Oh I hate this...

[Shocked]

Sorry I just have to vent.

Of course, I'm 2 1/2 hrs away from home on business and my humalog just died. I've never had it be effective one day and just go kuputs the next. It's always (been on it for just over a year now) tapered off. Yesterday, was fine, today, I might as well inject water.

Oh!

[JediSkipdogg]

How do you know it just died? Have you given multiple shots and none have done anything? Did you remember your Lantus and maybe that's why no Humalog shots are working. Just a few thoughts. Sorry about your luck.

[rzrbks]

JediSkipdogg

How do you know it just died?

That would be my first question as well. How do you know it died.

When I've had that happen in the past, I had several days warning that my bolus insulin was going bad. And, I knew that I was past the OK date of the bolus insulin.

[spike]

That would be my first question as well. How do you know it died.

When I've had that happen in the past, I had several days warning that my bolus insulin was going bad. And, I knew that I was past the OK date of the bolus insulin.

yeah. Not only that, in 28+ years of insulin use, I've NEVER had a bad bottle of any type of insulin. It just can't be all that common for insulin to go bad.

[am1977]

I agree... I wouldn't just assume that your insulin is bad- there could be a variety of reasons why your blood sugar isn't what you think it should be. Unfortunately, sometimes there aren't clear answers for things- definitely one of the ways that dealing with Diabetes is frustrating :argh:.

Anyway, I would see how things go the next day or so... test a little more, and keep record of the readings. Today could just be a fluke- tomorrow could be totally different.

Hope things get better for ya :)

[poodlebone]

yeah. Not only that, in 28+ years of insulin use, I've NEVER had a bad bottle of any type of insulin. It just can't be all that common for insulin to go bad.

I have, NPH. I woke up very high several days in a row. I could chalk that up to DP, or some other reason. But then I was going high in the afternoon, when NPH usually sent me crashing. My BG would come down when I corrected with Humalog and then go back up, so I knew the NPH was bad. Lilly sent me a coupon for a free vial.

[TenderVittleS]

I've had that happen too, but only if I left my Humalog in my warm car for too long.:frown:

[Dewey]

I've had a couple of issues with Humalog losing potency in the past, myself. It was related to the place that the insulin was being shipped from. It seemed to be losing potency in transit, because when I had received it (a couple of times), it didn't seem to work as well, and I experienced more high sugars as a result. I ultimately switched to Novolog, which seems to do better in that regard.

Sorry to hear you had trouble, Shocked, and hope everything's alright.

[Ailsa]

It might be something other than your insulin.
I always find travel throws me out. Travelling usually involves sitting still for a long period, at a time of day when you would normally be moving about. I have found consistantly car/ plane trips send me high & figure that is the reason. I adjust for it now & if I'm away for more than one day I increase my basal a unit or two.
If you monitor carefully next time you travel you'll soon figure out if it's that.

[Shocked]

Thanks for the ideas. In the past, too, I've had days of diminishing potency. There could very well have something else going on. I travel a lot so I don't think that was the main issue. Other issues was I was 2 days past the expiration and I've seen instibility past the expiration but not like this. Oh, and I did take my Lantus the night before.

What gets me is that I was at 87 before breakfast, I took 4 units of humalog to cover that meal. Prior to lunch I was at 237, took another 5 units to correct and cover lunch. 2 hrs after lunch I was at 350. I haven't been this high since I've been on insulin. I took another 5 units and within 2 hrs was down 179 and by time supper rolled around I was at 117. I've not eaten anything out of the ordinary.

I think I'll chalk this one up to a fluke day. I've replaced both my Lantus and Humalog last night and seem to be ok today. So far.

[spike]

It seemed to be losing potency in transit, because when I had received it (a couple of times), it didn't seem to work as well, and I experienced more high sugars as a result. I ultimately switched to Novolog, which seems to do better in that regard.
.

My insulin is delivered overnight, packed with ice packs from Precision Rx.