Insulin

James1968

Well-Known Member
Messages
441
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi again @James1968, again not a professional advice or opinion: look up https:/www.drugs.com/humulin_70-30.html
There is a graph of the amount of insulin in the blood stream after a single injection of humulin70-30 ( the interrupted dash line). You will see there are one rounded peak at around 3 hours which sort of corresponds to when the insulin is working at its best to bring BSLs down. Then the insulin drifts down over the next 20 hours or so.
The problem is that the carbohydrates (sugars in cereal, toast etc) you eat at your breakfast meal will usually cause a peak in Blood sugar level (BSL) at about the 2 hours mark, depending a little on what and how much you eat and what other foods accompany this (e.g. bacon or eggs etc).
Then at lunch time a similar thing will happen to your BSL but the insulin is already falling, there is no peak of insulin to help. But with a second dose of humulin 70-30 before your evening meal there will be another peak of insulin to sort of cover that.
Of course, you may still be producing some insulin from your own pancreas which might be able to ease the BSLs a little also.
The problem you face with these insulins in my view is that they miss the BSL rise, with each meal whilst providing a lot of background insulin between meals and overnight.
But when the dose is upped say, everything goes up, the 3 hours peak, the amount of insulin there over the next 20 hours or so and then if the second dose is increased there is the second peak heightened and the amount of insulin overnight is increased also.
This insulin mix insulin appears to to be insufficient at the after meal BSL peaks and then too much in between meals. Again this is just my view.
You may wish to see how you go with whatever your DSN advises about your current insulin doses. If they are upped I hope the DSN advises you to to be watching out and reporting any BSL less than 4 mmol/l as well as those above whatever your DSN has quoted to you as the acceptable upper range.
Please read up on the Home page here about hypoglycaemia which is the fancy term for low blood sugars or hypos as we call them. And as it advises, keep some form of sugar handy in case you start to experience any hypos.
I never drive when my BSL is less than 5 mmol/l as it is dangerous to drive in such a condition. Glucose meters might be up to 15 % out so that could mean that 5 mmol/l is actually 4.25 to 5.75 mmol/l where hypo levels are (as the Home page will also quote) less than 4 mmol/l or 3.6 mmol/l.
Best wishes.

Thanks for that
 

James1968

Well-Known Member
Messages
441
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I had to call the nurse today with BS results and she has told me to up insulin to 12 units twice a day
Call back on Friday to see how I am feeling
 

h884

Well-Known Member
Messages
390
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
It is a slow process finding the correct does of insulin. I hope that you begin to see and feel the benefits soon.

Have a lovely Christmas
 
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James1968

Well-Known Member
Messages
441
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Back on the phone to the DSN for my weekly call,and low and behold insulin put up again to 24 units twice a day, even though my BS tests are on the way down
What’s your thoughts?
 

Diakat

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,591
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
The smell of cigars
What are the actual numbers and how do you feel?
 

Diakat

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,591
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
The smell of cigars
Well that is still too high.
 

slip

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,523
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
agree with diakat, you’ve only dropped on average 2 mmol on 12u so.............
 

James1968

Well-Known Member
Messages
441
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Well bloods have come down since another increase to insulin, it has drops to approximately 8.5 to 9.
Feeling a lot better now that bloods have reduced
When I have woken up I have readings of about 6 so we’ll happy at the moment, will give my DSN a call on Friday to see how she feels now with my bloods
 

James1968

Well-Known Member
Messages
441
Type of diabetes
Type 2
No back on Humulin m3 33 units per day and Humulin I 8 units per day bloods still high most of the time

This is really starting to get me down with all the other meds that I take for this sh•t


Sorry for the language

Thx Jim....