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Insulin is not working? Any help/ideas?

ThePQ88

ThePQ88

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hey guys! Let me set the scene for the occasion last night and the straw that broke the camels back.

I tested at 10pm last night at blood sugar levels were 6.1 and I then injected by 45 units of Toujeo at 10pm as like every other day.

We then get to 10.30pm last night and I was starving, so decided to have a hot cross bun with a minute amount of jam on it - total 35g carbs, based on 10g carbs = 1 unit of novorapid, I inject 5 units to be on the safe side.

Test at 11pm before bed and sugar level is 6.3 - happy days.

Then, at around 3am I am woken up with desperate need to pee and on way back to bed, I test again.....blood sugar level is 21.4

I inject another 5 units of novorapid and go back to sleep.

Woke up at 7.30am this morning, tested again and sugar levels were 12.2

Anyone tell me what the hell I am doing wrong?? This will happen usually 4 or 5 nights out of 7.......

A lot of info, but I'm really struggling and on top of this, my appointment with the dietician was cancelled and rearranged for another 7 weeks away

Cheers!!
 
Hi @ThePQ88 :)

Is there any link between the 4 or 5 nights out of 7 it happens?

Have you done a basal test to check that amount is correct?
 
Hi @azure

Nope, the sugar levels are high, hot cross bun or not! I'm genuinely tempted to just stop using Toujeo and go back to Lantus!

I only joined this regime about 4 months ago (the previous 15 years or so I was on Novomix 2x injections a day)
 
Then it does sound like a basal issue. You could confirm that by doing a basal test.

If your levels were fine on Lantus, then it makes sense to go back to it. Not all insulins suit all people :)

That's presuming you've ruled out obvious things like a faulty pen, 'gone off' insulin, you've tried injecting your basal at a different time, etc. If so, then a change of basal looks sensible. You could always swap back if the Lantus doesn't help.
 
My thoughts are
- is your pen working correctly? The Toujeo may not be being injected properly.
- is your insulin ok (I found a dodgy batch of Lantus once and had to increase my dose just for that batch)
- are you ill? When you body is fighting a sickness, it often releases more glucose.
- can you try to overcome your hungry pangs and try not eating before going to bed? This will ensure you are fasting and isolate the effects of the Toujeo rather than questioning your Novarapid too.
- are you ok during the day? If the Toujeo is a 24 hour long acting insulin, it should impact your BG levels for the full 24 hours

Sorry - not exactly an answer just a few things to consider/check.
 
Brilliant! It's just really getting me a bit pi**ed off you know!!

@azure can you tell me what a basal test is please..?

@helensaramay thanks for this. As I have to inject like almost 50 units, if I do it all in one jab, it stings, so I split the 45 units into 2 separate injections sites....
 
I found out on Monday that my echo pen was faulty,1490172795505.jpg and in the past I have had to change my Novorapid cartridge, as having very high numbers is frightening.
Good luck and I hope you find out the answers very soon and your bs settles down.
 
ThePQ88 said:
Brilliant! It's just really getting me a bit pi**ed off you know!!

@azure can you tell me what a basal test is please..?

@helensaramay thanks for this. As I have to inject like almost 50 units, if I do it all in one jab, it stings, so I split the 45 units into 2 separate injections sites....
Click to expand...

A basal test is a test without food to make sure your basal dose is holding your BS steady. Here's a good site with info:

https://mysugr.com/basal-rate-testing/

Here's a converter as it uses US units:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-sugar-converter.html

:)
 
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