Skipping injections

jamiejones10

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I am a newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes sufferer and wondered what would be the impact of skipping my lunch and dinner injections.

I inject in a morning before my daily muesli, usually 2 or 3 units as my pancreas is still producing spurts of insulin and i theorise i am still in the 'honeymoon phase'. I resumed work 3 days ago and my levels have consistently remained between 4-7 pre meal and below 9 two hours afterwards and this is without taking my novo-rapid, so am I doing the correct thing not injecting? or am i at risk? any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks
 

pinewood

Well-Known Member
Messages
788
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
A couple of thoughts crossed my mind: 1) 9 is still a little high, so I'd be inclined to at least take 0.5 to 1 unit of bolus insulin. 2) presumably you're not using CGM/FGM so, although you know you're below 9 two hours after eating, do you know for certain that you aren't spiking above 9 at any other time, e.g. at 1 hour or 3 hours?

I've been T1 about 15 months now and I'm still in the honeymoon phase, my understanding is that anything you can do to keep your control as absolutely tight as possible will help to prolong it as long as possible; therefore skipping the novorapid may not be the wisest move if it's causing your pancreas to work over time and essentially "tiring it out" - obviously you don't want to inject if you're pancreas is already covering the insulin needs for you but definitely keep a close eye on it and watch out for creeping levels so that you can try to nip them in the bud.
 

Mep

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,461
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm not type 1, but I'm on insulin because of insulin deficiency (I don't have auto immune, but hardly produce any insulin after years of insulin resistance probably causing the beta cell damage for me). What I can say is I skipped a meal yesterday and didn't take insulin because I wasn't well... when I went to ER they found I had ketones in my urine. So I was told by the ER doc that I had to eat and she discussed with me what to eat (I have digestive issues as well). Then I was sick so that probably doesn't help, although I don't think it is a good idea to skip meals and insulin injections now that I have proof I get ketones in my urine. I don't have ketosticks at home as yet, and I'm going to invest in some of those to check. Maybe you should be doing that too? I don't think ketones for those of us with hardly any insulin is a good thing as can lead to DKA.... perhaps more relevant when we're sick. But probably better to be safe than sorry.
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
I think what you're doing at the moment makes some sense. Yes keep below 8 rather than 9 if you can. You only need to take insulin if your blood sugar shows you need to. I don't normally Bolus for breakfast as I have a very low carb meal and my overnight Basal is still quite active. Over time you will probably find you do need to start taking the Bolus 'after the honeymoon phase'. BTW I'm not too keen on that phrase. I would rather say 'as your pancreas continues to decline' as mine has done over the last 3 years and my Basal has increased.
 

LauraC27

Well-Known Member
Messages
96
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm kind of in the same situation..
I find that i inject for breakfast.. but then if i'm walking around alot during the day i rarely need to inject for lunch.. but i am starting to need to inject for dinner now as i've noticed my sugars rising. Sometimes after breakfast, depending on what i'm doing and how active i am, i sometimes hypo because i injected a little too much. My honeymoon phase is dwindling away now though... as the numbers are creeping higher! so enjoy it whilst you can! :)