My guess is that the formula is close for a lot of newly diagnosed diabetics, but I feel like insulin requirements increase with time, and not solely with increased weight. I always assumed that after 30 years of taking the same medication, I’d started to become resistant to it. I also know my insulin needs are directly related to my degree of inflammation. On a bad inflammation day, I can easily take half my body weight (140 lbs) in units of insulin. I eat fairly moderate carbs, almost never exceeding 100g/day, but don’t strive for especially low carb.
My daily total changes from 7.3 to 8.32 Units on Humalog, via a pump.
My basal runs about 8 to 10 units depending on activity. I use temp basals as needed, Novolog
You all really dont take much insulin at all, compared with me.
I’m surprised.
I have had type 1 for 61 yrs, I take a total of 23-24 units of insulin. When young, for years, I took 40 total units. My insulin needs really didn’t change until I started eating 30 carbs daily about 15 yrs ago. 4 yrs ago I started eating close to 300 low fat carbs and I take about the same amount of insulin as when I was low carbing.
I am little 5’1” 103 lbs, but have weighed 20 lbs more without much change in insulin.
It is very interesting to note that @anon31988728 mentioned that she was on Lantus, which is a long acting insulin vs @Jimi63 considers Humalog, a fast acting insulin as his basal insulin. Now that pumps have become mainstream, it appears that the concept of basal insulin has changed. Historically, I believe that with injections basal insulin was always long acting insulin and that was the criteria to define basal vs bolus insulin. Since the use of pumps (Single fast acting Insulin) have become popular, it appears that the definition of basal is the basic insulin needed to be taken between bolus and bolus continues to be regarded as insulin to deal with meal spikes.
I eat OMAD at noon every day, however, I do take 3-4 units of Humalog at 8AM because even though I do not eat breakfast, I know according to CGM my BG will keep climbing from 8AM to lunchtime at noon but never thought as basal since I am MDI. Guess it is time to adjust my thinking as I do this a few times a day. This is only possible to do well with either a pump and/or a CGM.
In order to avoid confusion, the title should probably read Daily Basal Rate On Pump or Daily Basal Rate on MDI as the process and Insulins and doses are very different.
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Thats a good point. There is overlap.
Technically, I would call that 3-4 units a correction bolus, but you are using it with the intention of supplimenting your basal, so I guess that’s tricky. Good point. How quickly we forget about MDI.
My pump lists my basal, or “background” insulin dosages. It wouldn’t include any of those predictive, corrective bolus dosages in that category, but they do exist from time to time.
I suppose its better to think of bolus as any large infusion on insulin - larger than your background. Its kinda relative. But, you can take a “bolus” of any medication, not just insulin.
Although I am MDI, I do not take any of long acting insulin such as Lantus, Levemir, etc. as they cause my BG to go low at night, so really on a similar protocol to those on a pump as I only take fast acting Humalog as needed based on my CGM. Therefore, I guess my Humalog would also be considered basal as I am not supplementing any other insulins, just adjusting Humalog dose depending if I want to retain my BG level or take a higher dose before and after meals to avoid mealtime fluctuations,
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This post got me to thinking about my own recent needs … being that I can’t seem to bring my numbers into line. I should really do some basal testing, but in the meanwhile I’ve programmed a temporary increase in my basal which has helped a lot! It’s only been a few days, but I can see where I need to make adjustments there.
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Different parts of my stomach area have different sensitivity so temp basal are used quite a bit.
19 units Novorapid (via Omnipod) though I’ve been more sensitive at other times and been as low as 13 units
I have a Tandem pump and currently I receive approximately 9 units of basal insulin per day. Jane
I take 11 units Tresiba, and 13-15 units Novolog. I eat ~ 60-70 grams carbs/day. MDI since dx’d in 2013 as LADA.
I’m on a pump for 4 years now. Prior to that on injections I used 25 units of Lantus per day. On the pump I use 25 units of humolog per day although it varies somewhat over the 24 hours. After about 5 hours without eating my CGM readings show a flat curve and my basal holds it there until I eat again.
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average daily basal: 19 u (was Humolog, now FIASP).
(average bolus: 18u)
F, 5’4" 160 lb
=)
14 Units of Tresiba, once per day (in evenings).
This is down from 20 units of Lantus (split 10+10) that I had taken for 7 or so years before, and 20 units of NPH (split four ways 5+5+5+5) that I had taken for a third of a century before that.
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And that formula is total daily dose (of which 30%-70% might be basal).
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12 Units Tresiba
( 6 units waking up, 6 units before bed )
Since tresiba lasts 24+ hours, curious why you split? Does it give you more coverage in AM? Or was that prescribed by dr that way?
Dr Bernstein method.
I’ve split Levemir, Lantus, and now Tresiba for the last 15 years.
There may be some overlap but with small splits likely not big as far I can tell.
I did notice when splitting Levemir, the AM dose seemed to fade in the late evening.
I think there’s a difference in pharmacokinetics/dynamics of insulin in small vs large doses. The journals and research generally don’t reflect this.
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