Type 1.5 Insulin not effective, can anybody help me please?

[steve_p6]

Hi Steve_p6, carb levels vary for each meal but always 50g for breakfast, 22g dinner and roughly 70-90g's at teatime. I very rarely eat fast food these days either and yes I have a Libre and got the two sensors with the start up kit too. Using a sensor is soooo much easier but unfortunately I can't afford to buy them regularly much to my frustration. Thanks for your reply.

1 more thought, try a new pen. I had been using same old Novopen3 for years until I became suspicious it was not dosing correctly.

 

[tigger]

Hi @milli everyone's given very good advice above but one more thing to consider - are you close to the menopause? Anecdotally I've heard that this can cause a lot of problems with insulin absorption and doctors are reluctant to consider this as a cause.

 

[saraelbanaxx]

Hi there, I'm wondering if anyone has ever experienced a time where they've given themselves insulin to cover a meal only to feel really poorly 2hrs later and they test again only to find that the insulin that was given hasn't been effective and it's as if they've not given any insulin at all? ... This is what's been happening with me and it's been going on for a few weeks now possibly even a few months. I don't think it's that I'm injecting into lipo's because it's happened a lot when I've used a completely fresh site but it's really worrying me and neither my GP, The Diabetic Nurses nor my Diabetes Consultant know why this is happening ... infact when I asked my Diabetes Consultant all he did was shrug his shoulder's and say 'who knows why these things happen' ... needless to say this has worried me even more because if the top man doesn't know then who does?? ... Any advice or comments would be gratefully received

Hi there, it could be a case where you are insulin resistant and you should talk to your diabetes team very quickly if this has been going on for some time. It happened to me and me being me, left it for quite some time and I shouldn't have done that.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Hi

Change your pens.. thats a priority. Incidentally you should always have a spare one.

If you are adjusting by 1 unit and this hypos you.. adjust by 1/2 unit.

Novopen echo is great for novorapid. It has a time indicator on end and does 1/2 unit adjustments.

I think you need to clarify what time you inkect for normal meals
(Non take aways)....

And does your total basal doses in a day equal about the same as your bolus?

Are you doing sn airshot before injecting?

 

[steve_p6]

Hi

Change your pens.. thats a priority. Incidentally you should always have a spare one.

If you are adjusting by 1 unit and this hypos you.. adjust by 1/2 unit.

Novopen echo is great for novorapid. It has a time indicator on end and does 1/2 unit adjustments.

I think you need to clarify what time you inkect for normal meals
(Non take aways)....

And does your total basal doses in a day equal about the same as your bolus?

Are you doing sn airshot before injecting?

I will disagree with you @donnellysdogs on that point about basal vs bolus. I think that is entirely diet related and based on assumptions of high carb diet but as always am open to other views.

 

[donnellysdogs]

You have jumped to an incorrect conclusion as to my asking about bolus/basal ratio...@steve_p6......

I am not jumping to any conclusions. My own ratio is about 90 basal to 10 bolus ratio so I myself know that 50/50 does not work for everyone...

 

[pattifaye]

Hi Milli
I would go with much of donnellysdogs advice re changing pen and cartridges. I would go furtherand suggest you get a new prescription from a different chemist then bin what you have at home
Probably teaching you to suck eggs, but also
Keep the insulin you are using at decent room temp< 25 degrees dispose of in 4 weeks if any left, but presumably not.
Keep your spare insulin in a tupperware type of box, in the fridge, nowhere near the back, it's too cold, and not in the door as temp varies too much ( insulin doesn't like that) the box helps keep the vials safe if they fall out of the fridge. Any tiny crack in the glass will affect the strength. If you drop your pen on a hard floor, change the cartridge.
Do not keep a needle on your pen, it will affect the strength and also allow air into the cartridge, always do an airshot.
Yiur insulin will always work better given before food, preferably 15-30 mins before. If you don't know how many carbs you are going to eat, give some insulin and top up after.
Always check levels before eating and give a correction dose, aiming to bring your levels down to between 6-8 before next meal. If you arent going to eat at a normal sort of meal time, test and give a correction if needed.
Yes it will be more injections but good practise for a pump.
Lumps aren't always visible, have a look at your areas from all angles in a full length mirror, and have a good feel. Any thickened areas, or sites that you like cos it doesn't hurt, avoid.
Get as much help and support from your Dietitian as possible re carb counting and ratios

I really hope you feel better, and I know you have had a lot of suggestions and it probably feels like a load of work that you do not feel like doing, but if your levels are better, you will feel so much better yourself.

 

[SusanBoughey]

Hi there, I'm wondering if anyone has ever experienced a time where they've given themselves insulin to cover a meal only to feel really poorly 2hrs later and they test again only to find that the insulin that was given hasn't been effective and it's as if they've not given any insulin at all? ... This is what's been happening with me and it's been going on for a few weeks now possibly even a few months. I don't think it's that I'm injecting into lipo's because it's happened a lot when I've used a completely fresh site but it's really worrying me and neither my GP, The Diabetic Nurses nor my Diabetes Consultant know why this is happening ... infact when I asked my Diabetes Consultant all he did was shrug his shoulder's and say 'who knows why these things happen' ... needless to say this has worried me even more because if the top man doesn't know then who does?? ... Any advice or comments would be gratefully received

Ask for Humalin 500

 

[slikwipman]

Hi there, I'm wondering if anyone has ever experienced a time where they've given themselves insulin to cover a meal only to feel really poorly 2hrs later and they test again only to find that the insulin that was given hasn't been effective and it's as if they've not given any insulin at all? ... This is what's been happening with me and it's been going on for a few weeks now possibly even a few months. I don't think it's that I'm injecting into lipo's because it's happened a lot when I've used a completely fresh site but it's really worrying me and neither my GP, The Diabetic Nurses nor my Diabetes Consultant know why this is happening ... infact when I asked my Diabetes Consultant all he did was shrug his shoulder's and say 'who knows why these things happen' ... needless to say this has worried me even more because if the top man doesn't know then who does?? ... Any advice or comments would be gratefully received

I also have experience of this and have found a two to three mile walk after eating breakfast with insulin injection seems to switch the insulin on.

 

[steve_p6]

You have jumped to an incorrect conclusion as to my asking about bolus/basal ratio...@steve_p6......

I am not jumping to any conclusions. My own ratio is about 90 basal to 10 bolus ratio so I myself know that 50/50 does not work for everyone...

Apologies it was probably the wording and my reading, what was it you were trying to findout?

 

[ingerd]

Hi there, I'm wondering if anyone has ever experienced a time where they've given themselves insulin to cover a meal only to feel really poorly 2hrs later and they test again only to find that the insulin that was given hasn't been effective and it's as if they've not given any insulin at all? ... This is what's been happening with me and it's been going on for a few weeks now possibly even a few months. I don't think it's that I'm injecting into lipo's because it's happened a lot when I've used a completely fresh site but it's really worrying me and neither my GP, The Diabetic Nurses nor my Diabetes Consultant know why this is happening ... infact when I asked my Diabetes Consultant all he did was shrug his shoulder's and say 'who knows why these things happen' ... needless to say this has worried me even more because if the top man doesn't know then who does?? ... Any advice or comments would be gratefully received

Hi Milli - Yes I experience the same. I also use Novo Rapid and have used it for years. I have had Type 1 Diabetes for 35 years. About a year ago I changed the basal insulin from Levemir to Humalog and got the diabetes regulated so well, that at the moment I do not need to use Novo Rapid very often. But it still works only after 3-4 hours. I have always thought, it is because I have had Diabetes for many years, and I try to keep the blood sugar as normal as it is possible. I am diagnosed with Unpredictable Diabetes, which it is. I usually keep it by eating more or less the same every day - I mean the same cabohydrates. When I have had too many problems with the control, it has helped to change to another kind of basal Insulin. I hope all the best for you.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Apologies it was probably the wording and my reading, what was it you were trying to findout?

To find out what current ratio is and suggest that we don't all run on 50/50!!

You read my thoughts exactly the opposite....

 

[steve_p6]

To find out what current ratio is and suggest that we don't all run on 50/50!!

You read my thoughts exactly the opposite....

so we were actually in agreement

 

[donnellysdogs]

so we were actually in agreement

Yep!! For a change-lol! Standard set up is 50/50 but its not right for everyone!!

 

[AFoxy74]

If you feel you are becoming resistant to insulin ask about taking metformin it helps with insulin absorption.