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Type 1 Lunch insulin

alphabeta

alphabeta

Well-Known Member
Messages
615
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I took insulin today after my lunch 8 units actrapid which is half of my usual dose (14)... however my BG was high soaring at 300 after 1 hour but after 3 hours it was 236.. 1 hour later it became 138 and was still going down! So I ate a sandwich and it remained 140 after 30 minutes. My question is why does this happen? I it possible that my body is producing insulin? Actrapid works only 3 hours and my BG should remain stable afterwards but it kept going down! Why?!
 
I assume you are also taking a basal insulin. So the actrapid is not the only insulin in your body.
It is possible you have too much basal insulin on board.
If you have been exercising this afternoon, you will find your insulin is more effective so less insulin is required to use the carbs.
Or it may be that your liver is "dripping" less glucose into your blood. This could be because you used more earlier (e.g. if you exercised yesterday, you may have used up your reserves) so some of the carbs you ate for lunch have gone to replenish your liver rather than into your blood.
Or there may be a reason why your liver is "withholding" the drips. This happen if your liver is processing something it considers poisonous to your body such as alcohol.
Or there may be something else - the relationship between BG and insulin is far more complex than just carbs go on to BG which get used up by insulin.
 
"Actrapid is human insulin to treat diabetes. Actrapid is a fast-acting insulin. This means that it will start to lower your blood sugar about half an hour after you take it, and the effect will last for approximately 8 hours."
https://medikamio.com/en-gb/drugs/actrapid-40-iuml-solution-for-injection-in-a-vial/pil
"Actrapid, Humulin R take effect after about half an hour and last 3 to 4 hours."
http://www.diabetes.org.nz/products/insulin

Perhaps you're underestimating it's effective duration ?
Geoff
 
I take my insulin 20 min before eating ( humalog) and I'm not eating carbs.
 
helensaramay said:
I assume you are also taking a basal insulin. So the actrapid is not the only insulin in your body.
It is possible you have too much basal insulin on board.
If you have been exercising this afternoon, you will find your insulin is more effective so less insulin is required to use the carbs.
Or it may be that your liver is "dripping" less glucose into your blood. This could be because you used more earlier (e.g. if you exercised yesterday, you may have used up your reserves) so some of the carbs you ate for lunch have gone to replenish your liver rather than into your blood.
Or there may be a reason why your liver is "withholding" the drips. This happen if your liver is processing something it considers poisonous to your body such as alcohol.
Or there may be something else - the relationship between BG and insulin is far more complex than just carbs go on to BG which get used up by insulin.
Click to expand...
I don't exercise and I just use mixtard 30 in the morning
 
alphabeta said:
My sugar doesn't rise until like 30 minutes after eating
Click to expand...
Unless you
librarising said:
Then if you read my post above, you're giving carbs 30 minutes free-rein to raise your blood sugar. Actrapid won't start working instantly.
Geoff
Click to expand...
thats exactLy what I was going to say

You don't want your bs to rise. Unless you're low of course. You want the insulin to get there at the same time as your food to stop the rise.
 
alphabeta said:
I don't exercise and I just use mixtard 30 in the morning
Click to expand...
Hi @alphabeta
none of us are you -- only you can know what seems right for you to act upon regarding your timing of doses and amounts of insulin doses.

I would ask you to ask your care team why you are on a mixed insulin ( mixtard 30 ) plus a fast acting insulin ( actrapid)
the norm here in the UK is basal bolus for type 1 ( lantus or levemir for long acting and novorapid or actrapid for fast acting )

it could be that the combination of the mixtard 30 and a bolus dose at lunch time is assisting your low BG's in the afternoon
deffo one to speak with your care team about !!
 
himtoo said:
Hi @alphabeta
none of us are you -- only you can know what seems right for you to act upon regarding your timing of doses and amounts of insulin doses.

I would ask you to ask your care team why you are on a mixed insulin ( mixtard 30 ) plus a fast acting insulin ( actrapid)
the norm here in the UK is basal bolus for type 1 ( lantus or levemir for long acting and novorapid or actrapid for fast acting )

it could be that the combination of the mixtard 30 and a bolus dose at lunch time is assisting your low BG's in the afternoon
deffo one to speak with your care team about !!
Click to expand...
The thing is I'm having my appointment on 26th with my doctor and I'm kind of excited and scared at the same time; he will switch me over to Lantus and Actrapid. I'm excited as I will gain more control over my night sugar specially but scared of hypos... I want to ask you if you follow this basal bolus regime? If you do, can Lantus cause hypos? I'm scared to death of this :(
 
Hi. Switching to Lantus and the Actarapid makes sense. Hypos will only happen if your dose is too high so you will need to get the Lantus balanced so seek advice. I think you should be taking your rapid insulin before not after a meal? That's what most of us do. You also need to carb-count the rapid and not take a fixed dose if that's what you are doing.
 
that is great news @alphabeta
as you are t1 you will already know that hypos are something to be aware of-- talking to your team and starting from a conservative dose and titrating upwards based on BG results is the best way.
have a look at basal testing for additional help here https://mysugr.com/basal-rate-testing/
 
Daibell said:
Hi. Switching to Lantus and the Actarapid makes sense. Hypos will only happen if your dose is too high so you will need to get the Lantus balanced so seek advice. I think you should be taking your rapid insulin before not after a meal? That's what most of us do. You also need to carb-count the rapid and not take a fixed dose if that's what you are doing.
Click to expand...
Hypos will occur if dose is high but which one? Basal or bolus?
 
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