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    • 5 hours, 45 minutes ago
      atr likes your comment at
      Do you have a management plan if you test positive for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      When I test positive, I increase my insulin dosage to a “sick day” level, which can be anywhere from 125% dosage to 400%. I usually start with small increases in dosage, and work my way up until my blood glucose levels even out. Also, increase my water intake. I would not call my Endo unless I was unable to get my blood glucose down over a lengthy period of time. That has never been the case.
    • 5 hours, 48 minutes ago
      atr likes your comment at
      Do you have a management plan if you test positive for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      If I had ketones thrn I am sick. If mid to large I wd call my endo or if also vomiting or dehydrated from diarrhea. I wd go to the ER
    • 7 hours, 2 minutes ago
      Marty likes your comment at
      Do you have a management plan if you test positive for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      If I were not feeling too bad, I would change my site, increase my insulin, drink more water and monitor closely
    • 7 hours, 2 minutes ago
      Marty likes your comment at
      Do you have a management plan if you test positive for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      When I test positive, I increase my insulin dosage to a “sick day” level, which can be anywhere from 125% dosage to 400%. I usually start with small increases in dosage, and work my way up until my blood glucose levels even out. Also, increase my water intake. I would not call my Endo unless I was unable to get my blood glucose down over a lengthy period of time. That has never been the case.
    • 7 hours, 10 minutes ago
      KSannie likes your comment at
      Do you know how to test for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      None of the specialists I’ve seen have suggested, recommended or prescribed methods for doing this in the lovely 40 years I’ve been T1D. My 80th birthday is the summer. It will officially be half of my life.
    • 7 hours, 12 minutes ago
      Patricia Dalrymple likes your comment at
      Do you have a management plan if you test positive for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      I'd most likely call my endocrinologist and ask their advice.
    • 7 hours, 25 minutes ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      Do you have a management plan if you test positive for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      I increase my basal and insulin ratios if I eat until I show no longer test positive. I do only test if I have been high for a longer than usual time.
    • 7 hours, 26 minutes ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      Do you have a management plan if you test positive for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      If I were not feeling too bad, I would change my site, increase my insulin, drink more water and monitor closely
    • 7 hours, 47 minutes ago
      Judith Halterman likes your comment at
      Do you have a management plan if you test positive for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      I'd most likely call my endocrinologist and ask their advice.
    • 7 hours, 50 minutes ago
      Derek West likes your comment at
      Do you have a management plan if you test positive for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      If I were not feeling too bad, I would change my site, increase my insulin, drink more water and monitor closely
    • 23 hours ago
      KCR likes your comment at
      Do you know how to test for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      None of the specialists I’ve seen have suggested, recommended or prescribed methods for doing this in the lovely 40 years I’ve been T1D. My 80th birthday is the summer. It will officially be half of my life.
    • 1 day, 5 hours ago
      Marty likes your comment at
      Do you know how to test for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      I have a blood ketone monitor. It works just like a glucometer.
    • 1 day, 7 hours ago
      Kathy Hanavan likes your comment at
      Do you know how to test for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      Perhaps only the poets who love alliteration could love the phrase, “killer ketones.” The ungodly pain experienced is your body eating and devouring itself. 🥵 Ketones are relentless killers. Do not give the bad guys a chance.
    • 1 day, 8 hours ago
      Judith Halterman likes your comment at
      Do you know how to test for ketones? Please share more in the comments.
      Perhaps only the poets who love alliteration could love the phrase, “killer ketones.” The ungodly pain experienced is your body eating and devouring itself. 🥵 Ketones are relentless killers. Do not give the bad guys a chance.
    • 2 days, 1 hour ago
      Anthony Harder likes your comment at
      Do you have ketone testing strips?
      Hi, Marty. Does your specialist have a source for that claim? It makes little sense that ketones would rise faster than BG since the metabolic pathway is much slower. If there's a source, however, I'd look further into the claim. FWIW, I've been a Type 1 for over 50 years; I can't remember the last time I tested for ketones. I possess no ketone testing strips.
    • 3 days, 4 hours ago
      Marty likes your comment at
      Does your insurance cover injectable glucagon, nasal glucagon, or both?
      Covers it with co pay
    • 3 days, 6 hours ago
      atr likes your comment at
      Does your insurance cover injectable glucagon, nasal glucagon, or both?
      It covers both. I prefer to have the the nasal version as I think it would be easier for someone else to administer.
    • 3 days, 7 hours ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      Do you have a non-expired glucagon prescription?
      I’ve been T1D for 60 years. As a child my mother didn’t like needles or injections so she just fed me when low. In college, explained use to dorm mates and classmates would’ve been a waste of time. Now married, my wife assumed the role of my mother and doesn’t like using needles on me either. I don’t have glucagon.
    • 3 days, 7 hours ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      Do you have a non-expired glucagon prescription?
      Yes, always have one or two nasal glucagon kits (Baqsimi) at home in easy to reach locations (ie at bedside and special container in living area) and always keep one with me when I go out ( along with glucose tabs or other simple carbs for treating LBS.). I apparently required injectable glucagon several times as a child and needed injectable glucagon only twice as an adult, both more than 15 years ago . More recently I needed my husband to give me Baqsimi after eating a difficult to dose for, high fat meal. The experience was terrifying so I don’t go anywhere without it now.
    • 3 days, 7 hours ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      Do you have a non-expired glucagon prescription?
      I actually have 2 non-expired prescriptions. One for Baqsimi and one for Gvoke. I have not filled either of them because they’re $500-600 each.
    • 3 days, 7 hours ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      Does your insurance cover injectable glucagon, nasal glucagon, or both?
      My Medicare Part D essentially doesn't cover glucagon when any form is nearly $500!
    • 3 days, 22 hours ago
      Amanda Barras likes your comment at
      Do you have a non-expired glucagon prescription?
      Same here. Been as low as 19 (struggling with a vacuum cleaner bag and refused to let it win) but was still able to swallow food. I did used the “red needle” as my husband refers to it once when I went low but was scheduled for surgery and couldn’t eat or drink anything. Only once in 26 years. Fortunate.
    • 4 days, 17 hours ago
      Karen Newe likes your comment at
      Share some of your favorite T1D-related books in the comments:
      Marcus Aurelius Meditations for the benefits of stoicism. Dante’s Inferno for the nine levels of diabetic hell. Kristen Lavransdatter for the benefits of suffering. And best of all, Cervantes Don Quixote for the absurdity of tilting at so many worthless windmills of frenzied diabetic activity.
    • 5 days, 6 hours ago
      Natalie Daley likes your comment at
      Share some of your favorite T1D-related books in the comments:
      Marcus Aurelius Meditations for the benefits of stoicism. Dante’s Inferno for the nine levels of diabetic hell. Kristen Lavransdatter for the benefits of suffering. And best of all, Cervantes Don Quixote for the absurdity of tilting at so many worthless windmills of frenzied diabetic activity.
    • 5 days, 7 hours ago
      atr likes your comment at
      Share some of your favorite T1D-related books in the comments:
      Marcus Aurelius Meditations for the benefits of stoicism. Dante’s Inferno for the nine levels of diabetic hell. Kristen Lavransdatter for the benefits of suffering. And best of all, Cervantes Don Quixote for the absurdity of tilting at so many worthless windmills of frenzied diabetic activity.
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    Do your blood glucose levels typically rise when you take a shower? Please select the option that includes whether you disconnect a tubed pump during the shower, or if you do not disconnect a pump (MDI, pods, inhalable insulin, etc.)

    Home > LC Polls > Do your blood glucose levels typically rise when you take a shower? Please select the option that includes whether you disconnect a tubed pump during the shower, or if you do not disconnect a pump (MDI, pods, inhalable insulin, etc.)
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    Sarah Howard

    Sarah Howard has worked in the diabetes research field ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.

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Their collective expertise is central to our mission of improving outcomes for all people living with T1D.  “We’re excited to be working with our advisors given their deep expertise across a broad range of areas in T1D,” said Dave Walton, CEO of T1D Exchange. “Their involvement magnifies our reach, knowledge, and impact. These advisors are shaping the future of diabetes care — driving innovation across research, clinical practice, and quality improvement.”    Meet the Medical & Research Advisory Team  The T1D Exchange Medical and Research Advisory Team brings together four leading endocrinologists, each offering a unique perspective and shared commitment to advancing T1D care:    Jenise Wong, MD, PhD Pediatric endocrinologist at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco Focus areas: Diabetes technology adoption and usability; health equity and access to care and technology; community-based and peer-support interventions; culturally responsive care          Jennifer Sherr, MD, PhD Pediatric endocrinologist at Yale Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut Focus areas: Clinical trials in diabetes technology (CGM and AID systems), disease-modifying treatments and immunotherapies, and emerging technologies and medications, including continuous ketone monitoring and nasal glucagon     Viral Shah, MD Adult endocrinologist at Indiana University Health and Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana Focus areas: Diabetes technology and adjunctive therapy trials; translational and data-driven research; T1D complications and bone health         Nestoras Mathioudakis, MD, MHS Adult endocrinologist at Johns Hopkins Medicine and Associate Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland Focus areas: AI-driven clinical support tools; EMR-based data analytics for clinical decision making; data-driven quality improvement; health equity in T1D care        This accomplished team’s expertise spans adult and pediatric endocrinology, research, and quality improvement affiliated with leading institutions nationwide. 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    30 Comments

    1. Stang777

      I sure wish we could go back and change our answers on here. I did not see the part in parenthesis for those who use MDI until after I answered the question. I thought there were only answers that applied to those who use pumps, so I picked other. My levels do rise every time I take a shower, regardless of anything else I have going on, or time of day, but I use MDI so didn’t think there was an answer that I could select. Guess I have to be more careful when reading the questions instead of paying more attentions to the answers that are available to select.

      1
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    2. Mary Dexter

      I do MDI. Sometimes they will get lower if I have just corrected a high.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    3. Sahran Holiday

      Why I’ve never and will never use a tubed pump. Omnipod stays on shower, swimming, everywhere.

      3
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    4. Lawrence Stearns

      I disconnect my tandem pump. But, I usually take a .15 bolus before I get in, to make up for the basal that I would have missed during the time I am in the shower. However, if my BS is low, I will skip the bolus.

      3
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    5. Sadie Robinson

      I wear a omnipod. No rise during shower.

      3
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    6. rick phillips

      I disconnect and because of the water temp my bs falls

      1
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    7. Jneticdiabetic

      I use a tubed pump and my BGs do rise when I disconnect for a shower. They also tend to rise when I get up in the morning. When I’m on auto mode, I bolus for 10g of pseudo carbs and that seems to help address both issues.
      I think the instructions also say to put the pump on suspend when disconnecting so it doesn’t calculate the missed basal as delivered. I don’t to this because I’ll reattach & forget to unsuspend and not realize until my “high with 3 arrows up” alarm starts up.

      1
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    8. Sue Payne

      I have learned to do a manual correction bolus, according to whatever my Tandem x2 Slim pump calculates, before disconnecting for a shower. This prevents a rise, as long as I reconnect fairly quickly after the shower.

      1
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
      1. Bonnie Lundblom

        I do exactly what you’ve described!

        5 years ago Log in to Reply
      2. Bea Anderson

        I bolus correction before disconnecting pump unless I’m running low of course!

        5 years ago Log in to Reply
    9. Carol Meares

      I take baths and do not disconnect. I hang the pump on my necklace. My BG rises always in the tub so I take .5 to 1 unit before bathing depending where my BG is. I then watch it because it can still go up. I always keep Glucose tabs by the tub just in case but almost never have to use them. Notice the word ‘almost’:-/… Most always my BG goes up tho’.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    10. Mark Schweim

      I said “OTHER” because I’ve used pumps with tubed infusion sets since 2003 and I have BOTH on nearly equal frequencies… Sometimes I disconnect to shower and my BG rises, sometimes I disconnect to shower and my BG remains ROCK SOLID even while disconnected, yet other times I’ll disconnect to shower and my BG will DROP THROUGH THE FLOOR!!!

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    11. Janis Senungetuk

      Yes, I disconnect my Tandem pump before getting into the shower and no, my bg level doesn’t necessarily increase. I’m disconnected for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    12. dave hedeen

      perhaps length of shower bath time is a more critical factor? My BG do not rise yet my showers are 5 minutes.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
      1. Cecilia Yamamoto

        wondering exactly the same. Maybe people who like to shower for over 10 min with very hot water experience low bg?

        5 years ago Log in to Reply
    13. Conniekaycox

      Mine goes down 50 or so points. It’s weird.

      1
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    14. Pauline M Reynolds

      I chose “other” because I’m bedeviled by my BG getting too low during or after a shower. Recently put a can of sugar-full soda in the shower, and now I’m not nervous anymore.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    15. connie ker

      I take baths instead of showers and I don’t wear a pump, so this question is an “Other” for me. I do wear my Abbott Freestyle Libre in the bath but sometimes it is affected by the soap and water.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    16. Kevin McCue

      My sugars rise during showering. My ending said it’s probably due to capillary dilation around sensor. Never checked with meter. Usually rises 20-40 points. Usually dose for it, since it’s before breakfast just to get a jumpstart on it working. Haven’t noticed a low after the larger bolus though.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    17. Marsha Miller

      Yes, my BG rises every time and it has forever. I wear a pump and I disconnect. My doctor says it is simply due to the lack of insulin my body is not getting from the 20 minute disconnect. I also think that because my showers are in the morning and I do have dawn-phenomenon, it’s especially why the rise in the shower. I do bolus when I see the rise and it immediately comes down. I should probably learn, after all these years of T1D, to bolus first… I just hate a low and worry that “maybe this once” I won’t need it and go low.😂

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    18. Kristine Warmecke

      Other; I disconnect and my blood sugar falls 99% of the time. Thus I make sure I eat before taking one.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    19. Molly Jones

      My BG does not usually rise for the 10-20 min shower I take 2 times a week disconnected from my tandem. It sometimes falls.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    20. LizB

      Since I usually take a shower right after getting up, my BGs rise. But, they would rise whether I take a shower or not so that really has nothing to do with it. On days when I did wait until later in the day to shower my BG will often drop .

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    21. Sjoymex

      This happens less now that I have been prebolusing for breakfast right before my shower. Before though I would have to take about half a unit before my shower so it wouldn’t rise.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    22. Lucia Maya

      I disconnect before I shower but always bolus a half unit first, and most of the time it balances out.

      1
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    23. KCR

      My CGM usually shows my BG dropping after a shower but the last time it happened I did a finger stick and that suggested I had not dropped at all. So…I don’t really know!

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    24. PamK

      I chose “other” because I have had both highs and lows after a shower. I use to go high almost every day. My doctor suggested increasing my AM basal. Doing so caused me to drop though.
      Now, I will bolus a small amount of insulin if my BG is 120 mg/dl or higher. Any lower and I don’t for fear of going too low.

      Doing it this way, I am usually good. Occasionally, I will still go high, but I’ll just bolus a little extra for breakfast if I do.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    25. sandra smith

      I am MDI and do NOT see a BG rise with a shower but i DO see a huge rise with a hot BATH.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    26. Cheryl Seibert

      No! A nice hot shower after bolusing (I disconnect during the shower), greatly increases the insulin’s absorption rate. I utilize a hot shower in the morning after breakfast to control my dawn phenomenon.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    27. Alissa Ellenwood

      I am MDI, I’ve noticed a slight increase during cold winter months when taking a long shower or bath, but no change with short/normal 5-10 min showers or showers during warm months.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply

    Do your blood glucose levels typically rise when you take a shower? Please select the option that includes whether you disconnect a tubed pump during the shower, or if you do not disconnect a pump (MDI, pods, inhalable insulin, etc.) Cancel reply

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