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Insulin resistant ?

T

Tracie1212

Well-Known Member
Messages
138
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Still struggling to bring my levels down have checked ketones which are within normal range. No infection has shown up on blood tests. I'm going to try completely new batch of insulin received today
and keep on monitoring, still carb counting , adjusting , and putting in corrections as per Dafne training. Very little sleep last night awake until 4am managed to bring level down to 14 not good but better than 20+ but climbed again after breakfast even after adjusting dose. One of my concerns is about insulin resistance and what it means exactly. Is it a change of insulin type used or is the body resistant to all insulins and what are the options? I take novorapid and lantus. Thanks
 
I find, if my BG gets high (usually above 14 mmol/l), I need more insulin to correct (usually twice as much as usual). I believe this is "insulin resistance" where the way my body reacts is as if the insulin is not as potent as usual.
Once my BG is back to normal range, I am back to needing my usual insulin dose.

I cannot comment whether this is the same for all insulin as it is usually a temporary blip which is overcome with extra doses of my bolus insulin (Novarapid).

When I get higher BG due to an illness or stress, I increase my basal (Lantus, in your case) dose. I don't think of this as insulin resistance but as my body releasing extra glucose into my blood in a natural "flight" mechanism so I need more insulin to handle it.
 
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Hi
I feel your pain........ .
It happens to me periodically and I accept it and I do the following.......
Eat less, exercise more and take more insulin.
I can manage 24 hours without food and I stay busy for as long as possible.
The problem with taking lots of novorapid is when everything reverts to normal whambam hypos happen and I find it easier to eat less or very little.
That said my episodes of insulin resistance don't last much more than 36 hours.

This is what I do and it works for me but please don't think I am saying this is medically correct.

Type 1 for 44 years on levimir and novorapid.

Good luck

Tony
 
Thanks both, yes I do eat less plus I adjust lantus... think I need to set personal marker too for anything over 14 try double correction. Its exhausting all the monitoring and injections but hope to get my levels back to an acceptable level soon. Good to have reassurance from the forum thanks again.
 
normally if my sugar is high like other day i was 15.4 injected 4 units of novorapid came down to about 8.8mmol after 4-5hours later and other day i was 17.5mmol injected 5units novorpaid was about 7.9mmol after 5hours later. iv had time periods where insulin wouldnt work at all im not sure why hope you find a solution with the insulin resistance
 
Hi @Tracie1212 Have you done any basal fasting tests yet ?

It's the easiest place to start when the insulin isn't working as it should do, by trying some basal fasting it will help you focus on getting your basal dose right, then you can adjust your bolus ratios. http://www.salforddiabetescare.co.uk/index2.php?nav_id=1007

Remember your bolus ratios can change frequently during the day, I have about 6 different rates now I use a pump, when I was on multiple daily injections I had 2 one for am, one for pm.

Try not to get dis-heartened, I know seeing a high reading on the meter get's me down, I just have to remember it is a temporary thing and then in my head work out what I need to do to correct it, I also become more resistant to insulin when over 12 mmol/l, so my correction dose goes up to counter then testing each hour to check it's coming down again, however if your basal dose is too low then your swimming against the tide with your control so please try your fasting test first before anything else, let us know how you get on ?
 
If your blood sugar is high then all of your cells are surrounded by crowds of glucose trying to get in to the cells. If you inject when your high it's going to take time before that insulin starts to work, because to work your insulin has to make its way to the cells, that are surrounded by crowds of glucose, get into the cell and then start working by opening the door to let the glucose into the cells. There's temporary insulin resistance when your high because any insulin injected has to battle against the crowds of glucose to elbow it's way to the cells before it can start working.

Lack of sleep can cause insulin resistance, so not sleeping until 4am isn't going to be helping much.

What's your total daily dose? The average type 1 is on 0.53 X weight in kg units per day. If you are on a much higher dose than this then there may be some insulin resistance playing a part. You could combat that with weight loss and metformin.
 
OK my levels are climbing again on 26 I'm going to double correction dose for levels above 14. Difference is 12 so correction would normally be 4 units of insulin. Double is 8 should I also inject another 2 to reduce below the 14 level. Would make 10 units in total. Does this make sense? Thanks
 
Hi there, @Tracie1212 - I'm not an insulin user, so can't comment on your query, but I'll tag my colleage @Juicyj who may still be online.

I hope things even out for you soon.
 
Tracie1212 said:
OK my levels are climbing again on 26 I'm going to double correction dose for levels above 14. Difference is 12 so correction would normally be 4 units of insulin. Double is 8 should I also inject another 2 to reduce below the 14 level. Would make 10 units in total. Does this make sense? Thanks
Click to expand...

Hi @Tracie1212 I wouldn't do a correction dose of 10 units before bedtime, simply because you need to check your BG every hour if this is the first time you are looking at doubling up. Also please note that what works for one may not be right for you, it takes some trial and error to establish your correction dose above say 14 mmol/l, I hit my insulin resistance level at 12 mmol/l anything over this becomes harder to reign in.

Start your new correction dose in the morning when you wake, do what you would normally do tonight.

Also please follow the basal fasting test advice, you need to establish why you are running consistently high and starting on the basal is the first thing to start on.

Let us know how you get on in the morning, please try not to stress, get a good night's sleep.
 
Thanks for your advice. Had another awful night. Levels rose to 27 Injected 7 units at 10pm to help correct but level still at 20.1 at 3am. I was monitoring regularly. Injected another 3 units it's 15.7 now and rising. I have to go out today to check on elderly parent. I will try and do basal monitoring when I get home . Exhausting.
 
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