A sharp decrease in insulin demand for me lately

[IDemo]

It's common for me to have to adjust dosages with the change of seasons, but I have recently had to chop my Humalog bolus in half and the night-time Lantus basal by nearly a third. I've had Type 1 for 52 years but have never experienced this before. While it sounds better than the reverse - having to greatly increase dosages, something just doesn't seem right this time. I have gone from 11 units of Humalog before meals to 5 or 6, and even then will frequently have a drop in BG level afterward.

In looking at a few sites, both kidney failure and thyroid conditions can cause this. My recent lab work showed no sign of renal damage. No changes for me in either diet or activity level.

Has anyone else here experienced this?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Perhaps you should talk to your doctor? I sure would, with changes like yours.

But I was a nurse, so that's where my mind goes at once!

[IDemo]

2. It will likely come down to that

I try to keep the visits scarce since we are watching the money carefully these days, but it's probably not a bad idea.

[TexasProgresive]

3. That is worrying.

I am type 2 using Lantus and have reduce that from 85 units once a day to a total of 42 units split in 2 daily. I know the reasons which are retirement which has reduced stress, regular aerobic exercise and carefully limiting carbohydrate intake. This has also been accompanied by 30 pounds melting away. That alone has probably increase insulin sensitivity.

I realize that 1 and 2 are different but both respond to various changes in life. I would certainly check with your doc about these changes. I hope that it is for good reasons. That alone will help your pocketbook as insulin is pricy and getting more so.

You might also join an online diabetes community like Diabetes Connect. There are type 1 and 2 as well as Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA).
http://www.diabeticconnect.com/

[IDemo]

4. I cannot conceive of dosing Lantus like that

I'm taking just 12 units nightly now, down from 18 a month ago. I was aghast when my neighbor told me he is taking 30 units twice daily. 85 is unimaginable. Anything in that region would equal an ambulance ride for me.

It occurred to me last night, though I haven't seen this referenced online, that maybe I'm just not digesting food correctly now. If so, it may be that I simply don't need much insulin to cover the carbs. Our dog is on probiotics; maybe I need to give them a try.

[TexasProgresive]

5. A lot of type 2 diabetes is driven by insulin resistance.

The cause seems to be obesity especially carrying a lot of abdominal fat. Scans have shown type 2 diabetics with fatty liver and pancreas. It appears that is the case with me. One problem for type 2s using insulin is that excess insulin tends to increase weight. So it was with me. I started out with 10 units and as my weight grew so did the Lantus.

You are probably not aware but there are insulins for extremely resistant type 2s that are 5 times the concentration of what we use, Humulin R U-500 as opposed to U-100.

I have hopes of reducing my dose to the original 10 but after 24 years of diabetes some of my beta cells may be worn out. This is different than type 1 which is auto immune destruction of beta cells but the result can be similar.

[IDemo]

6. After 50+ years of Type 1, Type 2 remains a bit of a mystery to me

I find myself wishing the media would make it very plain which one they are talking about whenever a story fails to differentiate between the two. Type 2 sounds like a challenging condition to deal have to handle with all the oral meds, dieting and eventual insulin treatment.

[TexasProgresive]

7. They have different mechanisms but the complications are the same.

If not controlled; blindness, kidney failure, infections, cardiac trouble and more. About the media being more informed about the different types of diabetes they have trouble with most anything that deals with facts, especially scientific. I'm beginning to think that many who get journalism degrees chose that because they want to see their names in lights rather than a real calling.

Some of the greats in journalism were self taught. They worked themselves up from the print room or being a messenger learning their craft from observing the greats around them. Now a days it seems one just needs good hair and legs or good hair and suits.