How much insulin do you use?

[Sanober]

I'm curious (nosey?)

How much insulin (short acting) do you use on average per day?

I was on about 6u per day (basal was 10u per day once a day, mornings)

A few months on am about 15u per day (this has been the case for the past 3 weeks now). I've basically doubled the dose to cover the same amount of carb per meal. (basal 14u per day once a day, mornings).

I'm now trying to eat a lunch that gives me a break from the short acting insulin because there are times I feel odd even though sugars have been good all day but from another post 'LADA the early days' other LADA types seem to get odd sensations too even though sugars are in check.

I have always wondered why, when LADA is meant to progress gradually, mine seems to be coming on rather quickly?

 

[robert72]

I normally take 15 Lantus and 17-18 of Novorapid. Honeymoon period was over decades ago

 

[ljwilson]

I take 24 Units of Levemir in the morning and 20 in the evening. I have 18 units of Humulin S before breakfast, 12 before lunch and 20 before tea so quite a lot really! I have been on Insulin since 1975

Lorna

 

[LaughingHyena]

Diagnosed T1 just over 18 months ago and my doses are gradually increasing. For me it seems each time I'm slightly ill my insulin needs to be increased and it's not tendign to go back down when I'm better.

For now I'm on levimir 9 units at night and 11 in the morning. Novorapid 1 unit per 8g carbs which averages out about 20 units each day.

 

[noblehead]

On a 50/50 split at the moment, 18 units of lantus and 18 units of Novorapid (although this can vary). Five years ago I was injecting 60+ units so it's half of what I'd previously injected.

 

[shop]

I have just reduced my levimir again. So 17 units levemir, 5 units novorapid breakfast, between 11 and 14 lunch and around 15/16 tea. Mine increased originaly to 21 levimir . and at one point i was having 21/22 novo rapid at tea time. I have lost a stone and 1/2 and eating less than I was. I started to eat more because I was worried about having a hypo! ( as my insulin was going up. )

I seem to be having probs with hypos at the moment ( think something else is affecting it) Seeing the doc next week and going to ask to have my thyroid rechecked.

 

[Curleous]

started on about 12 units of lantus 3 years ago when diagnosed and 1 unit of novorapid for 10g carbs..
3 years on 22 lantus and now about 1.3 to 1.5 novorapid for 10g carb.. consultant was correct saying that it will go up. have still managed a hb1ac of 5.7 throughout since inital reading of hb1ac 13.2 on diagnosis and very very very poorly.
would love to get the lantus back down to under 20 but alaways struggle with wake up reading ..

cheers

Andy

 

[Sarah69]

I take 30 units of lantus, 10 units of novorapid for breakfast and lunch, 10-20 units at tea time. I am baffled sometimes though on how this all works. This morning my bs was 8 had my insulin, was in garden for about 2 hours stopped for lunch my bs was 4, I had 6 ryvitas and a load of grapes went back into garden for less than an hour then I had a hypo of 2.9!

 

[shop]

I take 30 units of lantus, 10 units of novorapid for breakfast and lunch, 10-20 units at tea time. I am baffled sometimes though on how this all works. This morning my bs was 8 had my insulin, was in garden for about 2 hours stopped for lunch my bs was 4, I had 6 ryvitas and a load of grapes went back into garden for less than an hour then I had a hypo of 2.9!

Sarah I know. Yesterday I tested before going to pick up my son from school .....6.9 great!! as I thought by the time I have picked him up pottered about and got tea I would be on for about 5 before tea. Less than an hour later after picking him up I felt poo and tested .....2.7!!! just not getting it at the moment.

Have been under the weather today. Had 2 hypos and haven't really been off the sofa other than to have a bath, get lunch and tea. Oh and try to catch a pony who jumped the fence to get in with the mares and wouldnt be caught! Needless to say he hasn't been caught!

 

[Riri]

I'm on an average of 26 units of fast acting novo rapid only as I have a pump fitted (the pump releases small amounts of background inuslin (basal) throughout the day and night. I then tell it to bolus for the carbs I have eaten).
Previously I was on 19 units of Levermir and an average of 15 units of novo rapid - so quite a marked overall reduction in insulin since moving from MDI to pump.

 

[Loey1953]

I'm on novorapid during the day. 3 units before breakfast, 3 pre-lunch, 2 pre-dinner and 6 lantus at night. Consultant said I was in the honeymoon stage and sensitive to insulin.

Loey

 

[Sanober]

Oh wow.

Thanks everyone. So interesting to see and there are so many different combos.

As my DN keeps telling me. It's my Diabetes and everyone is different. I just feel it helps being amongst people who understand the highs and lows of Diabetes (pun intended).

Thanks again.

 

[jopar]

I use between 17-10 unit's a day..

I use a pump, so depending on what basal profile I'm using, my background is between just over 7 units -10 units..

Not sure what my husband uses, but I know it's a lot more than I do..

But as your DSN says, we all individual so our insulin needs will be as well

 

[Anonymous]

I'm currently on 14 units of Lantus... 8 units of Apidra for breakfast, 12 units for lunch and 12 units for dinner. I just find I don't get consistency really.... my endo dropped my basal to 14 units... it seemed to work really well for about a week.... but now I'm getting hypos at night again and low number in the morning and higher numbers during the day. It's ridiculous how you have to keep adjusting the units all the time... nothing ever makes sense to me. I do have a dodgy digestive system right now so that could be a contributing factor. :?

 

[Sanober]

Poor mep73

I got hypo 2.8 as I was walking down the street today...that was 1.5hours ago. Feel like I have a hangover right now.

I'm only a few months into this insulin malarky and it's horrible to say it but I just wish my Pancreas.would fully pack in so I can be in more control ( or am I fantasising that it's any better?).

Oh that Jeremy Kyle scene is playing out in my head haha.

 

[Anonymous]

Poor mep73

I got hypo 2.8 as I was walking down the street today...that was 1.5hours ago. Feel like I have a hangover right now.

I'm only a few months into this insulin malarky and it's horrible to say it but I just wish my Pancreas.would fully pack in so I can be in more control ( or am I fantasising that it's any better?).

Oh that Jeremy Kyle scene is playing out in my head haha.

I know what you mean Sanober... I'm not type 1.5... although my pancreas has worn out to the point where not enough insulin is being produced, so I have to top it up. The problem is I often wonder whether it produces more insulin itself sometimes than other times? I certainly get a mixed bag of BGLs that I often can't explain. Thankfully these days though I'm not going too high... although I hit 13 the other day and freaked out as it's the highest I've seen in a while. I wish I had a gauge to tell me what my own insullin levels are at any one time. And speaking of hypo hangover.... I have one right now obviously another hypo early hours this morning.

 

[Nordinini]

I'm on a pump, so only NovoRapid for me.

Basal dose is around 20 units right now (not exactly, it's 19.70 or something, but I consider that as 20 unless I go to the doctor and discuss it)
I tend to take around 5 or 6 units when I have a meal except for the snack I eat at the evening, when I only take 3 or 4 units. That'll be around 18 - 22 units in bolus.

I guess you can say that I take 50% basal and 50% bolus. :mrgreen:

 

[lorri1]

Hi all, I would just like to ask a question if I may, I am awaiting a hosp app in 2 weeks to determine my diagnosis. I am currently being treated as type 2 but from what I have gathered with all the helpful information here on the Forum is that I could potentially be type 1, or 1.5, due to my build, lifestyle etc etc. I am a very weight concious person and I am worried that I will put on weight if I have to take insulin, this is only what I have heard....not from the forum I might add...but from people I meet and talk to, they always say "oh my dad, or my sister, or whoever is on insulin and it really made them put on weight"!!! I know everyone is different but i am a little paranoid about it, so if any of you could let me know what experience they have had with their weight issues I'd appreciate it.

thanks
Lorri

 

[thetallerpaul]

I'm on 2 units long acting before bed, 1 unit Novorapid with Breakfast, 2 with lunch and 2 with dinner. I'm a bit high in the mornings and evenings but good in the day. Changing my dose seems to have no effect though.

Going on Jeremy Kyle had no impact on my Pancreas. We are going back for a 'where are they now special' in a couple of months. I'm going to accuse him of being my father and see how that goes.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi all, I would just like to ask a question if I may, I am awaiting a hosp app in 2 weeks to determine my diagnosis. I am currently being treated as type 2 but from what I have gathered with all the helpful information here on the Forum is that I could potentially be type 1, or 1.5, due to my build, lifestyle etc etc. I am a very weight concious person and I am worried that I will put on weight if I have to take insulin, this is only what I have heard....not from the forum I might add...but from people I meet and talk to, they always say "oh my dad, or my sister, or whoever is on insulin and it really made them put on weight"!!! I know everyone is different but i am a little paranoid about it, so if any of you could let me know what experience they have had with their weight issues I'd appreciate it.

thanks
Lorri

Hi Lorri

I've been on insulin since 2010 and I've pretty much not put weight on at all really. I'm aware that insulin is a fat storing hormone... although I"m thinking it's more insulin resistance that would cause you to put on weight because it's excess insulin sitting in your body not being used properly. If you've got the right amount of insulin for your needs I don't think you can worry too much about putting on weight. Although I'm not sure weight loss is exactly easy on insulin?? I could do with losing some more weight (not that I've put it on with insulin as I had some to lose in the first instance)..... but I've not really lost any.