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Newbie with a couple of questions

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Oblivious

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi,
Newly diagnosed here, so new that the results if the tests to see what type i am haven't come back yet. i am on insulin and have a couple of questions.

I have to take insulin twice a day at breakfast and dinner. Does that mean before i eat or should it be the same time every day regardless of when i actually eat?

Secondly, when i was being shown how to use the blood sugar monitor the nurse was very careful with the test strips, holding them by the edges. Do you have to treat them carefully or is it ok to just grab one from the container?

sorry for asking (probably) stupid questions
 
I'm always very careful taking out the test strips by the edge (which should be done with newly washed hands). You don't want to risk contaminating the bit of the strip where the blood flows. I don't inject so can't help with that bit.
 
Can't say anything about injecting but one end of the test strip (the end that goes in the machine) has the electrical connections and it is a good idea not to touch them if you can help it because it could interfere with the electrical contact and give a wrong reading. The other end (the one you poke into the blood spot) has the sensor which measures the blood glucose. It's that little rectangular bit on the very end that the blood soaks into. Again not a good idea to touch that if you can help it because there is a chance of contamination being transferred giving a poor reading.

That said, if your fingers don't work with the dexterity of four-year-old and you touch either end then I would not worry and still use the strip. If you get a stupid reading, then do a repeat. I got a 25.0 the other morning. I did not panic, just assumed I had done something wrong and did a retest. Gave me a 9.9 which is what I would have expected.
 
which insulin have you been put onto? xx
 
You need to inject before your meal at least 30 mins. This is so your insulin and food hopefully hit the system at the same time thus no hypo in theory.
 
Depends which kind of Humulin - M3, I or S - as to how quickly it will have any effect, Sue.
 
trophywench said:
Depends which kind of Humulin - M3, I or S - as to how quickly it will have any effect, Sue.
Click to expand...
my thoughts precisely hence why I enquired as advice cant be given without knowing the actual insulin but hey ho 🙄 xx
 
Oblivious said:
Hi,
Newly diagnosed here, so new that the results if the tests to see what type i am haven't come back yet. i am on insulin and have a couple of questions.

I have to take insulin twice a day at breakfast and dinner. Does that mean before i eat or should it be the same time every day regardless of when i actually eat?

Secondly, when i was being shown how to use the blood sugar monitor the nurse was very careful with the test strips, holding them by the edges. Do you have to treat them carefully or is it ok to just grab one from the container?

sorry for asking (probably) stupid questions
Click to expand...
With the injecting , I was told 5 to 10 mins before eating . However with trial and error you find out what suits you . For me I have to inject as I start eating . From reading posts on here everyone is different. Good luck
 
Freddie1966 said:
With the injecting , I was told 5 to 10 mins before eating . However with trial and error you find out what suits you . For me I have to inject as I start eating . From reading posts on here everyone is different. Good luck
Click to expand...
it also depends on the type of insulin hence why advising without knowing isn't wise, it could be just a basal, it could be a mixed etc xx
 
Its Humulin M3

the reason i ask is that I don't eat breakfast until around 10 when i am at work and didn't know if i should do it then or at 'Breakfast time' before i leave the house to make the times consistent but the consensus seems to be at the time you eat or just before
 
Oblivious said:
Its Humulin M3

the reason i ask is that I don't eat breakfast until around 10 when i am at work and didn't know if i should do it then or at 'Breakfast time' before i leave the house to make the times consistent but the consensus seems to be at the time you eat or just before
Click to expand...
I think the guidance above is aimed more towards an insulin that only covers the carbohydrate in the food you are going to be consuming whereas Humulin M3 is a mixed insulin which contains both rapid acting and long acting insulin, @Rob51 I'm sure is on M3 so he could possibly give some pointers regarding the certain insulin, the majority of us that have commented don't currently use it xx
 
Best to check with your DSN I suggest, though when I was on mixed it involved having quite a rigid system which was built around the medication and life and food had to fit around it - but advice may have changed.

But yes... I think you might get in bother if you injected and then didn’t eat for a long time.

Might be worth asking why a mixed insulin was chosen, and whether MDI basal:bolus might be more flexible and a better option?
 
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