I am a type one diabetic and just want to know has anyone ever felt like the way i do when sometimes i think i have done my injection but not 100% sure that i have is there any way of checking to make sure that i have done it already instead of giving myself another injection which could lead to going hypo. I would also like to know what would happen if i took my glargine insulin by mistake instead of my novorapid I would appreciate any comments thanks .
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Have i already taken my injection
- Thread starter Steve
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Good question
I think is a tricky one.
It hasn't happened to me very often but when I've been in that position, I always try really hard to retrace my steps. Seeing where you pen is might be a clue and I sometimes check the needle itself to see if it looks like it's been used.
In 25 years I've never mixed up my day pen with my night pen so I don't know what would happen if you switched day for night; night for day is going to mean a hypo in the night I guess.
I think is a tricky one.
It hasn't happened to me very often but when I've been in that position, I always try really hard to retrace my steps. Seeing where you pen is might be a clue and I sometimes check the needle itself to see if it looks like it's been used.
In 25 years I've never mixed up my day pen with my night pen so I don't know what would happen if you switched day for night; night for day is going to mean a hypo in the night I guess.
I'm doing that all the time! You'd think you'd remember something like sticking a needle in yourself... but no... I'll look at it on my desk and think... so I got it out, I obviously went to take it... but did I actually take it... THINK DAMN IT THINK.
I don't know if theres any solution, other then wait an hour and see if you blood sugar is what you would expect it to be. I just inevitably pick one or the other... normally I prefer to wait... I stopped just gambling and take another which has lead to some very severe hypos when it turned out i had already taken a full dose... instead i'll go for taking it over two shots... so either my blood sugar will be lowered some, and then on retesting show I need some more (so not too terribly high) or have an extra snack...
As for mixing up pens... not something I've done...
but at a guess (and someone with better knowledge feel free to correct me): if you took your rapid instead of your long acting... then i'd expect to be woken with a pretty violent hypo...
if you realise what you've done, i would start consuming glucose pretty quickly. Obviously how bad this is depends on your relative dosages and insulin sensitivity (for me, i take more long acting a night then i do novorapid in the full day... so that would be pretty dreadful for me.. )
if you took your long acting instead of your rapid then youll be high at first, as you wont have taken your bs down for your food... then your more likely to have some hypos later as both the amounts of long acting become active... although, if youre testing anyway, then you may still avoid these...
if you realise the mistake youve made then it shouldnt be a problem, i would think you should still take your rapid acting to bring down your bs from eating... and then reduce future dosages to account for the extra insulin in your system, and test regularly to prevent hypos.
I don't know if theres any solution, other then wait an hour and see if you blood sugar is what you would expect it to be. I just inevitably pick one or the other... normally I prefer to wait... I stopped just gambling and take another which has lead to some very severe hypos when it turned out i had already taken a full dose... instead i'll go for taking it over two shots... so either my blood sugar will be lowered some, and then on retesting show I need some more (so not too terribly high) or have an extra snack...
As for mixing up pens... not something I've done...
but at a guess (and someone with better knowledge feel free to correct me): if you took your rapid instead of your long acting... then i'd expect to be woken with a pretty violent hypo...
if you realise what you've done, i would start consuming glucose pretty quickly. Obviously how bad this is depends on your relative dosages and insulin sensitivity (for me, i take more long acting a night then i do novorapid in the full day... so that would be pretty dreadful for me.. )
if you took your long acting instead of your rapid then youll be high at first, as you wont have taken your bs down for your food... then your more likely to have some hypos later as both the amounts of long acting become active... although, if youre testing anyway, then you may still avoid these...
if you realise the mistake youve made then it shouldnt be a problem, i would think you should still take your rapid acting to bring down your bs from eating... and then reduce future dosages to account for the extra insulin in your system, and test regularly to prevent hypos.
sunflower_harvester
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Used to forget whether I'd injected or not all the time! Now I just forget if I've bolused or not but thankfully the pump has a memory feature which makes things easier. If I got really forgetful then carried my BM diary around with me and ticked as I injected-but usually forgot to tick!
As for getting short and long acting mixed up I used completely different makes of pens (a blue autopen for Lantus and maroon luxura pen for humalog) which makes it harder to mix them up. Think Jax is right about what would happen if you mix them up but haven't ever done it.
As for getting short and long acting mixed up I used completely different makes of pens (a blue autopen for Lantus and maroon luxura pen for humalog) which makes it harder to mix them up. Think Jax is right about what would happen if you mix them up but haven't ever done it.
paulnicholls
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
This forgetful thing seems ever so common you know. I posted about it on the other forum.
Someone at work told me last week (just before diagnosis) that Id asked the same question in a day three times, the last two as though it were the first time.
I'm struggling often with the odd word and constantly having to ask relatives on the phone if I've spoken to them already that day.
Weird. Hope it passes. Sounds like it might not!
Someone at work told me last week (just before diagnosis) that Id asked the same question in a day three times, the last two as though it were the first time.
I'm struggling often with the odd word and constantly having to ask relatives on the phone if I've spoken to them already that day.
Weird. Hope it passes. Sounds like it might not!
sunflower_harvester
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi PaulThink of it as a get out of jail free card for forgotten birthdays, anniversaries, dinner with in-laws etc.
It's not just me! Phew!
I've forgotten - I think it's becuse it is something that comes so naturally to me I don't think about it and if I am thinking about other things or distracted it can happen - If I am really unsure I usually test an hour after eating and then adjust if I need too! As for pens - never mixed those up - one blue one silver! Blue is always in bedside drawer (lantus) - silver always in handbag (novorapid)!
I've forgotten - I think it's becuse it is something that comes so naturally to me I don't think about it and if I am thinking about other things or distracted it can happen - If I am really unsure I usually test an hour after eating and then adjust if I need too! As for pens - never mixed those up - one blue one silver! Blue is always in bedside drawer (lantus) - silver always in handbag (novorapid)!
AlanJardine
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Used to. but now I have a Humalog Memoir pen. It remembers the last 12 injections and what time they were.
Ask your DSM for one (if you take Humalog that is)
Ask your DSM for one (if you take Humalog that is)
kitemaster
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Regular BG tests is sometimes the only answer
Hi Ive been diabetic for 32 years and only in the past 3 months since being on a pump have I found I cant forget as it has a memory function which you can review up to weeks later. Before going on the pump I used to forget or accidently inject twice. The only way you can tell I found is do a BG test approx 1hr later but be careful some foods have a low GI index and this can in some cases give you very slow increases in blood glucose levels affecting some people for hours afterwards....
Hi Ive been diabetic for 32 years and only in the past 3 months since being on a pump have I found I cant forget as it has a memory function which you can review up to weeks later. Before going on the pump I used to forget or accidently inject twice. The only way you can tell I found is do a BG test approx 1hr later but be careful some foods have a low GI index and this can in some cases give you very slow increases in blood glucose levels affecting some people for hours afterwards....
akdcolchester
Active Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Being new I 'm entering up my diary like a kid in the first term at school. I enter in pencil the intentions, - number of units and time to do it, and ink it in when I've actually done it. Once it's a routine and a habit it's all dead easy and absolutely accurate.
i've been diabetic for 9 years now and sometimes i find i can forget if i have taken my insulin so i usually look at my injection site and see if i can notice a mark and if so how fresh it looks. also my dn told me to place 3 small strips of tape on my pen and to take them off 1 at a time and replace them each morning. also works on the night time insulin as you always know where you stand in relation to have you taken it or not. hope this helps 🙂
Munjeeta
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I often have those moments too, when I'm not sure if I've injected. Normally retracing my steps works but if not then just waiting an hour or so and testing, which has already been suggested! I have once mixed up my long acting insulin with my short acting. My long acting dose was around 36 units, and as I only take 8 or so uits of shor acting with each meal it was quite a hefty shock! I was up all night, literally, drinking can after can of coke. I was living with my mum at the time and we had to do a 1am run to a garage to get another few cans. It wasn't fun and definitely something to be avoided at all costs!!! Although, I guess the reaction would be less severe if your dosages weren't quite so different.
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Sometimes I forget whether ive taken it. People say how can you forget?! But I think it's because we do the same thing all the time so it's difficult to think about whether you are remembering injecting at lunch or whether you just did it before dinner
Anthony Neve
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Ive only ever mixed the day pen with the night pen once. it was in my final year of uni, the night before i was due to travel home for my nans funeral. Hearing about her passing away hit me really hard. for some reason that night i just wasnt thinking straight at all. i took 30 units of novorapid instead of lantis!
i didnt realise at the time, my mind was else where. it was 1.30 am when i woke in a puddle of sweat shaking and bearly able to get out of bed.
i found my stash of lucozade and downed 1L of the stuff (was a fresh bottle too- so really fizzy!) i managed to get upstairs to the living room with my blood tester (bedrooms were downstairs)
i dont know if anyone else suffers this but when my blood drops quickly i feel really sick, to the point of vomitting. well i felt like this then, but i knew i had to keep it down if i wanted to make my nans funeral.
so i managed to get upstairs and test my blood, it was as low as it ever had been, 1.3 or something like that. i had managed to grab my mobile on the way up so i dialled in 999 and left it on the arm of the chair ready to press CALL.
I went into the kitchen an put like 5 or 6 tables spoons of sugar into a glass of water and downed that. (i knew i was really bad).
i kept thinking i should dial 999 for the help but i just couldnt bring myself to do it, i kept thinking if i dont get better in 5 mins il do it (the thoughts that kept going though my head where the embarassment of having the ambulance turn up and carting me off 😱 . Typically it was the night that both my flat mates were back at there homes.
anyway, after about an hour and a half i started to feel better. once my blood was upto 5 or so i wnet back to bed. i woke up in the morning and it had only risen to 17 or so, which i was expecting more like 30 odd!
sorry for the huge post but thought id share that one!
I do have the odd time when i think, damn did i do my injection or not?- i put it down to getting out of routine but also because of having to do it so often, it becomes something you hardly even think about, so when you do have to think about it, you can be sure you done it 🙄
i didnt realise at the time, my mind was else where. it was 1.30 am when i woke in a puddle of sweat shaking and bearly able to get out of bed.
i found my stash of lucozade and downed 1L of the stuff (was a fresh bottle too- so really fizzy!) i managed to get upstairs to the living room with my blood tester (bedrooms were downstairs)
i dont know if anyone else suffers this but when my blood drops quickly i feel really sick, to the point of vomitting. well i felt like this then, but i knew i had to keep it down if i wanted to make my nans funeral.
so i managed to get upstairs and test my blood, it was as low as it ever had been, 1.3 or something like that. i had managed to grab my mobile on the way up so i dialled in 999 and left it on the arm of the chair ready to press CALL.
I went into the kitchen an put like 5 or 6 tables spoons of sugar into a glass of water and downed that. (i knew i was really bad).
i kept thinking i should dial 999 for the help but i just couldnt bring myself to do it, i kept thinking if i dont get better in 5 mins il do it (the thoughts that kept going though my head where the embarassment of having the ambulance turn up and carting me off 😱 . Typically it was the night that both my flat mates were back at there homes.
anyway, after about an hour and a half i started to feel better. once my blood was upto 5 or so i wnet back to bed. i woke up in the morning and it had only risen to 17 or so, which i was expecting more like 30 odd!
sorry for the huge post but thought id share that one!
I do have the odd time when i think, damn did i do my injection or not?- i put it down to getting out of routine but also because of having to do it so often, it becomes something you hardly even think about, so when you do have to think about it, you can be sure you done it 🙄
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
No, thanks for sharing it Anthony! Seems like you did all the right things, even though your BG was at rock bottom - I'm guessing that 30 novorapid would normally be to cover your evening meal and more, that's a lot of carbs to get down your neck and into your system asap.
Yeah thanks for the post!
Ive never done this, but I will be extra carefull in future, because that sounds very scarey.
One thing I have nearly done is given myself a dose of Lantus (using the disposable pen where you can leave it on your usual dose) when my brother had jokingly changed it from 20 to 40 earlier in the day. I knew he did it, but I forgot! Luckily I noticed in time though.
Ive never done this, but I will be extra carefull in future, because that sounds very scarey.
One thing I have nearly done is given myself a dose of Lantus (using the disposable pen where you can leave it on your usual dose) when my brother had jokingly changed it from 20 to 40 earlier in the day. I knew he did it, but I forgot! Luckily I noticed in time though.
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