• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

can anyone explain please

alliebee

alliebee

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,486
Location
Rothwell N' ants
Hi,
Ive started on insulin ( Levemir ) new to insulin this week , and I have a query please.

Im starting on a low dose for my type 2 and the nurse is going to adjust the dose, or put me on a twice a day regime, once my bg readings are starting to come down a bit next mon. they were high

I have my jab, at 6pm, and although my readings have come down a bit they still have a bit to go,
My question is this, my lowest readings are before dinner at approx 4pm to 5pm
If levemir has an approx 18 hour to 20 hr action, then surely as it wears off in the afternoon my readings would rise instead of going down?

I then have my jab and tea then they rise again ( which I understand )

Just dont understand a much lower reading in the late afternoon,

Bet Its such a silly question, but If anyone can explain it to me I would be very gratefull,

Alison :eh:
 
Alison, a possible explaination:
as a type 2 on low dose insulin, your total insulin will be a mix of natural insulin & injected insulin. Your previous injection will have allowed your body enough of a rest to have enough insulin to cope with the fast from lunch to the next injection/evening meal so your BS starts to fall then as the insulin in reserve starts to fail, the BS creeps up.
 
Alison,

It could well be the levemir is still active for the full 24 hours with you, most people split the dose to compensate for it fading off but there are those who find it does last 24 hours and only inject once a day.
 
Hi Alliebee!

It might also be that you are insulin resistant Type 2 but are more sensitive to insulin late afternoon. I'm LADA, and I find that I have to inject considerably less insulin to cover evenng meals than breakfast or lunch. In the end, you'll find what works for you.

Smidge
 
Hi Alison,

It could also be the way in which your body releases the active part of levemir. I'm not sure how much you know about how the slow release of levemir is achieved but I will give the 30 second condensed version.

Essentially when you inject it combines with the albumin in your blood and then over time this molecule slowly breaks down and releases the insulin into your system where it actually gets to work. The thing with this sort of reaction is that it can differe from person to person in subtle ways.

My own experience is that overnight the release is fairly predictable though during the day I seem to have a rapid release in the morning, slowing around lunchtime and then faster release later on. It is a strange one but at the end of the day we are all different. Depending on what you are doing you can even differ in yourself really.

You just need to be patient with this and accept that it will be an iterative process where you will be making a small change and seeing how you react to it then making another small change etc.

One of the nice things with Levemir over the likes of Lantus is that changes can be seen pretty quickly instead of having to give it 3 or 4 days to settle.

Hope you find your ideal soon.

All the best

A
 
hi AB
I think it is probably to do with your pancreas still producing amounts of insulin, a lot of people wheteher Diabetic or not, Type 1 or Type 2 get that before tea time low....Not too low by your figures so try not to worry . I'm sure in time it will all fall into place.
Your Diabetic team are probably trying to reduce you on the steady side of things and in time you will settle...go with it and trust :D
You will Luurve Levemir :D :D :D
All the best :D
 
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer, Im really understanding more now

Appreciate it guys Ill get there in the end

Im already feeling so much better, down to 8 9 and ten from 25plus in just a week

Will be lower still next week, and my diet is so much better too now ,which will help
Thanks :D :D
 
Back
Top