Insulin range

[Erin]

Dear diabetics,

A nurse told me that starting insulin at a certain dose (e.g. 100) would reach the optimum after a year. I have not experienced this; to the contrary, I seem to need more and more after 6 months. I wonder what your experience is.

Thanks for any ideas;

Erin

 

[Colin Crowhurst]

It will be hard for anyone to comment without an idea of what you started on and what it has changed to.

As a Type1, I started twice daily with 12u of novomix30... since then I have been reduced twice firstly to 2x10u ; now on 1@9u + 1@8u daily. I think it depends on how you are coping and also dependant on dietary changes (lowering Carbs etc)
Many people also mention a "honeymoon" period on DX but I havent got a Scooby-doo on that as it doesn't appear to have happened to me....yet?

Your figure of 100? would certainly scare the hell out of me! what units are you talking about?

 

[EllieM]

Your figure of 100? would certainly scare the hell out of me! what units are you talking about?

As T2s are typically insulin resistant they can end up taking much larger quantities of insulin than T1s... I believe there are more concentrated versions of some insulins available so that the volume of such injections can be kept down.

As regards @Erin 's question, hopefully some insulin dependent T2s will post soon, as I believe the mechanisms of the disease for T1 and T2 are quite different, and I suspect the calculation of insulin doses may be different also. (T1s are working to replace insulin that is no longer produced, whereas T2s are working against a possibly still increasing insulin resistance and also possibly reduced insulin production....) But I'm not T2 and am very willing to be told I've misunderstood the issues.

 

[Erin]

It will be hard for anyone to comment without an idea of what you started on and what it has changed to.

As a Type1, I started twice daily with 12u of novomix30... since then I have been reduced twice firstly to 2x10u ; now on 1@9u + 1@8u daily. I think it depends on how you are coping and also dependant on dietary changes (lowering Carbs etc)
Many people also mention a "honeymoon" period on DX but I havent got a Scooby-doo on that as it doesn't appear to have happened to me....yet?

Your figure of 100? would certainly scare the hell out of me! what units are you talking about?

 

[Erin]

Sorry, I meant 10 units.

 

[NicoleC1971]

Sorry, I meant 10 units.

If you are taking insulin as a person who at one point made plenty but has become 'resistant', (most type 2s) all this means is that your body has become used to too much insulin and has trouble using it efficiently in combination with a reduction in supply of insulin. In this respect it is just like any drug i.e. the more you take of it the more you will need to achieve the same blood sugars.
The implication of this is that you will need increasing amounts of insulin. Your doctors will be rightly concerned with managing your blood sugars and have presumably tried other drugs prior to putting you on insulin but more insulin will mean more insulin resistance so in someways the treatment is making the diabetes worse. Some people can reduce their need for insulin by reducing their carbohydrate intake and increasing exercise or by losing weight. I am type 1 and know that if I increase my intake of bread etc. I will need more insulin and will gain weight and need more insulin!
I'd recommend a look at Jason Fung's videos about diabetes or his book The Diabetes Code which does a great job of explaining type 2 diabetes and treatment options.

 

[Colin Crowhurst]

Well 10 units doesn't sound a lot to me, having overheard others in my first clinic (in Feb) talking about taking 35 units three times per day for meals plus a Basal for overnight! Sometime we worry when we don't know the spread of "normal" results.

I had one test that should be about 14 normally, was 295 and I thought that pretty bad, next day it was over 5000 so I REALLY thought that was bad, until nurse informed me it goes to over 50,000 and they then don't bother to measure it and just say "over 50 000 ) so perspective is needed in these tests! P.S. this was non-diabetes related!

 

[Member496333]

As a type 2, all these numbers are meaningless unless you also know your own (endogenous) circulating insulin levels. You could already be hugely hyperinsulinemic, or you could have a partial/total deficiency.

 

[Erin]

If you are taking insulin as a person who at one point made plenty but has become 'resistant', (most type 2s) all this means is that your body has become used to too much insulin and has trouble using it efficiently in combination with a reduction in supply of insulin. In this respect it is just like any drug i.e. the more you take of it the more you will need to achieve the same blood sugars.
The implication of this is that you will need increasing amounts of insulin. Your doctors will be rightly concerned with managing your blood sugars and have presumably tried other drugs prior to putting you on insulin but more insulin will mean more insulin resistance so in someways the treatment is making the diabetes worse. Some people can reduce their need for insulin by reducing their carbohydrate intake and increasing exercise or by losing weight. I am type 1 and know that if I increase my intake of bread etc. I will need more insulin and will gain weight and need more insulin!
I'd recommend a look at Jason Fung's videos about diabetes or his book The Diabetes Code which does a great job of explaining type 2 diabetes and treatment options.

Thank you Nicole for the reference. I look forward to the 120day or 3 month A1C monitor from my doctor. I will have to inform her that there has been an increase in the recent in 10 to 14 of insulin in the past month.
Thank you.

Erin

 

[Erin]

My husband has increased my insulin from 10 a year ago to presently 14. I think I am a bit better, and insulin may have to increase. It was embarrassing to go through a big operation and reach 22.5 blood sugar and be wet. I hope the GP doctors agree with the necessity of insulin increase in time.

 

[Erin]

Thank you Nicole for the reference. I look forward to the 120day or 3 month A1C monitor from my doctor. I will have to inform her that there has been an increase in the recent in 10 to 14 of insulin in the past month.
Thank you.

Erin

I'm trying to be a "good girl" and printed the Glycemic index for diet. Back to 14 insulin.

 

[NicoleC1971]

Dear diabetics,

A nurse told me that starting insulin at a certain dose (e.g. 100) would reach the optimum after a year. I have not experienced this; to the contrary, I seem to need more and more after 6 months. I wonder what your experience is.

Thanks for any ideas;

Erin

Hi Erin
Not t2 but know that if you are insulin resistant and take insulin you become more insulin resistant (as with many other drugs) therefore it is logical that you will need more and perhaps that you will gain more weight because the insulin can drive fat storage and appetite. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Erin]

Hi Erin
Not t2 but know that if you are insulin resistant and take insulin you become more insulin resistant (as with many other drugs) therefore it is logical that you will need more and perhaps that you will gain more weight because the insulin can drive fat storage and appetite. Hope that makes sense.

Same weight, and an increase to 20 insulin (Humalin); some improvement with gliclazide, but I believe glubutride would be better; dr. declines. She did give me 25insulin which gave chest pain as that may be hypos; and so I reduced it to 20, which is tolerable.

Thanks Nicole, sorry for my lack of terminology.