I forgot my insulin

[daffy1]

H I, I forgot to take my insulIn this morning 45 units levimer but I have taken all my gliclazide and metformin . Ive just realised now when I went to check my sugars and found that both my needles are there in the box (i always sort them into an old dosset box every week) I’ve checked my sugars and fortunately they’re ok at this 7.9 . I have been busy painting so the exercise has probably helped to keep it low. Should I increase my insulin this evening to compensate or just have my usual 45 units .
What do others do if they forget

 

[ianf0ster]

Tagging @Antje77 7 and @EllieM @Jaylee

 

[EllieM]

Not allowed to advise on insulin doses so I have to be very careful what I say here. Also, I assume you are T2 @daffy1 , so I'd also be cross posting.

Having said all that, my understanding is that levemir is a long acting insulin that is taken once or twice a day.

This link here might be useful

https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/medialibraries/urmcmedia/medicine/general-medicine/patientcare/documents/Levemir_Brochure_URMC.pdf

What should I do if I forget to take a dose of insulin
detemir (Levemir®)?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember
• If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed
dose and go back to your normal dose time
• Do not take extra insulin to make up for the missed
dose
• Do not use more than one dose in the same 24-hour
period unless instructed by your doctor

If in doubt you could try phoning 111 ?

 

[Antje77]

I’ve checked my sugars and fortunately they’re ok at this 7.9 . I have been busy painting so the exercise has probably helped to keep it low. Should I increase my insulin this evening to compensate or just have my usual 45 units .
What do others do if they forget

We can't tell you what you should do, but we can tell you what we would do.

With the numbers you're seeing right now, it looks like the extra exercise has done a very good job.
Levemir has a relatively short action profile of 14 to 20 hours before most has gone. With your split dose there is a nice overlap between doses, so you haven't been completely without basal.

The action profile of Levemir is the most strong some 4 to 12 hours after injecting, so taking extra now could put you at risk of nighttime hypos.

What I would do is take my next dose now, so a little bit earlier than usual and go back to normal tomorrow morning.

Are you on mealtime insulin as well as Levemir? If so, and if you are comfortable with correction doses, you could put an alarm at some time halfway through through the night to test, but if you're not on mealtime insulin or not familiar with correction doses I wouldn't bother.

Should you find you go alarmingly high at some point, or if you are uncertain on what to do, by all means call 111 for advice!

 

[daffy1]

Not allowed to advise on insulin doses so I have to be very careful what I say here. Also, I assume you are T2 @daffy1 , so I'd also be cross posting.

Having said all that, my understanding is that levemir is a long acting insulin that is taken once or twice a day.

This link here might be useful

https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/medialibraries/urmcmedia/medicine/general-medicine/patientcare/documents/Levemir_Brochure_URMC.pdf

What should I do if I forget to take a dose of insulin
detemir (Levemir®)?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember
• If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed
dose and go back to your normal dose time
• Do not take extra insulin to make up for the missed
dose
• Do not use more than one dose in the same 24-hour
period unless instructed by your doctor

If in doubt you could try phoning 111 ?

Thanks for that Ellie.I usually take my nighttime at 10 pm and that’s only an hour away so I’ll just take my normal dose. I’m still relatively new to taking insulin and it’s taken almost 8 months to get me on the right dose, but slowly I’m getting there

 

[IanA123]

H I, I forgot to take my insulIn this morning 45 units levimer but I have taken all my gliclazide and metformin . Ive just realised now when I went to check my sugars and found that both my needles are there in the box (i always sort them into an old dosset box every week) I’ve checked my sugars and fortunately they’re ok at this 7.9 . I have been busy painting so the exercise has probably helped to keep it low. Should I increase my insulin this evening to compensate or just have my usual 45 units .
What do others do if they forget

Speak with your care team, what works for 1 does not work for all.

 

[PaulAshby]

H I, I forgot to take my insulIn this morning 45 units levimer but I have taken all my gliclazide and metformin . Ive just realised now when I went to check my sugars and found that both my needles are there in the box (i always sort them into an old dosset box every week) I’ve checked my sugars and fortunately they’re ok at this 7.9 . I have been busy painting so the exercise has probably helped to keep it low. Should I increase my insulin this evening to compensate or just have my usual 45 units .
What do others do if they forget

I personally wouldn't give extra insulin to compensate for the dose you've missed, check your glucose levels when you've got your Levimer and go from there.

 

[PaulAshby]

I've forgotten to bring insulin when I'm out a few times so I wouldn't worry too much about missing a dose

 

[Captain_Sensible]

H I, I forgot to take my insulIn this morning 45 units levimer but I have taken all my gliclazide and metformin . Ive just realised now when I went to check my sugars and found that both my needles are there in the box (i always sort them into an old dosset box every week) I’ve checked my sugars and fortunately they’re ok at this 7.9 . I have been busy painting so the exercise has probably helped to keep it low. Should I increase my insulin this evening to compensate or just have my usual 45 units .
What do others do if they forget

Hi Daffy. I've been Type1 insulin dependent for 62 years to date. In that time I've forgotten my insulin many many times or just as bad - I've forgotten whether I took my insulin at all or not! All I've done is to keep an extra special eye on my blood sugar with my blood glucose meter- same applies now with Libre 2. Plenty of tests to see where it's going.If it's trending upwards I don't eat carbs at all and drink as much water as I can. If I've left my insulin at home then it's a big relief when I get back and feel the insulin actually working inside my body again. I've gone a day without insulin this way but it can make you feel very awful. Worst case scenario is head to a pharmacy. These days I never go out without my insulin ever and I keep spares everywhere. That's the only way forward in my view- your life depends on it

 

[EllieM]

Hi @daffy1 how are you this morning?

 

[Tongey]

H I, I forgot to take my insulIn this morning 45 units levimer but I have taken all my gliclazide and metformin . Ive just realised now when I went to check my sugars and found that both my needles are there in the box (i always sort them into an old dosset box every week) I’ve checked my sugars and fortunately they’re ok at this 7.9 . I have been busy painting so the exercise has probably helped to keep it low. Should I increase my insulin this evening to compensate or just have my usual 45 units .
What do others do if they forget

Daffy, my recommendation would have been to take a smaller dose and keep a check on your levels at all times.
What I would do would have been to take my levimir, and adjust the time for my next.
But keeping a check is always advised.
Increasing your level at the next time would exasperate the bad issues that can be produced (Hypo') and we don't want that
The levemir dose is your basal and is to keep you balanced throughout the half-day period it is used for.
The exercise you mentioned will have helped, and may help you maintain a good level till your next dose, which should not be increased.
Hope that helps, although a little late

 

[gbqcsu]

H I, I forgot to take my insulIn this morning 45 units levimer but I have taken all my gliclazide and metformin . Ive just realised now when I went to check my sugars and found that both my needles are there in the box (i always sort them into an old dosset box every week) I’ve checked my sugars and fortunately they’re ok at this 7.9 . I have been busy painting so the exercise has probably helped to keep it low. Should I increase my insulin this evening to compensate or just have my usual 45 units .
What do others do if they forget

Speak to your GP or one of the Diabetic Nurses at your Hospital

 

[PaulAshby]

Speak to your GP or one of the Diabetic Nurses at your Hospital

Not great use of their time, just check blood glucose, your diabetes is your responsibility

 

[Antje77]

Not great use of their time, just check blood glucose, your diabetes is your responsibility

No.
Always seek advice from your HCP if you're in doubt, and don't ever fear you're wasting their time if you do.

There's a big difference between having been on insulin for years or just starting. And no matter how long you've been on insulin, things can go wrong and you may need help or advice.

Making the wrong decisions with insulin from not wanting to waste HCP's time can end you up needing an ambulance, needing to be admitted to hospital, or worse.
Contacting them with questions is ALWAYS legitimate.