Irrational fear of taking extra insulin when needed

[Riri]

Hia - I guess I'm after some reassurance here. For the last 2/3 days my numbers have been running sky high - constantly between 10 and 13. No infection that i know of and i feel as fit as a fiddle (apart from today when BSs have been over 11 most of the afternoon so feel a bit groggy). I had my pump on a temporary basal of between 115 and 130% in the mornings, i did 2 correction boluses and then I had to bite the bullet and set it at 160%, as the lesser rates were not having much of an impact. Glad to say that I had no ketones and my sugars have now come down to 4.9 so I'm watching in case it's a matter of catch-up and the extra insulin kicks in.

My question is really does anyone else fear/dislike having to use extra insulin? To me it's as though I'm almost afraid to put my basal rates up - its quite irrational I know, but somehow it feels as though it's wrong somehow. Do other people use the temporary basal rates at these kind of high % levels? I think I would feel better if I knew others had to increase their insulin periodically for no apparent reason (docs say it's more than likely down to hormones) and by quite a lot?

Maybe I should have posted this in pump section.

 

[phoenix]

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.

 

[Riri]

Brilliant answer - thanks Phoenix. I feel better already and not such a 'failure' for having lost cost control and having to increase my insulin on what seems to be a bit of a random basis soemtimes. It takes a bit of encouragement whith a good dollop of reality thrown in to make me feel better and that's what you answer has done. :thumbup:

 

[the_anticarb]

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.

 

[iHs]

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.......

 

[Riri]

Hia - thanks for last answers also
I find hypos far less frequent and yes a lot gentler on the pump so that's good. It's these blessed high random numbers. If I had corrected by pen rather than by my pump I would have been continually injecting through the night and day as the correction amounts suggested were not neary enough, so I guess the same would have been true using a pen?
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.

 

[Riri]

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:

 

[iHs]

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:

 

[Riri]

Thanks iHs - I dont think I can tell my pump that I've used a pen to correct ?

 

[iHs]

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

 

[Riri]

Think I've found it under Bolus - option called Manual Bolus ..... Think that must be it becaus it's asking for units to be input. I never knew this option existed - so thanks again

 

[SamJB]

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]

I do the same Sam. Cutting my carbs back has helped me in other ways too - lost 2 and a half stone and now weigh 9 and a half stone which is much better for my height of 5'4" . The real bonus for me, like you though, is not having to take large amounts of insulin in one go (dont like to put in a bolus of over 3.5/4 units at one time). It all stems back to the hypo I had when I went unconcious in the office - I've remained fearfully of hypos ever since. That's why this week has been a nightmare. Went to see doc today because I had pain in left leg and still high BSs - he told me not to worry, to test before and after meals and to wait another few days to see if it improves. He was really quite flippant and not any help at all. So on goes the extra insulin for the time being.

 

[Riri]

Since yesterday my blood sugars have come down to normal again. 5 days of taking an extra 50% of basal insulin, without any illness or any other changes to work, eating exercise etc.
It really does highlight that sometimes we will need extra insulin without any apparent or obvious cause. I think I need to ease up on myself and just accept that when this happens again I just need to get on with it. I think that stressing over the additional insulin and wondering 24/7 what was causing it made the situation worse to be honest.
All your posts helped big time so thanks to everyone :thumbup: :thumbup: :wave:

 

[Eva9]

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:

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

 

[Eva9]

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

 

[Riri]

Eva - just like you (want/expect perfect numbers all the time) and get anxious when low and upset when high. I guess we're just going to have to make the most of things and just learn to deal with it because I know I probably will never be able to change how I feel. Take care

 

[Riri]

Spoke to soon!!! Back up to over 11 tonight - arghhh

 

[Sugargoth]

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:

 

[Riri]

No worries - a bit perverse to say it but it is nice to know that others have similar issues - it doesn't make you feel quite so alone.