A woman's monthly hormone cycle can change the amount of insulin she needs. Don't be surprised — or caught without as much medicine as your body requires.
Many women find they need more insulin in the days just before they start to menstruate, and that their insulin needs go back to normal when their periods begin. This ebb and flow is completely normal.
Estrogen levels rise just before a woman's period begins, and estrogen increases insulin needs. That doesn't mean you can simply boost your dose a set amount. Everyone is different. Your menstrual cycle might have a tremendous effect on your glucose levels or it might have none at all. The fluctuation tends to be most dramatic in young women, for example.
If you notice monthly changes in your insulin needs, track your blood sugar levels on a calendar with your menstrual cycle so you'll learn to predict how much extra you'll need in the future.
Many women find they need more insulin in the days just before they start to menstruate, and that their insulin needs go back to normal when their periods begin. This ebb and flow is completely normal.
Estrogen levels rise just before a woman's period begins, and estrogen increases insulin needs. That doesn't mean you can simply boost your dose a set amount. Everyone is different. Your menstrual cycle might have a tremendous effect on your glucose levels or it might have none at all. The fluctuation tends to be most dramatic in young women, for example.
If you notice monthly changes in your insulin needs, track your blood sugar levels on a calendar with your menstrual cycle so you'll learn to predict how much extra you'll need in the future.
