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Starting basal insulin - dosage

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Red_Fox22

Active Member
Messages
44
Type of diabetes
Type 2
All

I was diagnosed with LADA 3.5 years ago and have been managing with diet and for the past year, Trulicity but I fear the lockdown and other related issues have negatively impacted on my AlC so the nurse has suggested I try small amounts of basal insulin at night.

I have particularly bad readings in the morning so we suspect I am prone to the dawn phenomena.

Her suggesting was 6 units of Humulin. This appears to have had no effect for the past week I have been taking it.

Am I correct in assuming this is a tiny dose and it probably needs seriously increasing to have any meaningful impact?

Thanks
 
That's really a question for your DN, but starting doses are typically lower then what is really required for safety reasons. When adjustments are made, usually increases, they are in small amounts, not large amounts. Discuss it with your DN, we can't advise on what dosing you should be following.
 
Red_Fox22 said:
All

I was diagnosed with LADA 3.5 years ago and have been managing with diet and for the past year, Trulicity but I fear the lockdown and other related issues have negatively impacted on my AlC so the nurse has suggested I try small amounts of basal insulin at night.

I have particularly bad readings in the morning so we suspect I am prone to the dawn phenomena.

Her suggesting was 6 units of Humulin. This appears to have had no effect for the past week I have been taking it.

Am I correct in assuming this is a tiny dose and it probably needs seriously increasing to have any meaningful impact?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Hi. Well as already said we can't advise on doses (which I realise you didn't really ask us to) but yes, essentially if the dose a person takes isn't doing what it should then it likely does need adjusting (under the guidance of a person's medical team obviously especially at the start). I started off on what would be classed as low levels (6 of basal insulin) and this went up and down by a unit or two until my levels were within range. You may find it doesn't need 'serious' increasing but that will be trial and error. What they seem to do is adjust by 1 or 2 units at a time then wait a few days to see the effects BUT please discuss with your Nurse before you do anything. x
 
I guess the important question to ask is what is your bedtime BS compared to your waking BS? If your basal dose is correct, then they should fairly close.
 
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I was suspected type 1 in 2015 however to this date i am still on novorapid.

by injecting when i eat i keep blood sugars between 4 and 7 which is hopefully preserving my remaining cells

To me it makes more sense to use bolus first to prevent the spikes
 
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Hi. I'm a bit confused? When someone is on Trulicity it is normally because they are overweight and T2. A LADA diagnosis would be the opposite of that. Also LADA can't be managed by diet alone as LADA (Late onset T1) means you are under-producing insulin and need to boost that or take insulin. Trulicity can help with increased insulin production but also helps with weight loss and alters the way the digestive system works. If you are not overweight I would ask the GP/DN to review the use of Trulicity; also it's use with insulin.
 
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