Diabetes is a condition that is really tricky. There are a lot of considerations that you have to take note of. Blood sugar levels become erratic when you have diabetes. This may be caused by the insulin-glucagon balance, stress, diet, exercise, lifestyle, and even the time you take your medication. But hard as it is to admit, there are times when your blood sugar levels go crazy all of a sudden. This unexpected irregularity to your blood sugar may even occur even if you know very well that you stick to your routines everyday. When this happens and you are on long acting insulin, maybe it is time to check it s adjustment already.
Long acting insulin is often administered in your blood stream round-the-clock (RTC) because it regulates the blood sugar level when you are not eating anything. It assists in the balance of sugar levels as it moves in your bloodstream. Long acting insulin is also known as basal insulin or background insulin because they are just there but not dramatically active as the other forms of insulin that you may be used to having in your system. Although it is not the usual star of the show, there are times when you have to pay attention to them already. If you have long acting insulin pumped into your blood, you don’t have to worry that you will have a shoot up in insulin when you wake up the next day. Take note of the following considerations adjusting your long acting insulin:
1. Total daily dose
The total daily dose of long acting insulin for most individuals is between 50 and 60 percent. You have to check your pump is your percentage is within this range. If not, you have to adjust the dosage already, so that you may get the optimum benefits of having long acting insulin in your system.
2. Fasting
You can check your long acting insulin by fasting for a few minutes or hours. The long acting insulin is supposed to regulate your blood sugar levels when you are not eating so if you fast for a short time and test your blood sugar levels regularly during this time, you will be able to find out if your long acting insulin is in need of adjustment already. But if you use your long acting insulin to cover the meal that you didn’t take, do not test its levels by fasting.
3. Don’t change often
You have to be careful when you change your long acting insulin. You should not change it often because it will need you to change the short acting insulin as well. So before you think of adjusting the long acting insulin, consider if you would have to adjust the short acting insulin dose as well.
4. Physical activity
When you have an increase in physical activity, there is an increase in insulin sensitivity. This is when your long acting insulin dosage should be decreased. When you suddenly have to work behind a desk your long acting insulin should be increased because there is less sensitivity to insulin by this time.
5. Weight change
When you go on a low-calorie diet and should be shedding pounds, then your long acting insulin should be reduced by up to 30 percent.
6. Diseases
Diseases that last for weeks like pneumonia, bladder infections, or sinus infections need an increase in long acting insulin dosage. For short term viruses, only short-acting insulin may be needed.
7. Stress
If you know that you are about to undergo a long-term stressful situation, then you must increase your long acting insulin. Some instances that require you to have an increase in long acting insulin are changing from Regular to Humalog; changing level of activity; when there is weight change; when you are on your period; when you are under certain medications; when you have a thyroid disease; when you have environmental changes; and when you are having great emotional stress. These contribute to the stress levels that your body experiences so you have to really keep an eye on your long acting insulin.
8. Metabolism
When you have an increase in metabolism, your long acting insulin should be lowered because there is an increased sensitivity to insulin when this happens.
It is best for you to work with your doctor when it comes to adjusting your long acting insulin. Do this all the time so that you may know if your reasons for adjustments are correct and so that your dosage will be clarified. It will benefit you more if you keep your doctor informed about the dosage adjustment of your long acting insulin.