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What should I expect the first time I take insulin?

Stacey H

Member
Messages
14
Location
Vredenburg
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I am going to be starting insulin either a Thursday or Friday. I'm not sure which insulin I will take but my doctor said I will take a rapid acting insulin and a long lasting insulin. Is there anything I should know before I use it? For those on insulin is there anything you know now that you wished you knew when you started insulin? I have heard you gain weight with insulin. How much weight should I expect to gain?
 
Hi Stacey, your nurse will go over everything with you before you get your insulin. Make sure you test regularly as it may take a few days to get your dose sorted out. As for weight gain, eat sensibly and exercise and shouldn't be a problem. Enquire about a DAFNE course but there will be a waiting list. Good luck, Mo


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I would certainly recommend the DAFNE course. I had diabetes for 26 years before going on one and learnt a lot.
 
What is a DAFNE class? I'm an American living in South Africa but I picked this forum because it is far more active than others. Is it something I can do online?
 
Hi. You are going onto what's called the 'Basal/Bolus' regime which is the most flexible and same as mine and many others. The good news is that the only thing that happens when you start is that your blood sugar will go down! My DN is excellent and she explained everything, but they obviously vary. You only gain weight with insulin if you have too many carbs. Assuming you will be carb counting either from Day 1 or shortly after (i.e. adjusting the Rapid to the carbs at each meal) you need to be sensible with the amount of carbs. It's tempting to start having all those cakes etc that you used to have; just be sensible and your weight gain will be minimal. As I'm quite thin my DN started me on 4mm needles; the shortest you can get. Discuss having the shortest needles you can for your body skin fat. Hypos are obviously the thing to watch. I've not had one in a year since starting although have come near it. You just need to find out what works for you in the first few weeks and discuss with the DN. Do ask any specific questions. BTW I've gained 1.5Kg from 61Kg in 1 year
 
There is a section on carbohydrate counting and insulin doseage so at is very helpful. Thank you! I'm very intimidated by insulin doseage but I'm sure I will get the hang of it.
 
My problem is get sick from eating before my blood sugar gets very high. So I would assume I would take the fast acting insulin before eating and that would help? Or would the long lasting insulin help me eat then I take the fast acting after? What happens if you want to sleep in? Do you set your alarm so you can wake up to take insulin? Also I read you need to take your sugar 7 times a day on insulin. So before/after every meal and at 3am (or sometime during the night). I understand it's to prevent hypoglycemia during the night but do you actually do that?
 
You inject quick acting prior to eating. The background or basal insulin is long lasting and helps keeps your levels stable should you skip a meal or someting. As for testing 7 times a day, maybe at first so you know how certain foods affect you and to work put your doseage but that's up to you. I test on avg 4/5 times a day. Some do more, some less. I don't set any alarms in the middle of the night to test either unless I experience hypo's during the night and want to check levels. It's really not as bad as you think.


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It doesn't sound bad at all. I take glucophage now and I have to eat 1/2 my meal before I can take glucophage and I need to take medication for gas and nausea to be able to take glucophage. So insulin sounds a lot better.
 
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