Insulin dosage change

[0rangebear]

GrammaBear
I was looking back through some old threads and realized I did not answer you on this one. I would like to apologize for that oversight.

I use to check my blood and take several shots six times a day in the 1990's when the doctors were advocating "tight control".

Before that in the 1980's I counted carbs and in the 1960 and 70's I was on the old diabetic substitution diet.

During those years my insulin needs continually rose as I became more and more insulin resistant. by 1999 I was averaging 450 units of insulin a day. in 1999 I changed doctors. The new doctor put me on concentrated insulin. It is only prescribed for people taking more than 200 units a day.

The risk of concentrated insulin is low blood sugar. When I changed to concentrated insulin I dropped to 150 units twice a day which is based on consuming 1800 calories and 2 hours of exercise.

I stopped adjusting my dosage and balanced the insulin with diet and exercise. It has worked pretty well for 17 years my A1C typically sits between 5.5 and 6.5.

Back in the 90's my A1C moved around from 7-13

In March and April of this year (3 and 4th month of therapy) I had two the low blood sugar events at night and adjust my dose downward twice to 75 units twice a day and it has been very stable at that does for three months. My last A1C came in at 5.1

I believe the Positive airway pressure has reduce my insulin resistance. My doctor calls it increased organ efficiency. He claims "time in apnea" is directly related to organ efficiency.




.

I ask because my insulin need and A1C levels have been stable for years. There are minor fluctuations when I break down and eat something that is really good, yet really bad for me like a Boston Cream Chocolate covered donut. (antidepressant)

Nevertheless I occasionally get low blood sugar incidents from to too little food after my injection. These typically happen less than once a year, and happen around 4 hours after my injection.

However, I have had three hypoglycemic event in the last month and have cut my dose in 1/2 . The only thing I can identify that has changed is this Therapy.

What kind of insulin do you use for your meals? Are you on a 'sliding scale' for your mealtime insulin or do you use a carb/ratio system? Also the weather in your state has been changeable the past month (I have a cousin who lives in CO) and that could account for the hypoglycemic events. Have you mentioned these 'low' events to your Endocrinologist or your Family doctor?

[GrammaBear]

GrammaBear
I was looking back through some old threads and realized I did not answer you on this one. I would like to apologize for that oversight.

I use to check my blood and take several shots six times a day in the 1990's when the doctors were advocating "tight control".

Before that in the 1980's I counted carbs and in the 1960 and 70's I was on the old diabetic substitution diet.

During those years my insulin needs continually rose as I became more and more insulin resistant. by 1999 I was averaging 450 units of insulin a day. in 1999 I changed doctors. The new doctor put me on concentrated insulin. It is only prescribed for people taking more than 200 units a day.

The risk of concentrated insulin is low blood sugar. When I changed to concentrated insulin I dropped to 150 units twice a day which is based on consuming 1800 calories and 2 hours of exercise.

I stopped adjusting my dosage and balanced the insulin with diet and exercise. It has worked pretty well for 17 years my A1C typically sits between 5.5 and 6.5.

Back in the 90's my A1C moved around from 7-13

In March and April of this year (3 and 4th month of therapy) I had two the low blood sugar events at night and adjust my dose downward twice to 75 units twice a day and it has been very stable at that does for three months. My last A1C came in at 5.1

I believe the Positive airway pressure has reduce my insulin resistance. My doctor calls it increased organ efficiency. He claims "time in apnea" is directly related to organ efficiency.




.

I ask because my insulin need and A1C levels have been stable for years. There are minor fluctuations when I break down and eat something that is really good, yet really bad for me like a Boston Cream Chocolate covered donut. (antidepressant)

Nevertheless I occasionally get low blood sugar incidents from to too little food after my injection. These typically happen less than once a year, and happen around 4 hours after my injection.

However, I have had three hypoglycemic event in the last month and have cut my dose in 1/2 . The only thing I can identify that has changed is this Therapy.

What kind of insulin do you use for your meals? Are you on a 'sliding scale' for your mealtime insulin or do you use a carb/ratio system? Also the weather in your state has been changeable the past month (I have a cousin who lives in CO) and that could account for the hypoglycemic events. Have you mentioned these 'low' events to your Endocrinologist or your Family doctor?

Your post is interesting as it indicates a really positive thing in relationship of insulin usage in relationship to cpap treatment.

I never thought of cpap treatment being involved in my insulin doses, although now that I look back in my records, it does seem that I required a little less insulin after OSA diagnosis than before. I know for sure my A1C improved from 8.5 to 6.1. Don't know why I didn't catch on to that before now.

Thank you for your reply, it is always good to know one is not alone in dealing with physical problems.

[justMongo]

...yet really bad for me like a Boston Cream Chocolate covered donut. (antidepressant)

I realize this is a necrothread -- but if you're going to mention donuts (esp. Boston Cream Chocolate covered) , you have to give one to all of us!

[GrammaBear]

...yet really bad for me like a Boston Cream Chocolate covered donut. (antidepressant)

I realize this is a necrothread -- but if you're going to mention donuts (esp. Boston Cream Chocolate covered) , you have to give one to all of us!

I "second" that motion wholeheartedly as I love donuts.

[0rangebear]

I realize this is a necrothread -- but if you're going to mention donuts (esp. Boston Cream Chocolate covered) , you have to give one to all of us!

Your challenging my vocabulary......I had to look that one up!

Here you go...make sure Frank get's one for his coffee

[justMongo]

OB: At one time you had to use 450 units per day... WOW.
I average 100 units per day with about half of that being Lantus; and the other half being Humalog.
I can use less if I go low carb for a couple of days.

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Aw, crap - wasn't expecting to lave the house this morning but now figure I can get my errands taken care of and make a side trip to the donut shop. So I gotta go get dressed...... The things you folks make me do ...

OMMOHY

[GrammaBear]

I wish there was a donut shop near my house. But then again, maybe it is good there that there is not.

[kdmorris410]

0rangebear... I just realized how old this thread is, but wanted to tell you that I started CPAP in Feb, 2015. I have Type 2 Diabetes, if it matters. When I was first diagnosed, I took 35 units of basal insulin and averaged 2 units of rapid acting insulin per meal.

Now, I'm on 25 units of basal insulin and nothing else. I'm not sure it's just the CPAP, though, but also the EFFECTS of CPAP - more energy = more ability to actually do exercise, so I'm a LOT more active than I used to be. I'm not sure what changed, but I definitely did lower my insulin around the time I got the CPAP - about a month after.

[0rangebear]

I acquired a little more data on the effect CPAP therapy has on my insulin needs; I failed to follow the advice in the forum on travel and packed my machine in my luggage.

I arrived in Nashville with no CPAP, I tassumed it would only be one night and the airline would find my luggage and bring it too me. So I just sleep without it. On the fourth day my blood sugar took a leap upward and I went back to my B4 therapy dosage for the next two days. They found my luggage the night B4 I was flying home on day six.

I was reunited with it when I got home. It took a week of therapy to bring the insulin need back down to where it was before the trip.