• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

STARTED INSULIN INJECTIONS !!!!

H

hazey276

Well-Known Member
Messages
177
Hi folks, I started on insulin injections last night, (novomix 30 and metformin SR), can anyone tell me how long it takes the insulin to start working. Did a bg test before my tea last night and it was 18.9 :( , had my tea and injected the insulin. Two hours after i took another test and it was 26.9 :( . Did a test before my breakfast and before insulin injection this morning and it was 24.6 :( . Is this about right for starting on the insulin. I've got another appointment on the 23rd of this month with my GP but if my levels don't improve i think i'm going to have to go back early. I appreciate i've only injected twice but should there be any instant difference in my readings. Any advice would be greatly appreciated from you knowledgeable people.

TAKE CARE AND BEST WISHES TO YOU ALL !!!!!!!!!! 8)

Hazey
 
I'm on Novomix 30 too but I was told to inject "just" before I eat. I've been doing that for 4 years, so was I given incorrect info SarahQ? These days I'm more likely to believe peeps on this forum than my diabetes nurse but I want to be sure if I'm doing something wrong.Grateful for any advice.

Hi Hazey276,Your readings do seem very high and in answer to your question, when I was put on insulin, I think it did work quite quickly. Can't remember HOW quickly but the tablets I was first put on didn't seem to do very much, which is why I was quickly taken off tablets and put on insulin.If your readings don't improve within a few days, I would go back to see your diabetes nurse and get her advice on upping your insulin.I'd also advise reading dietary advice on this forum. I certainly wish I'd known about lowering carb intake immediately after diagnosis. Not everyone is in favour of low-carbing but just being aware of the benefits, will give you food for thought.(Sorry about the pun!)
Good luck.
 
Hi hazey,

You know it makes sense! It can seem like a big step if you haven't had to inject before, but it isn't painful, or inconvenient and I'm sure it's absolutely the right track for you.

Your numbers are way too high and if you eat before you inject you are simply putting yet more sugar into your bloodstream before the insulin has a chance to work. It will be less effective for that reason so you will simply end up needing larger doses. That you don't want.

Inject before you eat. How long before depends on the type of insulin you have been prescribed. Humalog gets to work in around 15 minutes, whereas Humulin S takes around 40 minutes. In your shoes, I'd wait at least that long before eating so you make it a fairer fight between the glucose and the insulin.

I would never eat before injecting, unless my blood sugars were too low.

All the best,

fergus
 
Yeah that seems to be the rule of thought. I have found a diabetic who works at the school i am at and she says she used to use Novomix 30 as well and she injected 30 minutes before she ate. I have tried to decrease my carb intake. A typical day would be:

Breakfast: 2 weetabix with skimmed milk.
Lunch: 2 slices of wholemeal bread with ham, loads of salad and a small yoghurt.
Tea: piece of chicken or pork or beef with mixed vegetables and maybe one small potato.

Yes i know i'm a numpty when it comes to the carb thing as i'm still fairly new to this and still on the learning curve.

My wife rang me at work this morning and said the doctor, (yes the DOCTOR !!), rang and said he'd been having another look at my levels and he wants me back in Friday morning, she said he actually seemed quite concernrd. My meter keeps showing up ketones when i test so i don't know if this has anything to do with it, all i can say is it's got me quite worried now, i'm crapping myself and my stress levels have gone up. Oh and i've just done another test and it was 16.8, this was just before my dinner and after my second injection this morning. I'll let you know how what happens after Friday morning !!

Thanks again for listening and for all the advice !!!!!!!!!!!

Hazey
 
Hazey, 16-something is a darn sight better than 20-something, the fact that your doctor wants you back early means that hopefully your bg levels will be even lower very, very soon.

Dont panic, its excellent that he wants you back, that he called, but even so if I were you I would ring the doctor back if you can TODAY and tell him/her what you said here and also about your meter showing ketones, maybe your doctor wants to see you even before Friday.

But dont panic, finally things are happening and seemingly going in the right direction now that you are on insulin. I am so pleased about this.

All the best

Karen
 
All meters do this when your blood sugars go over 13.
Click to expand...

[panto]OH no they don't![/panto] :P

Mine never have anyway.

Breakfast: 2 weetabix with skimmed milk.
Lunch: 2 slices of wholemeal bread with ham, loads of salad and a small yoghurt.
Tea: piece of chicken or pork or beef with mixed vegetables and maybe one small potato.
Click to expand...

That's actually really good. That's about... 30 CHO at breakfast, maybe 40 for lunch depending on the type of yoghurt, and about a 20 or 30 at dinner. Incredibly well disciplined I'd say.

As for your meal time injections: Onset and decay rates for insulin are based on averages - individuals are different. In other words, you and I could do the same injection and I might react sooner than you, or vice versa. It's just one of those things unfortunately. You have to experiment to find out for yourself.
 
SarahQ said:
If not fussed about cereal try some scrambled eggs with some bacon. This would be zero carb and will pos help you until your numbers come down.
Click to expand...

NB be very careful as the levels come down to target range. (Never used it but I'm assuming Novomix is a pre-mixed combination of rapid and longer-acting insulins :?: ) If BG's on target before eating but you eat zero/very low carbs and Novomix includes short-acting insulin, you'd go hypo. Dose will need v. careful adjustment if going low-carb.

I've never used Novomix but perhaps those who can could advise on this?

Sue
 
Any mixed insulin carries that risk. So yeah, don't go entirely low carb if you're using a mixed insulin that contains a fast acting dose.
 
SarahQ
Absolutely. I wasn't arguing, just flagging the need to be aware as the levels come down.
Sue
 
Hi folks, was back at my GP's on Friday (06/06), he's raised my dose to 16u morning and night. My readings last night before my tea and tne novomix were 26.8 :? and then 2 hours after my tea and my novomix it was high :( which according to the manual means it was over 28. I've got to go and see the practice nurse on Monday so she can adjust my units to try and get my levels down :| . My GP virtually admitted that "HE IS" concerned about my high levels and it is a priority to get them down asap :), which if i remember rightly that is what all you people have been saying since i came on this site. Oh well i'll see what the weekend holds and let you know how i get on. Thanks again for all the support.

TAKE CARE AND BEST WISHES TO YOU ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hazey
 
Sarah

Thank you so much for telling me off.

I cannot see any point in people asking for help on forums such as this if the only guidance they are able to receive is 'go and see your doctor'. I must remember in future to check with the ALMIGHTY ONE before I post anymore messages.


I am really sorry Hazey for offering you my advice. Please do carry on the way you are having high blood sugar levels until you next see your doctor.
 
Thanks for ALL the advice i've been given. I do appreciate that there are certain legal obligations on this site but i am grateful for all advice and help i get and i'm sorry it's caused a rift between certain parties :( . I understand sarahq and tinkerbelly's points of view and would like both their future input please :) .

Anyway, since i've been on 16u since Friday my levels are still very high (average 24.6) but i'm back tomorrow to see the practice nurse to alter my dosage. Hopefully they'll start to come down now it's just that i feel really ill again, i feel nausea's all the time and keep going incredibly light headed, i also have severe muscle cramps in my legs mainly but i'll tell the practice nurse tomorrow and see what she says. Let you all know as soon as i can !!

TAKE CARE AND BEST WISHES TO YOU ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hazey
 
May I point you all to what is stated on the latest copy of the newsletter.

Looking for answers? Use the Diabetes.co.uk Forum

At this stage, Diabetes.co.uk don't offer medical advice. Please use the Diabetes.co.uk forum for support and information, or if it is an emergency contact a qualified professional immediately.

Diabetes.co.uk Forum >>
Click to expand...

In this instance I agree with SarahQ.We cannot give someone such specific advice as a dosage.We have no knowledge of a myriad of Hazeys factors which might affect his insulin usage so therefore it must be left to the professionals.I'm sure everyone on the board is desperate for Hazey to reach good control and we have all been worried about his condition but all we can do is keep supporting and answering questions about lifestyle etc.Let's leave the medications to the doctors.
 
Back
Top