Rapid insulins (that aren't)

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everydayupsanddowns

everydayupsanddowns

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Apologies for this, just needing to have a bit of a moan.

Have had a bit of a temperature for the last 2 days and unsurprisingly my BGs are significantly up.

I've increased basal, but of course, because it's Lantus this will have little if any effect for another 2 days, possibly 4 days, by which time I'd hope I'll be feeling better and would need to reduce it again.

In the meantime I'm fire-fighting with extra 'rapid-acting'. Except that it just completely isn't. I know I usually have to wait a little while at breakfast, but today I was 11.9mmol/L at 1pm. I injected twice my usual amount of Humalog and waited 50 minutes. At 1:50pm I was 12.0mmol/L. 2 hours later I'd hoped that some of the correction dose might have kicked in, but no. I'm now up at 13.0mmol/L so I've bunged in another 6 unit correction (almost unheard of for me, 3 units being my usual 'no-hypo' ceiling).

I think I'm going to have to move to Levemir when I next have a clinic appointment. If I can't adjust my basal more rapidly to take care of background levels I may as well be bolusing water. :(

</rant>

Thanks. That feels better.
M
 
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I'm guessing you mean moving to levemir Mike 🙂 It's so hard when you have even the slightest of illnesses isn't it? I found that out a few weeks ago when I thought I was being really aggressive and overtreating the highs, but in fact it appeared as though I was being cautious! I'm not so sure about this 2/3 day thing with lantus, to be honest. I think if you are on fairly small doses then an adjustment does have an effect fairly quickly - certainly does with me. I can adjust it and see a difference the next day - but we are all different of course.

Hope you get over the lurgy quickly! 🙂
 
Sorry you're having a hard time, Mike.

I find the higher my BG, the more resistant I am to insulin. Being ill also makes me more resistant - so under these circumstances my correction factor would probably end up 3/4 times what it normally is.

My only advice is go with it. If you need twice as much insulin as normal to bring BG down, don't worry about it. Once the temperature leaves you it'll start to get back to normal.

I definitely think Levemir would be worth a try. The delay with Lantus can be sooo frustrating.

Hope you feel better soon!
 
Can only agree with Emma. Give yoruself whatever your body needs and don't worry too much about running high for 2 or 3 days.

Not sure of the differences between lantus and levemir other than spelling. Good luck with it and make sure you disinfect your hands before typing. 😱

Rob
 
Thanks peeps.

Still on the plus side, no hypos so far this week :D
 
One of the things that really bugged me about lantus was the delay in effect of changing a dose - it used to take 4 days for me to see an effect, and like you say, usually by that time whatever caused you to make the change had passed! 🙄

I had issues with levemir (mainly in that it didn't work...😛) so I had to stick with lantus until I moved to my pump, but I know several people on my DAFNE course switched, mainly for the increased flexibility of levemir, and they seemed happy on it. 🙂
 
I know your not on a pump - but, now Alex is, we have realised just how much extra insulin is needed for illness - even a cold. Last time Alex was ill he was on 400% basal - so it shows you just how resistant you can be...😱🙂Bev
 
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