Some women notice that their sensitivity to insulin changes at different times during their menstrual cycle. Increased episodes of hypoglycemia & hyperglycemia tend to occur more often,with the latter a result of not only due to hormonal changes when estrogen levels are naturally high,  body may be resistant to its own insulin or injected insulin but also due to  increases in craving for high - carbohydrate foods during the premenstrual phase.

Many women find their blood sugar tends to be high 3-5 days before, during or after their periods.For everyone it is different. The only way to manage blood sugars in a setting where sensitivity to insulin changes is to test and record blood sugars four or more times a day the week before, during and after your period for at least 2 or 3 months to find once own pattern. Some women require large increases in their total insulin needs, while others may require only small adjustments. Insulin requirements may also change during ovulation. Most women tend to develop their own monthly pattern of insulin requirements, and these requirements remain fairly consistent month-to-month. Women whose cycles are irregular will have less consistent patterns of insulin requirements.

Both basal insulin and bolus insulin does may need to be adjusted.  If using CSII pump, an alternate basal pattern specific to monthly or hormonal changes can be programmed. Trial and error and detailed record-keeping will help determine appropriate insulin requirements to achieve and maintain blood glucose control.

Women who are perimenopausal and those who are in menopause will also experience hormonal fluctuations and may require changes in their insulin doses. Detailed record-keeping to identify trends and patterns will assist in the determination of appropriate adjustments.Food cravings during perimenopausal  are triggered by an increase in progesterone and can make it more difficult to control your blood sugar. Usually the craving is for chocolate or sweet foods.

cravings can be given  by trying sugar-free and fat-free versions. Take extra insulin or increase your exercise to compensate. You may feel less like exercising during your period. If so, extra insulin may be a good choice for keeping your blood sugar from rising. The extra insulin needed to overcome insulin resistance during this time will not cause weight gain.

This study reports that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is significantly higher among women with long (40 days or more) or highly irregular menstrual cycles compared with women with a usual cycle length of 26 to 31 days.