Insulin Absorption

StewM

Well-Known Member
Messages
390
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi everyone, I was just wondering what Insulin Absorption was like for folks in different injection sites.

I’ve noticed some trends with my different injection sites which go beyond a faster slower absorption.

Stomach;
Basal: I would never use Fiasp here on the evidence of my Limited Trials of doing so as even a long term Basal like Fiasp starts to fade at the end of 24 hours when injected here. Also prior to “the fade” I found the Fiasp much more potent, which was actually suboptimal for my dosage requirements/already high sensitivity.
Bolus: Fiasp and Humalog peaking hard at two hours and fading very quickly after in Fiasp, and in about an hour fading to minimal effectiveness with Humalog.

Legs
Now I overused my legs in my youth so this probably still effects things even though I’ve done what I can to give them a good rest since it became a noticeable issue.
Basal: Only tried Levimir here results were erratic. But my results with Levimir in general were erratic.
Bolus: I get a really predictable 5-6 hour curve with Humalog which almost matched manufacturer predictions exactly. Fiasp on the other hand, it starts working after a few mins, but takes a couple of hours to really get going. This usually results in anything but the slowest absorbed carbs sending my Blood Sugar Rocketting for two hours. Only for it to start coming down and keep coming down for hours. The Longest I’ve seen it working for 9 hours (total) to bring down my Blood Sugar.

Buttocks
Basal: Fiasp is absorbed slowly steadily and reliably here. Levimir I got the best results here to, though as I mentioned previously it’s relative.
Bolus: We’re talking like thirty minutes minimum to start working. Doesn’t seem as potent when it gets going. Lasts longer but can’t say how much longer as I don’t have a lot of data.

Anyone else noticed trends with their absorption in different sites?
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,232
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
.

Anyone else noticed trends with their absorption in different sites?

Hi,

Yeah, sorta kind of...

I know a correction dose with Novorapid has a turn around in just over an hour. & I don't get more resistant the higher I go wayward? (Thus needing more to correct, as reported by others?) it basically isn't "sluggish" for me..
I also know with my Lantus, I'm quite insulin sensitive in the evenings & can (pending on activity.) stay in the 4.8 to 5.5mmol zone long after it should have tailed off & even afford to dose 2 or 3 hours later than my usual time to inject?
When it works. Sometimes it loses potency & a change of cartridge remedies the issue for the following day.
Lantus goes in my legs. Novorapid? (Pending on where I am or what company I keep.) stomach or legs.
I use the inner thigh. Buttocks make no difference.

Activity levels do affect absorption more so than where I bang it? So getting the basal dosage right for an anticipated heavy day of graft seems to work for me..
 

StewM

Well-Known Member
Messages
390
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi,

Yeah, sorta kind of...

I know a correction dose with Novorapid has a turn around in just over an hour. & I don't get more resistant the higher I go wayward? (Thus needing more to correct, as reported by others?) it basically isn't "sluggish" for me..
I also know with my Lantus, I'm quite insulin sensitive in the evenings & can (pending on activity.) stay in the 4.8 to 5.5mmol zone long after it should have tailed off & even afford to dose 2 or 3 hours later than my usual time to inject?
When it works. Sometimes it loses potency & a change of cartridge remedies the issue for the following day.
Lantus goes in my legs. Novorapid? (Pending on where I am or what company I keep.) stomach or legs.
I use the inner thigh. Buttocks make no difference.

Activity levels do affect absorption more so than where I bang it? So getting the basal dosage right for an anticipated heavy day of graft seems to work for me..
Yeah I got the same. I’ve monitored corrections closely and found late night corrections in particular seem to take a while to complete. Whilst actually beginning working quite quickly.

Yeah my Insulin needs seem to plummet then catapult in the evening. Hitting their lowest between 6 and 7, and hitting their highest between 10:30 and 11:30 regardless of Basal patterns.

Having overused one site I can say that activity seems to effect me more the more I use a site (and the Insulin tends to get slower when resting in that area to) I’ve been careful to give a site a rest at the first sign of trouble since noticing that trend.
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,232
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Yeah I got the same. I’ve monitored corrections closely and found late night corrections in particular seem to take a while to complete. Whilst actually beginning working quite quickly.

Yeah my Insulin needs seem to plummet then catapult in the evening. Hitting their lowest between 6 and 7, and hitting their highest between 10:30 and 11:30 regardless of Basal patterns.

Having overused one site I can say that activity seems to effect me more the more I use a site (and the Insulin tends to get slower when resting in that area to) I’ve been careful to give a site a rest at the first sign of trouble since noticing that trend.

Since using a Libre it's either confirmed what I suspected or given a few surprises?
The "pizza effect" don't happen at 2am on the rare occasions I eat it after a gig just bolusing up front for the carb content, injecting my basal that late. & accompanied by moderate alcohol? (Vodka.) I also find Novorapid has a little lick in the tail 5 hours later & can drop me a little when I think the trend has levelled off?

I try to be mindful of not overusing sites. Sometimes it's like automatic subconscious repetition reaching for a certain area..?
 

Struma

Well-Known Member
Messages
536
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Other
You might like a look at this. YMMV

 

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