[karens]

Hi there everyone,
I have heard of type 1 diabetics who take there fast acting insulin after thier meal. Whats the deal with that?
I often notice that my sugar readings drop within an hour or so after my meal with insuin taken before hand, and then pick up again, sometimes quite drastically. Coukd it be the type of meal that I am eating, that takes a long time for the body to process? If this tends to happen quite often, would it be better to take your insulin after your meal?
Really would likes any comments or advice on this, I cannot go on having hypos and then have sugar highs, its far too irratic.
Karen

 

[Anthill]

Hello Karen, Do you count the carbs before you eat? as this may help you to make a closer dose to the fast acting insulin. If you are getting lows then back off on the dose of insulin as this may help you. If you are high to start with then insulin would take longer to work.
Say if you about to have a meal and test then you see a high then take your shot and wait 20 Minuets then eat. If low eat now and take the shot. I hope this helps.

 

[breezeonby]

You may want to check with your doctor about testing you for gastroparesis. It is a diabetes complication. Your food digests slow. But there are times when your food digests properly. I have gastroparesis and before treatment I had terrible spikes in my blood sugar. I take my insulin after I eat. There is no cure for this disease and the treatment is not a guarantee. I have to watch pasta and popcorn, both of these make my blood sugar rise rather quickly. Search the internet for gastroparesis and talk to your doctor. Good luck.

 

[iris peleg]

glycemic index

Karen,

Can it be relate o the type of carbs you are eating. Maybe it happens when you eat cabs that ha very very low glycemic index? With chocolate or pizza it can take even 4-5 hours. for that type of carbs thare is a special bolus within Insulin pump. If you are not using the pump you need to do it manually - take several injections and not all at once.

good-luck
Iris Peleg

 

[karens]

Taking short acting insulin several times a day

Thanking you all for your responses.
Is it not frowned upon to take your short acting insulin several times a day, instead of at meal times? I have always wondered about this. When I test my sugar throughout the day, at times it might be high, I am not always sure whether to give myself insulin or hold out until I eat again. If I do, how do you know how much to take at that time, what is the ratio of insulin to take in terms of what your sugar level is?
My sugar levels ar just so erratic, that it clouds my focus on what to actually do to keep it stable, I feel like I am on a rollercoaster.

 

[Anthill]

Is it not frowned upon to take your short acting insulin several times a day, instead of at meal times? I have always wondered about this.

What type are you? If you are one then there is a basel like Levmir or Lantus will do the job instead of several shots of Humalog or Novorapd. Use the fast acting for the meals.

 

[iris peleg]

types of insulin

karen,

What type of insulin are you using? are you using long acting insulin and short acting insulin ot MIX?
IN case you are using MIX insulin are you using it according to what you eat?

Iris Peleg

 

[karens]

What type are you? If you are one then there is a basel like Levmir or Lantus will do the job instead of several shots of Humalog or Novorapd. Use the fast acting for the meals.

I am a Type 1 Diabetic using Levimer as long acting taken twice a day and Apidra for the short acting taken before meals.

 

[iris peleg]

GI

Did you notice if you have these hypos after a specific types of carbs?

When I eat very very low GI carbs like pizza, chocolate, cream ice cream, cakes with cream or whipped cream etc, I do the following:
When I eat, I take only third of the amount I estimate I need
every hour, I test my BG and correct with my fast acting insulin.

I do this foe at least 3-4 hours (depending on the type of the food).
Hope you know how to fix.

thanks,
Iris

 

[Anthill]

When I eat very very low GI carbs like pizza, chocolate, cream ice cream, cakes with cream or whipped cream etc, I do the following:
When I eat, I take only third of the amount I estimate I need
every hour, I test my BG and correct with my fast acting insulin.

I do this foe at least 3-4 hours (depending on the type of the food).
Hope you know how to fix.

thanks,
Iris

Hey Iris, That's an intence Bolus!! I should try that next time I indolge in a low GI value food.