1unit

Stuboy · #1 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 08:48 AM

Does anyone else ever bolus for a snake that should need 1 unit of insulin?

It just hardly seems worth the hassel to inject 1 unit. Does anyone find it makes a difference?

notme · #2 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 08:52 AM

My snakes always require more than one unit!!!!

Actually, I do bolus one unit sometimes less, but that is so easy with a pump.

Stuboy · #3 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 08:57 AM

Well, i had a banana which apparently is 20carbs (large banana). So technically i need to bolus 1 unit for that. carb:insulin ratio is 0.5u:10g

I think i over bolus'd for my lunch cuz i hit 3.9 2 hours after (although it was low before hand, 4.6) so i had a banana and didn't know whether to bolus for it or not... so i did, but it just doesn't seem worth it with 1 unit!

Prehaps next time i should take a little less unsulin than i need if im in the low 4's before the meal?

poodlebone · #4 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 09:05 AM

Sometimes I bolus for 5g of carbs. I love being able to dose in 1/10 of a unit. I know some pumps can do 1/20th. If I ate 20g of carbs without bolusing (unless I was really really low) I'd go sky high. Depending on the time of day, 20g would mean 1 unit or .8 unit.

Stuboy · #5 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 09:08 AM

So it does make a difference then? Just when i push the button when it's wound up to 1 in open air, it's litterally a couple of drops that come out... does that really spread out across the entire body!?

notme · #6 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 09:21 AM

It really does Stu. I was surprised when I would pump out a unit of insulin through my pump and watch it. It isn't very much. It will make a big difference.

Insulin is a powerful drug.

Cyborg · #7 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 09:26 AM

i take boluses less than 1 unit also. It just depends on how many carbs and the insulin to carb ratio for that time of the day. One of the coolest things about the pump is the ability to take as little as 0.05 units for a bolus...

Stuboy · #8 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 09:28 AM

I guess i could do 0.5bolus, but it would be a guess on the pen as it's a novopen3 and clicks up 1unit at a time, but you can pull the end out and wind it down slightly lol.

ill stick to full units. But thanks for answering the question!

karen · #9 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 09:50 AM

I have to bolus for all carbs unless I am between 80-90 and I am only going to have about 10 carbs. It also depends if you might be heading downward bgs wise or if you are going to be moving around a lot.

Lots to think about, but no way could I eat 20 carbs and not cover with insulin, especially a banana which is a high glycemic food.

Lots to think about.

Karen

BriOnH · #10 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 10:12 AM

Hey Stu,
Sorry I missed it somehow, but notice you are off the mixtard and on the good stuff now. Do you have a pen for your novolog?

I often shoot up 1 unit here and there.

JasonJayhawk · #11 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 10:57 AM

I find it makes a difference, Stu! For your half-unit injections, you could try pulling the pen needle out at 3 seconds rather than 7 seconds. It's not accurate, but it's a good rough guess.

Also, you'll soon discover your own system for counting carbs. It doesn't matter if you're 30 carbs off, so long as you always judge the same food the same way in the future, so that you can know how it works. Consistent judging is key for me!

spike · #12 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuboy

Does anyone else ever bolus for a snake that should need 1 unit of insulin?

It just hardly seems worth the hassel to inject 1 unit. Does anyone find it makes a difference?

Yes, 1 unit "makes a difference". For me, 1 unit will drop me about 38. It drops my wife over 60. It covers 10 carbs for me, and 20 carbs for her.

JediSkipdogg · #13 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 12:10 PM

Since I'm on a pump, like other pumpers here, I will bolus for 1 unit or less. For me, 1 unit drops me 35 points. On an A1C level that is about 1.2%, which is a huge difference each time I can bring it down some.

Funnygrl · #14 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 12:29 PM

When I was on MDI I often took even just half a unit. I had a 1:40 insulin to carb ratio for awhile, and often wished I could inject 0.25 units because if I had a 10 gram snack I couldn't inject, yet still found it raised my bs.

Tokyo Cate · #15 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 12:44 PM

I rarely give myself a bolus less than 2 units, though it is possible with my pen. I am on Novorapid and use the Junior pen which delivers in 1/2 units, so I could potentially give myself a 1/2 unit bolus. I often will use 1/2 unit dosing with higher numbers, but figure a walk around the block will do the same as a 1/2 unit for a very light snack or I can skip the snack and wait for the next meal.