Faulty pen?

[DiabetusDeletus]

I've noticed that sometimes my Novorapid pens are faulty and don't bring me down to the correct sugar level? I'm a pretty newly diagnosed T1D and I'm at a loss here. I know I injected the correct amount if not a little too much and yet I'm stuck in a hyper HOURS after food. any advice would be really nice

 

[In Response]

Do you have single use or reusable pens?
As you mentioned “penS” I assume you are using single use pens. If this is the case, I recommend requesting reusable pens. Not only do they produce less waste and the cartridges take up less space in your fridge, the reusable pens are more robust.
If you are suspicious about a pen, you can do a quick check by squirting 20 units into the outer cover of a needle. 20 units should fill the narrow part of the lid.

However, I would also recommend looking for trends when you think your insulin is not working as there is far more than insulin and food which affects your BG. For example, is this more likely to happen in the morning? We are often more insulin resistant in the morning so need a different insulin to carb ratio. Or does it happen when you are stressed or unwell? Or does it happen when you eat meals higher in carbs? Or when your starting BG is higher?
And does you BG finally return without a correction after four or five hours? NovoRapid lasts for this long. If your BG stays high fir longer than you want but return in range, you will probably need to prebolus earlier so the peak of your carb digestion matches the peak of your insulin profile.
In other words, your insulin may well be working (faulty pens are rare) but there is more going on to cause the longer hyper.

 

[DiabetusDeletus]

Do you have single use or reusable pens?
As you mentioned “penS” I assume you are using single use pens. If this is the case, I recommend requesting reusable pens. Not only do they produce less waste and the cartridges take up less space in your fridge, the reusable pens are more robust.
If you are suspicious about a pen, you can do a quick check by squirting 20 units into the outer cover of a needle. 20 units should fill the narrow part of the lid.

However, I would also recommend looking for trends when you think your insulin is not working as there is far more than insulin and food which affects your BG. For example, is this more likely to happen in the morning? We are often more insulin resistant in the morning so need a different insulin to carb ratio. Or does it happen when you are stressed or unwell? Or does it happen when you eat meals higher in carbs? Or when your starting BG is higher?
And does you BG finally return without a correction after four or five hours? NovoRapid lasts for this long. If your BG stays high fir longer than you want but return in range, you will probably need to prebolus earlier so the peak of your carb digestion matches the peak of your insulin profile.
In other words, your insulin may well be working (faulty pens are rare) but there is more going on to cause the longer hyper.

It might be bigger meals like you mentioned, this was a pretty carb heavy meal and it's rare I ever take as many units as I did. I'm using single use pens at the moment but I have a clinic meeting tomorrow and I'll bring it up. I'm also unwell and while it might be a bit TMI due that time of the month (I'm a woman). I'll keep watch of them and take these points into consideration. thank you <3

 

[Rokaab]

It might be bigger meals like you mentioned, this was a pretty carb heavy meal and it's rare I ever take as many units as I did. I'm using single use pens at the moment but I have a clinic meeting tomorrow and I'll bring it up. I'm also unwell and while it might be a bit TMI due that time of the month (I'm a woman). I'll keep watch of them and take these points into consideration. thank you <3

Yeah illness and time of the month can indeed affect your blood sugar levels I'm afraid - illness always sends my sugars up
Unfortunately its not just as simple as so many units of insulin covers so many carbs all the time

 

[MommaE]

As others have said lots of potential reasons for being high longer than expected. When I’m in that situation I’ve found the most efficient thing to do is a brisk walk rather than more insulin. Doesn’t have to be long either, just get moving for a bit. You might, with hindsight come up with a reason for it which can help you plan better next time, you might not, just the way it seems to go with diabetes.
Sorry for the bold type, not shouting, it means only that I don’t know how I did it nor how to undo it!

 

[EllieM]

Or when your starting BG is higher?

Certainly the same for me. Once my bg is high my insulin seems to act much slowly and less effectively than if it's in normal range.

But as a new T1 @DiabetusDeletus may find find that you still have a fair amount of tweaking of insulin ratios to do. Mine vary a lot with how much exercise I've been doing, and by time of day.

Hopefully your team have discussed correction doses with you?

 

[searley]

You say ‘bring you down to correct’

For me staying in control is much easier than correcting…. For example I had too much to eat yesterday at midnight my bg was 19mmol. I took 15u at that time now at 5am I’m still at 13….

Had I had the right insulin in advance to keep my bg lower then it wouldn’t be high now…. It’s a difficult one to understand but correcting always seems harder

 

[Tony337]

As others have said lots of potential reasons for being high longer than expected. When I’m in that situation I’ve found the most efficient thing to do is a brisk walk rather than more insulin. Doesn’t have to be long either, just get moving for a bit. You might, with hindsight come up with a reason for it which can help you plan better next time, you might not, just the way it seems to go with diabetes.
Sorry for the bold type, not shouting, it means only that I don’t know how I did it nor how to undo it!

I couldn't agree more in relation to walking to get the insulin working more effectively.
I've often been poo ppod by people telling me walking sends their levels up!

It works wonders for me.

Lots of food and lots of insulin sloshing about my body often confuses my libre and it tells me to ****** off for ten minutes!
I do and that usually means a stroll!

30 minutes later and all is well.

Happy days

Tony

 

[DiabetusDeletus]

Thanks all who've replied to this! I'm glad to report that I've completed my DAFNE now and feel a lot more confident in correction doses and dose changes on the fly. I'm now on reusable pens which seem so much better, excited about being able to bedazzle my diabetes a little more (everything is better when it's in pretty colours). I generally think it was the time in my cycle causing it and I'll take all of your recommendations into consideration! that brisk walk idea is perfect, I've noticed my sugars tend to drop if I walk anywhere!