Irrational fear of taking extra insulin when needed

I don't think it's irrational
(and sorry Riri, my response is a bit of a personal rant, discard it if it's not relevant to you)
I may be wrong but I think it is a problem may be that induced by forums .
There are many people who scaremonger about taking insulin. It makes people think that less insulin is better. You fear that you are becoming insulin insensitive or that somehow the extra insulin will cause a problem. There is a feeling that you haven't been 'good enough'
In non diabetic humans the insulin produced varies, we are no different. If you need it, you need it. At some ages, situations, times of the month, illness etc (as you suggest hormones may play a part) you may need a lot more than others. And yes, sometimes everything goes crazy and there seems no rhyme nor reason for changes in sensitivity
If you need it, it is far better to take it than risk high levels and DKA.

I had the opposite fear induced by forums... that of not achieving 'normal' levels and ended up with an HbA1c in the 4s and almost no hypo awareness.

I don't like it as I associate it with weight gain, but I'm at the point now where I'd rather take the hit on weight gain than on complications so i just kind of accept it.
The only way to cut insulin in my opinion is to cut carbs, so a higher dose of insulin is the price I pay for eating more carbs.
Having said that I've been eating a load of rubbish after starting a new job and being on the road a lot, and injecting loads of insulin and putting on weight so I can't wait to start cutting it down and losing again.
It's no different I suppose to a 'normal' person who will produce more insulin at times particularly in response to diet - only they can't see it as it's all done naturally. But they will see the effects ie weight - it's how most obese non diabetics got that way I guess.

Riri

You're at all on your own..... very few people will have perfect control of their bg levels all day every day and that's even with fasting and getting basal rate of insulin correct. I usually get about 5 days without too many problems and then bang..... bg levels start to change........ sometimes upwards, sometimes downwards. Usually I try to blame the change on something like the weather temp, but of course anything can be responsible for bg changes with a pump ... like infusion set not absorbing insulin all that well anymore.... sometimes the set can be actually faulty, sometimes air has managed to get into the cartridge and that prevents insulin being pushed through the tube. My friend found out that her high bg levels was down to the battery being on its last legs... And it goes on :lol:

I try not to use the TBR too often if I can help it as I've found it much easier and quicker to get high bg levels down by doing my corrections by insulin pen. A pump can take about 4hrs to lower high bg whereas a correction done by pen or syringe usually takes no more than 2hrs... plus you get the peace of mind that your bg levels have actually lowered instead of waiting and hoping with a pump.............

The only good thing I've found with using a pump is that hypos are now much easier for me to deal with which I imagine is the same for you too.......

I think its true to say that high bg levels above 12mmol usually require a lot more correction insulin than what the pump sometimes suggests. I try to rectify my levels when they are at 12mmol and then my pen does the trick but if much higher than 12mmol then I still use my pen but add about 0.5-1.00 more insulin and just tell the bolus wizard that Ive used my pen and then as time goes on and I test, the pump then tells me how much of my correction insulin is working against my bg levels that the pen is starting to lower......

The moon especially if it's a full one.... may well have an impact :lol:

I've a feeling that the option to select pen or syringe is on the bolus menu.... somewhere near to dual, square wave etc...

I have exactly that fear Ri. I worry about giving myself a large amount of insulin even if it is to cover carbs. The solution for me is to cut down on carbs, that way if I muck something up by giving myself too much insulin I won't have a massive hypo

Riri said:

At last something that's made me chuckle. I just looked out of the window and there's a huge new moon and I found myself wandering if that could be affecting my blood sugars !!!! I really do need to get out more :roll:

Click to expand...

Laughed at that too - it was a brilliant moon the other night, thought I'd left the light on.

I think I'm one of those people that will never get my head round the that for a few days my BSs are brilliant and work fine and then everything is thrown upside down for another few days and then it's back again to my BSs being spot on.
I must say that it's only after I had a disabling hypo almost 3 years ago now that I've become a bit obsessed. I was too lax before but I sometimes think that I do stress abut every reading and every inuslin increase far too much.
The mental highs and lows are becoming quite difficult too as I get annoyed, crabby and short-tempered when this happens.[/quote]

I'm not on the pump but I'm always like this good days followed by bad days and doing nothing different in my life. I've had a couple of accidents having given my insulin dose twice and heading for panic when done so. One time I gave my novorapid injection at night instead of lantus BIG PANIC ended up ringing ambulance and was taken into casualty for the night and not let home till following lunchtime by which stage BS horrific as they wouldn't give me any lantus! I also get anxious when my tests are low cross whey they are high

Hi All

Been reading this post and I have to admit you've all made me feel a bit better. My levels can be terrible and sometimes I have no idea why, like you I blame the weather, I'm tired, the grass needs cutting - anything really!! :lol: I do try to abide by the 80/20 rule so I try to be good with food etc throughout the week but not so careful at weekends, I think its working ok (ish).

Again thanks for making me feel a bit better about myself though :thumbup: