How many Novorapid injections is too much a day? Would a pump help instead?

JCBBFC27 said:

Recently I’ve found to be needing at least ten injections a day. Some days it doesn’t have much effect, I’m very aware there’s so many different factors that affect sugars but it’s becoming tiring injecting all the time. I definitely can say this isn’t my best controlled time in 12 years and my new job is really having an effect especially the random shifts. Anyway before I waffle on how much is the norm? I feel like at what point does someone qualify for the pump?

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Hi please try the pump best thing I ever did. It's a bit of hard work at the beginning but makes life and work so much more manageable.

I think it depends why you are taking so many injections because it is likely you may still have to bolus the same number of times with a pump. The only difference would be that you dial the dose up on the pump instead of a pen.
For many of us, a pump has been fantastic but it is not a silver bullet. If you are insulin resistant (you mention your insulin is not having much effect), you will still be insulin resistant on a pump.

Most clinics require you to go on some carb counting training like DAFNE before being put on the pump list. This may be valuable for you. Not only could it be a pump gateway, a refresher in Type 1 management (DAFNE covers more than just carb counting) may help with your management.

I asked this question when I attended my DAFNE course and the answer was as many as needed as long as you have the right foundations .. ie your Basal Insulin is correct and your Insulin to Carb and Correction ratios are correct. If you get the foundations right the rest will hopefully be alittle easier.

However we do fight this battle that just as you seem to be on it the rules change so its important to be able to adapt. DAFNE is great for these tools.

Hi
If the basics are correct for you and the Novorapid isn't working you take a bit more.
You don't want to take too much for fear of going low.....
However if that still doesn't work you take a bit more .... and so it goes on
I feel your pain and struggle at times.
I'm sensitive to exercise and often go for a good walk if i'm resistant and my job keeps me active.

If i change my routine it does have an effect on my insulin requirements but analysing the data on my libre helps me cope.

For no particular reason i have never fancied a pump but with the 4 mm needles and small amounts of insulin it doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I wish you well

Tony

JCBBFC27 said:

Recently I’ve found to be needing at least ten injections a day. Some days it doesn’t have much effect, I’m very aware there’s so many different factors that affect sugars but it’s becoming tiring injecting all the time. I definitely can say this isn’t my best controlled time in 12 years and my new job is really having an effect especially the random shifts. Anyway before I waffle on how much is the norm? I feel like at what point does someone qualify for the pump?

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Hi. In my opinion, there is no right number of injections. There is a huge variety of ways that type of 1 diabetes presents, and the pump helped me a lot. Consider that, if you’re on a closed loop system, it will be injecting you not 10 but ~ 300 times a day, in smaller doses. The idea that a stable basal can be attained only applies to some, perhaps most, perhaps not. With a pump, the basal can be changed ad hoc, and there are several open source algorithms which offer to do it automatically. It is quite different moving to a pump, but if you find yourself encountering a high degree of variability in response to insulin, it may be a good idea. Personally, when I was using the standard pens to inject, it could be anywhere from 3 to 20 times per day.

10 so far since 9am.
A heavy cold has set in, high sugar and constantly batting it down.
On another day maybe only 8 total.
The quantity of injections is not relevant or indicative imo.

The number of injections I was doing a day to achieve reasonable control was the main reason I qualified for a pump. 7 to 10 jabs a day.

I appear to do between 6 and 11 injections a day (looking at my Tidepool data) - two of those are my basal.

I split dose for large meals (generally only supper) especially if I have been inactive and end up needing to correct as well as taking the split dose part later. I tend to to do more injections on days when I'm not doing much (corrections), and this can be especially annoying in the morning when I might continue correcting for hours.

On days when I have been very active I often don't need the second part of a split dose, and tend to run lower during the day so can snack without needing bolus, I'll still do 4 injections though (2x basal, breakfast, supper)

6 to 7 a day somedays just to get those calories and proteins in, I don't qualify for a pump as I'm 90 plus in the range.
6ft 2
90kg