Changing from 2 injections to 4

[Shazza]

Hi

My Son is 11 he was diagnosed T1 the end of Aug he has been on mixtard twice a day but after meeting with his consultant today his insulin is going to be changed and he will be on 4 injections a day, the hospital say we will find things much easier doing this but just wondered what other Mums thought? Also we were told from blood tests in Aug one test showed that he was at higher risk of underactve thyroid is this common? I just feel as if what next :cry:

 

[suzi]

Re: Changing from 2 injectiions to 4

Hi Shazza,
Yes, it's daunting for you and your son to change regime and increase the amount of injections per day, but you will both find it liberating. I guess your son will be going onto a basal/ bolus regime, and although that entails 1 basal injection and bolusing with main meals, it will give him more freedom regarding times to eat and what to eat. The down side is learning to carb count, but once you learn that along with what ratio suits your son, its all systems go and you'll never look back.
Good luck and feel free to ask any questions,
Suzi x

 

[Shazza]

Re: Changing from 2 injectiions to 4

Hi Suzi yes it is very daunting you just get used to one thing then all change, they did mention basal/bolus, we carb count already so his consultant said that was us half way there its the other half that sounds confusing to me

 

[SophiaW]

Re: Changing from 2 injectiions to 4

Shazza, my daughter was changed from the pre-mix insulin to the basal/bolus regime in July this year. It means she now has 5 injections each day but the control is much better and she has fewer hypos. It also gives us much more flexibility in terms of meal times and I don't worry so much that if she misses a snack that she'll go hypo. Jess doesn't complain about the extra injections, of course I'm sure she'd rather not have them at all, but she has managed to take them in her stride and she herself seems more confident and relaxed about her BS control. Having an injection with her lunch at school now means that occasionally she can have a treat in her lunchbox which is something she couldn't have on the pre-mix. It does mean that you'll need to learn how to count carbohydrates for every meal and adjust your son's insulin according to what he's eating. It seems like a lot of work in the beginning but it does get easier as you get used to doing it.

About the thyroid, we haven't had that problem crop up, all Jess' results have come back negative. But it's something that can happen. I'm not sure about this but I thought it can be corrected simply by taking a pill. I'm sure someone else here will know for sure what it entails.

 

[SophiaW]

Re: Changing from 2 injectiions to 4

Also, you'll need to meet with your son's school to talk about the logistics of him taking an injection at lunch time.

 

[Shazza]

Re: Changing from 2 injectiions to 4

The hospital are going to go back out to the school for another talk luckily the school have been great. When you use the two different insulins do you have 2 pens or do you need to keep changing the insulin in the pen?

Thanks

 

[SophiaW]

Re: Changing from 2 injectiions to 4

We have a different pen for each insulin. Our diabetes nurse gave us the additional pens. Try to get a different colour pen for each insulin, we have an orange one for the novorapid and a green one for the levemir. It helps in the sense that it's easier to avoid giving the wrong insulin, it's a visual reminder if you like.

 

[Shazza]

Re: Changing from 2 injectiions to 4

Oh thats good I was thinking it,d be very confusing trying to see which insulin was which.

 

[suzi]

Hi Shazza, Sophie,
Regarding different insulins, Andrews Levemir is in disposable format, and comes in packs of 5, and his Humalog is cartridges that go into his Humapen. Isn't is funny how they all get prescribed differently. I don't like disposable things, try to be enviromently friendly and all that. But was told i didn't have a choice, thats the was Levemir came. Think someone was telling me porkies! Though have to admit the disposable Levemir pen is light compared to the Humapen.
Suzi x
Ps, glad to hear Jess and her brother are recovering, and fingers crossed that you and hubby don't come down with swine flu x

 

[sugar2]

Hi Suzi, Levimir does come in cartridges that go in a Novopen...GP just changed me over after my envirnmental moan!

 

[suzi]

Hi Sugar2,
I thought that the Levemir must come in cartridge form, and its good to know that they go into the Novopen, have one of those laying around somewhere! and the Novopen is nice and light compared with the Luxura Humapen. I am all for helping the enviroment, but the trouble i have with the clinic ordering exactly what i want, is an issue at the moment, and i haven't the energy to go down that road. I'll give Andrews DN a ring and see if she can sort it for me,
Many thanks,
Suzi x