How much do you take?

[fontana74]

I take 32 units of Lantus every night before bed & I take on average 12-14 units of humalog depending on the size of meal thru the day.

 

[kjw123]

Well Jonty.........
I dial up 72 on the pen that is what I was always led to believe (by my HCP) to be units (i.e 72) units but I guess you can call it what you like, it depends on how picky you want to be.

Just out of interest I have been taking Lantus for 3 years and Novarapid for 1. It was only a short while ago I realised that 1 unit of insulin is actually 3 units on the pen. Therefore when I inject 60.units of lantus that is only 20 units of insulin.

:shock:

Eh? What are you talking about? I use a Lantus Solostar pen which contains 3mL in total. The strength is 100u/mL so the pen contains 100 x 3 = 300 units. The graduations marked on the pen are from 300 to 0, so if I dial up 60, that is 60 units and NOT 60/3 or whatever you seem to think it is.

Please explain why you think "1 unit of insulin is actually 3 units on the pen"?

Jonty

 

[JontyW]

Well Jonty.........
I dial up 72 on the pen that is what I was always led to believe (by my HCP) as a unit but I guess you can call it what you like, it depends on how picky you want to be.

Hi kjw123,

With all due respect, I am not trying to be picky, but I think it is really important that information regarding insulin doses, that are posted on this forum, are quite clear and correct so other users don't get confused.

I don't understand what you are saying here .. "I dial up 72 on the pen that is what I was always led to believe (by my HCP) as a unit but I guess you can call it what you like,". Are you saying 72 on the pen is ONE UNIT or 72 units.. please state exactly what you mean by this statement.

Please answer my original question .. "why you think "1 unit of insulin is actually 3 units on the pen"? Who told you this .. surely not your HCP?

Thanks

Jonty

 

[AMBrennan]

Insulin unit has an official definition much like meter, second, etc:

One international unit of insulin (1 IU) is defined as the "biological equivalent" of 34.7 μg pure crystalline insulin. This corresponds to the old USP insulin unit, where one unit (U) of insulin was set equal to the amount required to reduce the concentration of blood glucose in a fasting rabbit to 45 mg/dl (2.5 mmol/L).

Insulin pens and syringes are labelled with IU, and this is why you should not use other syringes for insulin as that can easily result in an overdose. Unless you are injecting higher concentration insulin (e.g. 500u/ml for those with extreme insulin resistance) with a syringe, or using a non-standard concentration (Bernstein... again), you can and have to take the units on the pen at face value.

 

[chhabra]

75 units inslutard
46 humolog
10 mg bystander am
46 humolog pm
75 inslutard
46 humolog
10 byetta evening
20 humolog in between when high readings
Was on 125 units twice a day 3 months ago of lantus till dr changed it to inslutard

 

[chhabra]

Ps this was all private medical care consultants all for money now on NHs lawyers suing them

 

[smidge]

8 units Levemir - 5 morning, 3 evening
Apidra - varies depending on the carb/protein I eat with each meal, but generally around 8 units a day.

Smidge

 

[JontyW]

8 units Levemir - 5 morning, 3 evening
Apidra - varies depending on the carb/protein I eat with each meal, but generally around 8 units a day.

Smidge

So what is your carb ratio for each meal?

Thanks

Jonty

 

[Robinredbreast]

I take 12 units of levemir before bed( never split the levemir) and NovoRapid during the day, 3 times, which works out, on average, about 12/14 units per day. Best wishes RRB

 

[smidge]

Hey Jonty

8 units Levemir - 5 morning, 3 evening
Apidra - varies depending on the carb/protein I eat with each meal, but generally around 8 units a day.

Smidge

So what is your carb ratio for each meal?

Thanks

Jonty

Well, that's not as black and white as you might think, because I low carb. In terms of carb, it's about 1:9, but I do have to add the odd unit or two for protein along the way if I have a very low-carb or no carb meal. So bacon and eggs for example I'd jab 1.5 units even though there's only about 1g carb in that. Overall, I eat about 50g carb a day, so you can see that at 1:9, I should only need about 5.5 units Apidra, but I actually have to take around 8 on average to cover the non-carb elements. Hope that makes sense!

Smidge

 

[iHs]

Hey Jonty

8 units Levemir - 5 morning, 3 evening
Apidra - varies depending on the carb/protein I eat with each meal, but generally around 8 units a day.

Smidge

So what is your carb ratio for each meal?

Thanks

Jonty

Well, that's not as black and white as you might think, because I low carb. In terms of carb, it's about 1:9, but I do have to add the odd unit or two for protein along the way if I have a very low-carb or no carb meal. So bacon and eggs for example I'd jab 1.5 units even though there's only about 1g carb in that. Overall, I eat about 50g carb a day, so you can see that at 1:9, I should only need about 5.5 units Apidra, but I actually have to take around 8 on average to cover the non-carb elements. Hope that makes sense!

Smidge

Hi

Just being a bit curious but do you drink cups of tea and coffee during the day and if so, do you have milk in them or what?

 

[kjw123]

it seems there is a confusion going on here Jonty, I don't believe it was me that said "1 unit of insulin is actually 3 units on the pen"?

I simply said that when I dialed up 72 on the pen I was led to believe that that amounted to 72 units.

Just a little confusion going on here I think.

Well Jonty.........
I dial up 72 on the pen that is what I was always led to believe (by my HCP) as a unit but I guess you can call it what you like, it depends on how picky you want to be.

Hi kjw123,

With all due respect, I am not trying to be picky, but I think it is really important that information regarding insulin doses, that are posted on this forum, are quite clear and correct so other users don't get confused.

I don't understand what you are saying here .. "I dial up 72 on the pen that is what I was always led to believe (by my HCP) as a unit but I guess you can call it what you like,". Are you saying 72 on the pen is ONE UNIT or 72 units.. please state exactly what you mean by this statement.

Please answer my original question .. "why you think "1 unit of insulin is actually 3 units on the pen"? Who told you this .. surely not your HCP?

Thanks

Jonty

 

[kjw123]

Please refer to my original posting as there was a typo error in the later posting due to my eyesight not being what it used to be...Something to do with Retinopathy and blurred vision I believe.

Well Jonty.........
I dial up 72 on the pen that is what I was always led to believe (by my HCP) as a unit but I guess you can call it what you like, it depends on how picky you want to be.

Hi kjw123,

With all due respect, I am not trying to be picky, but I think it is really important that information regarding insulin doses, that are posted on this forum, are quite clear and correct so other users don't get confused.

I don't understand what you are saying here .. "I dial up 72 on the pen that is what I was always led to believe (by my HCP) as a unit but I guess you can call it what you like,". Are you saying 72 on the pen is ONE UNIT or 72 units.. please state exactly what you mean by this statement.

Please answer my original question .. "why you think "1 unit of insulin is actually 3 units on the pen"? Who told you this .. surely not your HCP?

Thanks

Jonty

 

[JontyW]

Just out of interest I have been taking Lantus for 3 years and Novarapid for 1. It was only a short while ago I realised that 1 unit of insulin is actually 3 units on the pen. Therefore when I inject 60.units of lantus that is only 20 units of insulin.

I just wonder how many people realise this and whether this ever causes any problems. Certainly it was never pointed out to me when I started injecting. :!:

Hi dcoppard,

Please could you clear up the confusion that this statement has caused ... "It was only a short while ago I realised that 1 unit of insulin is actually 3 units on the pen."

Who told you this ... surely not your HCP?

Jonty

 

[JontyW]

it seems there is a confusion going on here Jonty, I don't believe it was me that said "1 unit of insulin is actually 3 units on the pen"?

I simply said that when I dialed up 72 on the pen I was led to believe that that amounted to 72 units.

Just a little confusion going on here I think.

Hi kjw123,

You are quite right, it was not you that posted that statement .. so many apologies! That's the problem with a long thread and multiple quotes get added.

Anyway I have asked "dcoppard" to clarify where that statement came from.

Jonty

 

[kjw123]

One thing I have found confusing is the different approach's to diabetes care in as much as the diiferent insulin types otheres use and whether they carb count or not .....I personally have never carb counted or adjusted my insulin to the ammount of carb intake. I have simply found a background level of Lantus that gives me a relativly stable BM during the day and just use Nova-Rapid to take care of my BM after I have eaten and funny enough my hbA1c has been around the 6 point mark for sometime now.

Well Jonty.........
I dial up 72 on the pen that is what I was always led to believe (by my HCP) as a unit but I guess you can call it what you like, it depends on how picky you want to be.

Hi kjw123,

With all due respect, I am not trying to be picky, but I think it is really important that information regarding insulin doses, that are posted on this forum, are quite clear and correct so other users don't get confused.

I don't understand what you are saying here .. "I dial up 72 on the pen that is what I was always led to believe (by my HCP) as a unit but I guess you can call it what you like,". Are you saying 72 on the pen is ONE UNIT or 72 units.. please state exactly what you mean by this statement.

Please answer my original question .. "why you think "1 unit of insulin is actually 3 units on the pen"? Who told you this .. surely not your HCP?

Thanks

Jonty

 

[Robinredbreast]

One thing I have found confusing is the different approach's to diabetes care in as much as the diiferent insulin types otheres use and whether they carb count or not .....I personally have never carb counted or adjusted my insulin to the ammount of carb intake. I have simply found a background level of Lantus that gives me a relativly stable BM during the day and just use Nova-Rapid to take care of my BM after I have eaten and funny enough my hbA1c has been around the 6 point mark for sometime now.

Well Jonty.........
I dial up 72 on the pen that is what I was always led to believe (by my HCP) as a unit but I guess you can call it what you like, it depends on how picky you want to be.

Hi kjw123,

With all due respect, I am not trying to be picky, but I think it is really important that information regarding insulin doses, that are posted on this forum, are quite clear and correct so other users don't get confused.

I don't understand what you are saying here .. "I dial up 72 on the pen that is what I was always led to believe (by my HCP) as a unit but I guess you can call it what you like,". Are you saying 72 on the pen is ONE UNIT or 72 units.. please state exactly what you mean by this statement.

Please answer my original question .. "why you think "1 unit of insulin is actually 3 units on the pen"? Who told you this .. surely not your HCP?

Thanks

Jonty

You are obviuosly doing well and getting it right, 6 is good :thumbup: We are ALL so different in our diabetes needs, medication and management.

Best wishes RRB

 

[Spirit of Eden]

For me (I weigh 68kg) and eat about 150g carbs a day

16u Humulin I (Basal) at bedtime
14 -18u of Humalog (Bolus) split between 3-4 meals over the course of the day

:thumbup: Interesting topic. I'm always badgering my HCP's to tell me where i am "in the scheme" of things. In other words how much insulin would i need if the pancreas produced zero insulin. I'll have to ask her next time, but I seem to remember she said for me it would be in the 40's units a day. My total daily dose is about 30u. I guess I am therefore 3 parts injected and 1 part self produced insulin. A higher dosage would be to due to insulin resistance

 

[smidge]

Hi

Just being a bit curious but do you drink cups of tea and coffee during the day and if so, do you have milk in them or what?

Hey iHs!

I don't really drink coffee (although I have the occasional Soy Latte). I drink mostly Earl Grey tea without milk while at work, but at home I drink mainly tea with Lactofree milk. The Lactofree milk has about half the carbs of ordinary milk and I can get away with a small drop in a cup of tea. I find ordinary milk spikes me badly - I am very sensitive to carb unfortunately, and liquid carbs are the worst for me - I can actually use a small drop of milk to correct minor hypos. (I'm not recommending that BTW, just saying what effect milk has on me!). The trouble is, 6g of carb could take my BG up by 3 mmol, and as milk has about 5.5g carb per 100ml, it wouldn't take many cups of tea to raise my BG significantly, and I certainly can't face jabbing for cups of tea!

Smidge

 

[willb]

I take 150units of solarstar each night and 55units of Novorapid flexpen with each meal (3 times a day). I hope this helps.