Forgot to take my insulin!

[AnneShirley]

Hi I forgot to take my insulin last night, didn't realise until this morning ....felt sick with worry, as it's Saturday no doctors for advice so went to Boots and spoke to our local guy there, who calmed me down and told me to check sugar levels through out the day. Also to take my insulin a little earlier than normal this evening...going out for a meal tonight...wouldn't you just guess that! Feel happier than I was, drinking more water as well...anything else?

 

[tim2000s]

What insulin regime are you on? Twice daily, MDI, etc and what insulin do you use? As long as your bg levels remain safe, then there is little to worry about.

 

[AnneShirley]

Thank you for getting back to me....just feel stupid that I forgot to take it!

 

[noblehead]

@AnneShirley, which insulin is it you missed, is it a basal insulin such as lantus/levemir?

 

[AnneShirley]

@AnneShirley, which insulin is it you missed, is it a basal insulin such as lantus/levemir?

Hi Yes it's Lantus, I take 38 at night.....just took dog for a walk and drinking lots of water!!

AnneShirley

 

[noblehead]

Hi Yes it's Lantus, I take 38 at night.....just took dog for a walk and drinking lots of water!!

AnneShirley

There's some flexibility with lantus, provided you leave 24 hours between injections you can move the timing forward or backwards.

 

[tim2000s]

Shirley, for reference, if I forget to take my basal insulin, I usually take it when I remember and change the dose to match the amount of time i have left until my next shot.

I currently use Levemir but did the same thing with Lantus.

The example is I normally take two shots 12 hours apart, so if I forget my morning one, I would take however many hours remain, divide it by 12 and then multiply the number by my morning units.

E.g. Three hours late leaves nine hours. 9/12 = 0.75 I take 16u in the morning, so I would take 12u three hours late.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Hi and welcome to the forum. It's quite common for people to forget the occasional dose of insulin. I forget my pills every now and then, even though I have been on daily pills for nearly 20 years, lol.

Just curious, what are your blood sugars like day to day?

 

[AnneShirley]

Hi and welcome to the forum. It's quite common for people to forget the occasional dose of insulin. I forget my pills every now and then, even though I have been on daily pills for nearly 20 years, lol.

Just curious, what are your blood sugars like day to day?

Back to normal.....checked at 6.15am & at 8.15am, 7.5, so happy with that as they went up to 21.7 yesterday! Thank you everyone who got in contact, it meant a lot. One thing I won't do again is forget my insulin....lesson learnt!

Once again thank you.

 

[mikebonne]

Hi I forgot to take my insulin last night, didn't realise until this morning ....felt sick with worry, as it's Saturday no doctors for advice so went to Boots and spoke to our local guy there, who calmed me down and told me to check sugar levels through out the day. Also to take my insulin a little earlier than normal this evening...going out for a meal tonight...wouldn't you just guess that! Feel happier than I was, drinking more water as well...anything else?

Please do not worry about forgetting your insulin. I do quite frequently. Just remember nothing about having a high blood sugar reading will kill you. You may be a bit sensitive to it but one high reading or missed insulin doesn't matter at all. You have to remmed er the effects of high sugar are a long term thing and there are no firm and hard facts, just probabilities. It is also your long term HBA1C or whatever they call it these days is the one that really counts. You are just, supposedly better off with a constant level or sugar rather than having highs and lows. Also remember that Insulin for type 2's is about being insulin resistant and you need it to lower your sugar. You cannot have a hypo from not taking your insulin. Good Luck

 

[AnneShirley]

Hi there, sugar levels are are under control....really nice to just hear from other people that are in the same boat, so to speak. I do know one or two diabetics, but they are diet only or not doing as they are told! Can't believe what some of them eat and drink. I'm no angel, but I know two small or one large G& T is my limit. (Maybe a glass of red wine...small) It was really funny the other week, I was out for a meal with some colleges and one of them never even knew I was diabetic! They were shocked as I have been working with them for 5 yrs. I just try and get on with it, and not make a big song and dance about it all. Apart from the other week when I forgot my insulin...I was telling a workmates what I hadn't done! That's how he found out I was diabetic. One thing I have found is, when I'm working in the garden my blood sugar goes down so quickly anyone else like that's? Bye for now.....AnneShirley

 

[Sandy_E]

Hi I forgot to take my insulin last night, didn't realise until this morning ....felt sick with worry, as it's Saturday no doctors for advice so went to Boots and spoke to our local guy there, who calmed me down and told me to check sugar levels through out the day. Also to take my insulin a little earlier than normal this evening...going out for a meal tonight...wouldn't you just guess that! Feel happier than I was, drinking more water as well...anything else?

Hi I forgot to take my insulin last night, didn't realise until this morning ....felt sick with worry, as it's Saturday no doctors for advice so went to Boots and spoke to our local guy there, who calmed me down and told me to check sugar levels through out the day. Also to take my insulin a little earlier than normal this evening...going out for a meal tonight...wouldn't you just guess that! Feel happier than I was, drinking more water as well...anything else?

Hi, I forgot to take my insulin once, just after breakfast when I should have taken it before breakfast and I panicked. I went to the Diabetes UK site and asked what to do. Somebody replied back to me and told me to keep calm and that I could take it straight after at the same dose. However the later you leave it you should take a smaller dose of insulin and if you are near to taking another dose just up that dose it a little. Obviously keep checking your blood glucose levels throughout. If in any doubt though ring a specialist.

Just to let you know that yesterday (Sunday) I ran out of needles for my Insulin pen (I thought I had another box). I panicked because it was a Sunday so couldn't get a prescription. Luckily my local Sainsbury's pharmacy knew me and I was able to buy some. I had to pay though (£17+) because I had no prescription. So a little tip: DO NOT RUN LOW ON NEEDLES FOR YOUR INSULIN PEN!!!!

Sandy xx

 

[AnneShirley]

Thanks Sandy......Good tip to everyone.

AnneShirley

 

[Mep]

I was going to add that if you are on bolus insulin as well you could increase the dosage... but I'm not sure if you are on this? I'm on lantus too, but also on apidra for bolus injections with meals.