Forgetting to take Lantus?

Hey Sarah,
I’m terrible at remembering my jabs. The worst thing Ive done is forgotten my colours. Humalog is my red pen and lantus is blue. Without thinking I gave myself my night dose of Lantus instead of morning dose of Humalog. It was scary at the time, but I can’t remember my readings so it wasn’t too bad.

Don’t be too hard, we all have lousy and careless diabetic moments, mainly because we are humans. Nobody is perfect but at least we try.
Eloise

NO NO NO!!!

FIRST thing taking 1/2 your regular dose or whatevre using MATH is NOT the way to do this. Lantus is a 24 hour insulin, well almost. Anyone doing this is at RISK of INSULIN STACKING and that could land you out cold in a severe hypo! Taking extra rapid or log type insulin to control the higher BS levels IS the BEST way to handle this, and the SAFEST!

Lantus is billed as a 24 hour insulin but its not truely flat and level for a full 24 hrs. It takes time for it to build up to its full level, then slowely, very slowly tapers off w/o as much of a peak as otehr basal insulins.

My endo has me taking 1/2 my daily Lantus dose in teh morning and the other half at night, idealy 12 hrs apart. Tha give a more level even BASAL insulin for a full 24hrs. IF you are a type-2 this is less critical than if you aer a t-1. I have done this ever since I was moved from N & R insulins to Lantus and humalog on MDI and its GREAT!

Another good point about being on a split dose is I can vary either an hour or so with NO PROBLEMS due to the way they overlap. Plus the greater stability makes it safer.

REMEBER taking half a dose does NOT shorten the duration of any insulins effectiveness. That is a factor controled my the formula fo the insulins, not the doseage. A fast log insulin that say last X hours, last X hours reguardless of dose (relatively speaking) Same goes for other insulins. ANYTIME you take one insulin then take it again before the first insulin wears off causes STACKING which can lead to PROBLEMS!

I highly recomend you LEARN the response curves of whatever insulins you take, it can be jsut as important as a BASLA rate, carb ratio or dorrection factor for PROPER SAFE BS management.

GOMER :0

I have a hard time doing my shots due to my mental disorder not being under control. But the rest of the time i do forget. I am working on setting an alarm to remind myseld

Here’s a website I just found that explains what to do if you miss a shot, basal OR bolus.
I would still check with my doctor on this, because he might advise using your mealtime insulin instead, but here’s the link, you can print it off and ask your doc about it at the next visit:

http://www.lifescan.co.uk/Segment/ParentsKids/Article/AllAboutInsul…

I’ve forgotten to take my lantus a number of times in the past two years … if I forget my night time shot I take it when I get up … for a time I was taking it when I woke up but it wasn’t working as it should it felt, my numbers where all over the place during the day, for me taking it at night works to keep my waking BG levels lower - but it doesn’t feel like it work for the full part of the day

One thing I have done is split the Lantus doses. The principle of one shot is basicly the mass takes from 20-22 hours to absorb into your bloodstream. I forgot a few times and have done better with the split, 8:00PM and 8:00AM. Dr. Berstein’s book notes an experiement with R years ago at a hospital setting. It took several days for the insulin to absorb because of the volume. The same principle is in play with Lantus and Levemir. After using Lantus from the first release, I am now considering a change to 70/30. I know individuals that have never experienced insulin shock from 70/30 and they say their BS are good.

Gary

I did a change in 2007 from N & R insulins to Lantus and Humalog. I was put on a split lantus dose, half and half, AM & PM. Ideally 12 hrs apart, but I do a more like 8am and 10 PM. more for convience. I was told Lantus does have a slope (I also checked this for myself) and overlapping yields a more even basal rate around the clock. I has worked GREAT for me. Another advantage is if I need to do a time shift, I can do it more gradually w/o any problems. With the overlap being a little late or early is not as big a deal either.

For the Humalog I use a carb ratio and I also use humalog for corrections when needed.

GOMER 11u Lantus 2x/day

I on some days have forgotten to to take Lantus (and then don’t have it with me for a whole day). Does anyone take some extra Humalog throughout the next day to cover?

That is what I’ll likely by trying for today. Just wondering if anyone here had done that with success. Humalog seems to last a long time in me, too, so I am hoping it will work. Seems like it could if I took 1 unit an hour, or so. ? I have heard that that is the average a non-diabetic produces…

Humalog/Novalog is supposed to roughly last a total of 4-5 hours… for me, its pretty much out of my system in 4 hours but can correct after 3 hours…As always your milage may vary…(there is still a little bit of an insulin action curve post 3 hours. but usually not enough to have a problem with a correction.

No i never missed my lantus wich i give at 9 00pm but i forgot about it and i didnt have it with me and when i got home i had to give it at 12 00am… i believe if you forget the next day just give it right there

I was just put on the Lantus SoloStar pen yesterday, so I’m a newbie to insulin. Is this a group to talk about the SoloStar as well?

Lantus is Lantus…

The pen is nothing more than a delivery system. I went from vial/syringe humalog to a humalog pen a few years ago. I accidently took humalog instead of lantus at bed time one night…OUCH!

A unit of Lantus is a unit regardles of what means are used to inject.

Lantus is a GREAT insulin…

Gomer :slight_smile:

I usually take my 20U of Lantus at 11:30 pm. Tonight, I fell asleep on the couch and missed my injection. Fortunately, I had my phone set to wake me up for a night time reading at 3:30 am. So, I just took my full dose. My question is, what should I do tomorrow? Take a full dose at 11:30, push back to 1:00, or take a few units less at 11:30?

I’m sure I knew the answer to this when I was on Lantus five years ago, but that rotten long honeymoon period, during which I was taking oral meds, has caused me to forget the right things to do.

I have forgotten a few times. I take mine at night before bed (a couple of hours after my usually late Novolog/dinner.)

I keep a log of all my health info on one very complicated sheet of paper for each week. I got this log from Group Health in Seattle and I scanned it into my computer and print out a new one for each week. I track my synthroid, exercise, carbs-per-meal, bg’s, Novolog, Lantus, etc. – it’s all on one sheet. That helps me stay on track as I’m glancing at it so many times per day that it’s easier to remember things (not trying to carry it all around in my head.)

When I forget, I will go ahead and inject it the next morning and then walk around the clock (this takes a few days) until I’m back on track.

Hi JEAN…

One very IMPORTANT thing about Lantus to remember is 28 DAYS is the open life. Once a Lantus vial is opened it LOOSES its effectiveness after 28 days!


BTW I rec’d an email sent by you, I can NOT reply t your email.

Gomer .

Hi and thanks for your reply – yeah I meant to post a topic for discussion and clicked on sending a message to everyone. I didn’t mean to do that. Whoops. ;0)

TYPICAL type-2s usually have at least SOME natural insulin. Using injected insulin can in some cases give the pancrease a rest whcih cam help preserve remainning beta cell function.

If you have very high insulin RESISTANCE it can take lots of injected insulin to overcome that insulin resistance. That is WHY some T-2 have to take a LOT of insulin.

Eating TOO LOW on the carbs can cause a person’s metabolism rate to decline and actually increase BS level and insulin needs. Balanced meals scatered thru the day are best. Most recomend diabetics limit meals to 45 grams of carbs PLUS a snack of 12-20max) between meals.

Every diabetic is a bit different regardless of type.

Gomer

Does Lantus lose its effectiveness after 28 days even when kept refrigerated? How about the pen? Does it start to lose its effectiveness when its opened? I get a 90 supply from my mail order company so I definitely have the stuff more than 90 days. I try to keep it all refrigerated until I open it but I think I may have had some open longer than 28 days.

YES!

Lantus looses its effectiveness after 28 Days after OPENING.

So, once OPENED it has a useable life of 28 days..PERIOD. Using beyond 28 days can lead to PROBLEMS with BS levels. Does not matter storage condition or vial/pen, remember the key word is "OPEN". Once the seal is violated, even if you do not use a single unit of the Lantu it is still spoiled after 28 days....

Gomer

Very helpful. Thanks!