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Can't seem to get levels up?

Hi. I'm surprised your DN wasn't keen on carb counting. When I went onto insulin Basal/Bolus 6 months ago my lovely DN recommended I do carb counting and gave me a Roche leaflet showing the carb content of typical foods. I agree with the earlier poster that I can't understand how you can do Bolus without carb counting? Yes, Get the Basal right for roughly around 6mmol first thing in the morning. Your insulin levels do seem very high? If you are overweight and hence insulin resistant then you may need high levels to start with but having to eat more just to keep up with the insulin is not the right way to use insulin unless you want to put on weight. Have you been on a DAFNE course to guide you on what to do? If not then do ask your surgery to book you on one.
 
Morganator said:
Ambersilva said:
DonnaC-T said:
Yes I do 3 x Novorapid 8,8 and 16. And then Lantus 24. My diabetes nurse was not particularly interested in the carb counting, quite dismissive but I asked to be referred anyway.
Would you have a bit more lucozade?
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That is a lot of insulin.

The guidance is 0.5 units per kilogram of your weight. So if you weigh 60 kilograms your total daily insulin is 30 units.

The 30 units are split between fast acting and slow acting insulin. That would mean injecting 15 units of slow acting (Lantus) per day. The remaining 15 units are divided between the meals.

My total daily insulin is 28 units. I inject 14 units Lantus. Mealtime doses are between 3 and 6 units.

When I was first diagnosed I was on a total of 36 units per day. I found that I had to eat so much more than I did before diagnosis just to keep up with the insulin. I have had the Lantus as low as 10 units but now seem to have stabilised to 13 or 14 units.
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I wish, I weigh 67kg and use at least 240 units a day (yes 240 not a typo) 120 slow and at least 120 rapid and still run in the teens.
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Hello Morganator,

I was speaking about my regimen as a Type 1. Donna is also Type 1.

Actually, I weigh 66 Kg and following the guidance lines I should be injecting about 5 more units of insulin a day! I do estimate the carbs in each meal and also consider the protein and fat. It works for me. We are all unique and manage diabetes in different ways. My Consultant is fully aware of how I self-manage my levels.

Donna, keep asking questions. We are here to share our experiences.

Good luck with your Year One pupils.
 
Hi all,
Still feeling really shaky today but levels much better this morning so I phoned to speak to the nurse and got told I should see a doctor. Doctor then wanted to know why I hadn't seen the nurse. :/
Anyway they said to only do 6 units at lunch and 20 Lantus. I did six at lunch and was 2.9 two hours later but I did come back up with orange juice and a biscuit.
I'd always been told to have a biscuit when low, in fact was told no sugary drinks at all.
Thanks again guys. Exhausted today!
 
Hi donna, new rule for you if your below 4 always have a sugary drink to get levels up quickly! I'm sure other type 1s would agree. This was my first advice from both hospital and dsn. If your next meal is some time away then also follow up with a biscuit to maintain levels and prevent another hypo. No wonder your feeling washed out after last night.

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P.s by sugary drink, not the whole bottle lol. Couple of sips of lucozade usually do the trick. Failing that 3~4 jelly babies ite similar sweet but liquids is absorbed alot faster. Test 10 mins after, if above 4 then follow with a carby snack if needed, if still under 4 more lucozade our jelly babies, test after another 10 mins etc

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Would lucozade be the best? Carby snack? Slice of bread and marg? Not easy at school, digestive? Thanks x
 
Lucozade is best for under 4. usually 10 carbs would be followed up after the lucozade. 1 digestive has 10 carbs.

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Ok, 6 units for 2 pieces of bread is probably way too much. Can't say without knowing more info, but after basal is sorted work on the meal doses. But an average slice of bread has 16 carbs , so 32 in total. So you effectively had 1 unit per 5 carbs, (32 \ 6) probably half the six units would of been enough to do a ratio of 1 unit per 10 carbs.

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brett said:
Ok, 6 units for 2 pieces of bread is probably way too much. Can't say without knowing more info, but after basal is sorted work on the meal doses. But an average slice of bread has 16 carbs , so 32 in total. So you effectively had 1 unit per 5 carbs, (32 \ 6) probably half the six units would of been enough to do a ratio of 1 unit per 10 carbs.
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Just what I was about to say! Too much insulin for the Carbohydrate content. Here is an example: http://caloriecount.about.com/calories- ... ead-i70977

Also bear in mind activity. If you have been very active with your charges you are using energy and lowering your blood glucose. So allow for activity and cut back on insulin. I know my son ( a tall adult ) had to cut his insulin right back because he was very active at work. Work out your carbs as suggested by Brett and cut back a further unit of insulin if you know you are going to be very active. Does that make sense?
 
I'm now in the waiting list for the carb counting course. There's no way I can do DAFNE as its a week. The one I'm waiting for is two three hour sessions. X
 
I'm not 'very' active at work, well at least I try not to be :) lol
I'll take a look at that link. Thanks
My dn said to change nothing until I went on the course, mind you, she also didn't know she had to refer me.
I've been trying to be so good (first real time) and I feel worse than when I was paying it no attention, never testing etc.
It does get better, doesn't it? X
 
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