newly type 1

[brett]

hi i was recently diagnosed type 1 at 33 years olda few months ago. had bloods done at docs and came back 19 with keetone levels 5.4. Was put in hospital and when leaving was told to use 18 units lantus and 6 units of nova rapid with each meal. However i am currently using no lantus and only needing 2 units of nova rapid in the evening. My sugars are around 10-12 2 hours after a meal but 4-6 4 hours after a meal. I have discussed this with my consultant and was told could be a honeymoon period. Has anyone else had this experiance.
My hba1c was 7.1

 

[novorapidboi26]

Been too long to remember, but yes, this is normal and can sometimes last a few years..............

This time can be quite tricky when trying to learn about your blood sugars and what your insulin is doing but it will settle in time.........

Welcome to the club..........🙂

Oh and your HbA1c is reasonable, the lower is it, the less risk of complication.....

 

[Northerner]

Hi Brett, welcome to the forum 🙂 I haven't reduced my insulin quite to the extent you have, I'm on 4 lantus currently and was on 20 at diagnosis. I think it is quite common for people to experience a reduction shortly after diagnosis and this can last between 6 months and two years (but could be shorter of longer, a very individual thing!). It can make things tricky to predict - it sounds like perhaps your meals are putting a bit of a strain on things but you recover by the next meal.

I would recommend getting a copy of Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults by Ragnar Hanas, which is an excellent reference to Type 1. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have - we have people with all sorts of experience here who will be happy to help and nothing is considered 'silly'! 🙂

 

[koko]

Hi Brett

First welcome to the forum. I'm a newbie to.

I also went through the "honeymoon" period when I was diagnosed but I was only 10. I remember not having to do very many units at all over that time. It is completely normal but you do need to be careful when it ends as you will need to start taking lantus. Have you got a diabetes nurse you can talk to? They would be the best person to discus this with as they can advise you on how many units of lantus you would need to do and when. If not then you could try to arrange an appointment with one through your GP.

Hope I've helped in a small way.

Kay

 

[Mark T]

Welcome to the forums Brett 🙂

 

[brett]

honeymoon period

thanks for the replies, yes i can see that when i eat it does put my sugars up more than normal but does come down to near normal by next meal time. trouble is if i medicate to stop my sugars going high within the first 2 hours i go hypo. would be easier if my pancreas packed up altogether so at least i could get in a routine.

 

[rossi_mac]

Hi

I was in my early thirties (still am!) when diagnosed 3 year ago, and was told to go on 18 units of levemir (night time) and 10 units of novorapid for all meals. I soon went down to a lot less 4 or so for meals, but I must say I didn't change my night time dose at all.

PS Welcome to the forum, plenty of good folk here, and good info, ask any question never stupid to ask.

Cheers

Rossi

 

[koko]

thanks for the replies, yes i can see that when i eat it does put my sugars up more than normal but does come down to near normal by next meal time. trouble is if i medicate to stop my sugars going high within the first 2 hours i go hypo. would be easier if my pancreas packed up altogether so at least i could get in a routine.

I feel your pain there! I remember at 10 feeling the same thing! I also had a lot of highs after food but if I up'd my insulin I would like you hypo.

Maybe it would be a good idea for you to do a small night does of lantus but drop the novo a bit during the day?

 

[brett]

Hi Brett

First welcome to the forum. I'm a newbie to.

I also went through the "honeymoon" period when I was diagnosed but I was only 10. I remember not having to do very many units at all over that time. It is completely normal but you do need to be careful when it ends as you will need to start taking lantus. Have you got a diabetes nurse you can talk to? They would be the best person to discus this with as they can advise you on how many units of lantus you would need to do and when. If not then you could try to arrange an appointment with one through your GP.

Hope I've helped in a small way.

Kay

Hi Koko, i have discussed this with my diabetic nurse and was told to check 2 hours after meals and inject nova rapid if needed. With my lantus i was told to start on a couple of units if morning sugars start to go above 10. currently mornig levels are between 5 and 8

 

[koko]

Hi Koko, i have discussed this with my diabetic nurse and was told to check 2 hours after meals and inject nova rapid if needed. With my lantus i was told to start on a couple of units if morning sugars start to go above 10. currently mornig levels are between 5 and 8

Core blimey you really are having a strong honeymoon period! Good morning readings too! Hopefully for your sake it will settle soon. Will keep fingers crossed for you!

 

[brett]

I feel your pain there! I remember at 10 feeling the same thing! I also had a lot of highs after food but if I up'd my insulin I would like you hypo.

Maybe it would be a good idea for you to do a small night does of lantus but drop the novo a bit during the day?

Tried having just 1 unit of lantus a night a few weeks ago but also went hypo during the night. Used to have a lot of hypos at night a few weeks after diagnosis so gradually reduced lantus, until on none. I do check blood regular - just waiting for a big jump in sugar levels if and when that happens.

 

[Northerner]

Tried having just 1 unit of lantus a night a few weeks ago but also went hypo during the night. Used to have a lot of hypos at night a few weeks after diagnosis so gradually reduced lantus, until on none. I do check blood regular - just waiting for a big jump in sugar levels if and when that happens.

Have they mentioned the possibility of a pump at all Brett? Insulin can be given is much smaller amounts with a pump and could be made to trickle some insulin in only at the times you needed it. I know of at least one member who couldn't make the doses low enough on injections - worth asking about 🙂

 

[brett]

Have they mentioned the possibility of a pump at all Brett? Insulin can be given is much smaller amounts with a pump and could be made to trickle some insulin in only at the times you needed it. I know of at least one member who couldn't make the doses low enough on injections - worth asking about 🙂

Havnt been offered pump yet but have got a half unit insulin pen, just waiting for cartridges for it, this will hopefully help stop sugars going too high without going hypo after. should have in a couple of days

 

[koko]

Tried having just 1 unit of lantus a night a few weeks ago but also went hypo during the night. Used to have a lot of hypos at night a few weeks after diagnosis so gradually reduced lantus, until on none. I do check blood regular - just waiting for a big jump in sugar levels if and when that happens.

Its a pain in the butt having to wait! I was told not that long ago actually I should be doing 23 units of lantus at least for my height (I am 5ft 9 and a size 12) so I up it gradually but as soon as I hit 16 I started hypoing none stop and was only doing around 4 units with breakfast, lunch and 8-10 with dinner. Now I do 14 lantus and and 4-6 units with breakfast, lunch and 8-12 units with dinner depending on the size of the meal - carb count. Had a 3.0 hypo last night so looks like I need to drop it again. After talking to people on here it does seem that lantus really isn't very stable or predictable.

 

[brett]

Its a pain in the butt having to wait! I was told not that long ago actually I should be doing 23 units of lantus at least for my height (I am 5ft 9 and a size 12) so I up it gradually but as soon as I hit 16 I started hypoing none stop and was only doing around 4 units with breakfast, lunch and 8-10 with dinner. Now I do 14 lantus and and 4-6 units with breakfast, lunch and 8-12 units with dinner depending on the size of the meal - carb count. Had a 3.0 hypo last night so looks like I need to drop it again. After talking to people on here it does seem that lantus really isn't very stable or predictable.

When i first started seeing my nurse i was told i had been started on a small amount being 6ft 3 and 11 stone. I was generally about 13.5stone but lost weight due to ketones. back to 12.5 stone and still trying to put a bit of weight on. but sinc then my insulin requirements have come right down. But also i do agree lantus not as stable as told and when i was on it it didnt seem to last 24 hours, only about 20 max

 

[Northerner]

When i first started seeing my nurse i was told i had been started on a small amount being 6ft 3 and 11 stone. I was generally about 13.5stone but lost weight due to ketones. back to 12.5 stone and still trying to put a bit of weight on. but sinc then my insulin requirements have come right down. But also i do agree lantus not as stable as told and when i was on it it didnt seem to last 24 hours, only about 20 max

It can vary from person to person brett. My levels are rock steady on lantus and my HbA1c has been from 5.2-5.9% since I was diagnosed three and a half years ago (aged 49). My weight also fell dramatically leading up to diagnosis and I weighed 8st 4 - now weigh 11st 4, I'm 5'9". My insulin requirements fell by about 50% after 8 months, and my lantus went as low as 3 units. A few months ago it had gone up to 11 units, but is now down to 4! A lot of the variation is to do with the amount of activity I do and there also seems to be a seasonal element - that's diabetes for you!

My difficulty now with lantus is that it's difficult to adjust as 1 unit would be 25% and you can't get half-unit pens for lantus. You can for levemir though, which is the most frequently offered alternative to lantus these days, but I don't want to change insulins unless I really have to. Some people take a split dose of lantus to give them better 24 hour coverage, although levemir is normally more predictable and more often split.

 

[koko]

When i first started seeing my nurse i was told i had been started on a small amount being 6ft 3 and 11 stone. I was generally about 13.5stone but lost weight due to ketones. back to 12.5 stone and still trying to put a bit of weight on. but sinc then my insulin requirements have come right down. But also i do agree lantus not as stable as told and when i was on it it didnt seem to last 24 hours, only about 20 max

When the consultant told me I should be doing around 23 units I thought what the hell I am going to hypo none stop then have huge highs in the evening and that's exactly what happened. But you go along with it thinking well there the experts, sometimes I do wonder! At 5ft9" I'm classed in the tall category but I'm really that tall.
I lost a lot of weight when I was diagnosed I went from 8st to 4st 6lbs in about 4-5 weeks (I put on weight before losing it), I was a tall child so it really showed. But it did go back on relatively quickly. I was still a rake 6 weeks after diagnosis but around 3 months later I was up to 6 1/2 st.

I don't think it last longer 16 hours, I inject it in my hip which is where the DSN told me too. I also get searing pain when I inject it sometimes like the insulin is literally on fire and it hurts for ages afterwards. Which I was also told only happened with children, so called experts hey!

I am also now looking again at trying to get a pump, loads of people have given me some really good advice on here on how to get one.

 

[koko]

It can vary from person to person brett. My levels are rock steady on lantus and my HbA1c has been from 5.2-5.9% since I was diagnosed three and a half years ago (aged 49). My weight also fell dramatically leading up to diagnosis and I weighed 8st 4 - now weigh 11st 4, I'm 5'9". My insulin requirements fell by about 50% after 8 months, and my lantus went as low as 3 units. A few months ago it had gone up to 11 units, but is now down to 4! A lot of the variation is to do with the amount of activity I do and there also seems to be a seasonal element - that's diabetes for you!

My difficulty now with lantus is that it's difficult to adjust as 1 unit would be 25% and you can't get half-unit pens for lantus. You can for levemir though, which is the most frequently offered alternative to lantus these days, but I don't want to change insulins unless I really have to. Some people take a split dose of lantus to give them better 24 hour coverage, although levemir is normally more predictable and more often split.

Northerner will you please speak to my consultant personally I have been trying to tell him exactly what you have just said for years about the variations from person to person, seasonal changes, exercise levels! He will only acknowledge that you should alter your novorapid for these things not your lantus!

Its not me that needs an anvil round the head its him!

 

[Northerner]

Northerner will you please speak to my consultant personally I have been trying to tell him exactly what you have just said for years about the variations from person to person, seasonal changes, exercise levels! He will only acknowledge that you should alter your novorapid for these things not your lantus!

Its not me that needs an anvil round the head its him!

The 'recommended doses' calculations should only ever be a starting point, and definitely not set in stone as there is so much variation. I was told that one of the calculations related to units per kilo, so in theory I should have needed to increase my insulin as I regained my weight - but the opposite happened! I've known people on here that need hundreds of units and some like me who need very little. Another calculation suggests that around 40% of your total daily dose should be basal insulin (e.g. lantus or levemir), but mine is less than 15%.

 

[koko]

The 'recommended doses' calculations should only ever be a starting point, and definitely not set in stone as there is so much variation. I was told that one of the calculations related to units per kilo, so in theory I should have needed to increase my insulin as I regained my weight - but the opposite happened! I've known people on here that need hundreds of units and some like me who need very little. Another calculation suggests that around 40% of your total daily dose should be basal insulin (e.g. lantus or levemir), but mine is less than 15%.

It was 2 units per kilo by my consultant that I walked out on at one point which would have put me out 132 units combined I do around 41 units combined and do keep relatively good control my last HbA1c was 7.0. But I do have to do a hell of a lot of BM's, my meter says I do 135 a week! But 40% basal is what I am on at the moment. It does fluctuate depending on time of the month and so on.
I really think I need to come off of the Lantus, either go on the pump or one of the insulins Sue recommend.