Quick Tips for Type 1 Diabetes

Installment #2

What follows is a quick and dirty list of my top of mind quick tips.

1. Lipohypertrophy happens when insulin shots are always given in the same location.

2. It takes 2 to 4 hours before NPH insulin starts to work.

3. Lispro insulin (Humalog) works best at 60 to 90 minutes after injection.

4. Lower doses of insulin detemir (Levemir) may require a split dosing schedule. For example, half at breakfast and half 12 hours later although there variations on the split.

5. If you insert the syringe needle quickly; it hurts less.

6. 4 ounces of apple juice equals 15 grams of fast acting carbohydrates.

7. The duration of the honeymoon phase tends to be shorter in younger patients.

8. Daytime fatigue or sleepiness (e.g. yawning) can be a sign of low blood sugar.

9. Always check ketones when blood sugar is over 300 mg/dl.

10. Acetone, acetoacetic acid and beta-hydroxybutyrate are all known as ketone bodies.

After reading through the list, how did your knowledge compare? As always if you any questions or have a quick tip that you would like to share please let me know in the comments section.