HELP!!!!

[JLowes]

Hi I was wondering if anyone else was having or has had a problem with insulin NovoRapid. I've been Type 1 for 54 years and been on this insulin for years. Lately, following receipt of my Dexcom G6 I've noticed that my insulin is taking 2 to 3 hours before lowering blood sugar levels after eating . I have checked sites for lumps none, I have checked date on insulin and ok. Today my bloods were 16.6 which is far too high when I was having tea and I injected insulin for correction and carbs which was 8 units. My reading now is 19.3. I do carb count and weigh everything. I've contacted diabetes nurse to see if I need insulin changed but I've got to wait for appointment 26 May. I'm so frustrated about this.

 

[eventhorizon]

Exactly the same with me. I changed from NovoRapid to Fiasp a few years ago which seems better.

 

[Rokaab]

I also found this when I started using the Libre (my Novorapid seemed to be taking a good 4-5 hours to really kick in - ie not entirely useful), and I also changed to Fiasp that worked a lot faster for me - though I believe it doesn't work for all (edit: typo)

 

[plantae]

I don't know if it's what I'm eating (low carb, high protein) but when I inject novorapid I'll initially go a bit lower, 2 hours later I'll be about the same as when I injected and then at 3 to 4 hours my BSL will rise. Before the libre I didn't even know this... I was finger pricking before meals and two hours after and didn't even know I was going high because it was missed (I should add that I'm not going really high, just in the 7s or 8s but higher than post meal). I thought the libre was broken but finger pricks collaborated its readings (and I have Dexcom now which shows the same peak at 3-4 hours, but might be switching back to libre). For me, I think it's the protein rather than carbs. Nobody seems to talk about protein but I've done experiments with protein shakes and can raise my blood sugar for an entire night by loading up on it. Theoretically the novorapid should control the peak no matter the source but the peak seems to happen at about the time the novorapid should be wearing off

 

[plantae]

19.3 is quite a bit high though... higher than I'd be comfortable with How many grams of carbs?

 

[EllieM]

Novorapid is known as novosluggish by some...

I do find that my bolus insulin seems much less effective when my bg is already high though (greater insulin resistance?). How confident are you that your basal is correct @JLowes ?

 

[JLowes]

Thank you all I thought I was doing something wrong after being a diabetic all these years. Trying to get help within a reasonable length of time seems impossible lately with the NHS. I do understand the way things are but it doesn't help.

 

[Hopeful34]

One or two things come to mind @JLowes
It could be that the insulin has 'gone off' in some way, so it's worth trying a new pen. Are you checking the high levels with a blood glucose meter, as Dexcom tends to read high above 10.
It's not clear from your post if you're prebolusing for your meal, or how long before you eat? Maybe you could try extending the pre meal bolus time gradually?

 

[JLowes]

One or two things come to mind @JLowes
It could be that the insulin has 'gone off' in some way, so it's worth trying a new pen. Are you checking the high levels with a blood glucose meter, as Dexcom tends to read high above 10.
It's not clear from your post if you're prebolusing for your meal, or how long before you eat? Maybe you could try extending the pre meal bolus time gradually?

Hi thank you. The insulin pen has been changed and always kept in fridge before using for the first time so I don't think it's that. Checked with meter when it first started to increase and there was a slight difference but nothing to write home about. The insulin before meal is taken about 15 to 20 minutes before eating. My slow release insulin is taken at night about 10pm. I seem to have covered everything but the only thing I can pin point is the length of time it is taking for insulin pre meals to work. 2 to 3 hours seems to long when it is supposed to be rapid. Thank you for your suggestions it is much appreciated.

 

[EllieM]

Hi thank you. The insulin pen has been changed and always kept in fridge before using for the first time so I don't think it's that. Checked with meter when it first started to increase and there was a slight difference but nothing to write home about. The insulin before meal is taken about 15 to 20 minutes before eating. My slow release insulin is taken at night about 10pm. I seem to have covered everything but the only thing I can pin point is the length of time it is taking for insulin pre meals to work. 2 to 3 hours seems to long when it is supposed to be rapid. Thank you for your suggestions it is much appreciated.

Can you contact a DN at your clinic by email or phone...?

 

[Hopeful34]

If your blood sugar was 16.6 before your meal, and you only waited 15-20 minutes before eating, that may account for the 19.3 on this occasion, because Novorapid doesn't tend to start working for a lot of people for longer than 20 minutes, and with levels in double figures insulin resistance kicks in as has already been mentioned, and it takes longer for levels to drop.

Personally I wait until my bloods are in single figures before eating anything, otherwise they take hours to return to normal, but that's just my experience.

 

[JLowes]

Can you contact a DN at your clinic by email or phone...?

Hi I have contacted DN and my appointment is 23 May. Its hard having to spend a month of spiking reads before insulin starts working 2 to 3 hours later.

 

[mojo_101]

If your blood sugar was 16.6 before your meal, and you only waited 15-20 minutes before eating, that may account for the 19.3 on this occasion, because Novorapid doesn't tend to start working for a lot of people for longer than 20 minutes, and with levels in double figures insulin resistance kicks in as has already been mentioned, and it takes longer for levels to drop.

Personally I wait until my bloods are in single figures before eating anything, otherwise they take hours to return to normal, but that's just my experience.

Me too regarding waiting for lower figures, annoying but necessary for me as well.

 

[JAT1]

Hi I was wondering if anyone else was having or has had a problem with insulin NovoRapid. I've been Type 1 for 54 years and been on this insulin for years. Lately, following receipt of my Dexcom G6 I've noticed that my insulin is taking 2 to 3 hours before lowering blood sugar levels after eating . I have checked sites for lumps none, I have checked date on insulin and ok. Today my bloods were 16.6 which is far too high when I was having tea and I injected insulin for correction and carbs which was 8 units. My reading now is 19.3. I do carb count and weigh everything. I've contacted diabetes nurse to see if I need insulin changed but I've got to wait for appointment 26 May. I'm so frustrated about this.

I read another thread on this website today regarding meal sequencing which relates. I find the order I eat the various foods that make up my meal, as well as the ratio of protein + fat to carbs makes a difference to when I spike. I used Novarapid and found it slow. Now I use Trurapi and it is also slow. I read in the product instructions for both of these that it is 2 hours before the insulin peaks.

 

[A17]

Following. I'm totally the same.

 

[Nicola M]

This is why my doctor changed my insulin from Novorapid to Lyumjev. I was always high after lunch and was bolusing sometimes 45 minutes to 1 hour before eating!!! Lyumjev has made a world of difference.