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How little insulin is too little?

jessie

jessie

Well-Known Member
Messages
275
Location
Gloucestershire
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi,

I'm hoping someone can answer this one... I (think) I am honeymooning after a year of having Type 1. I have been gradually reducing my Lantus and now take just 6 units a day. My carb counting has gone out of the window as I don't know what my ratio should be any more. I am having (but managing to control) regular pre-meal hypos. I low carb, so unless I decide to eat a sandwhich or loads of veg or something then I don't need any Novorapid with my meals. Surely I can't reduce my insulin in-take any further? Do I need a certain amount in my system whether I'm eating carbs or not? Is it possible to live on a no / very low carb diet and only have to take a basal insulin...does anyone do this?!!

Thanks in advance.

Jessie.
 
Many type 2's do Jessie. If you're honeymooning, it might be a great opportunity to see if you can prolong that indefinitely with your low carb diet. I believe Dr. Bernstein has many T1 honeymooners who have done just that.
You only need sufficient insulin to keep your blood sugars in control. 6 units of Lantus per day is a low dose, that's for sure. I've been T1 for 28 years now, and I use 8 units Levemir per day, so it's certainly possible that you could maintain your low dose with the right diet.
If you're having regular hypos I suppose your 2 options are lower doses or more food?

fergus
 
Mmmm, more food! I have been having more treats than normal because I can get away with it, but if I can prolong the honeymoon as you suggest then I maybe I should stick to low carbs. I do find that to prevent hypos I have to eat quite a lot, more than I feel I need, so maybe even less insulin is the answer.

8 untis of basal is good going after 28 years - fair play to you. You say
You only need sufficient insulin to keep your blood sugars in control
Click to expand...
but doesn't the basal keep other bits of your body functioning, rather than just controling blood sugar? Pardon my ignorance, this is still a learning curve. I'm scared that the 6 units I'm taking is not enough for my body.

Thank you Fergus.
 
No problem jessie.

The whole purpose of your basal dose is to balance the glucose that your liver synthesises over the course of the day, that's it. We all need enough background insulin to do this, but as long as your bg is in the right ballpark, you've got enough insulin.

fergus
 
Hi Jessie,
I'm only on 7 untis of Lantus daily (but I still use Novorapid for meals) but as Fergus says, if your meals are low carb and you're getting good readings, I shouldn't worry about your Lantus being low.
It sounds as though you are managing well to me.
All the best,
Choccie.
 
Hi Jessie

I think me and you have discussed this before. I have 6 units levimer at breakfast, 0 novorapid. I am still having hypos before lunch. 2 units n/rapid at lunch, will prob hypo before tea and 3 units at tea and will again prob hypo before bed. I don't low carb and I am 14 week pregnant so carb counting at the mo is not an option. With out the insulin I can not get BS below 14-15+. I am at clinic on tues to see if I can reduce my doses further.It drives me mad 2, my nurses and consultant think I am very 'interesting'.
 
Hi again Willogs, it's so frustrating isn't it! How do you manage your hypos? Do you nip them in the bud by snacking or just treat them as and when they happen? I feel I need to over eat in order to prevent them! I suppose we can look at the positive side - our readings are nice and low and pancreas still working a bit.

Aoife - I think we're in the minority here, I wouldn't worry :)
 
Hi Aofie,

One of the blessings of type 1, no, there aren't a lot, is that it rarely comes with insulin resistance. That's more of a type 2 thing, but there are things you can do to try and reduce it.

fergus
 
Hi Jessie!

I think we may be in similar positions- l was diagnosed about 3 months ago and went straight to low carb and no sugar and l am now on 5 units of Levemir a day and never take Novo Rapid (unless eat something l shouldnt do). I was also a bit concerned but happy and hope it continues! My mum is only worried that l will lose more weight with not eating the carbs/sugar and feel l have to eat loads just in case! x
 
Hi Jo :)

It's reassuring to know that others are in the same position.

I so know what you mean with your Mum though, I've lost a bit of weight and my friends often nag me - I feel that others think I'm being over careful with my diet, but I know that I'm doing this in order to look after myself, I CAN'T have the same diet as everyone else and if that makes me a bit on the skinny side, I actually don't care. I'd rather have my health in 20 years time. I don't think my friends realise the seriousness and risks of diabetes and it's frustrating.

By the way, I've read a few of your posts and you seem to be doing so well after just 3 months.

Take care,

Jessie.
 
Thanks Jessie :) :) So nice to hear that as l still have lots of worries and queries- but then again l am one of those ppl that like to run before l walk (so to speak) so want to learn it all now ;) xx
 
Hi Jessie

I am not supposed to be snacking, as I am supposed to be keeping my BS below 6 before meals, if I snack I get a higher reading which means my consultant will want to up my doses, but that makes me either hypo or eat more. So I try and treat each hypo as they happen. I have been to the antenatal today and my levimer has been reduced to 4 units to see if I can cope with that. I do feel like a fake sometimes with such little doses required.
 
Hi all
I was diagnosed 3 months ago and went straight to fairly low carb (cut out most carbs but have porridge for brek and fruit in the day as snacks) and my insulin so far still only between 1 and 3 for meals (depending what I eat) and 3 Levimir of an evening.
When I exercise I was cutting the Novorapid to 1with a bit extra carb in meal and queried with DN that it seemed to low and was I right and should I just cut it out. She said that just 1 unit a time all adds up and before cutting it out altogether to cut back by half a unit a time. She also thought I was unusual! Said I was probably honeymooning but after she said that I thought 'OK then if I'm honeymooning I can eat more'... anything that isn't low carb shoots me straight back up at a crazy rate!... so I've firmly joined the low carb crusaders for us Type 1's, I'm sure it's what keeps our insulin low!

Such a frustrating condition! On holiday abroad in the heat for last 2 weeks and sends the BG loopy :evil: Fergus you are an inspiration with your consistency! :D
Cath
 
Hi Cath,

Frustrating indeed! Just when you think you've cracked it everything changes. I had exactly the same thinking as you (despite Fergus' wise advice about low carbing to prolong the honeymoon), I've spent the last few weeks eating more or less what I want but now I can see my insulin requirements creeping back up. So, back to low carbing as from NOW. Which is easier said than done - once you fall off the wagon it's hard to get back on :(

Maybe one day we'll be as controlled as Fergus ;)

Willogs, hope you're getting on OK with your lower doses.

x
 
I have done a couple of days on the lower dose, but had to up my novorapid at tea to 4/5 so only a little bit. My day readings have been more stable. so will see how I get on over the weekend. It has been nice to read in this thread that there are a few of us out there who only need small doses.
 
I'm in a similar situation. I'm pretty active and exercise a lot, which makes me incredibly sensitive to insulin. I've had Type 1 Diabetes for a year and a half now and I'm 20. At first I was using 1 unit of novarapid for every 10 units of carbs and 12 units of levemir once a day.

After a few months of learning about how exercise and food affect insulin sensitivity, I now take 1 unit of novarapid for every 50 grams of carbs , which usually means I'm only taking 3 units of novarapid per day and no levemir. I was worried that I was taking too little, but after reading a lot online, it turns out that people who have very low levels of insulin in their bodies generally live longer, age slower and have better overall health. They also have less triglycerides in their blood, which is great for your health and high insulin levels might be a cause for high blood pressure.

This site has some good info: http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/insulin.htm

I also find that even on 3 units of novarapid a day and eating about 160 grams of carbs and 200 grams of protein a day, it is still too much insulin because I hypo sometimes. I have tried days where I just use levemir, but I feel like I am more constricted to eating at certain times of the day, as my sugar levels are constantly dropping, whereas with novarapid after 5 hours it is out of my system, which means I don't have to constantly eat to keep my sugar levels normal.

I think one of the most important things for Type 1 diabetics is making sure your insulin sensitivity is high, so you don't have to take a lot of insulin and therefore never really have high sugar levels, because when you do take insulin it always acts fast.
 
Hi.
Welldone on so little insulin. Its quite an achievement. When first started out I was on 4 units Levimir. However my novorapid was approx 3 units per meal. I was having hypos before most meals. I decided to change, after consulting with my doctor to more Levimir and less Novorapid. I now split my Levimir 8 in morning, 6 at night and 1 unit Novorapid per meal. It's funny that if I don't take any novorapid my levels area at 15 or16. I'm surprised how affective 1 unit can be. I feel a lot more confident and I rarely have hypos before meals now. I think more Levimir and less novorapid is key x
 
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