How long without insulin

[TheBigNewt]

You said you were considered Type 2 for about a year and a half, and Type 1 for 9 months. I assume when you were a Type 2 you took oral hypoglycemic (metformin, glyburide, etc) and then you were changed to insulin. If you indeed can go weeks not taking insulin and do not become ketotic within a few days I question whether you are a true Type 1. Did they even measure insulin levels in you? I mean you could just be a Type 2 who "requires" insulin to achieve better control. Where I work at the VA in the states we have a ton of Type 2s taking Lantus and Novolog. A ton.

 

[azure]

You said you were considered Type 2 for about a year and a half, and Type 1 for 9 months. I assume when you were a Type 2 you took oral hypoglycemic (metformin, glyburide, etc) and then you were changed to insulin. If you indeed can go weeks not taking insulin and do not become ketotic within a few days I question whether you are a true Type 1. Did they even measure insulin levels in you?

Nessa was misdiagnosed initially and was unable to control her blood sugars. A number of people here suggested she might well be Type 1, and she has now been rediagnosed as a Type 1.

 

[nessa1970]

They did a gad and a c-peptide tests.
And from that they said I was type one
I was having hba1c at 76 when type two and I was on metformin. It kept going up even when they put me on lantus 10 units a day. Then I was very sick an I was put on more basal with a bolos to, which dropped my hba1c to 42.
I don't know why I can go three weeks with no dka or ketones only a very small amount highest was 0.9
Not that I tested that much actually because I had no symptoms re that only the hyperglycaemia. They did say or my endo said I had some function that was few months ago he said that from the tests I'd had nine months ago

 

[Claire007]

Hi @nessa1970
I too was diagnosed around the same time as you and judging by your user name, we're the same age too.
My advice to you would be to do what I did when I was first diagnosed.
Take 3 breakfast, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, carb count them precisely then just stick to eating the same meals for a couple of weeks. Look at what your BG does and record it.
Then you can add more meals in.
When you're feeling burnt out with it, you will always have these 3 combo dishes to fall back on without having to think too much. Keep them simple and easy to prepare.

I'm honeymooning too, two years on and I'm on much less insulin than you, so that indicates to me that you really do need that insulin so keep it simple, ask the dietician to help you with it. The better your control the longer you'll hold on to your beta cells.

All the very best, I know it's hard, I spent the first year in a bit of a rage and I still want to throw myself on the floor occasionally like a toddler and scream 'it's not fair' but there's no choice involved. I love my eyesight and my legs and do want to keep them fully functioning.

 

[nessa1970]

Hi @nessa1970
I too was diagnosed around the same time as you and judging by your user name, we're the same age too.
My advice to you would be to do what I did when I was first diagnosed.
Take 3 breakfast, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, carb count them precisely then just stick to eating the same meals for a couple of weeks. Look at what your BG does and record it.
Then you can add more meals in.
When you're feeling burnt out with it, you will always have these 3 combo dishes to fall back on without having to think too much. Keep them simple and easy to prepare.

I'm honeymooning too, two years on and I'm on much less insulin than you, so that indicates to me that you really do need that insulin so keep it simple, ask the dietician to help you with it. The better your control the longer you'll hold on to your beta cells.

All the very best, I know it's hard, I spent the first year in a bit of a rage and I still want to throw myself on the floor occasionally like a toddler and scream 'it's not fair' but there's no choice involved. I love my eyesight and my legs and do want to keep them fully functioning.

Hi Claire
I will definitely do that what a fantastic idea I never would of thought of that.
That would definitely come in very handy when I'm burning out
Thank you very very much
All the advise from members has been great and it will add more tools in my box for when needed
Cheers

 

[Andy41]

Hi there,
Your story is quite similar to mine. I was diagnosed as type 1 , possible LADA and have been on insulin for the last two years. I take 12 levemir morning and night and around 5 units of novorapid before most meals. I have gone days without, for denial and annoyance reasons, and haven't suffered as a result. My bg is usually between 7 and 16 each day and even when I take more insulin to get tighter control I hardly ever go lower than 4. This all makes it a bit difficult to take seriously but I've stopped not taking now after a serious chat with a diabetic nurse about what might happen.
Odd though when others seem to have such serious consequences so quickly after not taking insulin.

Good luck.

 

[TheBigNewt]

Eating the exact same meals helps a lot. I do it for breakfast and lunch on work days, and dinners all have about the same grams of carbs. If I have trouble high it's on weekends eating out. I have a weakness for French fries and they don't work in diabetes lol.

 

[donnellysdogs]

I have just a teaplate of food most days.
We make say a corned beef hash with aubergine, bnut squash, cauli rice, tin of corned beef, brocolli and courgette for 3 days. It isnt boring... its actually handy to be able to calculate the carbs and know them easy peaay for 3 days.
Sometimes, rarely I'll have an omelette for brunch.. or sometimes I may make smoothies-again I make six big glasses and they last us 3 days.
It really is so handy.

I just reckon that ready meal food in shops generally has a week sell by date on so making and keeping in fridge prepared isnt a hardship.

If you are thinking about work you need to try and make your life simple as you can for managing your diabetes..and things like a nice homemade curry also lasts 3 days and is simple to make whether having it with veg or meat.

Keeping to a routine of food does help.

Diabetes routine can be like a part of normal living... just like cleaning teeth, having wash etc.. it needs to be given a routine to become acceptable...

Its not easy, humans dont jump at the chance of change or new things unless its for pleasure.....
Its giving yourself a simple routine to get used to first.

If you were considering a pump you need to give diabetes a lot more attention than you are currently able to. You will need to stop bloods running HI and accept fitting diabetes in to your routine consistently...

Good luck..

 

[nessa1970]

Hi there,
Your story is quite similar to mine. I was diagnosed as type 1 , possible LADA and have been on insulin for the last two years. I take 12 levemir morning and night and around 5 units of novorapid before most meals. I have gone days without, for denial and annoyance reasons, and haven't suffered as a result. My bg is usually between 7 and 16 each day and even when I take more insulin to get tighter control I hardly ever go lower than 4. This all makes it a bit difficult to take seriously but I've stopped not taking now after a serious chat with a diabetic nurse about what might happen.
Odd though when others seem to have such serious consequences so quickly after not taking insulin.

Good luck.

Yes it does make it a bit harder
When I read the stories it's really shocking I feel a bit guilty too
But I guess very lucky
So far

 

[nessa1970]

I have just a teaplate of food most days.
We make say a corned beef hash with aubergine, bnut squash, cauli rice, tin of corned beef, brocolli and courgette for 3 days. It isnt boring... its actually handy to be able to calculate the carbs and know them easy peaay for 3 days.
Sometimes, rarely I'll have an omelette for brunch.. or sometimes I may make smoothies-again I make six big glasses and they last us 3 days.
It really is so handy.

I just reckon that ready meal food in shops generally has a week sell by date on so making and keeping in fridge prepared isnt a hardship.

If you are thinking about work you need to try and make your life simple as you can for managing your diabetes..and things like a nice homemade curry also lasts 3 days and is simple to make whether having it with veg or meat.

Keeping to a routine of food does help.

Diabetes routine can be like a part of normal living... just like cleaning teeth, having wash etc.. it needs to be given a routine to become acceptable...

Its not easy, humans dont jump at the chance of change or new things unless its for pleasure.....
Its giving yourself a simple routine to get used to first.

If you were considering a pump you need to give diabetes a lot more attention than you are currently able to. You will need to stop bloods running HI and accept fitting diabetes in to your routine consistently...

Good luck..

Thank you
I think a pump isn't a good idea for me for a while I will tell my endo that st my appointment in June
I'm not ready
Cheers

 

[genix]

This maybe different for people not pumping tho right?
Say they couldn't have insulin for 24 hours it may take longer
What is full dka mean ? It starts at 0 so what I does it climb too an what is full dka
Would you go to a dr at 3 say or is it 5 maybe

First you start feeling nauseous, then you want to vomit but your breath smells of actual acetone ( acetone is a ketone of the human body ) and it burns your throat ( I remember at the time a nurse stating she could smell the acetone on my breath) then the cramping of all the muscles in your body starts as your body acidity rises and your PH approaches 7 then you become unconscious I believe, just before you die. That was my experience ( minus the dying part ). Yes your right it is a process that takes a little to begin but as the bodies acidity rises it takes over quite quick. It took twenty years of having type one to finally experience this.

So to answer your question fully, I went to bed the night before with the flu and sometime during the night my cannula became dislodged while sleeping and I ended up in hospital with morphine and several litre bags of water salt and potassium say 12 hours maximum from the cessation of short acting insulin (humalog).

 

[nessa1970]

First you start feeling nauseous, then you want to vomit but your breath smells of actual acetone ( acetone is a ketone of the human body ) and it burns your throat ( I remember at the time a nurse stating she could smell the acetone on my breath) then the cramping of all the muscles in your body starts as your body acidity rises and your PH approaches 7 then you become unconscious I believe, just before you die. That was my experience ( minus the dying part ). Yes your right it is a process that takes a little to begin but as the bodies acidity rises it takes over quite quick. It took twenty years of having type one to finally experience this.

So to answer your question fully, I went to bed the night before with the flu and sometime during the night my cannula became dislodged while sleeping and I ended up in hospital with morphine and several litre bags of water salt and potassium say 12 hours maximum from the cessation of short acting insulin (humalog).

How bloody awful
Ok so I'll be sure to remember to check for them if I'm unwell
That's really scary

 

[genix]

How bloody awful
Ok so I'll be sure to remember to check for them if I'm unwell
That's really scary

Yes it was scary but it is fairly uncommon. I was diagnosed with T1 at the age of 4 and my DKA happened after 22 years of T1 ( at age 26). I have now had T1 for 40 years and still have only had DKA once and that was now almost 20 years ago. You are right though in keeping aware of it, the only reason I think it developed so far was because I had never had DKA and was just so unaware of its symptoms, which of course now I am! once bitten twice shy. For example I had an occluded set just a few days ago and my CGM showed my BS steadily rising and I promptly had SC humalog and changed sets.

 

[tinyfilosofer]

Forgot to bring my bolus once. Skipped breakfast and had lamb for breakfast. Thought everything was fine as bg was 6ish for the entire day. At 5pm, it started rising. Think muscles were starting to complain and liver started to dump. Then mild dka. Whole body ached and felt nauseous and felt like I was going to die. Dosed at 7pm and ate dinner normally. But Suffered dka symptoms for the whole night and next morning.