Question about Insulin

Sobeit

Well-Known Member
Messages
227
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I am 12.4 an hour and 40 mins after my late breakfast .SORRY THIS IS FINALLY POSTING WAY LATER as there was problem with server and couldnt post.My question is can I just give myself another unit of insulin to correct .Or do u have to wait till your next meal to correct ? Im sick of how I feel when my blood sugar is high and worried about risk of complications down the line .

Also Its a little annoying conflicting information being given as my dsn told me not to worry about post meal readings and only to test my sugars 4 hours after injecting insulin,while everything I read on the net says that its very important to not have bs go too high and my body tells me that also as I feel **** when high! But if I went by what she said I would never know how certain foods give me post meal high readings which is obviously not a good thing :-[!
 

azure

Expert
Messages
9,780
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I think you're Type 2? I'm Type 1 so my insulin regime and my reaction may be different to yours, but in that circumstance I would correct and then see if I could work out why I went high. For me, that'd mean looking at my insulin to carb ratio first probably.

Tell us a little more about what insulin you take and when.
 
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Sobeit

Well-Known Member
Messages
227
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Thanks for the replies.I was diagnosed a few months ago as type 2 but even tho I had got my levels down to like 8,9,10 mostly with a few sixes or sevens (and high numbers also thrown in when I allowed myself a few extra carbs!)My diabetes nurse then became convinced I am type 1 1/2! Apparently blood results not yet back (as in GAD,c peptide etc) so Im one of those limbo people .. Im not quite sure exactly why she thinks I am type 1 1/2 even though she tried explain to me many times...I must be a bit thick LOL..
 
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Sobeit

Well-Known Member
Messages
227
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Are you type 1 or 2? Have you stopped eating carbs yet?
I found eating very low carb very depressing to be honest and for that reason insulin is a positive thing as it allows some more freedom. Still get some highs post meal but Im going back soon to perhaps have insulin dose adjsted!
 

Sobeit

Well-Known Member
Messages
227
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I think you're Type 2? I'm Type 1 so my insulin regime and my reaction may be different to yours, but in that circumstance I would correct and then see if I could work out why I went high. For me, that'd mean looking at my insulin to carb ratio first probably.

Tell us a little more about what insulin you take and when.
Thanks for your reply .I take novarapid before meals. If I have miscalculated or whateve as in carb/ insulin ratio and I discover I have a post meal high an hour after finishing my meal do u know can I take another unit of insulin then or does it always have to be before a meal?
 

azure

Expert
Messages
9,780
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I correct at two hours if necessary, but I think your circumstances are different from mine and so you may have been told to do something for a reason and I don't want to contradict that. I'm on a pump too so the way my insulin acts coukd be different too.

If I was you, I'd check with my DSN or doctor, as you don't want to risk hypos or any upset to your insulin regime. If you're told you can correct earlier, then proceed cautiously and test plenty :)
 

noblehead

Guru
Retired Moderator
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Thanks for your reply .I take novarapid before meals. If I have miscalculated or whateve as in carb/ insulin ratio and I discover I have a post meal high an hour after finishing my meal do u know can I take another unit of insulin then or does it always have to be before a meal?


Don't correct an hour after eating, most type 1's find injecting ahead of their food reduces the postprandial spike as insulins such as Novorapid take around 15-20 mins to work, if unsure speak with your DN/DSN.
 

Sobeit

Well-Known Member
Messages
227
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Don't correct an hour after eating, most type 1's find injecting ahead of their food reduces the postprandial spike as insulins such as Novorapid take around 15-20 mins to work, if unsure speak with your DN/DSN.
Thanksfor your reply but that is what I do -20 mins before food ..I just mean if I am still high even after getting ratio correct or maybe I havent if I have eaten something out somewhere and its hard to guess the carb/ insulin ratio so I might have got it wrong..
 

noblehead

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Thanksfor your reply but that is what I do -20 mins before food ..I just mean if I am still high even after getting ratio correct or maybe I havent if I have eaten something out somewhere and its hard to guess the carb/ insulin ratio so I might have got it wrong..


Insulin like Novorapid peak around 90-120 mins after injecting and can still be active for 4-5 hours after injecting, what I'd do is keep a detailed bg diary and discuss your results with your diabetes care team @Sobeit.
 

Mep

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,461
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Insulin
I've learnt my lesson to be careful if you're trying to correct with insulin. If you're checking an hour and 40 mins after eating that is not sufficient time to start bolusing more units. It could be that your bolus is wrong if you're still high 3-4 hours later. Also it could be that your basal dosage needs to be adjusted (if you're on 2 separate insulins which I am... apidra for bolus and lantus for basal). If you're on a mixed insulin it could be that the actually insulin is wrong for you. Each insulin has a different profile, meaning that the peak slightly differently, etc. I read also you haven't got your GAD and c-peptide tests results, so until you do you really don't know what type of diabetes you have as yet. I'm definitely type 2 as I've had these tests a few times. The latest ones I had in 2010 which showed I now need to be on insulin for life due to lack of insulin production. I hope you can get things worked out. I can understand your frustration as high BGLs do make you feel awful. But I have tried correcting myself in the past only to be having a hypo about half an hour to an hour later and thinking omg I got it wrong. Eg. one time I was sitting on 11.5 and I gave myself 4 units which I estimated should get me down to around the 6 mark or so (it had done that for me once before at least)... well I didn't factor in that I needed to walk to my car. When I got to my car it was 5.7 which was only 10 mins later after taking the insulin. I grabbed a few lollies I had and thought that will help me not drop further (as I had that 'dropping' feeling you get when it drops too fast) while I drive home. Well I got to my street and felt very weird and got to my house and the wall was coming at me... my judgment was way off. I tested at 3.7. So now I'm rather nervous with correcting and will wait a lot longer just to be sure.