insulin

[allan32]

i've been a diabetic type 1 for 17 years..an was wondering if a diabetic that takes Lantus an Humalog regular, could i just take the lantus alone without the Humalog??

[Zoelula]

I just wanted to add the explanation for why we need both. The book, "Think like a pancreas" is aptly named because that is what we try to do with our insulin usage. We are trying to mimic the action of the pancreas in people who don't have diabetes. Their bodies have a low level of background insulin all the time and that's why we take our basal which lasts 24 hours (sometimes not so we split the dose). Then their bodies give off spurts of more insulin when they perceive carbs being eaten. So we need to take a bolus shot before a meal to cover the carbs that we are going to eat. I thought maybe if you understood WHY you had to take both it would make more sense. Some people in their "honeymoon" period start out with just one or the other, but it usually isn't long before they are put on a regimen of both.

[Zoelula]

The currently accepted treatment of choice is a basal (long-acting) insulin like Lantus once or twice a day and a bolus or rapid acting insulin before meals. A fixed dose of bolus like you describe is not as good as developing a carb ratio. You need to take the correct insulin dose each meal to cover what you eat (unless you want to eat the same thing every meal!). Many of us have different ratios for the three meals (mine is 1:7, 1:9 and 1:18 so I take one unit of insulin for every 7, 9 or 18 carbs.) I would suggest also the book Using Insulin by John Walsh.

[brij24]

Hi..I have had type 1 diabetes since the age of 7, 46 years..have been on huminsulin 30/70 for the past 10 years however my sugar control has been poor over the last 3-4 years..which has led to other health complications. My endo has put me on Humalog 16-16-12 units pre meals and lantus at bedtime 14 units. Was just wondering if anyone was on a similiar protocol and had any tips?

[julie3000x]

no!!!!
and I cant believe you"re posting this on a message board instead of asking your doctor.

[DennisIDDM]

17 yrs? and now your asking?
You R Serious, right?
Go ahead take just the Lantus and test every couple of hours after and of course before meals and see what happens..


and I surely Hope you got the book > Think Like a Pancrease my friend..