{"id":35285,"date":"2014-02-05T07:55:51","date_gmt":"2014-02-05T12:55:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=35285"},"modified":"2015-12-27T15:41:44","modified_gmt":"2015-12-27T20:41:44","slug":"diabetes-in-the-cold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=35285","title":{"rendered":"Diabetes in the Cold"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I\u2019ve never had so much to say about the weather. For a good part of January, we experienced something of a polar freeze here in New York. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The air was frigid and the snow fell. It took me back to my childhood. My siblings and I would dress in plush neon snowsuits and rush outside to build forts and snowmen. We\u2019d shovel the driveway for fun, and then have snowball fights. As kids we never complained of the cold. We didn\u2019t seem to notice. We were too busy taking in the wonderful possibilities that the snow presented. After a while, someone (me) would inevitably get hit in the face with a snowball and my mom would call us in. \u201cIt\u2019s enough!\u201d she\u2019d shout. We\u2019d run inside red-faced and slide off our boots. Hot chocolate and cartoons awaited us.<\/p>\n

Now that I\u2019m older, the cold weather isn\u2019t as appealing. The snow is still pretty, but I enjoy it better from the inside of my living room window. And I certainly feel the cold air, especially with recent temperature readings in the teens and lower.<\/p>\n

When the temperature was well below freezing, I dressed myself and Maya in multiple layers. Poor Maya was so bundled up; it was hard to find her. As for me, I\u2019m still wearing the down jacket that I sported when I was pregnant last winter. The belly area is stretched and welcomes my layers.<\/p>\n

Some days were frigid enough to make my fingertips feel frozen. Even after coming in from the cold, it took time to warm up\u2026 which was bad news for people with diabetes who have to prick their fingers. My lancing device worked doubly hard. One prick didn\u2019t always elicit blood from my cold fingers. It often took two or even three pricks. I found myself squeezing my fingers pre-prick in order to help the blood flow down \u2013 the way I was taught to do in the hospital after I was diagnosed.<\/p>\n

I also noticed substantial and unexplained spikes in my blood sugars after being out in the cold. One morning, I woke up and tested my blood sugar. The reading on my meter read 110. A great way to start the day. Then I looked at the weather on my phone. Not as great: 14 degrees.<\/p>\n

By the time I got to work, my blood sugar had jumped to 276!<\/p>\n

I felt frustrated and angry (and thirsty). I blamed the frosty weather because I couldn\u2019t think of any other explanation. And it wasn\u2019t the first time it had happened. In the past month, I\u2019ve had similar blood sugar spikes after being outside in the extreme cold.<\/p>\n

I wonder if there\u2019s any science behind cold-weather-induced hyperglycemia. Maybe there\u2019s a threshold \u2013 a temperature that\u2019s cold enough to cause stress on our bodies. It wouldn\u2019t surprise me if there was a link because generally, I require more insulin in the winter. I also typically gain a few pounds, not unlike a bear preparing to hibernate.<\/p>\n

For now, I am just trying to test as often as I can, anticipate probable highs, and correct as quickly as possible. I suppose this is something to discuss at my next visit with my endocrinologist.<\/p>\n

I am glad to report that February has gotten off to a warmer start. We\u2019ve already had some snow, and it\u2019s cold \u2013 but normal cold. 36 degrees is fine by me. I\u2019m keeping warm and making the most of my predictable blood sugars\u2026 until the freeze returns.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":35286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1501],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nDiabetes in the Cold<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Some days were frigid enough to make my fingertips feel frozen, which was bad news for people with diabetes who have to prick their fingers. My lancing device worked doubly hard. 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