Forgetting if I took insulin?

Gloucestergirl

Well-Known Member
Messages
88
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Nightclubs!!
I've got two different insulins to inject and even after I've just done it I sometimes wonder if I've done it or not! My Novorapid pen is the Echo so I can see how much and when I did it but my evening Lantus pen doesn't have that option. One simple way to make sure I've done the Lantus is to just put one needle ready in the pen case and inject in the evening and throw away the needle then in the morning put another needle in the case ready for the evening, if the needle is still there at night then it hasn't been done.
 
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Messages
1
Also use insulcheck, solves the problem of whether l took it 4hours ago or 20minutes ago!
Fits on pen so have one for long acting and one for novorapid.
 

wilky

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
As soon as I saw the Novopen 5 with the last dose time and units feature that a friend was using I was on it and got a prescription even though it was only a year back since I got a couple of Novopen 4s. The chemist gave me 3 blue ones despite having asked for different colours, though nothing a bit of scraping can't solve.

This has been THE best help. No more having to play Russian Roulette with both double dosing or heading into the twenties being the live bullets. And that night time dose - gone is the did I or didn't I? No stress, simple as can be.

If your pen make doesn't have this feature, phone the manufacturer and demand it, and ask your diabetic nurse to do so too. It is literally a life saver.
 

Wodewarrior

Member
Messages
15
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I use the Insulcheck device. It is triggered as you inject. I find that it is very reliable and Customer Support is very good.
I would agree with this. I used it for a good few years before I got a pump recently. If you change pen type insulcheck will send you new adapters free of charge. One big advantage is that it has a replicable battery. Als o found excellent customer service when battery cover clip broke. 2 sent out to me next day foc.
 

Incidentals

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I am a do it your selfer... problem solver to trade... so do not do this unless you are absolutely happy with everything.

I am a Novopen 5 user and also need lantus... loving the Novopen 5, I worked out why the Lantus did not fit and amended the system to suit.

(1) the lantus cartridge is a bit thicker
(2) the screw top is missing (built into the lantus pen)
(3) the lantus cartridge is shorter

the solution is simple, but be warned it suits me, but maybe not everyone

(1) remove label from cartridge
(2) use a screw top removed from a nova rapid cartridge (they pop off easily)
(3) find the coloured ring used to identify your electric toothbrush head

Put the now naked, screw topped cartridge into the Novopen5 holder, then insert the coloured ring, finally twist the holder into the pen body as usual and hey presto a novopen 5 the fires lantus

Part of the label can be fed through opening in the holder as you build the unit up or write lantus on the glass with a perminent marker if you must.

works great and you can colour code the pens to suit blue for Nova Rapid an silver for Lantus

Remember, It works for me and it's your choice to do this hack if you want to,
no one is saying this is right or a good idea.
 
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Incidentals

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
Type 2
To answer the question about forgetting to take evening dose of lantus or not sure, you will know in the morning when you have a high reading, so take half your evening dose 1st thing and half again at noon and the normal dose in the evening, you will probably be fine with the little extra in your system, but watch your sugar that day like you would on a sick day. That is what my diabetic nurse says to do. BUT as always check with yours.
 

Chl

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Right wing politics
Did I take that insulin or not???? Bgrd if I can remember . . . . . I find it helps to mentally note the "insulin remaining" from the pen when I inject. Often I don't ('cos I forget) but when I do then I have a fighting chance of being able to tell if I've done another injection since the last one I remember, and also how much it was - if it's a lot perhaps I did two injections. This helps reconstruct the day in terms of when I injected and so makes me more confident when I decide whether I did or didn't. If you try to remember two things - did I inject and how much left - there's a better chance you'll remember at least one of them!
 

Bogusman

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Too numerous to mention
As mentioned above a few times, Novopen 5, but don't pay for them! I phoned up the diabetic nurse at my local hospital and asked about them, she sent me out 2, a blue and a silver, and I got them a few days later.
 

emmay

Well-Known Member
Messages
69
Type of diabetes
Type 1
These gadgets are great for the future.
However, if I forget if I have taken my basal tonight, what is the best thing to do?
Stay up with regular BG checks and measure whether fasting BG rises?
If it does, I guess you can assume you definitely forgot your basal. Do you take it later? I guess if you do, you need to take into consideration that Lantus lasts 24 hours so don't take it too early tomorrow?
Or is there another approach?

If I forget my background dose I take it when I forget but reduce my dose. I take my background at 9am/9pm it's normally my daytime I forget because my work day has started and I get involved with something else then by 11/12ish I then realise I haven't taken, so given I have 4 units in the day I would reduce this to 3, this normally works for me, obviously my reading at lunch will be high do I have to correct but rest of day seems ok.
I have only forgotten once at night but hadn't realised so just woke up to high

Hope you got sorted, em
 
D

Deleted Account

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If I forget my background dose I take it when I forget but reduce my dose. I take my background at 9am/9pm it's normally my daytime I forget because my work day has started and I get involved with something else then by 11/12ish I then realise I haven't taken, so given I have 4 units in the day I would reduce this to 3, this normally works for me, obviously my reading at lunch will be high do I have to correct but rest of day seems ok.
I have only forgotten once at night but hadn't realised so just woke up to high

Hope you got sorted, em
My concern is not when I forget to take my basal insulin but when I forget WHETHER I have taken my basal. How do you find out?
 

emmay

Well-Known Member
Messages
69
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Oh good point I think in those instances and it's difficult at night to know unless you set an alarm you would need to base it on your readings, if there high you must have forgotten in which case I would be tempted to correct with your fast acting insulin rather than your back ground.

Defo need to get a novopen echo which records the info, since I've had mine has taken the worry out of it. Just need to get one now for my fast acting as in the confusion of calculating my insulin the other day I didn't actually take it and my readings went sky high!!
 

Fitzy6343

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi everyone.
Just wondering if this happens to anyone else. Tonight I have some how forgotten if I've taken my night time insulin (levemir). I've had type one diabetes for 18 years now, and I've barely ever forgotten, but sometimes it just happens. Wondering what to do? I don't want to obviously give myself too much in case I've already had some, but also don't wanna not take any because I wake up with sky high blood sugars!
Are there any pens out there that can prevent this? Thanks! Bad diabetic alert ‍♀️♀️
im on a pump and ive forgot to take mine a few times , last night in fact to busy watching tv made something to eat at the ad break then forgot to take my insulin
 

gavin86

Well-Known Member
Messages
194
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I take mine split, half at morning and night - as I'm still adjusting (reduces the lag in altering dose as 50% wears off every 12 hours)
Anyway. I take it at the same time as my breakfast/dinner rapid... it's a lot harder to forget insulin when you open your bag and see it there. I'm still learning not to forget the bag though
 

mikecu

Member
Messages
13
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi everyone.
Just wondering if this happens to anyone else. Tonight I have some how forgotten if I've taken my night time insulin (levemir). I've had type one diabetes for 18 years now, and I've barely ever forgotten, but sometimes it just happens. Wondering what to do? I don't want to obviously give myself too much in case I've already had some, but also don't wanna not take any because I wake up with sky high blood sugars!
Are there any pens out there that can prevent this? Thanks! Bad diabetic alert ‍♀️♀️

When this has happened to me I do blood testing more often and if the readings are high I increase my fast acting insulin before a meal to cater for it. I believe the Novopen Echo is only for fast acting insulin.
 

slip

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,523
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Do most people take their basal dose at night or in the morning

Generally yes, any one on a single basal dose usually takes it either in the morning or at night - theres pros and cons to each, others split dose basal and usually they're taken 12hrs apart but the actual dosage can be different and sometimes not quite 12 hrs apart but theres nothing stopping you taking it at what ever time so long as it works for you.
 

Parisemo

Active Member
Messages
38
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi everyone.
Just wondering if this happens to anyone else. Tonight I have some how forgotten if I've taken my night time insulin (levemir). I've had type one diabetes for 18 years now, and I've barely ever forgotten, but sometimes it just happens. Wondering what to do? I don't want to obviously give myself too much in case I've already had some, but also don't wanna not take any because I wake up with sky high blood sugars!
Are there any pens out there that can prevent this? Thanks! Bad diabetic alert ‍♀️♀️
Yes I have now and then if I have forgotten both my nova rapid and levemir, I increase the nova rapid (quick acting) at my next meal and test my blood sugar at intervals to see if I need more. I'm sure many type 1 have done it.
 

Glucobabu

Well-Known Member
Messages
248
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
If I forget my bolus, and if I remember it 2 hours later ( you would know by the way you feel all dry mouthed and thirsty) I will take half my normal dose and keep testing until I feel the BG has settled. Can be tricky at night when you have to set your alarm to test. If I forget my basal depending how late I realise it I take a reduced doze. Basal obviously wouldn't cause too much worry. I once injected bolus instead of basal at night. Now that caused a bit of a drama because I had to eat and test for the next 4 hours!!