Injecting insulin then realise no appetite

[Anonymous]

Here's something that worried me yesterday.... I've had a migraine for a few days.... still have it a bit this morning.
Yesterday though I had quite bad pain.... I injected my insulin and went to eat my breakfast. Problem is I had no appetite and was struggling to eat and thought I was also going to throw it all back up. Yes, I didn't really notice until I started to eat that I didn't want to eat. :lol: Then it occurred to me that if I don't eat or if I throw up I've already injected the insulin for it.... arggghh!

Has anyone else had this dilemma? How did you handle it?

 

[noblehead]

I think anyone injecting insulin might have been there at some point. I try and drink something like fruit juice or lucozade to compensate but it is hard when all you want to do is throw it back up, hope the migraine has disappeared today.

 

[AMBrennan]

Something else to keep in mind is that sugary liquid (my favourite is Glucose C, but you're welcome to pay £40/kg sugar in form of Lucozade ) is absorbed a lot quicker than solid food, so there's less of a problem if you did throw up again.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, I did wind up having some blackcurrant juice as I couldn't finish eating my breakfast. I went and laid down and kept as still as possible.... it seemed to work as I soon fell asleep with the mersyndol I had taken. Today at least I had my appetite back somewhat. It's just a concern at the time when you realise you've already had the insulin and don't want to eat. :? Migraines are not fun... I was at work on Thursday and almost fainted in one of my meetings while the national boss was talking. One of my colleagues noticed I looked funny and was getting ready to come and grab me if I fell off the chair (she told me afterwards). But Friday morning I was gone... couldn't really move about without bad pain. Today I was just feeling mostly drained of all energy and slept almost all day today.

 

[noblehead]

Migraines are not fun...

I can imagine they must be awful! My dad got migraines and he would have to lie down in a dark room to get some relieve, he use to say they were terrible and wouldn't wish them on his worst enemy.

 

[jopar]

If you had asked this question when I was using either the exchange regime or the older Analogue/Soluble insulin I would had said with great frequency on a daily bases...

On the 2 injection a day and Exchange insulin when I had to eat xxx amount of carbs at xxx time of the day in meals and snacks... I hated it and used to gag on my food, as I wasn't hungry didn't want it but had to eat it otherwise face a hypo :cry:

Going onto MDI with Analogue/Soluble insulins was a little better, but had to inject 30min's before eating then once I actually got to the eating I'd gone off the idea of food, even swapping for a fluid type carbs, still put you into the position of eating or drinking to avoid a hypo..

Going onto MDI with newer human insulins, meant that I could decide just before eating how much of my food I really wanted, so could adjust my dose made the occurrence few and far between...

Going onto a pump, does make life a lot easier, as most of my bolus are either a Multiwave or Extended wave, so if I'm faced with it, I can either council the bolus, workout what's been delivered then either turn my basal down, or just have a swig of Luccozade/fruit juice if necessary... Problem solved..

 

[Anonymous]

yes, I agree noblehead... I wouldn't wish migraines on my worst enemy either.

Thankfully this one wasn't too long.... a few days. I've had them last 8 days before. I have been to hospital a couple of times with them too when they've been too bad. I normally soldier on... but when you can barely move without pain you know you're in trouble... it's the nausea that gets to you too.... and it's not a good idea to drive like that.

I think I've got what is called the postdrome of the migraine at the moment.... I didn't have much energy to start with and this just completely knocked me.

I have been eating well today at least.... sugar levels have been pretty good today too.

@jopar - yes the pump probably would give better control. When not well you tend to do silly things without thinking... yesterday was one of those silly things I did. If I had taken time to think about it I probably wouldn't have injected the insulin or eaten at all. I tend to do things out of routine or habit without thinking too much sometimes. :roll:

 

[noblehead]

8 days is a long time mep73, never knew migraines could go on for so long

 

[Pneu]

Mep... there is no real harm in injecting post meal if you are not sure how much you are going to eat. Apidra is very fast acting and therefore there is no real need to inject pre-meal.

This is often a tactic that can be used if you are eating out for instance and are not sure of the size of the portion you are going to get or how much of it you are going to eat.

 

[SueR]

I have just had a migraine attack that lasted 3 weeks. I got rid of the pain and flashing lights only for it to kick back in the next day. Over the 3 week period I managed 4 days without an attack. Thankfully it has now all settled and it's over a week since the last attack.

They are not nice and once they settle I have been able to eat small amounts and take my insulin and other medication I had a lumbar puncture on Friday and we now know that raised spinal pressure is causing the attacks and I can be treated. It is very hard trying to carry on and do normal things when you feel so rough, so my sympathies to you. I am lucky I don't get the sickly feeling, but I do get the visual disturbances and loss of vision. I have to lie down and wait for everything to calm down.

Having had these attacks since I was 16 you'd think I was used to them by now, but no they still frighten me at times.

 

[Anonymous]

I have just had a migraine attack that lasted 3 weeks. I got rid of the pain and flashing lights only for it to kick back in the next day. Over the 3 week period I managed 4 days without an attack. Thankfully it has now all settled and it's over a week since the last attack.

They are not nice and once they settle I have been able to eat small amounts and take my insulin and other medication I had a lumbar puncture on Friday and we now know that raised spinal pressure is causing the attacks and I can be treated. It is very hard trying to carry on and do normal things when you feel so rough, so my sympathies to you. I am lucky I don't get the sickly feeling, but I do get the visual disturbances and loss of vision. I have to lie down and wait for everything to calm down.

Having had these attacks since I was 16 you'd think I was used to them by now, but no they still frighten me at times.

wow... that's a long time Sue I also know the cause of mine and I've had them for about 18 years now... doc doesn't know what to do about it really. I get told to take painkillers as soon as I know my trigger... but that doesn't always work as was the case this time round. Like you, I get the visual disturbances and I have to go and lie down when really bad... I try so hard to get up and going but it doesn't always work and a dark room and strong painkillers is what I need.

 

[Anonymous]

Mep... there is no real harm in injecting post meal if you are not sure how much you are going to eat. Apidra is very fast acting and therefore there is no real need to inject pre-meal.

This is often a tactic that can be used if you are eating out for instance and are not sure of the size of the portion you are going to get or how much of it you are going to eat.

yes I've heard I can do that... although I'm so much into the habit of injecting before I eat... argghh! I've been told by my endo that with Apidra I can inject up to half an hour either way... but no longer than that.

 

[noblehead]

yes I've heard I can do that... although I'm so much into the habit of injecting before I eat... argghh! I've been told by my endo that with Apidra I can inject up to half an hour either way... but no longer than that.

I wouldn't fancy injecting a fast-acting insulin like Apidra half an hour before food as I would be in hypo-land if it works as fast as Novo.

 

[Pneu]

Apidra for me works quicker than novo so I certainly wouldn't inject it 30 mins pre meal.

 

[SueR]

I have just had a migraine attack that lasted 3 weeks. I got rid of the pain and flashing lights only for it to kick back in the next day. Over the 3 week period I managed 4 days without an attack. Thankfully it has now all settled and it's over a week since the last attack.

They are not nice and once they settle I have been able to eat small amounts and take my insulin and other medication I had a lumbar puncture on Friday and we now know that raised spinal pressure is causing the attacks and I can be treated. It is very hard trying to carry on and do normal things when you feel so rough, so my sympathies to you. I am lucky I don't get the sickly feeling, but I do get the visual disturbances and loss of vision. I have to lie down and wait for everything to calm down.

Having had these attacks since I was 16 you'd think I was used to them by now, but no they still frighten me at times.

wow... that's a long time Sue I also know the cause of mine and I've had them for about 18 years now... doc doesn't know what to do about it really. I get told to take painkillers as soon as I know my trigger... but that doesn't always work as was the case this time round. Like you, I get the visual disturbances and I have to go and lie down when really bad... I try so hard to get up and going but it doesn't always work and a dark room and strong painkillers is what I need.

I have had problems with my eyesight too, so was sent to the neurology department for investigations 15 years ago. Sadly I had no faith in the neurologist, so never had a lumbar puncture done. I have been batted back and forth from eye to neurology department during that period too. Nothing was found and we had no firm diagnosis either, other than a slight stroke.

Last year I was given an appointment with a neurologist who specialise in headaches and I felt that we were getting somewhere at last. He inspired confidence and I had the lumbar puncture done on Friday. OK, so it's my fault that it's taken this long to get a diagnosis, but when you don't trust your specialist the last thing you want is invasive tests that carry risks.

It's early days still and I will see the neurologist when some blood work is back - one test will take 6 weeks to process. In the meantime I have to rest, take it easy and dose myself up with paracetamol - I'm allergic to codeine, so can't take anything stronger. I battle on and that's all I can do.