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How long does your insulin take to work?

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Cobweb1979

Cobweb1979

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I'm having real problems working out my new ratios. I've switched from Levemir to Degludec, and was having constant hypos so reduced all my ratios. But now I'm going hig, and not just a bit high, REALLY high. That's fine I guess while I tweak them back down, but the really frustrating thing is how LONG it takes for correction doses to do anything. I'm finding it really easy to slip into a rollercoaster effect of over-correcting, as after 4 hours of bring 18 I crack and do another injection. Then I plummet 2-3 hours later. any words of wisdom?
 
In my experience insulin takes different times to act at different times of day! I use Novorapid - and in my opinion there is very little rapid about it. The shortest time for it to start acting in me is 20 minutes, but can take nearer an hour.
 
I agree entirely. In general terms, although I know the theory is that insulin is measurable in the bloodstream within approx 20 minutes, if I am high enough to want to correct (10-12+) I wouldn't expect to see much downward movement before an hour. Peak activity for me seems to be between 1 and 2.5 hours and gradually tailing off between hours 3 and 5. Can be a frustrating business!
 
Contrarywise - if I bolus sooner than immediately before starting to eat, I'll be hypo halfway through my meal. So Novorapid takes 10 minutes for me!
 
On Novorapid and insulin pump (Medtronic 640) - means I'm only on Novorapid and very hard to therefore judge the acting time of the bolus dose without really knowing the basal also - varying at different times of day and very high in morning .... still on waiting list for Libra sensor
 
Well you do basal testing fairly frequently and make the appropriate adjustments to your basal rates - so you know it isn't the basal, even though it's delivered down the same tube, don't you?

In any event - Novo always worked within 10 minutes by pen in combination with other basals, for me.
 
Yes do finger testing Jenny, put double rate in morning as basal at 1.10 per hour until 12 and bolus ratio is about 1.3 units to 10g carbs roughly - roughly 5 to 6 at lunchtime - then I put ratio in for lunch at 12 at same ratio but the basal then changes to 0.550 per hour now my reading is 13 - not good - putting correction in .... not sure what to change the basal rate to for 12 until say 6 pm ????
 
trophywench said:
Well you do basal testing fairly frequently and make the appropriate adjustments to your basal rates - so you know it isn't the basal, even though it's delivered down the same tube, don't you?

In any event - Novo always worked within 10 minutes by pen in combination with other basals, for me.
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It takes roughly about 3 hours - this isn't set in stone though as would say that morning higher due to dawn phenomenon and night time at .550 basal per hour seems to be ok - unsure re lunchtime and for how long to adjust basal???
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
I agree entirely. In general terms, although I know the theory is that insulin is measurable in the bloodstream within approx 20 minutes, if I am high enough to want to correct (10-12+) I wouldn't expect to see much downward movement before an hour. Peak activity for me seems to be between 1 and 2.5 hours and gradually tailing off between hours 3 and 5. Can be a frustrating business!
Click to expand...

Yep very frustrating as slow process trying to get things right.... after two hours when testing it's about 13 but in 3 hours it can then be 8 ..... not sure what the answer is as don't like it being high for so long ..... not then sure if need to up the bolus ratio so putting more in and reduce the basal rate ....... as not yet got any idea of when Libra sensor will be given its slow and annoying
 
pottersusan said:
In my experience insulin takes different times to act at different times of day! I use Novorapid - and in my opinion there is very little rapid about it. The shortest time for it to start acting in me is 20 minutes, but can take nearer an hour.
Click to expand...
Yep Susan ... mine is still working after 3 hours - so high BG after food for quite a while - not happy about this:(
 
Cobweb1979 said:
I'm having real problems working out my new ratios. I've switched from Levemir to Degludec, and was having constant hypos so reduced all my ratios. But now I'm going hig, and not just a bit high, REALLY high. That's fine I guess while I tweak them back down, but the really frustrating thing is how LONG it takes for correction doses to do anything. I'm finding it really easy to slip into a rollercoaster effect of over-correcting, as after 4 hours of bring 18 I crack and do another injection. Then I plummet 2-3 hours later. any words of wisdom?
Click to expand...
I agree it's a slow annoying process
 
Jeannie3 said:
Yep very frustrating as slow process trying to get things right.... after two hours when testing it's about 13 but in 3 hours it can then be 8 ..... not sure what the answer is as don't like it being high for so long ..... not then sure if need to up the bolus ratio so putting more in and reduce the basal rate ....... as not yet got any idea of when Libra sensor will be given its slow and annoying
Click to expand...

You might find it helpful to experiment with dose timings - that is the amount of time you leave after delivering the dose and before starting to eat. This varies from person to person, and it often different at different mealtimes. Most people who use this technique end up with a basic system, and then a bunch of exceptions for particular meals that need a different approach. I find 20-30 minutes wait very helpful for both breakfast and lunch, but don’t need to wait much at all in the evenings.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Most people who use this technique end up with a basic system, and then a bunch of exceptions for particular meals that need a different approach. I find 20-30 minutes wait very helpful for both breakfast and lunch, but don’t need to wait much at all in the evenings.
Click to expand...

Can depend what you're eating, too. (Some things will hit sooner.) And where it is (if you're walking afterwards, for example). If you're having a glass of wine or something with the meal that'll affect it. So it all depends, but 20-30 minutes seems usually about right for me, too, for what it's worth.
 
Other thing to remember about pumping is, if you need extra or less insulin at X o'clock - then you have to change the dose from 2 hours before X.
 
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