Adjusting background time

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Jimmy2202

Jimmy2202

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Good evening.

I’ve decided I need to change the time I take my background Levemir, which currently is 10pm every evening.

The reason for this is I feel it’s a hassle at that time of night when I’m already winding down for the evening and 9 times out of 10 I fall asleep on the couch before going to bed anyway which isn’t ideal 🙂

So after a online consultation with my team, they advised to alter the time every evening by 1 hour till I eventually reach my desired time.

I think the most convenient for me would be each morning at 7am.

My question is is this the correct way of achieving this? And is there anything I should be aware of taking it in the morning compared to before bed?

Thanks
 
Are you taking the levemir just once a day, and do you find it lasts you all 24hrs if so? It’s usually taken twice a day so you’d take half at night and half in the morning.
 
Lucyr said:
Are you taking the levemir just once a day, and do you find it lasts you all 24hrs if so? It’s usually taken twice a day so you’d take half at night and half in the morning.
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Yes, 14 units once a day.
I don’t have any issues with it - my levels don’t rise unexpectedly to suggest it’s run out early
 
You might find this graph gives you some helpful hints @Jimmy2202


It’s a bit complicated to read, but it can give a suggestion of the likely duration of your Levemir dose.

You may discover that you have been ‘propping up’ a fading Lev dose during the evening with your evening meal dose?

I shifted my Lantus from night to breakfast time, but that was because of dose profile rather than convenience. I was getting overnight lows and wanted my Lantus dose to be fading overnight rather than building up to max strength 🙂

I just switched one day and set alarms through the night to counteract my missing 12-ish hours of dose

There may be a ‘proper’ recommended way of doing it though!
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
You might find this graph gives you some helpful hints @Jimmy2202


It’s a bit complicated to read, but it can give a suggestion of the likely duration of your Levemir dose.

You may discover that you have been ‘propping up’ a fading Lev dose during the evening with your evening meal dose?

I shifted my Lantus from night to breakfast time, but that was because of dose profile rather than convenience. I was getting overnight lows and wanted my Lantus dose to be fading overnight rather than building up to max strength 🙂

I just switched one day and set alarms through the night to counteract my missing 12-ish hours of dose

There may be a ‘proper’ recommended way of doing it though!
Click to expand...
Yes - im struggling to work out that graph
 
Jimmy2202 said:
Yes - im struggling to work out that graph
Click to expand...

LOL! Yes it’s a bit of a mind-bender :D

You need to know your weight in kilos. Then divide your Lev dose by your kilo weight which will give you your dose-per-kilo.

Read that on the left edge and that ‘slice’ along the line gives an indication of peakiness and overall duration.
 
@Jimmy2202 - just tell us what you weigh in kgs and then we can interpret the graph for you.

I've always used a computer to access the graph, so I just change the screen resolution as much as I need in order to follow the lines across the graph easier. As my hourly rate per kg was never the same as smack on a line, it's far easier to follow when it's bigger. If you use a phone - sorry - I haven't a clue!
 
trophywench said:
@Jimmy2202 - just tell us what you weigh in kgs and then we can interpret the graph for you.

I've always used a computer to access the graph, so I just change the screen resolution as much as I need in order to follow the lines across the graph easier. As my hourly rate per kg was never the same as smack on a line, it's far easier to follow when it's bigger. If you use a phone - sorry - I haven't a clue!
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82.5 Kg give or take 🙂
 
Benny G said:
That's approx 0.17 units per kg.
Looking at the graph, we would expect your 14 units of Levemir to fizzle out less than 18 hours after injection.
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Hmm. Very Intresting. I don’t notice my levels rise or do anything out of the ordinary…
 
Benny G said:
My guess is honeymoon, as you are only 7 months in to your journey. Which would also explain your low dose of Levemir.

Do not worry, if your levels are stable, the insulin is working for you.

My advice is to enjoy the stability, and keep an eye out for rises creeping in, especially on a morning.
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Thank you for the reply/advice.

Just to pick your brains, why would the morning reading potentially rise if the Levemir is injected before bed?

Would you not expect to see a rise in the afternoon once Levemir is wearing off?
 
Because that's what BG does, in humans Jimmy! Lowest natural BG approx 2.30 am, then rises again ready for us to awake, arise and go forth . It's a primeval instinct we still retain.
 
I would expect to see an increase in the afternoon onwards - but of course if you eat lunch - that could be masking it. Later at night - ditto dinner.
 
That's why basal testing involves either missing meals entirely, changing the timing of them, or being carb free. As you spread 24hrs testing over at least several days, this isn't too onerous. But what Benny is saying is true - save the experience of basal testing till your insulin production has settled down and you can discount your pancreas 'being helpful' and clouding the result of your effort.
 
interesting. Cheers guys
 
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