Insulin finally

[Suzieplant84]

Finally saw a diabetic specialist nurse yesterday and was told I wasn't a type 2 and was type 1 and required insulin asap.. After a full day and getting my head round it all I am starting to feel so much more energetic... I could barely walk and slept for days on end. Light at the end of the tunnel finally was only diagnosed in Feb this year.

 

[In Response]

Great to read you have finally got the diagnosis.

I notice your insulin pens are single use. It could be worthwhile requesting reusable pens.
These are more robust, the cartridges take up less space in your fridge and you throw much less plastic away.

 

[JMK1954]

I am so glad to hear that they finally reached a diagnosis.for you. I am not surprised you feel a lot better. Don't push yourself too hard at first. The feeling of having renewed energy is something most of us will recognise. It looks like they've put you on Levemir as your basal /background insulin, with Novorapid to cover the carbs in your meals. Best to keep them in different places to avoid taking the wrong one, when you're half asleep or in a hurry.

I hope that you were warned about hypos. Have you decided on sources of rapidly absorbed carbohydrare for use to rause your levels in an emergency ? In this situation, liquid carbs such as Coke (but not the diet variety) or orange juice are likely to work faster. Out of the house, I always carry glucose of some sort in pockets and in my bag but a lot of people swear by jelly babies. There's a lot to learn but you'll get there. Good luck and best wishes.

 

[Elizabeth__m]

I was given exactly the same news yesterday! I am seeing the diabetic nurse on Friday to get started on insulin, the speed of things moving is frightening, still trying to get my head round it like yourself.. At the moment I could sleep the clock round, I am constantly exhausted. I am worried about using insulin, but looking forward to (hopefully) the benefits it will bring.

 

[Suzieplant84]

I was given exactly the same news yesterday! I am seeing the diabetic nurse on Friday to get started on insulin, the speed of things moving is frightening, still trying to get my head round it like yourself.. At the moment I could sleep the clock round, I am constantly exhausted. I am worried about using insulin, but looking forward to (hopefully) the benefits it will bring.

Yes the speed of seeing someone was too long plus my doctor was messing around giving me medication..insulin is easy to use and painless and I am scared of needles

 

[Suzieplant84]

I am so glad to hear that they finally reached a diagnosis.for you. I am not surprised you feel a lot better. Don't push yourself too hard at first. The feeling of having renewed energy is something most of us will recognise. It looks like they've put you on Levemir as your basal /background insulin, with Novorapid to cover the carbs in your meals. Best to keep them in different places to avoid taking the wrong one, when you're half asleep or in a hurry.

I hope that you were warned about hypos. Have you decided on sources of rapidly absorbed carbohydrare for use to rause your levels in an emergency ? In this situation, liquid carbs such as Coke (but not the diet variety) or orange juice are likely to work faster. Out of the house, I always carry glucose of some sort in pockets and in my bag but a lot of people swear by jelly babies. There's a lot to learn but you'll get there. Good luck and best wishes.

Yes I have been warned and now have kelly babies everywhere so I have them to hand instantly

 

[Elizabeth__m]

I am on Victosa so have been injecting daily anyway for about 18 months. I am not looking forward to having to inject more but I will manage. Growing up I had an older relative who did not manage her diabetes well, I know the devastating impact that can have

 

[KK123]

I was given exactly the same news yesterday! I am seeing the diabetic nurse on Friday to get started on insulin, the speed of things moving is frightening, still trying to get my head round it like yourself.. At the moment I could sleep the clock round, I am constantly exhausted. I am worried about using insulin, but looking forward to (hopefully) the benefits it will bring.

Hi Elizabeth, I notice you were diagnosed with type 2 a few years back, have they said you are type 1 now?, was that another misdiagnosis to begin with? x

 

[xfieldok]

Yes I have been warned and now have kelly babies everywhere so I have them to hand instantly

In addition to fast acting jelly babies, you need to follow up with something slower acting like biscuits.

 

[becca59]

In addition to fast acting jelly babies, you need to follow up with something slower acting like biscuits.

Just to be contentious I disagree. If the hypo is treated quickly that should suffice and will not result in a rebound high. I was told that was advice from years ago, but not up to date advice. Have never eaten anything extra in 7 years.

 

[searley]

Just to be contentious I disagree. If the hypo is treated quickly that should suffice and will not result in a rebound high. I was told that was advice from years ago, but not up to date advice. Have never eaten anything extra in 7 years.

Depends on the situation too

My driving license renewals insist I carry fast action carbs plus something slower release and states in the case of a hypo I’m to use both prior to driving..

So could find yourself in trouble if something goes wrong and didn’t follow guidance

 

[KK123]

Just to be contentious I disagree. If the hypo is treated quickly that should suffice and will not result in a rebound high. I was told that was advice from years ago, but not up to date advice. Have never eaten anything extra in 7 years.

I always thought the reason you were told to follow up with carbs following the initial treatment of a hypo was to prevent any more lows not rebound highs? That definitely works for me, once I've treated the hypo quickly, my levels rise quickly but ALWAYS go low again after around an hour and keep doing so. Now I follow up with 15carbs of something which does work for me and stops the continuous lows (following a bad hypo) in their tracks. Yes it means hovering slightly higher than normal but I don't mind that if it helps to prevent other hypos...which then would need yet more treatment.

 

[UK T1]

I always thought the reason you were told to follow up with carbs following the initial treatment of a hypo was to prevent any more lows not rebound highs? That definitely works for me, once I've treated the hypo quickly, my levels rise quickly but ALWAYS go low again after around an hour and keep doing so. Now I follow up with 15carbs of something which does work for me and stops the continuous lows (following a bad hypo) in their tracks. Yes it means hovering slightly higher than normal but I don't mind that if it helps to prevent other hypos...which then would need yet more treatment.

This is what I've always been told too.

I think it does depend how low you've been and if you can identify the cause, and what activity you have planned. If I'm just 3.7 and am just watching TV then that is different from 2.9 needing to go for a full day of work etc. I definitely wouldn't always follow up with starchy carbs, but usually have dextro and something like oatcakes in my bag so I'm covered for both situations if I'm out for a longer time (like at work).

 

[JMK1954]

Years ago, the best answer for me when down to around 2 mml turned out to be glucose, until a test indicated above 4 mml, then a large (for me) piece of chocolate cake. If I ate slower-acting carbs instead of the cake, I could end up at 14 to 16 mml within a couple of hours. I think my basal was too much at the time. (The cake was wonderful !)
Please note - this is not intended as advice to anyone. Just an observation.

 

[xfieldok]

Just to be contentious I disagree. If the hypo is treated quickly that should suffice and will not result in a rebound high. I was told that was advice from years ago, but not up to date advice. Have never eaten anything extra in 7 years.

As a T2, I did not know about treating hypos and crashed after the jelly babies ran out of juice. You need to know all the options.

 

[EllieM]

(The cake was wonderful !)
Please note - this is not intended as advice to anyone. Just an observation.

I've got to say, if I could take cake when hypo I might have a lot more hypos, sort of accidentally on purpose. (Though probably not, even cake isn't worth a hypo. )

But I am pretty insulin resistant so a small amount of carb usually gets me out of a hypo... Apart from at night, when I seem to get many hypos after an initial one, so something long acting seems to be the way to go.

But honestly, some people seem to need a lot more carb than others when hypo. You just need to learn your own body and always carry emergency carbohydrate. And personally, I have to make sure that my emergency carb is pretty boring, otherwise it's too tempting to overtreat the hypo.

 

[JMK1954]

Yet again, the moral of the tale is : we really are all different. I couldn't eat cake after the glucose today. That would be disastrous.

 

[ert]

It depends if your blood sugars are below 3.5 mmol/l and still dropping, levelled out, or on the increase. That determines how many dexter tablets I take. I keep checking every 10 to 15 minute and repeat. I eat fruit once my blood sugars are above 3.5 again to stop the rollercoaster.

 

[Lulu9101112]

In addition to fast acting jelly babies, you need to follow up with something slower acting like biscuits.

just to correct you there after hypos you only have to follow up with some slow acting carbs if your not eating anything within the next hour.

 

[KK123]

just to correct you there after hypos you only have to follow up with some slow acting carbs if your not eating anything within the next hour.

Although if you were eating within the next hour you sort of would be following it up with carbs. A hypo treatment tends to take a good 30 minutes to start rising for me, so anything eaten in the next hour takes the place of the slow acting carb that's recommended. I think that advice is just telling people don't just rely on the initial hypo treatment as you're likely to drop again without some slow acting carbs in the hour(s) that follow a hypo.