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WARNING - Using Glargine as a Novorapid substitute.

1

1974darrenh

Member
Messages
11
Location
KETTERING
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Last night I realised that I had run out of Novorapid Insulin.

On testing my blood before bed I noticed my levels were 29mmol, so needed to bring those levels down!

I thought maybe I could bring this down by having a higher dose of night time Lantus Glargine.

I normally have 44 units of Lantus Glargine before bed but decided on 100 units this particular night.

As expected, I woke at 7am in a very nasty hypo. Unable to move, sit up, reach for sugar, talk or get help.

After an hour or so, I managed to reach for a bottle of lucozade that was only 1ft away from the bed. 30 minutes later, I was right as rain.

It was a totally stupid thing I did but just in case you ever find yourself in the same situation, don't use a higher dose of Lantus Glargine to bring your levels down.

I never realised just how much effect Lantus Glargine has on high blood sugar levels. I thought it would be very gradual.
 
One unit of Lantus has the same affect on blood sugars as one unit of Novorapid (i.e. if one unit of your Novorapid brings you down by 2 mmol/l then so will Lantus), it will just take longer to do it. So you had 56 extra units of insulin in you, spread over about 8 hours of sleep meant that you used a third (24 hours divided by 8 ) of 56 units, which is 19 units - a heck of a lot of insulin.

Tricky one, but perhaps you could've found a 24 hour chemist. Bet you won't run out of Novorapid again!

Edit: Removed smiley accidentally inserted by having an eight and a bracket next to each other.
 
I don't think you did the wrong thing, just in the wrong quantity. I believe around 30% is delivered almost instantly (not to the novo rapid extreme) and the remainder spread, weakening over time...


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I'm quite a high insulin user anyway. With most large meals I have 60 units of Novorapid. Anything lower results in high levels for me. I'm very strict with my diabetes. My H test is always around 7 and the doctors love it.

However at the expense of that, I do have occasional hypos.
 
If the same ever happens again (running out of insulin at an awkward time) then pop along to your A & E, this has only ever happened once to myself when I dropped my last insulin vial on the kitchen floor (1980's), when I explained to the nurse what had happened they sent me up to a ward where they issued me with some insulin to tide me over, ever since I always ensure that I have one box of each in reserve.

Pleased your alright Darren and no harm was done!
 
I sort of see your logic.... But wouldn't have done it myself! Good reminder for everyone though.

Thanks for sharing!
 
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