Type 2 Novorapid Injections

[chaoticliloj]

Hi, I’m just about to start Novorapid injections to help whilst I’m on steroids (Prednisolone). My doctor has said to get my levels down to 10 to start with (with every 3 points it needs to come down as 1 unit of insulin). My question is I test before my meal and is that when I inject, or do I wait and test again 2 hours after and then inject? Sorry for the newbie question, I’m just confused and all it says on the pens is ‘as instructed by doctor’.
Many thanks for any advice you can share

jo

 

[Fenn]

Hi

No, you inject before you eat to cover the food, nothing after unless you didn’t inject enough and need to correct, this is a mine field because the novo can last or effect us for like 5 hours so personally I only correct if my way past that and haven’t eaten, the problem is that prolly means im getting close to next meal, this results in very rarely correcting. I’m sure I’m not making sense sorry

Do you know how to count carbs?

 

[Fenn]

I tend to inject 20 minutes before food but this is different for everyone and will take some experimenting with, for example I’ve read people say they inject after they eat as they are very sensitive to insulin, hard to say when you will need to do it, it will take a lot of finger pricks I’m afraid

 

[Fenn]

The reason I asked if you carb count is it is a very useful way to know how much to inject, I have a carb to insulin ratio of 1:10 so if I am going to eat 30 grams of carbohydrate in a meal, I inject 3 units and so on, this is also different for everyone and needs to be worked out by trial and error.

Edit to say, there are lots of people here alot cleverer than me so I should really let them answer.

 

[chaoticliloj]

Thank you Fenn that’s all useful info, I’m just starting on the carb counting, so will look at it all again and it’s bound to be trial and error for a while. I do appreciate the info

jo

 

[Fenn]

Please make sure you have some fast acting carbs with you, ie. Jelly babies or fruit juice etc. My first hypo was quite a shock and very unpleasant.

 

[Jaylee]

Hi,

@Fenn is correct. The rule of thumb is 20 minutes prior to eating. The idea is to give the insulin working profile time to compliment the digestion of the meal.
However, some meals could take longer to digest? Fat in a meal is one that could slow digestion.
Don't be afraid to test your bloods to monitor the effects?
Novorapid for me can have a bit of a lick in the tail on the 5th hour?

 

[chaoticliloj]

Thank you @Jaylee and @Fenn

 

[xfieldok]

what dosage of prednisolone are you on?

 

[chaoticliloj]

@xfieldok at the moment I’m on 30mg a day, down from 50mg a day

 

[EllieM]

Hi, I’m just about to start Novorapid injections to help whilst I’m on steroids (Prednisolone). My doctor has said to get my levels down to 10 to start with (with every 3 points it needs to come down as 1 unit of insulin).

It looks to me that your doctor is getting you to use insulin as a correction dose for high glucose levels, not necessarily as a balance for carbs eaten. (Though the food will result in higher carbs that you can correct for). Has he said anything about injecting for the carbs in your meal as well?

 

[xfieldok]

I am currently on 30 mg down from 60, I take 30 units of humulin I, at the same time as I take the steroids, then use the novarapid ad as corrections as required. I was given a Libre 1 for the time I am on insulin.

 

[chaoticliloj]

Thanks, I think that’s what it was for as all he mentioned was to test and then for however much over 10 I am, to inject to bring it down, so it sounds like it’s just for correcting

 

[EllieM]

Thanks, I think that’s what it was for as all he mentioned was to test and then for however much over 10 I am, to inject to bring it down, so it sounds like it’s just for correcting

Hmm, it may be worth getting back to him on how often and when he wants you to test/inject. Those of us who have to inject for our meals are in a slightly different situation.

 

[chaoticliloj]

I will do, thanks