took that incorrect dose of 16 EVE and 10 MORN though, saved me from raising ketones and the like I think!

So at the moment it's been 7 MORN and 14 EVE with a change from all 1:1 ratios to 1:1.5 for breakfast and eve meal.... non-stop! Will it change now my pill taking has stopped? I shall continue my tracking!

BTW - best not to measure your temperature from your armpit I've learnt from this experience... it's always lower so when I was ill, I couldn't even tell I was over 37C, let alone what I really was for my TOTM!

Also - if you're on a combined pill like me, one of my DAFNE nurse team let me know that I do not ovulate - the pill is designed to prevent it from happening so this may explain some of my body's behaviour? I mean, I feel a bit doubtful that my body temp will rise now knowing this... I will have a think (bit messed up at the moment thanks to the bug).

With this, if I find that my body is being consistent so far despite TOTM.... perhaps it is a suggestion that we just still haven't found the right clues to our insulin doses really? I mean, since starting this, I was of the same frame of mind (that my body needed more insulin), but after the BI changes and the ratio changes that I've not got plans on changing back, does suggest a lack of shift during the TOTM... but I will keep tracking myself to be sure.

Whatever way we look at it, until we're sure of our doses, we can never be sure what's going on. There's so many factors that can affect it that you can't always pick up on... take for example, me checking my BGs after my evening meal insulin had finished - if I had not started doing that, after so many annoying inconsistent morning BGs, I would've never picked up to change my evening meal ratio - instead I would've been changing my over night BI still!

Whatever our problems, keep up the great work all... we can all get there!

May 20, 2011 09:52

AK 16 posts

Hope you're feeling better now!

May 20, 2011 10:20

JayBee DAFNE Graduate
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 587 posts

AK said:
Hope you're feeling better now!

Thanks! Still not quite eating properly (more than nothing!) and tired, but besides that, I'm fine and dandy! Smile

May 23, 2011 08:00

Athena DAFNE Graduate
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 52 posts

I also hope you are feeling better. Obviously this has mucked up looking for patterns etc. so another thing to take you off track. I think I am lucky in that I have quite a discernable pattern. I am now in the tricky part which is the gradually moving the doses up until I hit the all time high of the pre-menstrual one.
this is the worst part for me. I think the problem is that the step -wise approach is too slow. You are trying to get a dose and your requirment have shifted on again. I intend to be a bit more gung ho this month and just go for it without waiting for a pattern. Next month I am considering using ratios to sort thing s to see if that helps. I just want to test the difference between the two methods. Of course that wiil mean eating regular carbs and losing the benefits of DAFNE but I have to keep trying things. Anything to feel well.

Good luck to all !

PS WOuld be interested in hearing how people on the pump are doing with this.
I remember the girl who was about to try it.
If you are on line still, pleae let us know how you get on.

May 23, 2011 12:00

JayBee DAFNE Graduate
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 587 posts

Being knocked off track feels like a common theme for 2011. I do wonder when I'll be back on track - my body has been hypoing a lot since being ill, I feel like Im a different creature. I would be on 7 MORN 14 EVE BI with the newly found ratios if I was fine, but Ive had to pull back all ratios back to 1:1 and my BIs are currently 5 MORN and 12 EVE. This past weekend has been very hard due to hypos. I look forward to being well again. Its amazing how much mess stomach flu can cause even when you feel better! >_<

June 20, 2011 15:42

JayBee DAFNE Graduate
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 587 posts

Discussion continues here...

December 04, 2012 10:40

Carolin DAFNE HCP
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals 83 posts

Hi ladies,

As promised around 18 months ago, the DAFNE Educator Group is beginning to work on the new curriculum and workbook early in 2013, for release by the end of the year.

Whilst the effects of the menstrual cycle / menopause appear to be quite variable from individual to individual, we'd like to try to collate experiences and solutions so we can develop some basic 'generalisable' advice for DAFNE participants and Educators alike.

What would be most useful is to have some feedback on:

Usual effects/patterns of BG at different stages of cycle (e.g. around time of ovulation; pre-menstrual; at onset of period; etc)

Adjustments to QA (ratios; corrections) and/or BI that you find work best

Additional info re effects of menopause

Rather than posting onto here where threads may get complex and lost, please either send me a message, or email me directly:
[email protected]

Thank you all for your help Smile

Carolin

May 12, 2011 20:06 AK 16 posts	Firstly just to say this is an amazing thread, and I can't wait to try out the suggestions. I think I had been thinking about this issue too simplistically ie just insulin requirements during the actual menstruation. To respond to an earlier comment, I also used to be on the pill (or 'on the pull' as I just typed by mistake ) and moved to the non-hormonal coil. This didn't seem to change how insulin affects me during TOTM so although you may be different, my advice is not to push yourself into a contraceptive method you don't like as you may find it wasn't worth it.
May 15, 2011 07:43 JayBee DAFNE Graduate James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 587 posts	Thanks for posting AK. I would like to try the non-hormonal coil so I appreciate your feedback about your experience! I'm guessing you went back to the pill afterwards? Okay, to touch in again on my progress. I have started having consistent higher body temps for the past couple of days and after a spell of good days, my BGs have been higher than expected.... what do we think? Time for me to consider putting my BI up perhaps? Based on what we see, I think that if I do, it'll only be up by 1BI in the evening. Will be seeing what happens in the next couple of days - for my body's confirmation as well (especially considering I really should be doing some after evening meal checks as well - whoops).
May 16, 2011 18:34 AK 16 posts	I didn't go back to the pill, I stayed on the coil because I like contraception I only have to think about once every 5 years! Having said that, you do get heavier periods, I never used to have pain but I do now (but I still think it's worth it ) etc etc From the diabetes angle though, no difference between them.
May 19, 2011 21:32 JayBee DAFNE Graduate James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 587 posts	I will be looking into the coil soon then! You sound like you've found it an absolute delight (well, despite the cons of course)! ^_^ JWo said: I have started having consistent higher body temps for the past couple of days and after a spell of good days, my BGs have been higher than expected.... what do we think? Time for me to consider putting my BI up perhaps? Based on what we see, I think that if I do, it'll only be up by 1BI in the evening. On the note of "do we think it's time to raise the BI" question - after all that, I was very very ill on tuesday! Needed to go into hospital for assistance with dehydration prevention and everything! ^___^;; That explained the highs though during the days before considering once I started to stabilise on wednesday, I started to hypo in the morning! ^_^; I've reverted back to the 7 MORN and 14 EVE for now... I'm glad I took that incorrect dose of 16 EVE and 10 MORN though, saved me from raising ketones and the like I think! So at the moment it's been 7 MORN and 14 EVE with a change from all 1:1 ratios to 1:1.5 for breakfast and eve meal.... non-stop! Will it change now my pill taking has stopped? I shall continue my tracking! BTW - best not to measure your temperature from your armpit I've learnt from this experience... it's always lower so when I was ill, I couldn't even tell I was over 37C, let alone what I really was for my TOTM! Also - if you're on a combined pill like me, one of my DAFNE nurse team let me know that I do not ovulate - the pill is designed to prevent it from happening so this may explain some of my body's behaviour? I mean, I feel a bit doubtful that my body temp will rise now knowing this... I will have a think (bit messed up at the moment thanks to the bug). With this, if I find that my body is being consistent so far despite TOTM.... perhaps it is a suggestion that we just still haven't found the right clues to our insulin doses really? I mean, since starting this, I was of the same frame of mind (that my body needed more insulin), but after the BI changes and the ratio changes that I've not got plans on changing back, does suggest a lack of shift during the TOTM... but I will keep tracking myself to be sure. Whatever way we look at it, until we're sure of our doses, we can never be sure what's going on. There's so many factors that can affect it that you can't always pick up on... take for example, me checking my BGs after my evening meal insulin had finished - if I had not started doing that, after so many annoying inconsistent morning BGs, I would've never picked up to change my evening meal ratio - instead I would've been changing my over night BI still! Whatever our problems, keep up the great work all... we can all get there!
May 20, 2011 09:52 AK 16 posts	Hope you're feeling better now!
May 20, 2011 10:20 JayBee DAFNE Graduate James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 587 posts	AK said: Hope you're feeling better now! Thanks! Still not quite eating properly (more than nothing!) and tired, but besides that, I'm fine and dandy!
May 23, 2011 08:00 Athena DAFNE Graduate NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 52 posts	I also hope you are feeling better. Obviously this has mucked up looking for patterns etc. so another thing to take you off track. I think I am lucky in that I have quite a discernable pattern. I am now in the tricky part which is the gradually moving the doses up until I hit the all time high of the pre-menstrual one. this is the worst part for me. I think the problem is that the step -wise approach is too slow. You are trying to get a dose and your requirment have shifted on again. I intend to be a bit more gung ho this month and just go for it without waiting for a pattern. Next month I am considering using ratios to sort thing s to see if that helps. I just want to test the difference between the two methods. Of course that wiil mean eating regular carbs and losing the benefits of DAFNE but I have to keep trying things. Anything to feel well. Good luck to all ! PS WOuld be interested in hearing how people on the pump are doing with this. I remember the girl who was about to try it. If you are on line still, pleae let us know how you get on.
May 23, 2011 12:00 JayBee DAFNE Graduate James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 587 posts	Being knocked off track feels like a common theme for 2011. I do wonder when I'll be back on track - my body has been hypoing a lot since being ill, I feel like Im a different creature. I would be on 7 MORN 14 EVE BI with the newly found ratios if I was fine, but Ive had to pull back all ratios back to 1:1 and my BIs are currently 5 MORN and 12 EVE. This past weekend has been very hard due to hypos. I look forward to being well again. Its amazing how much mess stomach flu can cause even when you feel better! >_<
June 20, 2011 15:42 JayBee DAFNE Graduate James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 587 posts	Discussion continues here...
December 04, 2012 10:40 Carolin DAFNE HCP Sheffield Teaching Hospitals 83 posts	Hi ladies, As promised around 18 months ago, the DAFNE Educator Group is beginning to work on the new curriculum and workbook early in 2013, for release by the end of the year. Whilst the effects of the menstrual cycle / menopause appear to be quite variable from individual to individual, we'd like to try to collate experiences and solutions so we can develop some basic 'generalisable' advice for DAFNE participants and Educators alike. What would be most useful is to have some feedback on: Usual effects/patterns of BG at different stages of cycle (e.g. around time of ovulation; pre-menstrual; at onset of period; etc) Adjustments to QA (ratios; corrections) and/or BI that you find work best Additional info re effects of menopause Rather than posting onto here where threads may get complex and lost, please either send me a message, or email me directly: [email protected] Thank you all for your help Carolin