Fast Acting Novolog

[kel4han]

I am trying again to take Novolog. It seems I must be like 1:80. Just took after breakfast, I was 308 and in 45 min I was down to 225. I can feel it coming down so fast. I took 1:40 today, and I am guessing that is too much still. I moved down my Levemir from 8 units to 5 units. What is the deal??

[BlueSky]

.... Just took after breakfast, I was 308 and in 45 min I was down to 225. I can feel it coming down so fast. ..... I moved down my Levemir from 8 units to 5 units. What is the deal??

Sounds to me like you need to work on getting your basal level right. I don't understand why you reduced your Levimir, in spite of your BG before breakfast being so high. And it sounds like you need more basal action overnight. Try skipping a meal and the corresponding bolus to see what happens to your BG. If it goes up, you need more Levimir. Remember, you also need to inject Levimir twice a day. Most of its action is during the 12 hours after injection. :wink:

[grace girl]

Do you always test 45 minutes after injecting, or did you just do it because you could feel it dropping fast? Normally you should wait until 2 hours after injecting. And even with that fast drop, where are you 4 hours later? That's a better indicator of what it's really doing, as it's a 4 hour insulin.

[kel4han]

Let me clarify this. I usually wake up around 70-140 lately taking Levemir at 6pm 8units. I do not take Novolog as I am in my honeymoon and have been too sensitive to it even at 1:80 etc. So, I just watched carbs (30/meal) and took no fast acting as I would be where I needed to be 2 hours post prandial. Except at dinner I eat about 40-100carbs because I will typically drop about 150-250 points at night, so I dont go to bed under 230 or so. (I know) That is why I reduced the Levemir and think it is time for Novolog with meals. I have lost about 10lbs by restricting carbs, and now my after meal numbers are not decreasing like they were with just the levemir. I really cant afford to loose ten pounds. Hoping I can take Novolog with dinner now, and go to bed at a normal number, thus having to reduce the Levemir to compensate going to bed at a normal 140 I hope. Follow me? And, the question of why did I check after 45min, the answer to that is that I could feel it drop those 83pts. Novolog 1unit in the beginning(9mo ago) would drop me 287 points in 5 hours. My doctor insists that the levemir does NOT need to be split. ??? I am not sure what I think, as if I skip a meal, my BS will ALWAYS go lower and lower. :hmpf:

[duck]

1:80 means you take less insulin than 1:40, right? So if you feel you are too sensitive to Novolog, shouldn't you be increasing to something like 1:120 or something?

[kel4han]

yes, that would mean increasing the ratio, however, I do not pump, so how can I actually dose less than .5 units with any accuracy?

[duck]

yes, that would mean increasing the ratio, however, I do not pump, so how can I actually dose less than .5 units with any accuracy?

I just re-read your original post...So you are saying you took 1:40 today, and now you are contemplating 1:80?

I *think* they make syringes in .5 unit increments. Otherwise, yeah, it's tough.

[grace girl]

I *think* they make syringes in .5 unit increments. Otherwise, yeah, it's tough.

BD does. The Walmart brand (can't think of the name) does not.

[lilituc]

Humalog can be diluted.

[NoraWI]

The action of Levemir is dose dependent. If the dose you require is small, then a split dose will work better for you. When I tried Levemir, I used so little that I would have required 4 shots of it per day, which I was not willing to do on top of the boluses of Novolog.

What I would do is discontinue the Novolog until I had the basal set right for 24 hours. Then would add the meal boluses as needed.

[soso]

what happens if you just use the novolog with meals and no long lasting?
This is what I do and seems to work.
ss

[Notey]

What does 1:40 or 1:80 mean?

I'm very new to this, but seems like I'm not having as many issues with keeping my BG levels in an acceptable range...although I do go low at times, but haven't gone low at night...yet.

[Funnygrl]

What does 1:40 or 1:80 mean?

I'm very new to this, but seems like I'm not having as many issues with keeping my BG levels in an acceptable range...although I do go low at times, but haven't gone low at night...yet.
Carb ratios- how many grams of carbohydrate are covered by 1 unit of novolog (in this case, 1 unit covers 40 or 80 grams).

[Notey]

Carb ratios- how many grams of carbohydrate are covered by 1 unit of novolog (in this case, 1 unit covers 40 or 80 grams).

Thanks. I have good luck with 1:25, although it seems to vary slightly throughout the day. It's probably 1:30 in the am and more like 1:20 in the evening. I take Levemir at night before bed. I have more episodes of going low after breakfast and lunch than I do at night.

[BlueSky]

... I am not sure what I think, as if I skip a meal, my BS will ALWAYS go lower and lower. :hmpf:
Have you considered that maybe you don't need the Levimer at all? The challenge is to inject insulin that supplements your natural supply, where it is needed the most. And that is most likely to be after meals. Maybe all you need to do at this stage is supply some Novolog to help your beta cells cover meals. And they will produce enough insulin to keep your BG close to normal between meals.... :wink:

[Funnygrl]

Have you considered that maybe you don't need the Levimer at all? The challenge is to inject insulin that supplements your natural supply, where it is needed the most. And that is most likely to be after meals. Maybe all you need to do at this stage is supply some Novolog to help your beta cells cover meals. And they will produce enough insulin to keep your BG close to normal between meals.... :wink:
That's a good idea BlueSky. I needed meal insulin before basal.