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Correction Dose???

luzanmurphy_

luzanmurphy_

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Can someone please explain what & how the correction dose works? And how do u know when your bolus is not right? I'm very new to insulin & am still at the stage of my DN telling me when to increase
Thank u x
 
A corrective dose (correction factor) is what you use to bring your bg levels back into range, as a rough guide you can use the Rule of 100, to do this you add up your total daily dose over a average day (both basal & bolus) and divide 100 by the TDD figure, so say your TDD was 50 then 1 unit of insulin should bring your bg levels down by 2mmol/l.

Have a look at the following (page 6) which explains more about the CF:

http://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications/9226 Carbohydrate Counting the Next Steps.pdf
 
You could also ask your DSN for a suggested correction dose @luzanmurphy_ :)

For me, I know when my bolus dose isn't right if my two hour blood sugar is out of range. If it's just a tiny bit too high, I sometimes just do a little more activity, but if it's a fair amount too high, I'll do a correction dose in order to get back into range. After doing a correction, I always test to make sure all's ok.
 
First place to go is your DSN. But I was advised on a course that 1 unit of rapid acting insulin will lower your BGL by 2 to 3 mmol/L. Mine happens to be 2 mmol/L but everyone is different.
 
Thanks guys. Just wanted to know at what point do you give the correction dose? And how do I know how much to give? I really do you not know What I am doing
 
I will give a correction dose when I think I'm too high. That's not a very scientific answer is it?

So everyone will have their own target range. When I exceed the upper limit of my target I will think about giving a correction dose. But before I do I will also think about why am I so high? Is it because I didn't carb count very well for my last meal? If so I would lean towards correcting. Is it because I'm ill or in pain? Again, if so, I would lean towards correcting. Is it because I'm stressed? If so I would be much more cautious about correcting because I know as soon as the stress goes I'm likely to drop.

I would then also try to think about whether I'm too high because I'm peaking (& therefore likely to be on my way down again anyway without a correction dose) or if I have plateaued at a level higher than where I want to be. To work that out I have to think about how long ago I ate and how fast acting the carbs I ate were and how long ago I injected. If my last injection was less than three hours ago (some people work on 5), I know that insulin will still be working so I'm less likely to correct.

If I do a correction dose it's sensible to keep a close eye on what that does to my blood sugar after (you can see there's quite a lot of variables to consider). And also remember for the next meal that you might still have the correction dose working so you need to factor that in when taking your next bolus to avoid insulin stacking.
 
Hi there @luzanmurphy_
it is a pretty individual thing as well as the science behind the actual correction.
after reading many posts and topics here on the forum many people feel comfortable aiming for 5 , yet others are happier aiming for 6, or 7 or even 8 as their target.

the numbers quoted earlier in the topic are a good starting point , but it is a case of a lot of testing as well as taking a correction. also , what you are actually doing at the time plays a part too.
( if it sounds as though I am waffling a bit -- it is because I am to some degree :D )

with you having type 2 the numbers can be different to a type 1 as well due to insulin resistance so really honestly it is the sort of thing that should start as a discussion between you and your DSN.
 
@luzanmurphy_ I like to be below 8 two hours after a meal generally. So, if I test two hours after eating and find, say, I'm 10.5 I know this is too high for me. My correction ratio is 1 unit lowers me 4mmol, so I then inject 1 unit of insulin as a correction dose because 10.5 minus 4 will hopefully put me down to 6.5, which will be in range.

That is just an example - your correction ratio will be different

I also correct if I'm ill and high, or if I'm high for another reason

If I'm correcting after an evening meal, I am cautious because I don't want to go low during the night.
 
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