insulin question

[searley]

This might sound daft.. but

If a normal healthy non diabetic person took insulin what would happen?

would the body produce less to compensate, or would it bring on a hypo?

 

[Pneu]

depends on the amount...

It would have exactly the same effect as in a diabetic but as the non-diabetic is likely to have blood sugars of between 3.6 - 4.5 mmol/l they would not need much to have a 'hypo'... A large dose as per the story in the press recently where that nurse was injecting insulin into saline will kill

 

[searley]

Ok, so the 40+ units a day I'm having is needed or I would hypo!

 

[Pneu]

In my un-qualified opinion I would guess it is... although you should probably talk to an HCP if you are unsure

 

[AndyS]

Hey Searley,

Just a small point of correction.
If you are taking 40+ units a day that is needed or you would go Hyper. So of course the advice would be, never stop taking your insulin

As for the question about what would insulin do to a normal healthy person I have asked this too of a couple of Drs and received different answers. One said that small doses, a unit or two, probably would make no difference as their body would be able to compensate. Another said even a small does could make them hypo.

The story in the press at the moment about the nurse putting insulin into the saline drips I think is a poor one to use since you don't know what other medical conditions were at play in those instances.

Either way when it comes to prescription medication the general rule is you should never take prescription medicines that were not prescribed to you.

/A

 

[searley]

Hi

my point was, if i were taking 40+ units a day, and they werent needed i would go hypo,

Hey Searley,

Just a small point of correction.
If you are taking 40+ units a day that is needed or you would go Hyper. So of course the advice would be, never stop taking your insulin

/A

 

[AndyS]

Ah right. That is much clearer.

Yes you are quite right. You would likely see a drop in BG, though I suppose there is the chance that the body would simply produce less. Of course I don't claim to understand the entire endocrine process around Insulin, and for that matter I don't think anyone truly does.

/A

 

[Margi]

Am I right in assuming that you are doubting whether you have diabetes or not?

I imagine that your treatment has been prescribed for you and the diagnosis was made because of a high blood sugar. If that is the case, there will be no doubt of the reality of the condition. And yes, if you were not diabetic, with 40 units of insulin you would be more than just hypo if you were still producing a normal amount of insulin yourself. I'm not a doctor and don't know what effect different amounts of insulin would have on a non-diabetic, but 40 units is a lot and I imagine the effect could be catastrophic. You'd certainly know about it if that was the case.

Sorry, that sounds like a dreadful lecture doesn't it? It's not meant to be. I hope you are managing all right and you question is just out of curiosity instead. Good luck.

 

[noblehead]

Hi

my point was, if i were taking 40+ units a day, and they werent needed i would go hypo

Without a doubt you would and would require emergency treatment if given in one go, if you are on 40 units a day and you are not experiencing constant hypo's/hyper's and remain in good bg control then that is the right dose for you. There are other factors too which determine insulin levels and they are illness, exercise and weight loss to name a few.

Nigel