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Novorapid not having effect - why?

Lemonie

Lemonie

Well-Known Member
Messages
247
Location
Fylde Coast
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I am currently running high on my Bg's since having my flu jab. Evenings are around 24ish. I take 35 units of Levemir a day but am taking around 15 - 20 units of Novorapid per meal but it doesn't seem to be bringing my bg down. Just had a reading of 24.4 and injected 24 units of Novorapid. Are there some instances where insulin doesn't work for some people?
 
Few checks to make:

Is your fridge right temperature?

Have you tried a different batch number of the insulin?

Have you checked that your pen is shooting out insulin ok?

Next:

Are the highs all day?

Are you altering your basal / bolus doses?

Have you had/got a cold or virus?

With levels up high try using uour upper arms for a while for the injections...
 
Do be careful, 24 units of Novorapid is a hell of a dose and you need to monitor your bg levels closely over the next few hours in case you have a serious hypo.

Do as donnelysdogs has suggested and change your pens to see if this helps, I know my bg levels can be high after the flu jab, but if things don't improve contact your HCP's.
 
If running on a constant high level and with the qty of novorapid you are taking it sounds as if you could do with upping your basal. However you should contact your health team...or phone 111 with whats happening to your levels.

Please check for ketones too.
 
Sounds to me like you basal is too low. If it is, you will find that you need to inject large amounts of fast acting insulin to bring your levels down.

To check whether your basal level is correct, you need to compare your before bed and before breakfast readings. You then need to change your basal dose by 10% for every 1.6 mmol/l difference.
 
Thanks for the replies. Have checked through the advice and everything seems fine. Have upped my basal to 40 units of Levimir and have split this in to two 20's injected in different sites. Am also going to check my basal as per Sam above.

The problem is that even after a dose of 24 units of Novorapid, it only reduced my bg from 24 to 18.6? For such a dose I would have expected more.
 
Hi. Illness will nealry always demand an increase in insulin. When I had an op during last year I had to increase my insulins by around 35% for a few weeks. Your number of shots was already very high even before the illness. Am I right in guessing you may have some excess weight? If so, so this makes BS control with insulin more difficult as the body will have insulin resistance and the body can't use the insulin properly. If you aren't already low-carbing then I would suggest you do reduce the carbs in your diet and try to get your weight into the normal range; apologies if you are already doing this but perhaps lower the carbs even more?
 
@Lemonie, you seem to have some serious insulin resistance going on there if 24 units of Novo only brought your bg levels down by 5.4mmol, you need to get in touch with your diabetes team and explain to them what is going on with your levels.
 
I have put on quite a lot of weight recently during a bad bout of depression over the last few months so will have to deal with that. I wasn't anywhere near a good weight to start with. I struggle with low carbing and am currently trying the docs way and finding a way to eat across the range and medicate accordingly. It's not going too well as you can see !
 
Please contact your health team. Something is not right for almost 25 units to only bring down 5mml. Upping your basal and splitting should help but you are extremely insulin resistant and there are other drugs like u500 insulin that may be needed or metformin etc.
 
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