Oh Dear, Levemir

[MeanMom]

K up late this morning as. Usual on Saturday(9.30)

Tested 24😱 Aperently when she injected her Levemir last night the pen 'went funny ' but she thought it injected OK Looks like it had come unscrewed and plunger didn't work properly /at all.


She has injected half her days Levemir this morning, plus Novo for her small Bfast and 3 adjustments. I didn't want to get carried away with adjustments. She has just tested again and is 18.7 She doesn't want to test for Ketones but I cAnt smell any and I am making her drink a lot. She is in the shower now and then we will have an early lunch( we have a friend coming round for Xmas meal tonite).

Thought I would see what the lunch reading was - imagine around 18 still and give extra novo again - she will still have her breakfAst dose on board tho' so I don't want to get carried away and bring her crashing down and spoil her evening.

We usually say 1 unit per 3 for a correction but I think it should be 1 unit per 2 really (was going to discuss with clinic next visit as K doesn't agree). I'm thinking therefore have 3 more adjustments with lunch and test again in a couple of hours?

She feels fine by the way - 🙄

 

[Robster65]

Sounds like you've been sensible with it. I would do much the same.

The shower will have an effect but not sure wether upward or down, depending on how much insulin and carb on board and what way the wind's blowing, etc.🙄

Best thing is to encourage testing and, as you say, correct with lunch jab. I wouldn't worry too much about ketones now she has insulin on board. They're more of an issue, I think, when it's been high for a while and isn't coming down.

Hope the pen behaves from now on. Have you a spare ? If not, order one from your nurse pronto with chrimbo coming.🙂

Rob

 

[Copepod]

Too late now, but another option would have been to inject half normal Levemir evening dose on rising and discovering high blood glucose and realising that evening dose had "failed".

As that's not an option at this time, you're doing all the right things. 🙂

Agree with Rob - make sure you have a spare pen available in reserve at all times.

 

[MeanMom]

Thanks Rob and Copepod -.

Copepod I'm sorry I didn't make it clear😱 but she did have half her evening dose of Levemir when she got up (she notmally only injects Levemir once a day at bed time) - so we did get that bit right too - phew🙂

We do not have a spare pen for Levemir as such but we do have two pens (one for each insulin type) so in a emergency we could swap over the insulins. We do also have some disposable pens we were given at Dx (they are in the fridge) but think they will go out of date soon so I will ask for a spare next time we go to clinic - the Novo pen is getting a bit tatty looking and I think a bit 'stiff' too.

Reading 16 at lunch so I think another 3 units adjustments are required?

 

[Robster65]

Thanks Rob and Copepod -.

Copepod I'm sorry I didn't make it clear😱 but she did have half her evening dose of Levemir when she got up (she notmally only injects Levemir once a day at bed time) - so we did get that bit right too - phew🙂

We do not have a spare pen for Levemir as such but we do have two pens (one for each insulin type) so in a emergency we could swap over the insulins. We do also have some disposable pens we were given at Dx (they are in the fridge) but think they will go out of date soon so I will ask for a spare next time we go to clinic - the Novo pen is getting a bit tatty looking and I think a bit 'stiff' too.

Reading 16 at lunch so I think another 3 units adjustments are required?

You're best placed to decide on the amount of units. Go with what you know and it'll do the job. As long it comes down eventually, it's not going to do damage over a few hours at those levels, just as an occasional thing.

Deffo get a spare for the cupboard.

I've got a drawer full of old, defunct pens as well as one for my current humapen. It's like a museum.

Rob

 

[Copepod]

Thanks Rob and Copepod -.

Copepod I'm sorry I didn't make it clear😱 but she did have half her evening dose of Levemir when she got up (she notmally only injects Levemir once a day at bed time) - so we did get that bit right too - phew🙂

We do not have a spare pen for Levemir as such but we do have two pens (one for each insulin type) so in a emergency we could swap over the insulins. We do also have some disposable pens we were given at Dx (they are in the fridge) but think they will go out of date soon so I will ask for a spare next time we go to clinic - the Novo pen is getting a bit tatty looking and I think a bit 'stiff' too.

Reading 16 at lunch so I think another 3 units adjustments are required?

Sorry, too, I wasn't clear that this morning's dose was as usual or part replacement for last night's omitted dose. Was this morning's dose properly dispensed by the pen? You can also ask for disposable syringes (100 units in 1ml) as back up - you can draw up insulin through rubber cap of cartridge (whether removed from pen or still in pen) and then inject. I still have unused syringes that are years old, and they still work.

 

[trophywench]

Syringes go 'out of date' though too Copepod - more to do with the lubricant than anything else - and you don't want to be injecting lubricant with your insulin, or finding the plunger jams halfway, it's a PITA cos I've had it happen! (the jamming, who knows about the other)

 

[Robster65]

Syringes go 'out of date' though too Copepod - more to do with the lubricant than anything else - and you don't want to be injecting lubricant with your insulin, or finding the plunger jams halfway, it's a PITA cos I've had it happen! (the jamming, who knows about the other)

Memories...

WOuldn't be a bad idea to get me some plastipaks for the drawer. I've not had a pen/needle/penfill failure for some years so I must be due a biggy anytime soon.

And used syringes are excellent for injecting watered down wallpaper paste behind any bubbles in newly hung wallpaper. FACT !😉

Rob

 

[Copepod]

Syringes go 'out of date' though too Copepod - more to do with the lubricant than anything else - and you don't want to be injecting lubricant with your insulin, or finding the plunger jams halfway, it's a PITA cos I've had it happen! (the jamming, who knows about the other)

Agreed, syringes can go out of date, but can keep packet for "use before" date, plus can try the plunger before commiting to use it!

Like Robster, I have used them for removing fluid from blisters in skin or attending to wallpaper blisters or getting supaglue into small gaps! Not the same syringe for all those uses, I hasten to add, but even out of date syringes still have non medical uses!

 

[Robster65]

Agreed, syringes can go out of date, but can keep packet for "use before" date, plus can try the plunger before commiting to use it!

Like Robster, I have used them for removing fluid from blisters in skin or attending to wallpaper blisters or getting supaglue into small gaps! Not the same syringe for all those uses, I hasten to add, but even out of date syringes still have non medical uses!

Also essential for poorly/young animals that need syringe feeding/medicating.

Rob

 

[trophywench]

Well you can get 'babies medicine syringes' from Boots Robster - use and lob in Milton type of thing, dry and keep to use again. Is one in my kitchen drawer that I bought earlier this year having need of a 10ml measure!

 

[Robster65]

Well you can get 'babies medicine syringes' from Boots Robster - use and lob in Milton type of thing, dry and keep to use again. Is one in my kitchen drawer that I bought earlier this year having need of a 10ml measure!

Yes. We have a couple too !

But then discovered our local feed merchant sells them for injecting livestock, so we grabbed a handful of 5ml and 10ml when we had a plethora of little hogs who wouldn't eat. They soon got a taste for cat food and lactose free cheese whizzed up with some warm water. Mmmm. Lovely. 😛

I used to buy the plastipak insulin syringes (with fixed needle) from boots before they were prescribable. Or rather my dad did, but I'd get them.

Rob

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I've just asked for syringes to go back on my repeat. Since the switch to pumping I'd much rather have a couple of teeny tiny syringes to carry as an emergency backup delivery device than having to worry about carting round a humungous pen. Plus the fact that having to keep 'in use' pens out of the fridge would certainly mean that most of the cart would go off before it was needed again.

M

 

[Robster65]

I've just asked for syringes to go back on my repeat. Since the switch to pumping I'd much rather have a couple of teeny tiny syringes to carry as an emergency backup delivery device than having to worry about carting round a humungous pen. Plus the fact that having to keep 'in use' pens out of the fridge would certainly mean that most of the cart would go off before it was needed again.

M

Probably an idea to carry a letter or some ID showing you're diabetic just in case of stop and search. Not sure how theyd be received in some circumstances.😱

Rob

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Ah that's another benefit of a pump you see... Very visible, very 'not normal' and very 'medical' looking 🙂

 

[trophywench]

Ah that's another benefit of a pump you see... Very visible, very 'not normal' and very 'medical' looking 🙂

Well the pump isn't - but the tubing and cannula are!