No insulin for the day

[hjm1986]

Ok so been a T1 since the age of 11. I’m 33 now so diabetic for over 22 years. I’m using the Freestyle Libre system and a combination of Novo Rapid & Humulin i insulin, plus Metformin.
My a1c is 8.2% or 66mml down from 14% last year (since using the Libre!). I’m out the house at the moment and will be for the rest of the day. It’s approx 12pm and I’ve just realised that I have no insulin with me. I took my Humulin i late last night (I take 2 doses a day) so I was aiming on taking it at around 12pm today. My current levels are; 5.2 but I’ve noticed that’s recovering from a missed hypo at 10.30 this morning. I usually go day to day by taking my Metformin, Novo Rapid and then Humulin i in the morning, Novorapid if I eat at lunch (I don’t always eat at lunch) and Novorapid again at dinner in the evening.
I had severe hyperglycaemia on diagnosis and was comatosed then. So I know the dark side of diabetes very well. My question for T1’s is; has anyone been out the house for the day and realised they had left their insulin at home and if so how and what did you do to keep you’re levels stable and did it work? X

 

[DCUKMod]

Ok so been a T1 since the age of 11. I’m 33 now so diabetic for over 22 years. I’m using the Freestyle Libre system and a combination of Novo Rapid & Humulin i insulin, plus Metformin.
My a1c is 8.2% or 66mml down from 14% last year (since using the Libre!). I’m out the house at the moment and will be for the rest of the day. It’s approx 12pm and I’ve just realised that I have no insulin with me. I took my Humulin i late last night (I take 2 doses a day) so I was aiming on taking it at around 12pm today. My current levels are; 5.2 but I’ve noticed that’s recovering from a missed hypo at 10.30 this morning. I usually go day to day by taking my Metformin, Novo Rapid and then Humulin i in the morning, Novorapid if I eat at lunch (I don’t always eat at lunch) and Novorapid again at dinner in the evening.
I had severe hyperglycaemia on diagnosis and was comatosed then. So I know the dark side of diabetes very well. My question for T1’s is; has anyone been out the house for the day and realised they had left their insulin at home and if so how and what did you do to keep you’re levels stable and did it work? X

Hi there, I'm not T1, so won't comment, but I'll tag in some colleagues for you, if they're around.

@Antje77 , @Juicyj and @urbanracer

 

[Jollymon]

Um. If you’re t1 you need insulin. You are going to have to get some.

I know I’m t1- insulin is a must for me.

 

[Antje77]

Hi @hjm1986 ,
Do you have your Novorapid with you or have you forgotten all your insulin?
Humulin I is an insulin with an entermediate acting time, so your last dose is running out.
If you don't have any insulin on you I'd expect you'll rise more than you like, even without eating. How much you will rise and if it will rise to dangerous levels before you get home to correct is hard to predict.

How far away from home are you, how quickly can you get there if you see a steep rise? For how many more hours did you plan to stay out? I know from experience I can get an emergency insulin pen from a different pharmacy in my country. If you're anywhere close to a pharmacy that might be an option.
If that is possible depends on where you are and what you are doing at the moment of course.

When in doubt, I would head back home if possible. Whatever you're doing is not worth risking ending up in hospital.

I hope you've found a solution by now, let us know what happened!

 

[urbanracer]

Ok so been a T1 since the age of 11. I’m 33 now so diabetic for over 22 years. I’m using the Freestyle Libre system and a combination of Novo Rapid & Humulin i insulin, plus Metformin.
My a1c is 8.2% or 66mml down from 14% last year (since using the Libre!). I’m out the house at the moment and will be for the rest of the day. It’s approx 12pm and I’ve just realised that I have no insulin with me. I took my Humulin i late last night (I take 2 doses a day) so I was aiming on taking it at around 12pm today. My current levels are; 5.2 but I’ve noticed that’s recovering from a missed hypo at 10.30 this morning. I usually go day to day by taking my Metformin, Novo Rapid and then Humulin i in the morning, Novorapid if I eat at lunch (I don’t always eat at lunch) and Novorapid again at dinner in the evening.
I had severe hyperglycaemia on diagnosis and was comatosed then. So I know the dark side of diabetes very well. My question for T1’s is; has anyone been out the house for the day and realised they had left their insulin at home and if so how and what did you do to keep you’re levels stable and did it work? X

I had a slightly different dilemma a while back. Lunchtime at work and I took my packed lunch out of the fridge, went back to my desk and tested my blood glucose.

At this point I realised that (although I'd reminded myself the previous night) I hadn't restocked my kit with needles so I couldn't inject.

On this occasion I decided to skip lunch and I was pretty hungry by 8pm! If you really need to eat, the best you can do is look for a low carb option - if you're out and about then maybe a ready made salad or similar?

 

[becca59]

It all depends how long you are going to be out. You can go without food. As regards the basal, I have missed doses before. You will rise, but it wouldn’t be like eating a high carb meal without bolus. Personally if I was planning to be home in 12 hours, I wouldn’t eat. Inject basal as normal the next day and be prepared to do a few correction doses. If you don’t think not eating is a viable option go home.

 

[Circuspony]

I ate salad!

 

[sleepster]

I have a pump so haven't forgotten my insulin for a good while, but I have had an accident with my cannula and not had a spare with me, on that occasion I had to get my husband to bring a cannula to me as I was at work. I did forget my pump once but was only going to the shops so would be home again in 30 mins or so. When I was on MDI I did occasionally forget to take my insulin to work with me, fortunately work was a 2 minute walk from home and my mum was very obliging
Personally I would go home or if that was not possible, eat low carb or go hungry