Big change in Insulin requirements

[Wurst]

This past week i've had a number of hypos mainly in the evenings. I've backed off with the insulin doses (basal and bolus) quite dramatically , basal down from 22 to 8 units per day and last night I didn't even bolus and went through a few carbs with my BS still flat lining.

I've ruled out a dodgy libre sensor with a few finger prick spot checks. My weight hasn't changed and no big temperature differences in the climate here.

On Saturday I went for a 'standard' cycle ride ~ 75 km's , nothing unusual done it multiple times before.

Bit puzzled , surely the effect of the bike ride wouldn't last so long, in the past I need to watch out for hypo's ~ 1 day after the cycling but not for 1 week.

 

[Fairygodmother]

How long is it since you were diagnosed: are you still in the ‘honeymoon’ period?

 

[Erin]

Wurst, it is important to regulate the insulin dose. Your doctor and nurse will check that, and the ratio between blood sugars and how high insulin is necessary are the details for treatment. Are you taking antidiabetics meds, like glyclazide and metformin-- as I am.

I just started on insulin, a truly great hormone, but dose and alternate meds have been reduced (kidney?). Prior to this, I was given Jenuva )? sp.) and it was hellish. My wonderful nurse told me that I should have started with insulin when I was first diabetic 10 yrs. ago. Perhaps it is an expensive hormone.

As I said if you get hypos, the insulin may just be too high for you. Tell you doctor or nurse.

Cheers.

 

[evilclive]

Insulin in the UK is pretty cheap - 1.5-2p per unit, see https://bnf.nice.org.uk/medicinal-forms/insulin-aspart.html for an example. In the US I believe it can be more than ten times that. Don't know about other places.

It's other reasons why people might be reluctant to prescribe/use it for T2 - the whole stabbing thing, hypos, weight gain. For T1s there's no choice though - it's insulin or die.

Judging by the sig, it's at least 7 years since diagnosis, so honeymoon seems unlikely. Maybe your body is absorbing it better?

Re adjusting doses - I've always adjusted my own. It's a control thing - insulin vs food, and I've learned that it's not nearly as predictable as people would like it to be - there's a running theme in the big thread that it's down to the colour of one's socks Because it's a control thing, I don't really worry too hard why things have happened, I just change the doses to fit that. Though generally it is at least fairly obvious. (the time I had a cracked vial was an example - took a couple of days to notice that, explained why the sugars weren't behaving as they should)

If it's a big change, it may be worth a discussion with a professional.

 

[tim2000s]

I'm not sure what the weather is doing in your neck of the woods, but a lot of people report variation in insulin needs around this time of the year. The other option is that your pancreas is having one of those fits and starts where it works for a bit and causes lows. I know they say that shouldn't be the case, but it's the only explanation that I have for when this type of thing happens.

 

[Bluey1]

I ride 40km a day Mon to Fri (to and from work). This over halved my insulin intake. Even the 4 days over Easter my insulin needs don’t change, it normally takes a week before things go haywire, so the ride may well last a week

 

[hodders]

Wurst
I have encountered the same problem with hypos too over the last week or so. I like Tim am putting it down to the change of weather. I for one cannot pin it on anything else for now.
Good luck.

 

[Wurst]

Thanks for all the replies , no real change in weather normally I get lows the colder it gets. I’ve been diagnosed 7 years so no chance of still being in the honeymoon period. I also adjust my own doses as it’s fairly intuitive. No hypo tonight so adjustments look good for now

 

[Erin]

I'm not sure what the weather is doing in your neck of the woods, but a lot of people report variation in insulin needs around this time of the year. The other option is that your pancreas is having one of those fits and starts where it works for a bit and causes lows. I know they say that shouldn't be the case, but it's the only explanation that I have for when this type of thing happens.

 

[Erin]

I have not noticed the roller coaster due to the weather. I wonder if the body itself does not fluctuate, but because when you are not diabetic it may not be noticeable. My changes have been with a lack of sharpness in concentration over these years.

 

[cz_dave]

When I do sports, I feel the effect and have to reduce my insulin for up to 3 days.

 

[Wurst]

I activated a new sensor yesterday and normal patterns resume. I can only assume it was a sensor issue ,i.e the old one reading too low.