Basal insulin

Swankypants77 said:

Hi. Does one unit of basal insulin make a big difference?

I was having 7 unit basal every morning and I needed to inject bolus 30 minutes before breakfast( only breakfast, the rest just before each meal) so that insulin peak matches sugar peak. And it'd been fine.

I did the same this morning, but I forgot that I increased one unit of basal this morning.
My level went down to 3.3 while having breakfast. Obviously my matching calculation wasn't correct because of basal increase.
But does just one unit of basal make that big difference?

Thanks


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I always found that altering my basal by just 1u often made a real big difference so ended up either being higher than I wanted or lower than ideal. In the end, I just adjusted my bolus to suit the action of the basal and that sort of worked out..... However, I did eventually get hold of insulin pens that delivered in 0.5u increments and they enabled me to get better control.

Swankypants77 said:

Thanks, iHs.
Mine hasn't got 0.5 unit... Is it available for Novorapid? Do I just ask my diabetes nurse to change it?
I was just given a box of new novorapid, so I'm not sure if they are happy about changing prescription?

Anyway, I'll try asking them. 0.5 unit pen sounds good.

Thanks


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Hi

If your prescription for Novorapid is in cartridges (5 in a box) they will fit in Novo's 0.5u pens. The latest one is called the Echo which also has a memory on it and I think the Demi is still available. Levemir cartridges will also fit the pens as well.

If your basal is Lantus.... Aventis still don't make 0.5u pens for the cartridges but Elly Lilly do as the shape of the cartridges are the same design so will fit in either an Aventis or Lilly pen. I've done some msgs a long time ago on the forum about how to go about using a Lilly pen with Aventis cartridges and it appears that many have gained.

You can get the pens from either your GP on prescription or ask your DSN. GP might be easier as DSNs might not have stock of 0.5u pens and might say that only kids need to use them but lots of adults benefit from them as well as adjusting insulin 0.5u increments enables better calculation of insulin to carb ratios as the pens enable the dose to be rounded up to the nearest half unit.

iHs said:

You can get the pens from either your GP on prescription or ask your DSN. GP might be easier as DSNs might not have stock of 0.5u pens and might say that only kids need to use them but lots of adults benefit from them as well as adjusting insulin 0.5u increments enables better calculation of insulin to carb ratios as the pens enable the dose to be rounded up to the nearest half unit.

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My DSN suggested I got one. She didnt have one, but she called my GP and requested my prescription was changed and I could pick it up a few days later

My novopen Echo is my hero!