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Insulin isophane (humulin n) peaking early

O

Opossum

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Parent
Treatment type
Insulin
My daughter is on therapy with humulin r and humulin n (isophane), both administered in the morning. Humulin n should cover lunch. However, as summer has arrived and hot days here in southern Europe, I noticed that humulin n is peaking much earlier making her hypoglicemic before lunch, and it is totally inefficient after lunch (hypers).

Does anyone have such experiences? Maybe insulin has lost its characteristics? I normally do not keep pens with current insulin refrigirated, but as it is hot here maybe that affected that insulin. I did not refrigerate loaded pens until few days ago.
 
Hot weather can inhibit insulin's ability to work effectively. Also, hot weather can decrease the body's need for insulin. So you may find that your daughter may need less of either insulins.

Grant
 
Are you ensuring that the isophane is properly suspended before injection? Does she also take it in the evening and if so, do you have the same problem?
 
robert72 said:
Are you ensuring that the isophane is properly suspended before injection? Does she also take it in the evening and if so, do you have the same problem?
Click to expand...
As English is not my mother tongue I am not sure what do you mean by "suspended". If that is mixed/shaken, thank you for suggestion, I will make sure that I do it properly.

She takes it at the evening too and I don't see problems over night. Only, morning dose is 5,5 while evening is 1 (she is still honeymooning I beleive) so I assume it would be harder to notice problem over night



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Opossum said:
As English is not my mother tongue I am not sure what do you mean by "suspended". If that is mixed/shaken, thank you for suggestion, I will make sure that I do it properly.

She takes it at the evening too and I don't see problems over night. Only, morning dose is 5,5 while evening is 1 (she is still honeymooning I beleive) so I assume it would be harder to notice problem over night



Sent from my SM-G900F using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
Click to expand...
Hi, yes by suspended I meant mixed/shaken. It's a long time since I used isophane but as I recall it would work more quickly if it wasn't mixed so well.
 
It has been many years since I took that type of insulin but I fully agree about the hot weather having an affect.
if you are able to refrigerate all the time prior to injection that could help -- but if not perhaps you could buy a frio wallet for storing the pens in between injections
link for frio here http://www.friouk.com/shop.aspx
 
GrantGam1337 said:
Hot weather can inhibit insulin's ability to work effectively. Also, hot weather can decrease the body's need for insulin. So you may find that your daughter may need less of either insulins.

Grant
Click to expand...
Finally got in touch with diabetitian yesterday (she was unavailable two days ago). Her advice is to reduce humulinN in order to avoid pre-lunch hypos and that will reduce post-lunch hypers (rebounds).
Will see how that works because I was reluctant to do so since I thought less humulinN will not cover whole lunch.

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