I am type 2, taking 850mg metformin 3Xday, and in december 08 started Lantus (evening before bed), now up to taking 42 units each night. I started with the Vial but had trouble seeing the markings on the syringe, and have arthritis in my fingers making it hard to manipulate the vial method, so my doctor switched me to the Lantus Solostar Pen. In mid February started the Novolog FlexPen (fast acting) before meals. In general my fasting number is in range 80-130 each morning, but I find the FlexPen and 6 units has no effect. I seem to require 8-12 units for it to be effective. Fast Activing seems to take about 3 hours to have the full effect, I wonder if everyone is that way?
Hi Estel! Welcome to TuDiabetes!
For me the fast acting insulin starts working around 25 minutes after I inject it and it lasts about 4 hours. It does take time for it to bring down your blood sugar down.
Thank you Kristin, that helped. Just returned from the Doctor, talked to her nurse, who will pass on current status to the Doctor. I am proposing to Doctor that I begin taking 6 units of Novolog starting at 6:00am, and continue thru the day taking 6 units each two hours, until evening, (of course testing glucose before each shot, and decreasing/increasing as required). Nurse says, the doc, may just increase the Lantus at nighttime. we shall see. Forgot to share, I am a cancer survivor, they removed my large intestine in 2007, but no chemo, due to weak heart.So i take a bunch of pills daily, such as Metformin, warfarin, terazosin, simvastatin, carvedilol, digoxin, furosemide, folic acid, Loperamide, calcium, baby aspirin. Don’t know what their relationship is to my insulin intake. I had not previiously paid attention to the onset of the fast acting insulin, good to know, it starts about 1/2 hour, (i’ll check it out). I know i am solely responsible for my diabetes, and don’t intend to look at others for fault, only looking for answers. (Don’t seem to deal in absolutes).
Hi Estel I also am new to this as of Jan 09 I’m on the same regime as far as lantus/novolog and had the same prob with novolog taking a while to kick in. I finally found out that the needle size I was using ,thanks to a suggestion from someone on this site 3/16 slowed down reaction time so I switched to 5/16 with more predictable results
OK, results from the Doctor say, 10units of Novolog 3 times a day before meals, and 42 units Lantus evening until further notice, i am to report in next week so they can analyze the results. (so far, I still go over 200 in the early afternoon and evening). we shall see.
A good thing happened also: I have been eating smaller portions, and therefore am hungry at least every 2 hours, in order to deal with t hunger, I stumbled on a protein drink (i buy at walmart, cost about 18. for 2lb. ), it does let me avoid at least one time eating, has about 130 calories, but best of all it helps with my diarhea ( I have diahrea, since cancer operation removed large intestine in 2007) so much so that i am able to stop taking one of my pills entirely (was taking between 3 and 6 a day), the pill I no longer take is Loperamide.
took the blood tests to see if i qualify for the insulin pump with Medicare part B, or the VA, I guess the important value is the C-Peptide and the value needs to be .99 or lower to qualify, my value came back as 1.1 the doctor submitted the values to Medtronics, and they say the 1.1 value is showing that my pancreas are making insulin enough so that i don’t qualify, sigh .2 to high, I guess I am close to giving up on the insulin pump. man what a downer. My primary care doctor is asking me to lose weight, at 6’ 4" tall and 265 lbs. they want me to lose weight. I haven’t smoked for a year (after 50 years smoking), and started the insulin shots, and I haven’t gained weight since those two things, but I haven’t lost any either, and I am still always hungry. I have started smoking again, and feel I can lose some weight by that approach. It seems I am at 66 years of age, just doing things to maintain, not to improve. If I win Lotto, I could then get the insulin pump.Currently have a TDD of around 105units.