More Hypos Than Normal

[Paul Goldie]

So, I am just wondering if anyone else sees this. I have worked out my insulin/carb ratio and use this for every meal and it works within reason. However, this week i have started using a new out the box Novorapid pen and althought using my usual insulin/carb ratio I have suffered several hypos, something (touch wood) i dont suffer from normally and the only thing i can think of casuing this is the new pen but not sure how this could be. has anyone else experienced difference between insulin pens?

 

[rebrascora]

Many of us find that we need less insuin in this hot weather, so yes, I had 3 hypos yesterday alone and 2 near misses.and that was despite a reduction in my basal insulin dose. I was also more active yesterday so factors into it and of course the days are longer so we try to fit more into them. Most f us find that it is our basal insulin ie Lantus in your case which needs adjusting but if you are not confident to adjust your basal insulin yourself then discuss it with your nurse. Usually it is suggested a 10% reduction and then give it 3 days to see how that works. So I dropped mine from 24 units to 22 but I am likely going to need a further reduction.

 

[SB2015]

I am another one effected by the heat and needing less insulin. With this intense heat it could be that.
How was your insulin collected and transported home? Was that in very hot weather. Unlikely but it could make it less effective if it was out of the fridge for a while. (the worst we did was leave it in the glove box of our car, which is the cool place, but it stayed there overnight. Not so cools without the engine running)

 

[Paul Goldie]

thanks for your respones. my insulin was collected and brought straight home and put back in the fridge and then the pen taken out and kept out once started which is what i always do.

I understand about the weather but have never had this improved reaction to insulin in previous hot weather or even on holidays. Current pen is from the same box as others which havent affected me like this pen has.

 

[rebrascora]

Diabetes is contrary. If yours has been predictable until now you are probably lucky. I have to adjust my basal doses very frequently in response to changes in exercise and hormones and illness.... not that I am ill very often.

 

[rebrascora]

Just out of curiosity, can I ask what sort of doses you take?
Looking at your stats I see your HbA1c shot up between 2020 and 2021 to a very high level which is unusual for Type 2 unless your diet went radically down the pan but can sometimes indicates Type 1 rather than Type 2, so I was just wondering if you were needing large doses which would indicate the insulin resistance associated with Type 2 or more normal Type 1 doses.

 

[Inka]

thanks for your respones. my insulin was collected and brought straight home and put back in the fridge and then the pen taken out and kept out once started which is what i always do.

I understand about the weather but have never had this improved reaction to insulin in previous hot weather or even on holidays. Current pen is from the same box as others which havent affected me like this pen has.

Possibly your old pen’s insulin had slightly degraded and gradually become a little less effective. Then the new, fresh pen was fully active insulin so you noticed the sudden change. That and the heat could be an explanation.

 

[Paul Goldie]

Just out of curiosity, can I ask what sort of doses you take?
Looking at your stats I see your HbA1c shot up between 2020 and 2021 to a very high level which is unusual for Type 2 unless your diet went radically down the pan but can sometimes indicates Type 1 rather than Type 2, so I was just wondering if you were needing large doses which would indicate the insulin resistance associated with Type 2 or more normal Type 1 doses.

Hi, it is because of that increase between 2020 and 2021 that i am now on insulin, prior to January 2022 is was on medication only but ended up in hospital in January 2022 with ketonacidosis and was then put on insuilin. They believe that having covid in auguast 2021 is what fianlly killed my pancreas completely hence the high HbA1c in novemebr that year but my GP practice didnt act on it. my ususal ICR is 1/5 of novorapid and i take 25 units of lantus at night.

 

[trophywench]

Having successfully used Novorapid since c.1998, I agree too much insulin at the moment , so personally I would

EITHER
reduce the doses for meals by 10% - so calculate the dose using your usual method then whatever the product of the sum is, knock off 10% and inject that lower amount. If you are using Flexpens you can only adjust dosages by 1u at a time - so round it down. Try that for 3 or 4 days.

OR
reduce Lantus dose by 10% hence = 22u.

BUT!!! - not both together otherwise you won't be able to tell which one worked or didn't.

 

[VICTOR HILL]

Having successfully used Novorapid since c.1998, I agree too much insulin at the moment , so personally I would

EITHER
reduce the doses for meals by 10% - so calculate the dose using your usual method then whatever the product of the sum is, knock off 10% and inject that lower amount. If you are using Flexpens you can only adjust dosages by 1u at a time - so round it down. Try that for 3 or 4 days.

OR
reduce Lantus dose by 10% hence = 22u.

BUT!!! - not both together otherwise you won't be able to tell which one worked or didn't.

HI TROPHYWRENCH WISE WORD INDEED
JUST HAD 5 DAYS ON HOLIDAY IN THE HEAT USEING NOVARAPID IN ACC -CHECK PUMP
FORGOT HOT RULES So to say the least been up and down like a yo yo now home and cooler but have reduced BASEL BY 20 % and keeping to sticking to as near carbs as one can ie on boxes tins and pack ref carbs or by checking on so called SMART PHONE
I WONDER WHAT are your rules on hot weather also kidney transplant and lyphnomy ops all success
keep smiling my dear VIC old 64 years on insulin freestyle plus common sense