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At work with no insulin

Lynmi

Lynmi

Well-Known Member
So I've messed up, got to work and had my breakfast but when i went to take my insulin (Novarapid) i realised the pen was empty and i didn't have a spare with me.

For my slow acting I take Levimer as a split does morning and night, i cant get home to get more Novarapid until at least 6 oclock tonight. so was wondering if i take a extra couple of units of Levimer it might help steady my numbers out until then.

What does everyone think?
 
It would help, but it would last a lot longer than you probably needed. If you do that I would monitor regularly to make sure you don't have an hypo.
 
Muneeb said:
It would help, but it would last a lot longer than you probably needed. If you do that I would monitor regularly to make sure you don't have an hypo.
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Thanks Muneeb, That's kind of what I was thinking I don't take my second dose until about 11 at night, so will just take a couple of units less tonight in case. I am very hypo aware so will know if I start going to low in enough time to deal with it, so think I will give it a go.
 
porl69 said:
Is there anyone who can get your Novo to you at work???
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No not today, normaly I would ask my Dad to pop round mine to get it, but its snowing here at the moment so don't want him to have to drive (plus he'd have to go in my kitchen and I left it a mess this morning lol)
 
Is the pharmacy that you normally get insulin from near your work? They may be able to give you an emergency supply - you may have to get your GP's surgery to confirm.
 
Lynmi said:
No not today, normaly I would ask my Dad to pop round mine to get it, but its snowing here at the moment so don't want him to have to drive (plus he'd have to go in my kitchen and I left it a mess this morning lol)
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How are your BGs at the moment? How bad is the snow? And I really do not think your dad would be bothered about the mess in the kitchen!!
 
Dillinger said:
Is the pharmacy that you normally get insulin from near your work? They may be able to give you an emergency supply - you may have to get your GP's surgery to confirm.
Click to expand...
no unfortunately work and chemist are in opposite directions to home
 
porl69 said:
How are your BGs at the moment? How bad is the snow? And I really do not think your dad would be bothered about the mess in the kitchen!!
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they are about 10 at the moment so not the end of the world, and although my dad wont mind the kitchen if my Mum went with him she would lol, 45 years old and still don't want my mum telling me off :-:) :nailbiting:
 
Hi @Lynmi, as a T1D, not as professional advice or opinion:
first of all, we have all make some mistake like this, it happens and reminds us that we are human and that we have this extra burden of having to check times over and over !! Be kind to yourself and as you know worry only puts BSLs up !!
I assume you have your glucose meter with you ?
You can at least monitor your levels. you would expect a rise in your BSL from breakfast but higher than usual.
Can you speak with your DSN or doctor to get more advice? If you google 'picture of profiles Levemir' you will see that it has a fairly flat profile or low persisting blood sugar -lowering effect), certainly compared to Novorapid. So is does not seem likely that it would help much but do see what your DSN or doctor says.
I suspect that your DSN or doctor will suggest not to eat much in the way of carbs but also ask them , if your BSL gets up to say, 14 mol/l plus, what can you do? And BTW lots of water helps to keep the blood 'watered down' a bit.
I know of someone, and i cannot recommend it, that was able in a similar situation but with BSL near 18 mol/l to inject some long-acting insulin into his muscle, where it was taken up more rapidly and helped bring down his BSL, thankfully not too low. He would have had to have a muscle close enough to his skin to have managed this with the short needles these days !!
Hopefully with advice you will see through the day with minor inconvenience. :):):)
Edit: And your Mum and Dad will be none the wiser !!!
 
I know I did something very similar last year (I got to work and realised I didn't have my pen with me - luckily I knew I didn't need it til lunchtime so had a couple of hours spare), I rang my doctors and got them to sort me out an emergency prescription to a chemist just round the corner from work (as I work about 20 miles from home) - admittedly it would've taken less time to just drive home (it certainly wasn't snowing) - but you may find your doctors can do that if you have a chemist near to where you work.
 
kitedoc said:
Hi @Lynmi, as a T1D, not as professional advice or opinion:
first of all, we have all make some mistake like this, it happens and reminds us that we are human and that we have this extra burden of having to check times over and over !! Be kind to yourself and as you know worry only puts BSLs up !!
I assume you have your glucose meter with you ?
You can at least monitor your levels. you would expect a rise in your BSL from breakfast but higher than usual.
Can you speak with your DSN or doctor to get more advice? If you google 'picture of profiles Levemir' you will see that it has a fairly flat profile or low persisting blood sugar -lowering effect), certainly compared to Novorapid. So is does not seem likely that it would help much but do see what your DSN or doctor says.
I suspect that your DSN or doctor will suggest not to eat much in the way of carbs but also ask them , if your BSL gets up to say, 14 mol/l plus, what can you do? And BTW lots of water helps to keep the blood 'watered down' a bit.
I know of someone, and i cannot recommend it, that was able in a similar situation but with BSL near 18 mol/l to inject some long-acting insulin into his muscle, where it was taken up more rapidly and helped bring down his BSL, thankfully not too low. He would have had to have a muscle close enough to his skin to have managed this with the short needles these days !!
Hopefully with advice you will see through the day with minor inconvenience. :):):)
Edit: And your Mum and Dad will be none the wiser !!!
Click to expand...

Thanks Kitedoc, I've already upped my water intake and am avoiding the work biscuit tin :-( i'll take a walk to the shop at lunch time for a carb free lunch today.

If it had happened yesterday it would have been fine, i'd been running Monday night and my levels are always low the day after so I have to reduce my ratio
 
Rokaab said:
I know I did something very similar last year (I got to work and realised I didn't have my pen with me - luckily I knew I didn't need it til lunchtime so had a couple of hours spare), I rang my doctors and got them to sort me out an emergency prescription to a chemist just round the corner from work (as I work about 20 miles from home) - admittedly it would've taken less time to just drive home (it certainly wasn't snowing) - but you may find your doctors can do that if you have a chemist near to where you work.
Click to expand...
if my numbers are high come lunch time then I will give them a call
 
@Lynmi you've already received some excellent advice, so won't add to that, but just wanted to say we really do all do it! I managed to go home from Scotland to the very south of England over Christmas - and leave all my insulin except what I had in my pens behind. So don't beat yourself up about it - it happens
 
Lynmi said:
if my numbers are high come lunch time then I will give them a call
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To be honest I'd probably not leave it too long, I know it took a while for mine to get sorted out - admittedly some of this was caused by the receptionist trying to sort it out not being entirely sure how to send it to a chemist not in their area :)
 
Hi @Lynmi

I've done this before, rather than chasing down a new pen, i'd ride out the storm with a low carb lunch, a couple of walks, lots of fluids then correct later, i'd also ask work if I could leave early too and explain your circumstances, providing your background is doing it's job then hopefully you shouldn't get too much of a rise, think of it as a fasting test day, and try not to stress about it either if you can as extra stress will elevate your levels, best wishes, keep us updated ?
 
Do you have pre-filled pens or the ones you change the cartridges of? If the latter, unscrew your pen, drop one of those small inner needle caps in it, close the pen again, prime until insulin comes out and inject as usual. You should have about 20 units left in your pen.
 
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