Hi, newly diagnosed type 1 in June this year at 49 years of age. Since diagnosis I’ve pretty much injected slow insulin at 10pm and done three ‘fast injections before each meal. For last three months I’ve also injected fast insulin before bedtime as BG starting to rise so 4 fast injections each day. However now I feel I’ve stabilised I’m wondering is it ok to regularly inject extra fast insulin between meals if I feel like more food? I know I have to account for insulin on board. It’s usually in the evening an hour or two after my main meal. If I feel like more dessert can I just inject more fast insulin an hour or two after my ‘main meal’ dose or is this a bad idea long term due to fatty deposits at injection sites, or does it not really matter anyway as I’m 49 and it will take years (dunno if that is true) for these fatty deposits at injection sites to build up anyway! Just don’t want to have problems later with insulin not working as well as I’ve ‘over injected’ now. Hope this makes sense. Basically i guess what I’m asking is on average how many times do type 1’s typically inject their fast insulin each day - just before each meal and rigid with this (?) or regularly between meals as well? Thanks and wishing you a very happy Christmas, Andy
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Ok to inject more than 4x/day??
- Thread starter Andywidd
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Inka
Well-Known Member
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- Type 1
You can inject fast insulin as many times as you want/need @Andywidd eg when you’re ill you might need to do a number of corrections over 24hrs. You can also inject for snacks. The only thing to watch is the insulin you already have working. You don’t want to ‘stack’ it and have a hypo.
On my pump, I have numerous tiny injections every day. It’s not a problem having 4, 5, 6 or whatever fast-acting injections, but do be cautious and always remember when you last injected.
On my pump, I have numerous tiny injections every day. It’s not a problem having 4, 5, 6 or whatever fast-acting injections, but do be cautious and always remember when you last injected.
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Yes you can!
But as you’ve said, and @Inka has reiterated, you need to bear in mind how much insulin is ‘on board’ and whatever food is still being digested, and bear in mind that two doses overlapping can add to more than the sum of their parts because of the way insulin has an onset with not much happening, a peak of activity for a certain duration, and then a gradual fade which is probably much longer than you think (up to 5+ hours). If your timings get both peaks aligning, you can end up with more insulin action than perhaps you need, leading to a crash… but then a rise later when the carbs in the larger meal finally catch up.
It is certainly doable, and it’s a very powerful strategy, but it’s going to take some experimentation, because things behave differently for different people, and no one will be able to tell you exactly what to do. You have to cautiously experiment, and try things for yourself. 🙂
But as you’ve said, and @Inka has reiterated, you need to bear in mind how much insulin is ‘on board’ and whatever food is still being digested, and bear in mind that two doses overlapping can add to more than the sum of their parts because of the way insulin has an onset with not much happening, a peak of activity for a certain duration, and then a gradual fade which is probably much longer than you think (up to 5+ hours). If your timings get both peaks aligning, you can end up with more insulin action than perhaps you need, leading to a crash… but then a rise later when the carbs in the larger meal finally catch up.
It is certainly doable, and it’s a very powerful strategy, but it’s going to take some experimentation, because things behave differently for different people, and no one will be able to tell you exactly what to do. You have to cautiously experiment, and try things for yourself. 🙂
trophywench
Well-Known Member
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- Type 1
Re the fatty lumps, or indeed the opposite where you destroy the fat and create hollows instead of lumps, are both caused by injecting far too often, far too close to the same place or places. So - don't! If you ever think, Is this too close? err on the side of caution and move the needle tip further away !
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