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T1 short acting insulin taking hours to work tried three.

Metalmama

Well-Known Member
Messages
53
Location
Surrey
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hello All,

I've been T1 for almost 46 years, new to the pen regime (less than 18 months, was on Bovine before).

My short acting insulin is taking HOURS to work (around 4). I've tried rotating sites, different needles, and different insulins.

I've only ever met one person with this issue.

Dr said it is because I have had it so long, but another said that's not true.

So, is there anyone else out there like me?

Thanks.
 
Metalmama said:
Dr said it is because I have had it so long, but another said that's not true.
.
Click to expand...

Sorry but that statement deserves a

I'm not the only 50+ year long term on here and must confess it is the first I've heard of it. I use Apidra as short term, changed from Novarapid about 6 months ago, and I think it takes roughly 10-20 minutes before it acts. It's only a rough guide I never took that much notice.

Not sure what to say really other than are you blood sugar levels ok?
How much insulin do you inject?
Do you carb count to work out how much insulin you need?

Can't offer any medical advice as I'm not medically trained but the question might help us sort something or able to suggest something to your Dr/DSN
 
Reactions: hh1
Metalmama said:
I've been T1 for almost 46 years, new to the pen regime (less than 18 months, was on Bovine before).
Click to expand...

I 've read that porcine is still available. Could you try that?
There are quite a few threads on here complaining about insulin issues, and allergies, though I couldn't find one with your specific complaint. Most people seem to keep changing insulin till they find one that works?

Thinking outside the box: any chance you're becoming T2 as well as T1 and therefore insulin resistant????? (Though I don't think that T2s take that long to respond to insulin...????)

Maybe try going lower carb to see if it helps???

And 3 million hugs - as a T1 of 49 years your post fills me with fear and trepidation - we all need our insulin to work.
 
Still on and surviving on porcine 50 yrs this year awaiting gold medal too! So proud got this far.
Try it and see if you can.
Wish you luck and.best wishes !
 
My novorapid takes about three hours from eating to come down to normal. On the Dexcom G6 this shows like a loaf of bread on the trend... up, along for two and a half hours, down again... even taking the insulin 30 minutes before eating makes no difference to the trend...

I've learnt to live with it as my numbers are so predictable.
 

Hi,

I've been T1 42.5 years. (To date.)

What background/long acting ("basal") insulin are you using?
While we're on the subject. What type of fast acting are you prescribed?

Though, I'm on the lower carb register myself. However I wouldn't advocate a changing diet until there is a better understanding gained on your insulin regime... Then adopt what suites your own requirements.

You would need to liaise with your HCPs, but doing the "ground work" with the long acting regarding would be an ideal foundation before working out what's happening with what type of carbs you bolus for? https://mysugr.com/basal-rate-testing/

Personally.
My Novorapid is more effective with the aforementioned taken into consideration first.

Hope this helps.
 
@Metalmama can you elaborate on what you mean by "taking HOURS to work"?
Do you mean your BG keeps rising for 4 hours after eating or that it takes 4 hours for your BG to return to your original level?
Depending on what I eat, I may experience the latter unless I have multiple injections. The reason for this is that some food (especially meals with lots of carbs and lots of fat) takes a long time to digest so the first insulin injection has been "used up" before all the food is digested.

Have you tried changing your diet and perhaps eating less carbs?
 
I was on Novorapid which took hours to work so my diabetologist switched me onto Fiasp at my request which is Novorapid with added vitamin b3 and amino acids which makes it work from as little as 2 mins according to the manufacturer but I find it takes around 20 mins to start working in real life probably due to resistance over 46 years of multiple daily injections
More here
https://www.fiasppro.com/the-fiasp-story/the-fiasp-formulation.html
 
Like @buckmr2 I transferred from NovoRapid to Fiasp.
However, I find Fiasp very "unstable". Sometimes it works within 15 minutes, sometimes it doesn't appear to work at all and I cannot find any logic to which is will be today.
As I use a pump, I only have fast acting insulin and if it is not working, that means I have no basal insulin and my BG can rise pretty quickly.
Apparently, I am not alone with this.

I recommend trying Fiasp but keep a close eye on it.
 

Hmmm yes I thought it was odd also. I asked my DSN and she agreed with the Dr .

Blood sugars are a bit erratic if I eat carbs, have given up most of them to stay level as have to inject copious amounts if I eat them.

I take a maximum of 14 units short in the entire day, and yes I carb count:

2
6
6

Long acting I take 16 units, am 8 stone 9lbs.

Digressing somewhat, how do I find my old posts on this forum?

Thanks again for replying.
 
Find old posts? Click on your name in the top right and a menu should drop down, click Your Content which should then load a page up showing old posts or where you have posted. However I am on a table no idea what it's like on phone.

14 units in one day?

Interesting as I can take that for one meal, depending on what I'm eating.

Even when I was on Novarapid it would be like, ok so meal is 50 gram carb therefore I need 5 units to cover it. That's usually how most of us cover things.
I used to be on fix dose like you when I first switched to 4 injections a day but soon realised that some foods did not warrant all the insulin I was sticking in.
It's only in the last year or so that I have carb counted in ernest since becoming a member on here.

That is just the way I do things, I can't give any medical advice as I'm not qualified, just long term T1

I would look for another medical team can't believe "because you've had it so long" answer.

Take care.
 
Thank you. I am not sure what goes on here but the care has been pretty abysmal.

Thanks for being so kind and listening.
 
Hi
I take novarapid and nothing happe no s for about three hours and then my levels start crashing down. It forces me to inject in advance which is not a great idea.
 
I'm sorry to read this.
Yes, it's not ideal for you at all. Someone suggested I do that but would mean waking at 3am on a work day.
Unfortunately this issue which I posted still remains an issue.
I'm on Tresiba which has been great, but every short acting I've tried is still taking ages.
I've now adopted the OMAD regime (one meal a day), and don't have breakfast or lunch anymore. Only eat in the evening now and nibble on carb free or low carb snacks throughout the day.
The DSN told me going onto pens and modern insulin would offer me more freedom and flexibility. Unfortunately, it's done completely the opposite.
 
I'm a bit confused as to why you're taking set amounts of fast acting.

If I wake up high then I increase my usual breakfast dose by 1 unit. I check again mid morning to see if I need a correction dose. I can take anything from 2-5 units for lunch based on what I'm eating. I need to dose early for lunch because I'm quite insulin resistant at that time of if the day

What happens if you take more insulin before you eat than the units you've quoted?
 
If you're trending upwards it may take some significant time for the upward trend to be stopped and then you may then start crashing down, though what you describe sounds more like my "not doing anything until I suddenly have to" weekend mornings - I will sit and read the paper/a book/etc. and be stubbornly high (and keep taking insulin, which won't do much, and not eat breakfast, etc) until the point that I do need to do something (like my children decide they want to go out, etc.) and then all the insulin on board will suddenly become effective and I'll drop through the floor.

The way I combat this is to make sure I don't spend too many mornings sitting around without much to do (I'm not suggesting this is what you do!) - I appear to have quite a contrast in my insulin sensitivity depending on what/whether I'm doing anything. I wonder if you have something similar?

In my case something as simple as a short walk (or quick 10min on the turbo trainer, or doing the vacuuming, etc) is enough to make the insulin effective.
 
I'm a bit confused as didn't say I was....?
 
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