[andypoo]

So, I've always used two types of insulin and I wanted to know if there are any fast acting insulin users only here. Is fast acting the only insulin used when you are on the pump? I'm wondering if I could go off of the Lantus and just use my Novolog,since I inject several times a day anyway. Does anyone do this and how is it working for you?

[Scratch]

Someone who pumps will only be using a fast-acting insulin. The pump can just deliver that in steady increments to create the basal effect.

It would be very difficult to administer Novolog solely through injections. In order to get anything like the basal effect, you would need to inject every hour or two and then you would also have the difficulty of maintaining insulin coverage while sleeping. When the Novolog wears off after about 4 or 5 hours, you are either looking at setting alarm clocks to administer insulin or seeing your body get deprived of the insulin it needs for a few hours.

[morrisma]

Never heard of anyone NOT using a pump try to mimic lantus with rapid insulins. You'd never get to sleep!
Mike

[Delphinus]

Originally Posted by andypoo

So, I've always used two types of insulin and I wanted to know if there are any fast acting insulin users only here. Is fast acting the only insulin used when you are on the pump? I'm wondering if I could go off of the Lantus and just use my Novolog,since I inject several times a day anyway. Does anyone do this and how is it working for you?

As mentioned, you'd have to be awake all the time to administer the small doses required to maintain a good basal plan.

Obviously rapids have a short duration of activity, and when it expires, you'd have to know exactly when that happens, and inject again. And this would be forever changing depending on activity, health, diet, etc, etc.

I dare say you couldn't keep that up for very long without wearing yourself into the ground.

[Subby]

Originally Posted by andypoo

So, I've always used two types of insulin and I wanted to know if there are any fast acting insulin users only here. Is fast acting the only insulin used when you are on the pump? I'm wondering if I could go off of the Lantus and just use my Novolog,since I inject several times a day anyway. Does anyone do this and how is it working for you?

I think the basic thing here is to understand that the rapid is being used in a radically different way for basals (to replace Lantus) in a pump, compared to anything you coud ever do with injections.

Think "drip feed". Basal is administered as rapid in minute amounts, usually something like 5 or 15 minutes apart, in a pump.