For those on fast acting insulin such as Humalog, could you advise when you inject - I tend to wait until i've finished eating but if I'm not careful can leave it a bit late. Is up to 20 mins after meal ok? For buffet meals I tend to wait until after in case I have seconds (happens quite often I'm afraid!).
-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
When to inject fast acting insulin
- Thread starter sweepers
- Start date
- Status
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I'm totally the opposite with my novorapid - I inject at least 15 minutes before eating, unless I'm hovering around 4 in which case I'll inject immediately before eating. It depends on what I'm eating of course - the aim is to try and match the peak of the insulin to the peak point of my food being converted to glucose and raising my blood sugar levels and will vary due to the GL (Glycaemic Load) of the food.
For buffet meals or meals with a high fat content, like pizza, I would probably split my injections so I had some working initially, and then the remainder would catch the late spike of the fatty food (some people find they need to do this with pasta too). I believe this is like doing a 'dual wave' on a pump (but could be wrong!).
If you inject after a meal then your levels will go high before your insulin is working and if you do this often then it will most likely lead you to a higher HbA1c than if you were to time your injections more appropriately.
Hope that makes some kind of sense! 🙂
For buffet meals or meals with a high fat content, like pizza, I would probably split my injections so I had some working initially, and then the remainder would catch the late spike of the fatty food (some people find they need to do this with pasta too). I believe this is like doing a 'dual wave' on a pump (but could be wrong!).
If you inject after a meal then your levels will go high before your insulin is working and if you do this often then it will most likely lead you to a higher HbA1c than if you were to time your injections more appropriately.
Hope that makes some kind of sense! 🙂
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I know quite a few of our members were told to inject after eating, sometimes because they were diagnosed young and they might not have eaten everything they injected for - they then stuck to this as they grew up as they were never told any different. I always eat what I inject for, so it's not a problem for me to inject before - the only time I sometimes have a problem is when I inject and then get distracted so forget I need to eat something, so don't go doing that! 🙂
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I only don't inject before a meal, if I am a bit low (ie 3-point-something) or I'm really not sure about whether I'll like it or not. I usually leave it till the food's on the plate - usually because I need to weigh whatever it is to calculate the carbs in it (cooked rice, pasta, a jacket spud etc)
Buffets, as has been said, get the first plateful, eyeball the carbs and inject, if I have more - inject again if necessary. If I then say hang it and have some pudding that's another jab. Takes 30 seconds, doesn't it? and it isn't every day anyway.
Buffets, as has been said, get the first plateful, eyeball the carbs and inject, if I have more - inject again if necessary. If I then say hang it and have some pudding that's another jab. Takes 30 seconds, doesn't it? and it isn't every day anyway.
MummyRose2009
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I am on Humalog and i have been told 15 minutes before each meal, and then when i have settled into it all i can inject just before eating. Sometimes i just end up doing it just before eating because i haven't timed it properly lol
My son was told to inject 15 mins before eating (Novorapid and now also with Humilin M3) UNLESS you are maybe out for a restaurant meal and (a) not sure if you are going to have a dessert at the beginning in which case inject between courses and (b) because you don't know exactly when the meal is coming so you should then inject ideally as the meal arrives. Unfortunately, having been told this he has got into sloppy habits and hardly ever injects before eating, and as mentioned in a post above, he can then forget to inject at all, or at least until a significant time later, which I am sure isn't helping his HbA1c. It does make logical sense to inject before, as it will give time for the insulin to start working before the food hits your stomach. If you don't, BG levels are going to rise before they start to fall.
Julia
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi Sweepers. I injected as I sat down to eat or immediately after for years (since I was a teenager). No-one told me otherwise. It was only when I discovered this forum that I started injecting before (although not possible all of the time). My DSN brought the subject up recently (having never mentioned timing before) but I had already changed my habits from advice on here. It does make a difference! If I am high and it is possible to, I will inject more like 30-40 mins before. As Northerner says you have to be careful not to get sidetracked. I find it harder at work or if I am on-call, because we don't get any time off for lunch, so I am always on the go.
imtrying
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
it is surprising how we all get told different things.
Sweepers, I too was sold going on MDI (Novorapid) with one of the joys was being able to inject after I've eaten & was told this was the best time to do it....it is frustrating when you do something to try and do as you're told, and then you find out you've been doing it wrong
Even now I still find myself 'scared' to inject pre-meal as my brain thinks I'm going to hypo.
So you are not alone, and I know exactly how frustrating it is. I am trying to change, and I hope you can too. If in doubt as to whether you're going to eat everything, maybe split your dose so you still have some choices, rather than being made to feel like you HAVE to eat everything on your plate.
Good luck.
Sweepers, I too was sold going on MDI (Novorapid) with one of the joys was being able to inject after I've eaten & was told this was the best time to do it....it is frustrating when you do something to try and do as you're told, and then you find out you've been doing it wrong
Even now I still find myself 'scared' to inject pre-meal as my brain thinks I'm going to hypo.
So you are not alone, and I know exactly how frustrating it is. I am trying to change, and I hope you can too. If in doubt as to whether you're going to eat everything, maybe split your dose so you still have some choices, rather than being made to feel like you HAVE to eat everything on your plate.
Good luck.
Copepod
Much missed Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I tend to do the same as Julia, matching time of injecting to situation eg not until I got my tray of food when living in a student hostel, as it was impossible to judge carbohydrate content until I saw the food and the portion sizes (obviously some control over how much, within limits) - would have been caught out badly if I had injected before joining queue on the evening the fire alarm went off and we all stood in street for about 30 mins. When marshalling on races, I don't inject until after eating, as if a team arrives, there may be a need to abandon eating and perhaps move heavy kit etc. When at home eg breakfast or evening meal, I can often inject a few mins before food is ready to eat.
- Status