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MDI Users

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Kaylz

Kaylz

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Those of you on MDI (or have been even) have you ever dosed your basal in half units? I haven't finished my pens yet but I just wonder whether it is worth changing in half units when the time comes (as we all know it will 🙄 lol) TIA 🙂
xx
 
How much is your basal? The general rule of thumb from our consultant is that if you need to increase your dose under 10 units you increase by half a unit but once you’re over 10 you increase by a full unit each time so there’s no need for half units (we have novo pens with tresiba so have the capacity for half units but use whole units now). Does that help?
 
13 at the moment but it isn't quite right (or something isn't anyway lol) see I don't want to go full units as that's where I've had problems in the past dropping from say the likes of 10 to in the 5's which is fine there but obviously not if I was lower at the time, its Tresiba I'm on and will also be the Nove Pen Echo, I have it all here but got 2 pens in the fridge I don't want to waste obviously xx
 
At your doses that sounds like a very good idea. Tbh, for most T1s, I can’t see how having a half unit pen could be a bad thing, because at least you have the option of a half unit if you need it.

Pump basals are tweakable in such tiny margins that I frequently change my total dose over 12 hours by a fraction of a unit.

And you’ve already had experience of 1 unit being a bit too much of a change.

I’d say go for it - even if you get some raised eyebrows. Your diabetes. Your rules.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
At your doses that sounds like a very good idea. Tbh, for most T1s, I can’t see how having a half unit pen could be a bad thing, because at least you have the option of a half unit if you need it.

Pump basals are tweakable in such tiny margins that I frequently change my total dose over 12 hours by a fraction of a unit.

And you’ve already had experience of 1 unit being a bit too much of a change.

I’d say go for it - even if you get some raised eyebrows. Your diabetes. Your rules.
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Yeah I though about the likes of you guys being able to tweak by like 0.1U etc

Its a change as it is as up until the end of last year I only needed 1 unit of Tresiba haha, I use the Echo for my bolus as it is so its not like its anything new to me

Cheers Mike 🙂
xx
 
Can’t really comment on Tresiba, as I only tried it for a short while. The half unit pen has been great for me. I split my Levemir and it’s really helped with tweaking nighttime units especially. At the moment 2 units working fine, 2.5 sees me going low, but when I do need to go up a bit 1 unit is too much. Dropped daytime Levemir by half a unit at the weekend.

As Mike says, give it a go. You know what you’re doing and you have the Libre to keep an eye on what’s happening.
 
Try it and see. We were told to look at the waking/prebreakfast reading to get an idea of whether the tresiba dose is right (we’re supposed to aim for under 6 for tight control but often don’t get there as she keeps growing 😉) and then to change ratios for meals if the rest of the readings are off. Obviously the basal will have some impact on the rest of the day too so it can be a bit of trial and error to get the right balance. Don’t forget changes to tresiba take a good 3 or so days to show so be patient.
 
@Thebearcametoo thanks, yes I know as I've been on it 3 years, it was really just a do people do half units of basal on mdi as some are against it xx
 
I'm using an Echo pen for my Tresiba, and I'm currently on 5.5 units - my dose varies from about 4 to 6 units and I change it up or down half a unit quite frequently
 
@TheClockworkDodo fab thanks, that's all the info I was looking for really 🙂 xx
 
TheClockworkDodo said:
I'm using an Echo pen for my Tresiba, and I'm currently on 5.5 units - my dose varies from about 4 to 6 units and I change it up or down half a unit quite frequently
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may I ask just how frequently you need to adjust it? I just get a feeling that being on a certain amount for so long and the fact its so long acting you kind of get a build up after so long (if you get what I mean) and need to reduce for a while, do you get that feeling too or is it just me? xx
 
Yep I use a half unit pen which is a Echo and like wise use Tresiba. Have found it very useful just to fine tune things. I dont change often myself mainly because for me it can take 3-5 days for any effect to work through the system using Tresiba.
 
Kaylz said:
may I ask just how frequently you need to adjust it? I just get a feeling that being on a certain amount for so long and the fact its so long acting you kind of get a build up after so long (if you get what I mean) and need to reduce for a while, do you get that feeling too or is it just me? xx
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I hadn't thought about it quite that way, but I certainly go through phases of needing a bit more or a bit less, and it's often difficult to tell why. I should think I adjust it about once a month or so normally. Occasionally I have to put it up (or down) and then a few days later I have to put it up (or down) again, sometimes even a third time - and often then I have to almost immediately do the reverse, but when that happens I wouldn't adjust more frequently than once every four days, for the same reason as @Schrodinger
 
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