timing of basal dose??

[Northerner]

I'm no expert, being new and all, but they told me if I squeezed to get the blood drop after the prick there's a big risk of not getting "whole" blood and then you get really funny readings. (They only told me after I'd got the really funny readings and phoned them) Also, what's all this about basal not lasting ? The blurb said it kicks in after about two hours and then lasts 20 - 26 hours (Lantus). I believed that till now, is it really not true? What time then does one take the basal? Is the dose different for each one of us or is there a common(ish) sort of number? (Mine's 24)

Apparently, if you have to squeeze too hard to get the blood drop then you also get some of the interstitial fluid which can corrupt the purity of the blood, hence a skewiff reading. Getting the blood from other areas i.e. not fingertips carries a greater risk of this.

Lantus is supposed to have no peak and last around 24 hours, in an 'ideal' patient, but as you will find, we're all different! For me, I suspect that it last about 20 hours, with a bit of an initial peak, so I'm currently investigating changes to doses and injection times. I was on 20 units, but tonight I will be trying 19 to see if it makes the hoped for difference and stops me going hypo in the night.

Takes a while to get used to it all - I'm still learning after 8 months, but getting great support and advice here - I'm sure you will too!🙂

 

[aymes]

Hi Tracey

Your basal dose doesn't actually last 24 hours so if you're high in the evening ie 11.4 before bed it could be that your basal has run out. And if you keep increasing it, that could be causing the night hypos which, if untreated, ie you don't wake up and eat something, could be the reason why you are high in the morning.



Swarbs x

I'm fairly lucky in that my basal (lantus) does last the full 24 hours for me. I suspect it is even longer as there have been a couple of occasions when I've forgotton to take it but still kept very steady with the sort of readings I would have expected if I'd taken it!

thanks that helps a lot. I think my hypo the other night was due to my increase in exercise around tea time! I was told by the doctors about reducing insulin pre exercise and took this to mean fast acting. Infact Im sure thats what they meant.??

do you also reduce fast acting insulin pre or post exercise. ? As well as basal. I did reduce fast acting after the exercise but generally dont the meal before as I dont always know what, or how much exercise I will be doing, I usually have a snack pre exercise in this case.

For exercise you need to 'free up' some carbs so that can either be by reducing your quick acting before exercise so those carbs are available or by having a snack before you start. If of course you havent planned the exercise then your only real option is likely to be the snack. For day to day short exercise I wouldn't usually reduce by basal, personally, but I do if I'm going to be doing prolonged exercise such as when I did a half marathon, moving house, a day of walking etc...

 

[tracey w]

I'm no expert, being new and all, but they told me if I squeezed to get the blood drop after the prick there's a big risk of not getting "whole" blood and then you get really funny readings. (They only told me after I'd got the really funny readings and phoned them) Also, what's all this about basal not lasting ? The blurb said it kicks in after about two hours and then lasts 20 - 26 hours (Lantus). I believed that till now, is it really not true? What time then does one take the basal? Is the dose different for each one of us or is there a common(ish) sort of number? (Mine's 24)

I am really no expert, but you are on a different basal insulin to me. they all last different intervals, some are fla and others have a peak. It is easy to get confused at first.

Thanks for info on squeezing, I didnt know that. I always squeeze, will try not to.

 

[tracey w]

I'm fairly lucky in that my basal (lantus) does last the full 24 hours for me. I suspect it is even longer as there have been a couple of occasions when I've forgotton to take it but still kept very steady with the sort of readings I would have expected if I'd taken it!




For exercise you need to 'free up' some carbs so that can either be by reducing your quick acting before exercise so those carbs are available or by having a snack before you start. If of course you havent planned the exercise then your only real option is likely to be the snack. For day to day short exercise I wouldn't usually reduce by basal, personally, but I do if I'm going to be doing prolonged exercise such as when I did a half marathon, moving house, a day of walking etc...

thanks aymes, I usually just do the snack thing mostly, unless my reading is quite high to start on. also I was told not to exercise above 10? why is this. Im certqinly not going to not do it iif it is a high number, as if you need any more excuses not to exercise!🙄

 

[Copepod]

exercise and diabetes and insulin

If blood glucose is already above 10, then exercising may cause it to rise higher. More info on exercise and diabetes at www.runsweet.com

 

[aymes]

thanks aymes, I usually just do the snack thing mostly, unless my reading is quite high to start on. also I was told not to exercise above 10? why is this. Im certqinly not going to not do it iif it is a high number, as if you need any more excuses not to exercise!🙄

If it's too high then there is a chance that there is not enought insulin in your system so exercise may cause your bg to rise higher and you may develop ketones also.

 

[tracey w]

If blood glucose is already above 10, then exercising may cause it to rise higher. More info on exercise and diabetes at www.runsweet.com

thanks, I will check out this website
🙂

 

[tracey w]

If it's too high then there is a chance that there is not enought insulin in your system so exercise may cause your bg to rise higher and you may develop ketones also.

thanks, makes sense. for me though, even 20 mins exercise can drop me by around 6/8 approximately, so I presume I have enough insulin kicking around, just that I have eaten not long before exercising, usually 2 - 3 hours? Complicated isnt it? thanks for your help it is appreciated. dont think I will be doing any marathons though!!