Insulin not working properly

[fleurtess]

I am finding that I am having to take more and more insulin to keep my levels in single figures. For instance my breakfast is a quickly microwave porrige and the insulin for that should be 4 units. I am taking up to 7 units. I don't eat a meal at lunch time but have 5 cream crackers with a low fat cheese spread very thinly on the cracker. That should only be 2 units of insulin. I am now having to take 4 units. At supper time I limit my carbs, count them up and should only be injecting about 7 units. I find I have to inject at least 12 untis to be in single figures at bed time. I have both Levemir for morning and night and novorapid for food intake.

Why are my sugar levels going up and I'm having to take more and more insulin?

 

[leeemerick]

How much Levemir are you using? What are your pre meal figures like?

 

[fleurtess]

How much Levemir are you using? What are your pre meal figures like?

I am using 6 units in the morning and 7 units at night

 

[fleurtess]

My pre meal figures can and do vary a lot. On the morning usually at 6 mmol 7 mmol Night time if I haven't taken more than carbs eaten I can be up at 10mmol or 14mmol. However if I inject upto 4 units more than I should have to then I am between 6 mmol and 8mmol

 

[leeemerick]

My pre meal figures can and do vary a lot. On the morning usually at 6 mmol 7 mmol Night time if I haven't taken more than carbs eaten I can be up at 10mmol or 14mmol. However if I inject upto 4 units more than I should have to then I am between 6 mmol and 8mmol

Have you spoke to your DSN? If 4u extra is working you might need it to be increased

 

[robert72]

Have you tried changing your insulin carts? It's possible one of them could have gone off.
Might you have caught a bug?
What are your levels doing overnight?

 

[fleurtess]

My levels are dropping overnight. I don't have a bug as I feel quite well. I know when my levels are high as I feel very tired and can feel the sugar in my eyes.
I am seeing my Dr tomorrow. I am using a pen from a new box. This problem has been getting worse over the past 2 months.

 

[robert72]

BGs ought to stay level overnight. Probably worth going back to basics to sort your basal and ratios out. Good that you are seeing your Dr tomorrow.

 

[noblehead]

I would start with some basal checks just to be sure your background insulin is sufficient, once you done that you can then look at your insulin-to-carb ratio's, if you've not done a DAFNE course before ask about it tomorrow when you see your diabetes team, in the meantime have a look at the following which is an on-line version of the course:

http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Have you been gaining weight? If so then do reduce the carbs a bit and your insulin needs should drop back. Your number of units is quite low so needing to increase them still wouldn't make them too high, but you should discuss with the DN and if you do make changes do that a small amount each day and use the meter to avoid hypos. NICE recommends aiming for a morning fasting level of 5 -7 mmol

 

[PatsyB]

have to eat more carbs after being put on Humalog....can not help0 but feel the past four years that i have watched what i have eaten and lost weight was all for nothing now as weight going back on.....I have to say i not happy taking insulin at all

 

[Daibell]

have to eat more carbs after being put on Humalog....can not help0 but feel the past four years that i have watched what i have eaten and lost weight was all for nothing now as weight going back on.....I have to say i not happy taking insulin at all

Hi Patsy. Is that Humalog mixed insulin? I think you need to review your insulin regime with the DN. A regime where you have to increase carbs to match the insulin is very out-dated. Let us know whether you are T2 or T1. The best regime if you can tolerate 3 to 5 injections per day is the Basal/Bolus one. You may not need to go that far but there will be an insulin approach that will work well for you without taking extra carbs and putting on weight

 

[PatsyB]

Type 2 and yes mixed Humalog am and fast acting at eve meal ....the fasting level steadily rising has been 9.2 all week and now 9.8 grrr