Injections

[Bridie9408]

Hi I'm type 1diabetic 31 years . I would just like to ask is there anybody out there on humalog mix 25 and just on 2 injections a day.

 

[kaylz91]

I'm sure there are others here that are still on mixed insulin twice a day but many that were have swapped over to a basal/bolus regime due to it allowing more flexibility, I hope you get a reply from someone else soon xx

 

[JMK1954]

I was swapped to a basal/ bolus regime in the early 1980s and it was very much against my will. From that day to this I have suffered with hypos during the night. As I always eat approximtely the same amount of carbohydrate at each meal, I was not looking for more flexibility. My waking BS was actually 0.1 mml higher on average over the first fortnight on four injections a day. When I went back to the hospital clinic, the doctor I had been seeing was really disappointed, but would not allow me to revert back to my previous insulin, as he said basal /bolus was modern treatment and nothing else could offer the same control. My waking BS levels continued to say otherwise.

If you are happy with your current insulin, I would fight to stay on it. Unfortunately, there are 'fashions' in insulin, like everything else. What suits one person may not be right for the next. The world and his wife have tried to solve my overnight hypo problem. My sister died owing to an overnight hypo. Personally, I wish I had never been put on a basal /bolus. I sleep with Glucotabs under my pillow every night.
Ps. I was diagnosed in August 1964.

 

[novorapidboi26]

The only person I know is my brother, who has been on it for years and has been diabetic since the age of 2 [1985].....

its not the best insulin for those who like some culinary flexibility......which for my brother is important as he loves his food......

his most recent HbA1c was 8.2% [66]...

which isn't really good, but no really terrible either.....[seen bigger numbers in my early twenties...]....

he is reluctant but is been slowly moving towards basal/bolus.....I think he is scared he will put on weight with all the food he eats....not a good reason to not want better control as we would all agree...

what are your thoughts...?

 

[O_DP_T1]

I was on it since 1978 until December

 

[Bridie9408]

I was swapped to a basal/ bolus regime in the early 1980s and it was very much against my will. From that day to this I have suffered with hypos during the night. As I always eat approximtely the same amount of carbohydrate at each meal, I was not looking for more flexibility. My waking BS was actually 0.1 mml higher on average over the first fortnight on four injections a day. When I went back to the hospital clinic, the doctor I had been seeing was really disappointed, but would not allow me to revert back to my previous insulin, as he said basal /bolus was modern treatment and nothing else could offer the same control. My waking BS levels continued to say otherwise.

If you are happy with your current insulin, I would fight to stay on it. Unfortunately, there are 'fashions' in insulin, like everything else. What suits one person may not be right for the next. The world and his wife have tried to solve my overnight hypo problem. My sister died owing to an overnight hypo. Personally, I wish I had never been put on a basal /bolus. I sleep with Glucotabs under my pillow every night.
Ps. I was diagnosed in August 1964.

I am doing really well on my humalog mix 25 and I hope no doctor will ever change it.

 

[Bridie9408]

The only person I know is my brother, who has been on it for years and has been diabetic since the age of 2 [1985].....

its not the best insulin for those who like some culinary flexibility......which for my brother is important as he loves his food......

his most recent HbA1c was 8.2% [66]...

which isn't really good, but no really terrible either.....[seen bigger numbers in my early twenties...]....

he is reluctant but is been slowly moving towards basal/bolus.....I think he is scared he will put on weight with all the food he eats....not a good reason to not want better control as we would all agree...

what are your thoughts...?

I have no problem with my humalog mix 25 and hope it never changes. Although I am not a very big eater. And when seen at diabetic clinic I am always one of best controlled.

 

[NoKindOfSusie]

This is a serious question.

This twice a day thing seems like it would be a lot less hassle than the MDI thing we all get to enjoy.

Yes you have to totally control what you eat but it is a good day when I get to eat at calorie maintenance anyway. My diet is already completely fun free it could hardly get any worse.

I assume that there is some good medical evidence behind the more modern approach. This being diabetes world though it seemed like a good idea to ask. Because I have been told enough dodgy things already. And I do mean proper double blind, peer reviewed trials, not a decision based on whatever makes everyone's lives the most miserable.

 

[therower]

This is a serious question.

This seems to imply that some of your questions are not serious.

 

[Jaylee]

This is a serious question.

This twice a day thing seems like it would be a lot less hassle than the MDI thing we all get to enjoy.

Yes you have to totally control what you eat but it is a good day when I get to eat at calorie maintenance anyway. My diet is already completely fun free it could hardly get any worse.

I assume that there is some good medical evidence behind the more modern approach. This being diabetes world though it seemed like a good idea to ask. Because I have been told enough dodgy things already. And I do mean proper double blind, peer reviewed trials, not a decision based on whatever makes everyone's lives the most miserable.

Good morning.

Based on how "rock & roll" I believe your career's timekeeping is alone. I wouldn't think a Novomix regime would do you any favours..? (In that respect.)

I'll tag in @urbanracer . He recently changed to MDI from this sort of regime.

Oddly, I worked with a young guy on a "mixer" two years ago on an active outdoor position. He was half my age & had trouble keeping up. More days off than on too. Poor kid!

 

[NoKindOfSusie]

This seems to imply that some of your questions are not serious.

Most of my questions are not this totally crazy?

I just want to understand what's going on.

 

[porl69]

This is a serious question.



My diet is already completely fun free it could hardly get any worse.

I eat what I want and inject for the carbs. I have my ratios pretty much smack on. As long as you can count carbs and inject for them I see no problems in a very varied diet

 

[EllieM]

I assume that there is some good medical evidence behind the more modern approach.

I don't know about the evidence though I would certainly hope there is some. However the rationale is that the old 2 injections a day relied on fixed amounts of carbs at fixed times of day, with no flexibility in times or amounts. The more modern basal/bolus regime is meant to give you much more flexibility in that your basal happens once a day and carries you when you're not eating, and your bolus can be taken as and when you want to eat (allowing you to vary meal times, food amounts and even skip meals or have extra ones).

 

[LooperCat]

I hated, hated, hated the inflexibility of the mixed-twice-a-day regime they started me on. It totally screwed up my career at the time of biochemistry research, as lab life wasn’t very conducive to the regularity of carb intake (that wasn’t pot noodles and biscuits) required.

My current basal/bolus regime gives me the flexibility that my life requires. I spend long hours on the road, in my car and on a motorbike, I work in very intensive stints in my shed when I’ve got a full order book and don’t want to stop for food - and have days where I do none of these things and graze. I also like having the option of micro-dosing to nudge my BG into line if I see it’s beginning to approach the top of my desired range. You can’t do any of that on a twice a day mixed insulin. Yes, it’s more intensive and requires more injections, but for me, the flexibility it gives is worth it.

Horses for courses, though. We should have the option to choose which suits us best.

 

[O_DP_T1]

So I was on twice a day injections since 1978 until recently and on the whole my controls were generally good but for the last year they've been getting a bit erratic so it was decided to that MDI might be a better option as you can take correction doses etc.

Observations comparing MDI to Twice a day Pre mix M3 insulin.

· Less spikes
· More “flexibility” to eat a wider range of foods
· Insulin seems allot softer then the pre mix M3
· Levels drop allot slower during training so less glucose tabs needed
· Less insulin needed at night and more in the morning as per pre mix M3
· Morning blood glucose spike suppressed, probably by taking Levimier at night
· Night time blood usually more stable then on pre mixM3
· Pens are easy to use
- Correction doses for when things go wrong
- Bolus for protein rich meals is a pain in the back side, never had to think about this on the M3
- On the M3 everything has to be the same day in day out, activity, food intake, macros etc etc and some days this is difficult
- On twice a day you take 2 fixed doses and that's it no mental arthritic every-time you eat etc and to be honest I kinda nailed it for many years

Would I change back to twice a day? I don't know this MDI is ALLOT of work and lets see the return for my efforts at my next appointment.

Tbh I had MANY years on pre-mix to manipulate it to work for me, I've probably not had the chance to do this with MDI yet.

 

[therower]

Most of my questions are not this totally crazy?

I just want to understand what's going on.

Then please listen to what people on here are telling you. I mean this with the upmost sincerity. All the answers to your questions and concerns are available. There are some very wise people who are only to willing to help you.
Diabetes isn't easy, any T1 will tell you that. Diabetes isn't a death sentence, believe us.

 

[Jaylee]

The only person I know is my brother, who has been on it for years and has been diabetic since the age of 2 [1985].....

its not the best insulin for those who like some culinary flexibility......which for my brother is important as he loves his food......

his most recent HbA1c was 8.2% [66]...

which isn't really good, but no really terrible either.....[seen bigger numbers in my early twenties...]....

he is reluctant but is been slowly moving towards basal/bolus.....I think he is scared he will put on weight with all the food he eats....not a good reason to not want better control as we would all agree...

what are your thoughts...?

My memories are distant. But i seem to remember the hypos were worse on single doses X2.
Then there was the recommended snacking twix meals as a "correction" in anticipation of the lows. (LOL, + the bedtime snack.)
There's only so much snack i can do...
I think this is where the trend for "snacking fixes" come from, as opposed to insulin dosage adjustments & carb counting with MDI? It's outdated "folklore" started from the days when shots were porcine... (Which is where i started in 1976.)
I seem to remember spending most my childhood carrying a sandwich box?
I certainly couldn't live like that now with what life throws at me..

 

[NoKindOfSusie]

I eat what I want and inject for the carbs. I have my ratios pretty much smack on. As long as you can count carbs and inject for them I see no problems in a very varied diet

I guess there's no polite way to ask what someone's hba1c is?

 

[kev-w]

I guess there's no polite way to ask what someone's hba1c is?

I know that's not directed at me, but as I'm sat eating chicken in shito sauce (Ghanaian spices) veg & rice (bowt 90g carbs & 5u pre bolussed), after swimming and mine's down from 52 to 48 since the Libre and I'll need no more than 1 Weetabix for supper to take the injections tail.

Porridge & poachies for breakfast....

No, I don't have a straight horizontal line, but stay within the limits mostly, remembering that I test to correct if needed

 

[therower]

I guess there's no polite way to ask what someone's hba1c is?

Just ask. If they want to tell they will. They may pm you for privacy.
HbA1C is just a number.
5.6 and totally pi**ed off with all the effort day after day OR 7.5 and happy, comfortable and enjoying life everyday.
Diabetes is so much more than HbA1C.
Only my opinion of course.