Basal Rate Adjustments with Time Change

[dee12]

Do you adjust your basal rates with the change in time as with daylight savings or if you travel to a place with a different time zone?  I have multiple basal rates, especially during the night (1am - 9am).  I'm not sure if i just need a small amount during those hours or if i need less while sleeping..

[JDRF-Team-SS]

Hello dee12,

I am a volunteer and not a medical professional.  My input is based on my experience in caring for my son, now 11, dxd at age 3.

He is on the pump and I changed the time in the pump.  On his pump, I simply went to utilities and then date/time and changed the time.  

My son has multiple basal rates in a 24 hour period.

From what I understand, the best way to challenge your basal and see if the rate is a good one for that time period, is to do something like this.....

Have a cut off time on eating...let's say it is 8pm.  Make sure that whatever you DO eat during your last snack is something you can be accurate on as far as counting carbs.  (Obviously once you have a cut off time, if you go low, you will Need to treat it - record that low, but still use the cut off time and the 4 hours later mark)  Then test your BG (4 hours after last meal or snack) at midnight, 2am, 4am, 6am.  Or you could do so every 3 hours 12am, 3am, 6am.  

I am not telling you that YOU should do this, but I have been told to do so with my son from time to time.  When you do so, you will be setting your alarm to do this for 2 - 3 nights (at least 2 nights)in a row and record your BG's to see what the pattern is...if there is a certain time you go high or low.  
I hope I made sense.  I have done this on the weekend so I can sleep in a bit:)

As far as traveling to different time zones, we have not yet done so with our son on his pump, but I would simply change the time in the pump to match the time zone.

As always, follow up any questions with your doc.  The above are just suggestions that I have been told.

Take care:)

SS

[JDRF-Team-JW]

Hi dee12,

I'm also not a medical professional but I've had Type I diabetes for 11 years and have been on the pump for almost a year. I don't recall ever having problems during daylight savings time change but I have plenty of experience with traveling through different time zones as I often fly over to Europe. In fact I flew there a couple of weeks after first going on the pump so I was a little worried but everything went smoothly. Basically I worked with my endo and CDE before I left, to try and anticipate what my needs will be when traveling. I had a different basal rate set for the days I actually crossed the time zones (my travel dates) and a different one for my time on vacation altogether. For both these settings my basal rates were elevated as I knew I wouldn't have a set schedule like I do at home and probably wouldn't excercise regularly or watch my diet as closely. I think the best thing to do is meet with your diabetes care team before you travel to establish the rates that would be good for you. How and when the rates change depends on your usual settings as well as time of travel and the differences in time zones. It is much easier, though, to control these on the pump, at least for me, than it was with injections -I almost always ran into trouble having my sugars go up and down and the adjustment period once I got to my destination was usually difficult. This time that transition was much easier but I made sure to discuss my settings with my endocrinologist and together we came up with, albeit a trial and error, setting and it worked pretty well. By the way, my basal rates also change throughout the night so I understand where you're coming from. My advice is: check with your doctor and work with the numbers together. Good luck! :)

JW

[JDRF-Team-SS]

JW's comment was right on the mark.  If your pump has different basal patterns, you can have a pattern set for when you travel.  

Great advice, JW.  

My son has 3 different patterns because his activity is different at school than at home and then it is also different on a school day when it rains and he is less active.

We love the pump.

Good luck to you!
SS