typs of insulin

[edith]

I developed insulin dependant diabetes 18 months ago, basically from stress. I use 4.5 units of insulatard insulin before breakfast and before evening meal. I have got my hba1c down to 8.6.
I get some hypos mostly with exercise - but digging rocks out of the garden seems to be OK! - and some with stress. But my blood sugars often stay high for up to 6 hours which seems a bad plan.
I once tried changing to Levemir which made me feel really horrible, ill and mentally unstable, definitely not good, and novo rapid 2 units which had no effect until 5 hours later I dropped to bl sug 2 and ended up with ambulances and all sorts. So I'm now too frightened to try that again.
My husband died last November so I now live on my own. I need to work out a way to sort myself a more stable regime with insulin and diet together. Can I have some advice about 1. different sorts of insulin. 2. how to have an effective low carb diet without losing out on all carbs - [I'm a beekeeper with 3 hives of bees!!!].
Edith

 

[alaska]

Hi Edith, welcome to the forum

There are several different types of insulin:

Long acting: eg Levemir & Lantus (18-24 hrs)
Intermediate acting: eg NPH insulin (12-14 hrs)
Short acting: eg Humulin S (4-6 hrs or so)
Rapid acting: eg Humalog (0-4 hrs)

Mixed insulins: these are a mixture of short and intermediate acting insulins

Animal insulin: available as short, intermediate and long acting


You mention trying a low carb diet. What kind of diet are you presently on? Can you give an example of a typical day?

I developed insulin dependant diabetes 18 months ago, basically from stress.

I see you're down as type 1.5. Did the doctors perform any particular tests to find out your diabetes type?


Sorry for all the questions

 

[edith]

thank you for responding.
Typical day diet:
B'fast: 2 tblsp natural yogurt, usually full mlk, sometimes low fat
1 tblsp mixed cereals[meusli base]
1 piece of fruit, often a banana
500 mls earl grey tea - no milk
lunch: bowl of salad, uncooked
50gms cheese
1 slice wholemeal toast/ baked potatoe/ sweetcorn/ oatcake
1 piece of fruit
tea: sometimes: biscuit or nuts or dates
supper: egg, fish, beans or meat
veg from garden, tonight runner beans, spinach and medium potatoe with chicken and green lentil soup
occaisional pudding, stewed fruit/apple crumble/with cream
often 2 squaresof choccolate a day, sometimes hot cocoa before bed
hypos: toast and honey, dates, noodles, oatcakes and chocolate or dextrol if severe................

Not sure about 'special' tests, it seemed to be how it worked out, to be 1.5

Humalog sounds quick. But I wonder if the blood sugar keeps going down or if it will stabilise out till the next meal time - I hate going hypo, it leaves me SO tired.

Edith