Help - accidentally took too much levemir

[goji]

I normally take 11 units at bed and 4 units of levemir around 11am. Today I took 11 units in the morning by accident. So I had 11 units last night and 11 units this morning. This is 7 units over my normal dose.

I am not sure what to do as this is the first time I have misdosed my basal insulin (I was actually hypo when I took the injection - so not thinking straight!!) Do you carry on with your bolus injections as normal and would you take the full basal dose tonight if at all or a reduced dose?

Thanks
Goji

 

[ebony321]

Hi,

Levemir is a medium acting back ground insulin so you shouldn't have to worry too much about going low in the night, but i would still reduce your night time insulin by a few units just to be safe, and if your worried maybe set an alarm for 3am just to check your doing fine.

Personally i would take your usual amounts of quick acting insulin with food, but don't add any correction units on top just incase.

Keep checking your blood regularly and have hypo treatment to hand just incase.

Everyone does things like this once in a while so don't worry too much, as long as you check your blood every few hours so you know how it's affecting you, you can take action if you start to go low

 

[Snodger]

Hi Goji,

I've had a similar situation, although not quite as big an 'overdose', and I carried on bolus injections as normal then reduced my next basal (but still took it at the same time). That worked for me.
I think in your situation, with the higher extra dose, I'd be tempted to reduce my bolus ones a little too. And just keep testing blood to check, and obviously have stuff ready for hypos at all times.

Just so you don't feel too much of an idiot I'll tell you the worst overdose I did. Once when I was totally sober and non-hypo I injected 18 units of long acting (at the correct time), thought the pen wasn't working for some reason, injected another 18 units, still thought it wasn't working and injected a final 18 before common sense kicked in. :roll:
I went and ate a lot of cake, and still went hypo, and went and ate a lot more cake. Stayed up much of the night to ensure I didn't go into coma. Felt grim all next day. That was in the days of Protophane which I think (may be wrong) was not as long lasting as today's long acting insulins.

 

[goji]

Thanks ebony321 and Snodger for your replies

I was very worried after I took the wrong amount but so far things have been fine - with no hypos. I'm just doing regular checks.

Snodger I can't believe you took 3x 18 units of long-acting!! That must have been a terrible night!!

 

[rmh0185]

I was on holiday a couple of years ago and participagting in an insulin study at that time when for two or three nights got my insulins mixed up consequently was going very low in the night was still low at breakfast time but then my sugars were getting higher and higher during the
day. I was relieved but also embarrassed to find out what i'd done wrong and guess I was lucky not to end up requiring help since I was on my own. Glad to say I haven't repeated the same mistake again but there have been times where I can't remember if i've took my insulin or not. I believe
that there are some new devices available which are compatible with most pens which tell you when you last took insulin. I would be interested to hear
other peoples experiences and opinions of these devices.

Regards

Richard
Northampton
T1 since Jan 1985 and on Novorapid 3 times per day and Levimir 2 times per day

 

[thatlondonboy]

Hi there, newly diagnosed Type 1 from June 2020 (At 30 years old no less!)

I've already done the same thing with my Levemir forgetting that I've taken it or not taken it and a panicked call to my diabetes team.

I was then moved onto a memory pen which has honestly been a massive godsend. It tells you how much you injected, when and more importantly helps you think twice.

It's not foolproof though, as I discovered this morning when I accidentally injected my nightly basal of 8 units instead of my morning basal of 6.

We're all going to constantly make mistakes, it's just about how we adapt to them!

Can highly recommend the "Echo" pen with memory function and goes up in half steps for more accurate novorapid injections when carb counting and the "5" with memory function, that works just like your normal disposable pen.

The best part about them is there's no longer such a huge waste on the environment, as you just replace the little vials to pop them in and out of the pens.

T x