Steve, here is what I know about insulins and insulin pumps. Please consult your doctor for more details:
Insulins:
Novolog (aspart),onset 5-10 mins, peak 1-3 hrs, duration 3-5 hrs
Humalog (lispro), onset <15 mins, peak .5-1.5 hrs, duration 2-4
Regular, onset .
The problem is that I am on an insulin pump. I know this stuff is different than what I was taking (Humalog, or the equivelent Novolog), but I don't know what it is going to do to me. My doctor isn't knowledgable and I'm stuck with her. I can't go anywhere else. My question is, what's it gonna do to my blood sugars if I have this stuff being pumped in me every 3 min at the same basal and bolus rates as Humalog? I just had to start it today.
Not that I would use this sensitivity calculation to get the amount of insulin I would need to lower my BG (fear of over-bolus because I have insulin still in me). My pump does that calculation and so far has kept me in the mid-80s to lmid-90s reliably. Just wanted to know what the general ratio was out of curiosity.
I use a sliding scale of Humalog at mealtimes and I use 14 units of Lantis each evening. Lantis is a 24 cylce insulin or a long acting insulin where Humalog is short term or short acting insulin. But this just shows you that different people have different needs. Before I used Lantis I used to use NPH-which is a shorter long acting inuslin-more like 8 hours. Have you tried giving your Novolin before you eat?
Also, I am sure you have also heard of other insulin types such as lantus and humalog. You see, as I mentioned my boy recently went on the pump. Well, my sister (who starts the pump this Friday!), is currently on lantus (she takes a shot at bedtime) and then humalog for a correction, as well as humalog to cover what she eats.
My daughter is currently on the insulin pump and only goes on Lantus/Humalog when her pump is malfunctioning. Thankfully (for us), this hasn't happened in so long that I cannot remember what the formula is to calculate the lantus. I do remember that prior to going on the pump, her endocrinologist switched her lantus shot from AM to PM as her morning bg's were higher than they wanted them.
It would involve one daily injection of a long-acting insulin like Lantus, which has a flat action profile over 24 hours. And a shot of Humalog or Novolog before each meal. Doing this would minimise the carb/insulin mismatch when you skip a meal.
The basal/bolus regimen would give you more flexibility and better control. You may want to discuss this with your doctor.
I am waiting for supplies to come that will allow me to change from shots to the pump, but in the meantime, my after dinner blood sugars still dive very quickly. I cut my Humalog and NPH doses in half and eliminated the use of Ultralente but I am still having the same problem. My blood sugar will go down 100-150 mg/dL or more within an hour of eating (even when eating carb-rich meals). No matter what I seem to do, this trend occurs. Are there any other individuals with this problem?
Lantus is a long acting insulin that has no peak it gives you a steady basal rate similar to the insulin pump. I realize that it is hard to trust the the insulin enought to not have a snack, but it does work, and it is hard to resist the urge to react to the number.
When my daughter started the pump, it took us a while to adjust to the fact that you do not have to eat unless you are hungry, that we did not have to chase the insulin or give extra.
Did your doctor put you on a certain diet and are you following that diet? I am on an insulin pump and I only weigh 120 lbs. I am 28 years old and have been diabetic for 10 years now. It takes time to get everyhting figured out but you may consider talking ot a nutrionist for some healthy snack ideas and a weight loss or fitness group that may help you to obtain the size you would like to be! You can do it..Good luck.
Me Endo is now talking about putting me on an insulin pump. She says she has 2 patients who have switched to the pump and had great success. Right now I am on Lantus 30 units AM and 40 PM and Humalog three time a day depending on the my carb intake.
Is anyone out there on a pump with type 2 diabetes?
I have been on insulin for nearly 38 years and am lucky enough to have no complications so believe I have managed my control pretty well. However since starting to use Lantus (and I was one of the first users in the UK) I have stopped having real problems with hypos but have had great problems with consistency of delivery. I want to find out whether this is just me (and I do not think so) and how many other diabetics are having similar problems and what they are doing about it.
I am a 28 year old female diabetic who was diagnosed when I was 9. I used to be on a regimen where I used both Regular, NPH, and Humalog to balance my blood sugars but it required a lot of effort and a lot of test strips which are so expensive, even with insurance! In January 2005, my endocrinologist started me on Lantus to try to find some balance with my sugars. My a1c readings have been under 6.
t recommend suspending your pump when you exercise. My son really never suspends his pump. Insulin does work more efficiently when you exercise which may result in lower blood sugars. Also, exercise takes some glucose out of the body to use for energy during and after exercise which also lowers blood sugars. So instead of suspending, you may want to use a temp basal.
Many times the sugar goes up right after exercise due to the glucose being released from the muscles.
I am not sick or pregnant and have not changed anything in my lifestyle or diet. It was pretty bad for two days and yesterday was a little more normal.
Anyway, I am willing to give this Lantus more time to work out since not having to think about it until bedtime is a great load off and if I can experiment with that special nighttime lapse time period awhile using intermediate insulins or Humalog maybe. Does anyone just take a small snack and some Humalog? I think I will discover some workable routine -- or my doctor will! Thank you again! This posting board is a great tool - I rarely meet or talk with insulin dependent diabetics.
I have a question for you, are you on a pump? My nephew was on a pump like I am. The pump is filled with Humalog which works right now, so being without it all night and half the next day was why his sugars were so high. My nephew John was sick but coherent so when his monitor read 256, we thought he had the flu and so did the ER until blood was drawn, over 1800.
Humalog is a fast acting insulin. Typically it is taken before meals - up to 15 minutes before (not after) to match the amount of carbs eaten. It's duration of action is 3 - 5 hours, with most of the action in the first 2 hours.
You need to work out a carb:insulin ratio (ie. how much Humalog you need to cover how much carbs/ protein).
If you are going low overnight (how low?), then you need to be taking a lower dose of Humalog with your evening meal.
What time do you eat dinner?
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