Novolog works fairly rapidly for me. What surprised me about Afrezza, is how long it takes it to work for me. I thought it was going to work in a matter of minutes, but it has taken an hr to bring me down from 170. I have rarely used it because I only use it for unexpected highs over 150, and that doesn’t happen very often. Maybe I don’t understand how to use it? I have used it 4 times in the months I have had it. I like it but Novolog works more quickly for me I think. I haven’t tried using it to cover a meal. I have the 4 unit cartridges.
Did they train you on using it? The rep actually got on a video call ti show me. He also has sent the DE that is here, a machine that judges how well you are using it. I haven’t used the machine, it sounds interesting though. Enough people don’t use it optimally for them to design a machine or maybe it’s addressing a lack of people to train people. But at the higher numbers I have to take extra. For some reason it seems to work faster doing that too. I have been having more pod failures and the problem looks like one is not enough and two is too strong.
But if this helps a steady strong breath, count to at least 3 and hold it at a slight tilt when doing so. I was taking a super strong ,but was told that’s not best, so I repeat the breath.
@MM1 Thanks for that! Great information. I know I tried it very early on and I remember I didn’t like it as well. But I don’t remember why and it was when I really didn’t know well what I was doing.
Lol, don’t actually mistakenly reply when you are accidentally on the edit of your post. You can’t just copy and paste your original reply as it has lines all through it.
Marie20, I just watched a couple of YouTube videos to learn how to use it. I hold it flat, take a deep breath in and out and then inhale the Afreeza, and hold for 3 seconds. I usually inhale again to make sure the cartridge is empty. I will try taking a strong steady breath instead of a super strong breath. Thanks for the suggestion!
How long does it take for you to start seeing your number go down? I think using two 4 unit cartridges would be way too much insulin for me.
@Marilyn I know on a video they tilted angled up to the mouth, but my rep has me very slightly tilting the other way. That created a straight route to the throat versus tilting that hits the roof of the mouth or the tongue. You want it to be unblocked to go straight to the lungs.
I am also dealing with pod failures a lot when at the higher numbers and you never know what you actually got already? And your numbers would continue to go up before coming down. But 2 cartridges sure seems to kick in faster than one for some reason. But 2 cartridges is too strong half the time.
But I notice a change starting at 45 minutes (sometimes 30) and by the hour point a very strong drop for about the next 15 minutes. That’s one thing I really like is how much more of it kicks in faster. If it’s a normal meal, I literally never go up in numbers or very little. I stay completely steady. If I just used the Afrezza I have to watch for a climb hours later. That is why combining both seems to be the best bet.
Ok, I see that I am just expecting this to work way too fast. At 45 minutes I am going down and at 60 minutes I am back where I should be for the most part. I was expecting it to work at 15 minutes like it is at 45-60 minutes. I don’t really see how that is any faster than Novolog. I wanted something quicker. FIASP is like injecting water for me. Didn’t you have the same problem with FIASP?
I would really, really like instant insulin and instant glucose. Wouldn’t that be lovely!?
@Marilyn6 Fiasp by the second use was hardly working and by the third it was like water. Literally like almost taking half to none insulin. I don’t know why adding an ingredient can make that happen, but it did.
I think insulin works faster on you than me, I remember you have to prebolus less time before you eat? I prebolus some at 30 and you do 20? So I would think Afrezza should be a little faster on you than me too.
Too many times when I do a pre meal bolus, I end up too low. Tonight 10 minutes, was just right.
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Have any of you started using insulin with just Afrezza? Did you drop all oral meds when switching to or adding Afrezza? What training did you receive?
Thinking of asking my doc about it. Currently taking Metformin ER and Glipizide, but they’re not doing much. Eating very few carbs, and exercising (moderately) daily.