Maximum Insulin

[Purls of Wisdom]

Calling all T1D sufferers,

How much QA insulin have you taken at one given meal time?

Thanks. X

 

[Inka]

It depends on ratio and what I’m about to eat. I think the maximum for me was probably 12 or so units normally, but when I was pregnant and had the associated insulin resistance, my max was around 20 units for a meal.

You need what you need 🙂

 

[helli]

@Purls of Wisdom why are you asking?
Are you just curious or are you concerned about how much you take?

If the former, my insulin pump is set not to give any more than 20 units at a time but I am not sure if I have ever taken more than half of that in one go even when I eat a whole pizza.

If the latter, you need as much as you need. It doesn't matter what others take.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Most insulin pumps have a limit set (though this may be ridiculously generous for some people, and very modest for others).

Some people with T1 have a degree of insulin resistance, which can mean they need larger doses. As others have said - you need what you need.

Some clinicians suggest that larger doses may not absorb as predictably, and some insulin can go ‘missing’ or must not absorbif a larger volume is delivered.

Additionally if a larger dose is being delivered to cover a larger meal, timing of the dose can become tricky. Larger meals generally digest over a longer period, so it can be helpful to spread a big dose for a larger meal (perhaps several courses eaten over a longer period too), into smaller doses taken at appropriate intervals.

 

[Purls of Wisdom]

@Purls of Wisdom why are you asking?
Are you just curious or are you concerned about how much you take?

If the former, my insulin pump is set not to give any more than 20 units at a time but I am not sure if I have ever taken more than half of that in one go even when I eat a whole pizza.

If the latter, you need as much as you need. It doesn't matter what others take.

Just curious, nothing more. Thanks.

 

[eggyg]

I think the most I ever inject is 10 units. That’s for the odd time I have two slices of toast for breakfast. Insulin resistance. My ratio first thing is 1:5, the rest of the day is the bog standard 1:10. I sometimes inject up to 10 for half a portion of fish and chips but quite often split it so it’s for the same meal but not at the same time.

 

[rebrascora]

I think a Chinese banquet might have taken as much as 12 but it was in dribs and drabs over a period of several hours. I think there was a correction involved up front as well.

I did once inject 24 units of bolus insulin instead of my basal.... that was seriously scary!!

Mostly I inject between 1 and 6 units and at the top end it will usually be partly correction for a high starting reading.

 

[Sally71]

My daughter’s first pump was set at a maximum bolus size of 12 because she was only 6 at diagnosis, by the time that pump was replaced when she was 10 we were quite often hitting the maximum and having to do two boluses! (Unfortunately the max bolus wasn’t something that was easily changed on that pump.). The two pumps since then have been set at the default maximum of 25 I think and she never gets anywhere near that even though some of her meals are quite carb heavy. I think the biggest ones were for things like buffets and parties.

 

[nonethewiser]

On pump so have max dose set at 14, usual dose for meals is 5 or 6 units, dose is higher for higher carb meals & difficult meals like those that are higher in fat & protein, then dose is spread over several hours.