Correcting my Highs

[Nita]

This may not be a new question but I am new here....... *smile*

I know I have not been doing a "good job" and eat pretty much what I want to be satisfied and have decided to go to a diabetes specialist after 20 years. Currently on 70/30 twice a day and correcting a mid afternoon HIGH with Humalog. My PCP gave me some numbers to do this and they are:

150-200 3 units
201-250 5 units
251-300 7 units
301-350 10 units
351-400 12 units
401-450 15 units

After writing this I notice they are not all the same additions to each group.
Some being 2, some being 3. It seems like I am always trying to catch up and never start out the day with a low number. My main question is if my BG is between 351 and 400 in mid afternoon and I take 12 units of Humalog how long does it take for it to take care of this number. Sometimes in two hours it has only lowered it 50 pts. Does that mean that my BG has not risen to it's complete high yet? Or that my stomach is emptying too slow?

I will be seeing this new doctor this month. Does anyone know what I should expect with this specialist? How would he start anew with an established diabetic?

Thanks,
Nita

[Keezheekoni]

A new doctor may take you off the NPH and put you onto Lantus and Humalog. With this you get greater control, as you learn to count carbs and bolus for what you are eating.

Hope you enjoy seeing the new doctor. :)

[Cyborg]

You should use those as a starting point and adjust them as you see the results. I bet you need more insulin when your bg is high. It's definately not a linear curve (or even close)...

[FrankDr]

My main question is if my BG is between 351 and 400 in mid afternoon and I take 12 units of Humalog how long does it take for it to take care of this number. Sometimes in two hours it has only lowered it 50 pts.

You should see your BG being normal about 3 to 2.5 hours after you inject (there are some variables, but it's a good average) If you are either higher or lower, then the numbers they gave you are off.

If you keep track of your meals, injections and readings, your doctor should be able to recommend adjustments that will give you better results. It's an iterative process, with lots of adjustments and measuring. Sometimes you can get it narrowed down quickly, sometimes it takes a lot of tests. It's a process - and the more you work at it, the better your results will be.

Does that mean that my BG has not risen to it's complete high yet?

That's a really good question, which is to the point that a BG check only gives you a point in time, not a trend. If you check and you have a reading of 150 - you don't know if it's steady at 150 - rising or falling, or how fast. Until continuous BG monitors are more readily available and reliable, we have to work with what we have now.

[MJM]

Welcome Nita, you really need to get those highs down. Maintaining highs will only cause you problems in the future. Read up on Carb counting and hopefully the new doctor will put you on a new regime. You need to get your bs down to about 120s. It would take too much time to go through the whole complicated details of what should be done but I would suggest that what you eat might have a say in your highs and whether or not you exercise would also have a say. Hopefully your new doctor will get you sorted. Keep us posted.

[xMenace]

I do my own calcs:
1 unit at a rate if 1i/10gms drops BGs 50pts. So if my rate is .67u/10gms, 1u will drop my 33.3pts.

[Cyborg]

You should see your BG being normal about 3 to 2.5 hours after you inject (there are some variables, but it's a good average) If you are either higher or lower, then the numbers they gave you are off.

Everything I've read says 4-5 hours for a perfect correction bolus.

[FrankDr]

Everything I've read says 4-5 hours for a perfect correction bolus.

Thanks for catching that - I typoed the 2.5 hour thing.

I use 3 hr action time for my pump. I find it also varies, sometimes it depends on what I'm eating.

My 3 hr and 4 hr numbers are usually the same, which would *seem* to indicate it only worked over 3 hours. Even that can vary a little bit.

[Nita]

Many thanks, y'all for all of the replies. I feel so much better now that I have found a place to ask questions and to read so much and learn even though I am 20 years into this. You get stagnant in your own self and treatments and let me tell you I have probably made all of the mistakes there is with my sugar lows....even the one passing out while driving after too much exercise. I think that is why I didn't try for tight control.

Anyway, I just got back from Sam's and didn't notice until I got home they gave me the wrong size needles. No return on blood products....I fussed until they gave me cash (not even a return on my credit card) but they still would not take the needles back so I will donate them to my doctor. It was their mistake but rules are rules. I get mad at myself for getting mad. O.K. now that I have vented I'll forget it.

Smiling now,
Nita