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Insulin intake

Gafspa

Gafspa

Well-Known Member
Messages
63
I was diagnosed type 1 in August.

I had a phone consultation today and was asked what my average fast insulin intake was per day - it’s 20/25 units.
I was told this isn’t a lot off insulin so just wondered what other people need on average day?
 
6 to 8 units of fast-acting a day. I'm very active and on a low carbohydrate diet <30 grams a day. :) What's important is that you follow your blood sugar numbers, rather than comparing the amount you are taking with others.
 
ert said:
6 to 8 units of fast-acting a day. I'm very active and on a low carbohydrate diet <30 grams. :) What's important is that you follow your blood sugar numbers, rather than comparing the amount you are taking with others.
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I thought I took quite a lot! Which was why I was surprised when he said!

When I was first diagnosed I needed an awful lot less but I guess that’s because my body was still producing some insulin.
 
Gafspa said:
I was diagnosed type 1 in August.

I had a phone consultation today and was asked what my average fast insulin intake was per day - it’s 20/25 units.
I was told this isn’t a lot off insulin so just wondered what other people need on average day?
Click to expand...

I’m on a pump so only use rapid

I have about 70units a day. 30 of which would be my basal (your long acting)
 
Gafspa said:
I thought I took quite a lot! Which was why I was surprised when he said!

When I was first diagnosed I needed an awful lot less but I guess that’s because my body was still producing some insulin.
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If you eat normally then you need a lot more than I take too. :)
 
Gafspa said:
I was diagnosed type 1 in August.

I had a phone consultation today and was asked what my average fast insulin intake was per day - it’s 20/25 units.
I was told this isn’t a lot off insulin so just wondered what other people need on average day?
Click to expand...

Hi,

To be fair, you sound recently diagnosed? If your managment is doing well for you.? Then what you use is what it is..

There is the "text book." Then there is the reality of insulin dependants in the wild. With different lifestyles & wot not..
My endo just asks me what my insulin to carb ratio is. He's never asked me about my diet.

My reply seems a little "generic," I know. What else can I say. I don't compare "meerkats."
 
I'm on MDI - typically between 9-11 units of basal, 10 -20 units of bolus depending on carb and protein intake each day, but reduced by long exercise days.
 
Time of day and activity level can make a BIG difference to the ideal I:C ratio. I take 9 units with a breakfast of 35 g of carbs, but with my evening meal I take at present 5 units with a meal comprising about 70 to 80 g carbs. I often skip insulin at lunch as I only have about 17 g carbs and tend to pop out for a bike run after lunch. I think I'm judging things reasonably well as I'm managing to maintain a within target (3.9 to 10 mmol) of above 90% per 24 hours.
My basal at present is 11 units of Lantus.
 
Heard this question a few times and wondered can you compare what one person takes with respect to another , of course you can as long as it’s just from an “ interest” point of view as yours is . Personally as this subject is personal I can’t tell exactly what my daily intake is going to be cos it’s rarely the same ! As I eat differently most days . And to be honest I’m not bothered how much insulin I take as long as my blood sugars are within “range” , as we know blood sugars can be affected by numerous things , one thing I do know is back in the days when fixed dosages of insulin were the only way of controlling diabetes I was asked by a insurance person whilst trying to insure a car that the amount of insulin I was taking “ was a lot “ when I told her the amount , I would like to think we have advanced since then , I know when I’ve been in hospital in the past and during the initial form filling by the nurse I was always asked how much insulin do you take I can tell them my normal Basel dose and carb ratio but Bolus dose pick a number lol it always seems like a tick in the box exercise as they always left me deal with my insulin management myself.
 
Ushthetaff said:
Heard this question a few times and wondered can you compare what one person takes with respect to another , of course you can as long as it’s just from an “ interest” point of view as yours is . Personally as this subject is personal I can’t tell exactly what my daily intake is going to be cos it’s rarely the same ! As I eat differently most days . And to be honest I’m not bothered how much insulin I take as long as my blood sugars are within “range” , as we know blood sugars can be affected by numerous things , one thing I do know is back in the days when fixed dosages of insulin were the only way of controlling diabetes I was asked by a insurance person whilst trying to insure a car that the amount of insulin I was taking “ was a lot “ when I told her the amount , I would like to think we have advanced since then , I know when I’ve been in hospital in the past and during the initial form filling by the nurse I was always asked how much insulin do you take I can tell them my normal Basel dose and carb ratio but Bolus dose pick a number lol it always seems like a tick in the box exercise as they always left me deal with my insulin management myself.
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Car insurance? Was the agent diabetic themself? I've never been asked how much. Only to declare I do..

I'm normaly the one to ask "how much. £££." ;)
 
And if you want to know what a lot of insulin is, consider the fact that they manufacture U500 and U300 insulins at 5 and 3 times the strength of the normal U100, specifically for people who need higher doses....
 
Jaylee said:
Car insurance? Was the agent diabetic themself? I've never been asked how much. Only to declare I do..

I'm normaly the one to ask "how much. £££." ;)
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It was along time ago it was for a Beige Yes Beige Ford Orion 1,6 Gl that’s how long ago it was ,she asked me how many units I was taking I told her , think it was 28 she said that’s a lot I said when did you become a diabetic specialist , needless to say they didn’t insure me was so difficult to get insurance back then id you were diabetic and relatively young some just point blank refused . Think I ended up paying £1100
 
Ushthetaff said:
It was along time ago it was for a Beige Yes Beige Ford Orion 1,6 Gl that’s how long ago it was ,she asked me how many units I was taking I told her , think it was 28 she said that’s a lot I said when did you become a diabetic specialist , needless to say they didn’t insure me was so difficult to get insurance back then id you were diabetic and relatively young some just point blank refused . Think I ended up paying £1100
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Interesting, I'm roughly the same age as you but I've never had an issue with insurers and T1. They said that if I had a driving license then I wasn't any extra risk, and if hypos were an issue then I wouldn't have a driving license. But I probably didn't have my own car (and hence my own insurance) till I was 25, so maybe age is more of an issue than the T1.
 
You can't compare the insulin you take with others so to be told on your review that what you take isn't a lot is a rather silly comment and best ignored.
 
17 units of Lantus and roughly 4-10 units of Novarapid. That means nothing to anyone else though as we are all so different and have very different requirements and lifestyles.
 
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