Insulin Injections Drawing Blood

Type 1 and LADA
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I just responded to a post and it got me to thinking …

About an hour ago I was going low fairly quickly from 83 to 77 to 66 to 52 and still dropping, while ravenous hunger went up expotentially … and I foolishly over treated as it continued to drop. I knew if I just waited, it would catch up, but I didn’t wait, I ate more. :grimacing:

So now, just after I responded to the post about postprandials, I needed to bolus because this low wasn’t low any more … it is 113 with a straight up arrow. :: sigh :: So I did what some would, I bolused!

I pulled out my fancy new 1/2" (12.7mm) needle (an increase in size from my 8mm); draw up 5 units to hopefully cover what I consumed; find an area on my thigh that isn’t bruised (my platelets are low); inject half and when I pull the needle out, blood follows; then I inject again, to give the other half (2.5u) and when I pull that needle out, much more blood comes out!

Has anyone ever wondered if within that pool of blood lies the insulin just injected?

Time will tell, but I’ll have to check Dex tomorrow morning for the readings because it’s bedtime for me! :sleeping: Here’s hoping sleep will happen because I need to be up at 3:30 AM! :sleeping:

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FYI, whenever I ingest too many carbs for a low, I often will bolus for HALF of the EXTRA carbs that I ate. ie, if I know I should have had 20 carbs, but ate 60, I would bolus as if I ate 20 carbs (1/2 of the extra carbs). that prevents a huge spike and also prevents (usually) another low from the latest bolus. Hope that helps.

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I will bolus for what I think is the excess carbs and as soon as my arrow points up and I’m over a 100, I will get on my bike and start peddling lol…then hope I don’t drop too much again, sigh…

@Dave44 method seems smarter!

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Thanks, @Dave44 that’s an interesting way to look at how much to bolus for over treating.

Thanks, @Marie20 I forgot about pedaling!

Still, I wonder, if I got much of the correction bolus - or if the insulin just came out with the blood.

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Yes, it’s an interesting question. I’m not sure you’ll ever be able to know the answer too that!

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When I was first diagnosed w diabetes I was taught in the hospital to always draw back to see if there is blood before injecting. Then only inject if there is no blood. I quickly learned how to feel if I was going to hit a vein because the skin over a vein hurts a lot more than when there isn’t one so if you are slow and tough the skin with the needle before you inject you can avoid it.
I think they don’t teach drawing back anymore I’m not sure why, maybe because so many use pens now.