Correction question

[newbs]

I am now using this Aviva Expert meter and each time my BG is high it tells me to do a correction bolus. This means that I am injecting around 6 times each day at the moment - am I correct in doing this? I'm ignoring the suggestions of a bolus for 0.5 u/s but anything 2 or above I have been doing.

 

[novorapidboi26]

when are you testing your BG when it says its high........?

I think as long as the meter knows the insulin on board you are fine to do so......although you don't want to be continuously injecting as it can all add up, more so injecting than on the pump as injecting in my experience can be a little more unpredictable.

ideally though any correction its recommends should be equal to the remaining insulin on board.......in ideal world eh....😉

 

[newbs]

Most 'highs' are post meal tests. I seemed to fall foul of the insulin stacking this afternoon, I corrected on waking then injected later for breakfast and again for lunch, post meal 7.6 but dropped to 3.2 within an hour of that. This does tend to happen to me if I've done any correction injections.

 

[novorapidboi26]

that might suggest you shouldn't correct and instead work on getting dose and timing a bit better.....

it can be hard to resist though when you have a fancy meter....

 

[newbs]

that might suggest you shouldn't correct and instead work on getting dose and timing a bit better.....

it can be hard to resist though when you have a fancy meter....

That's the daft thing, I don't usually correct unless very high - but because my meter told me to ...

 

[Pigeon]

I think this is one of the flaws with the AcuCheck Expert, I have it too. It only calculates Active Insulin for any bolus correction you took. So if you injected for food 2 hours ago it doesn't account for active insulin in it's advice. So mine would advise me to correct even though I know my meal insulin will be working for over 4 hours. So I think all you can do in this instance is inject a bit longer before the food to try to avoid a post meal spike, as you know the BG will reduce to a norrmal level eventually without any correction.

 

[PhoebeC]

I agree, that's a lot of corrections and I personally would try a different approach at meals times. especially if it's a pattern.

I only have a basic meter. I was just thinking the other day, I must need a better model I have had this same model the whole 8 years!

 

[trophywench]

Yup, post meal highs are better sorted by earlier jabs it's true and that's the case whether pumping or MDI.

Have to say I don't normally test between meals unless I have a reason - ie I feel funny (!) or feel high or feel low - or if I've eaten something and want to see how it behaves; or I've eaten something I hadn't a clue what the carb count was in which case I'll deliberately 'under-bolus' as you can add insulin later but not remove it, LOL

It doesn't count your bolus insulin at all! It assumes that when you entered 50g carb, told it you had a ratio of 1u to 10g, it calculated 5.0u and you said you took 5u - that the 5u will be swallowed up by the carbs. So only if you needed a correction with that meal - say another 2u because your BG was too high before eating, it will only account for that 2u, and calculate what's left of it and apply that to your current BG. Hence, yes it does tell you to inject too much in cases where the carb has released all of itself but the bolus insulin just hasn't got to it yet. So you need to be a bit cautious IMHO when the test is less than 4hrs after you did the jab.

Of course when it's just before the next meal and is say 6 hours after the last jab, then the correction advised will be 100% correct. Because pumping I'm fairly confident I'm fine with my basal overnight, I will also take a correction at bedtime now. But I couldn't really rely on that on MDI so it was iffy. Oh - and I don't let it correct me as low at that time of night, only to 7.5 - so perhaps a tweak in your time blocks is required there to get it right.

Oh hang on - what are your targets actually in that time block? (where you tested and it calculated the correction(s) ) is the margin of error too low?

 

[newbs]

My targets in my before bed time block are 6-9.

I was actually told at my set up meeting that I test too much, and that most other diabetics don't test anywhere near much as I do - and not normally after meals, only pre-meals. Is that the case for most of you?

I am getting used to the meter now and changing a few things around - and ignoring other things. 🙂

I injected over 30 mins before breakfast today and instead of a high I was 2.9 2 hours after (although I did walk to school today whereas I usually drive and didn't factor that in). I will most definitely be injecting earlier than usual and go from there.

 

[Bloden]

I check my bg tons, but always with good reason as far as I'm concerned - if I feel a wobble, or before my most demanding classes...It annoys me when medics try to control everything.

 

[novorapidboi26]

I test about 8-10 times a day minimum........

Does the meter not allow you to enter in your insulin duration?

When I used this InuslinX I could correct 2-3 hours after a meal if I wanted....

 

[newbs]

I test about 8-10 times a day minimum........

Does the meter not allow you to enter in your insulin duration?

When I used this InuslinX I could correct 2-3 hours after a meal if I wanted....

The meter does allow you to enter the insulin duration but it doesn't take the bolus at a meal into consideration when suggesting a correction dose.

 

[trophywench]

Yes, the Insulinx does use a different algorithm to the Expert, NRB.

Mike (EDUAD) remarked upon it when he reviewed the Expert on his blog. And it can get you into a bit of trouble if you do dose stack, but there again, we are not supposed to dose-stack !

Difficult not to in the real world though!