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Insukin not working?

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

Merryterry

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi there to all forum members from Merryterry. Now 87 and been a type 1 Diabetic for some 50 years. I am having a problem at the moment. My Actrapid Insulin does not seem to be working. Changed my stes. No good. Checked expiry dates. OK.
For example I had light breakfast of High Fibre Bran and 2 slices of Wholemeal Bread at 9.30am Gave myelf12 units of Actrapid and yet I am 15.7 Mmols at 12pm. What couldbe going wrong?
 
Have you changed your pen?
Whilst your insulin may be in date, it may have been stored incorrectly before you got it or the pen may not be delivering insulin correctly.

The other thing to consider is whether you are unwell or your body is fighting an illness without any symptoms which can raise your levels. But I would change the pen/insulin first.
 
Welcome @Merryterry 🙂 Definitely change your insulin to fresh pens/cartridges/vials. When did this start? What would your blood sugar normally be after that breakfast? What basal/background/slow-acting insulin do you take?

Illness is a possible cause, as @helli said, also it might just be that the injection site you chose had poor absorption. I find that sometimes. There’s nothing obviously wrong to look at or to feel, but some areas seem to not work well.
 
If I remember right you can check insulin delivery from pens by dialling up 20u and filling the needle cap which should come up to the marked line.

Hope you find the reason soon @Merryterry

Has this been going on for long?

It may be that you could ask about switching to a different insulin if the situation continues? Actrapid is a human rna version, there‘s a newer and slightly faster analogue NovoRapid, and other even faster insulins these days.

Certainly worth asking your Dr if the situation continues!
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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