Dropping like a stone...

Status
Not open for further replies.
I remember the event a month ago too -- it could just be a pancreas 'splutter' that you get occasionally, still in honeymoon even though you didn't really know it?

Have to say I'm with lots of others here: I think you need an 'overview' from someone else, and a c-peptide test. You know SO much, in the most incredibly short amount of time, and can manage yourself so well...but sometimes an 'all variable' look from someone else can really swing it...

Hope things have been settled, anyway?
 
randomange said:
Hi Northerner, could it have something to do with where you injected? I know I've had problems with novorapid before when I accidentally hit a blood vessel and it's kicked it far faster than I expected. The only other thing I can think of is hot baths/showers - they've definitely affected my lantus before (although not quite to the extent you're seeing!)
Click to expand...

Hi, no - I always inject the lantus in the left or right side of my tummy. There was nothing unusual at all, although my lantus pen has become problematic lately, needing several pushes of the button to deliver the full dose (an autopen 24). If I'd got an incorrect dose, I would have expected to have problems today, but woke to 5.0 and was 5.2 just before lunch.

It runs contrary to what how I understand lantus to work. I read that it works by forming little crystals under the skin that then gradually dissolve over the next 18-24 hours to deliver the basal insulin. If it dissolved quicker than normal then I would have thought I'd now be 'running on empty'. Have to see what happens tonight. There's no pattern since it's only happened twice in 10 months.
 
katie said:
how much insulin did you take for breakfast?
Click to expand...

6 units novorapid, down from 8 a week ago for the same breakfast (porridge with honey, toast, fruit juice). My lunch NR has come down from around 14 to 8 today and my evening meal is now 12 but was 18! Lantus now 13 last couple of days, down from 18 just over a week ago, and 20 the week before that! Nearly all my readings are between 3.5 and 7.5, apart from a handful of 2.x's.
 
Northerner said:
6 units novorapid, down from 8 a week ago for the same breakfast (porridge with honey, toast, fruit juice). My lunch NR has come down from around 14 to 8 today and my evening meal is now 12 but was 18! Lantus now 13 last couple of days, down from 18 just over a week ago, and 20 the week before that! Nearly all my readings are between 3.5 and 7.5, apart from a handful of 2.x's.
Click to expand...

Ok so it looks like you still need novorapid, because 6 is a fair amount - during my honeymoon period I had a ratio of 1:10g so I would need 3 units for a bowl of cereal and I took 12 units of lantus. My levels at that time were also really good and my HbA1c was about 6. Then one day I suddenly started seeing my BG in the 20's and worked out I needed twice the amount of insulin suddenly :(

Keep reducing so you don't get those lows!
 
Hi, hope you feeling well this evening.

when i was put on lantus, couple of weeks ago, dsn told me it peaks in the first hour and then stays flat for the remainder of time. I havent noticed a significant drop for me in the first hour and obviously you shouldnt be going hypo so quickly after taking it. just something to think about maybe 🙂
 
Northerner, sounds like you are feeding your insulin a little. I think its time to get yourself and your BSL diary down to your DSN and let her work it out!!!
 
tracey w said:
Hi, hope you feeling well this evening.

when i was put on lantus, couple of weeks ago, dsn told me it peaks in the first hour and then stays flat for the remainder of time. I havent noticed a significant drop for me in the first hour and obviously you shouldnt be going hypo so quickly after taking it. just something to think about maybe 🙂
Click to expand...

i have experienced that before, i used to notice that about an hour and a half after taking it my BG would drop.

have you thought about injecting it in your thigh instead of your tummy?
 
Northerner said:
Hi, no - I always inject the lantus in the left or right side of my tummy.

My nurse told me not to inject lantus into same area as novorapid. So if in tummy even at opposite side is not advisable as they can have adverse affects on each other. Im not sure how but she was very serious about it.
Click to expand...
 
Northerner said:
Hi, no - I always inject the lantus in the left or right side of my tummy.
Click to expand...

I didn't notice before that you said this.

They say that you should inject novorapid into your tummy because it works faster if you inject there. and you should inject Lantus in your thigh because it takes longer to act. maybe you should give it a try!
 
janine19 said:
My nurse told me not to inject lantus into same area as novorapid. So if in tummy even at opposite side is not advisable as they can have adverse affects on each other. Im not sure how but she was very serious about it.
Click to expand...

I inject the novorapid in my (cough!) behind and don't normally have a problem with the lantus like this. My readings for yesterday were 5.0, 5.2, 5.3 and 5.3 - how perfect is that?!! I just tested my waking level today and it's 4.2. Might reduce the lantus to 12 tonight and see what happens🙂
 
Last edited:
katie said:
I didn't notice before that you said this.

They say that you should inject novorapid into your tummy because it works faster if you inject there. and you should inject Lantus in your thigh because it takes longer to act. maybe you should give it a try!
Click to expand...

Never been told that - just goes to show what a range of information we receive! I can't inject in my legs because they are pure muscle🙄 - I get horrid, unsightly bruises and lumps if I do!😱
 
Northerner, perfect readings and muscly legs - what a way to start the day! Well done on both
 
Fair enough northerner, i dont have that problem :D although i do get bruises and bumps in my legs a lot more than my stomach.
 
Can I jump in here about sites and bruises and lumps? We've just had a visit with our DSN, and she seemed to confirm what we had thought -- just a bit more strongly than we wanted to hear. For about two months my son has been injecting only into his tummy -- he's a skinny guy, so doesn't have much to work with anywhere, and has found his thigh more painful, so stopped there. We had noticed bruising and some areas around his navel which were raised, so the whole thing looks a little swollen.

She confirmed today that these are fatty lumps, said they were quite bad, and that he should no longer inject there, they can take 4-6 months to get better etc. He's kind of, well, bummed about this -- same old story of trying your best and then there's another thing to worry about. We've also had battles with his levels (though I'm *convinced* that the consistent highs we've had and are now on the verge of controlling can't just be a result of injecting sometimes into fatty lumps), so now he feels that his injecting into his tummy only also 'caused' these...Sigh.

Have you ever had fatty lumps -- when, how big, and how long did they take to go away? It seems they've developed so quickly -- is this usual?

Sigh again. If it's not one thing, it's another. He's got to do his thighs only now, search for fat, and hope that when the pump comes through (in a month) he'll be okay to maybe have a site or two on his tummy...
 
Patricia said:
Can I jump in here about sites and bruises and lumps? We've just had a visit with our DSN, and she seemed to confirm what we had thought -- just a bit more strongly than we wanted to hear. For about two months my son has been injecting only into his tummy -- he's a skinny guy, so doesn't have much to work with anywhere, and has found his thigh more painful, so stopped there. We had noticed bruising and some areas around his navel which were raised, so the whole thing looks a little swollen.

She confirmed today that these are fatty lumps, said they were quite bad, and that he should no longer inject there, they can take 4-6 months to get better etc. He's kind of, well, bummed about this -- same old story of trying your best and then there's another thing to worry about. We've also had battles with his levels (though I'm *convinced* that the consistent highs we've had and are now on the verge of controlling can't just be a result of injecting sometimes into fatty lumps), so now he feels that his injecting into his tummy only also 'caused' these...Sigh.

Have you ever had fatty lumps -- when, how big, and how long did they take to go away? It seems they've developed so quickly -- is this usual?

Sigh again. If it's not one thing, it's another. He's got to do his thighs only now, search for fat, and hope that when the pump comes through (in a month) he'll be okay to maybe have a site or two on his tummy...
Click to expand...

I was told to rotate my sites, but had a similar problem to your son in that I was extremely skinny for several months after diagnosis and couldn't find enough flesh to inject into. Thankfully, I've put on weight now so it's less of a problem, but still can't use my legs. The lumps I get are transient, and more of a reaction to the stuff I'm injecting than overuse of the site, and they tend to disappear in a couple of days so I don't think they are fatty lumps. If I feel a lump, I won't inject there. I also use my hips, although this does mean twisting round a bit with the consequence that I have painful shoulder muscles sometimes. I don't get bruises as often as I did when I first started injecting. Actually, I find that the fingerpricks are more of a problem - even the fingers I don't use feel sore, in sympathy perhaps!😱
 
Patricia,
Alex always rotates his site - but he hates having it done on the back of his arms because he is quite skinny too! He does get bruising on his tummy but so far no 'lumps'!
How did you get your team to agree to a pump so soon? I have been told it may take a year or more!:confused:Bev
 
Yikes, he's never done his arms or his bottom -- does all his own, and I guess doesn't feel confident enough...perhaps we should explore these areas more with him now.

Northerner, this is useful to hear. Once the pump comes through it will not be an issue really, but I'm encouraged that maybe these lumps won't take so long to clear. They came so quickly, and have got him down.

bev, we pushed like hell, that's what we did. We have a shared care arrangement with Addenbrookes, kind of by fluke, as we thought we would go for a trial there and then didn't, so *had* to be taken on by them to explore the option... It turns out they have much more capacity than our local team at the moment; if we'd been with them only, we'd have a year wait too. But our local consultant and GP were very very good, writing really positive and clear letters stating how motivated we were, how motivated E is, and how we could make good use of the pump immediately, so the initial pump care should therefore come from Addenbrookes. Our PCT agreed surprisingly quickly with this. Confess we are hugely relieved in so many ways: these last two weeks have been rather soul-destroying, and now with the site problems...he's getting a bit disheartened, despite him working so hard at it. Not to speak of us!

I have an interesting figure which will make you raise your eyebrows: 60-70% of all healthcare professionals with t1 diabetes are on pumps in the uk, compared with I think 15% of the 'normal' population with t1 diabetes. Hmmm. Pumps are clearly coming, and fast, as are CGMs, but the UK is quite behind, as everyone knows...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top