Nightime insulin not working

Murph3 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-07-2008, 10:27 AM

Hello

I am still struggling with my numbers!!!!

My numbers are very high (usually about 16 in the morning). I have been taking Metformin (2000mg/day) for about a year and my A1C is still HIGH at 10.5. My doctor started me on Levemir insulin at night and told me to start out slow, monitor my sugars in the morning and let her know when I reach 100units. Well 100 units only bring my numbers down to about 9 or10 in the morning. This seems like a lot of insulin to be taking with no great results. And...it is causing me to gain more weight.

I used to have gestational diabetes and when I injected then, I used to only take about 7-12 units at a time.

Anone have any advice?

Cormac_Doyle · #2 (**permalink**) 08-07-2008, 10:51 AM

What are your numbers like during the day? How are you taking the Metformin?

Rather than taking 2000mg in one dose, have you experimented with taking half with your breakfast, and half with your evening meal?

Similarly with the Levemir ... try spliting the dose between your evening meal and Breakfast.

For comparison ... I take 1500mg Metformin with Breakfast and 1500mg with my evening meal. I also take 250iu Humulin with each meal and another 150iu before going to bed.

Some people develop a high level of insulin resistance ... and it looks like you have.

Ask your doctor about Byetta ... that can help alot in some cases

Murph3 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-07-2008, 11:36 AM

I have been reading about Byetta, but we don't have it in Canada yet.

Perhaps I need to go on daytime insuline. Do you have to be hospitalized to get regulated?

xMenace · #4 (**permalink**) 08-07-2008, 12:23 PM

Do you have a bunch of weight to lose?

Cormac_Doyle · #5 (**permalink**) 08-07-2008, 12:24 PM

Not automatically ... typically it's a case of "start slow and build up" ... so you might start on maybe 10iu Novo per meal, and slowly build it up.

however, you may also need to back off on the Levemir at night

Real4 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-07-2008, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murph3

Perhaps I need to go on daytime insuline. Do you have to be hospitalized to get regulated?

That was my thought. If you are not taking bolus insulin to "cover" every meal then it is unlikely that just a basal insulin, like Lantus, will do the entire job. No, you don't have to get hospitalized. You do need to understand what is happening with your body and how to regulate the amount of insulin according to the amount of carbohydrates you eat.

There a LOT on this site about that.

The best to you!