This is going to take some getting used to ...
For the first time in 18 years, I didn't take a shot this morning.
I've started using a new type of insulin. The old type I was using got discontinued (makes you start to wonder why you were using it in the first place), and the rules are out the door now. Instead of taking two overlapping long-acting shots per day, I've replaced it by taking only one overlapping much longer-acting shot per day. I took the first one last night. It's always a scary thing. How do I know that the amount of insulin the doctor told me to take is going to be right and I'm not going to die in the middle of the night?
If I'm going to eat something (carbs specifically), I take a small dose of the quick-acting (hoo boy is it quick ... starts working in 15 minutes) based on my current blood sugar and the amount of food I'm eating. So, if my blood sugar is where it's supposed to be, and I'm not eating anything .... I don't take a shot. But, this still just doesn't register. I'm sitting here at work thinking that I've forgotten something very important today.
Basically, the long-acting is much more condusive to how the healthy body works. It sets down a base amount of insulin, and it acts about the same all day long. The idea is that when you find the perfect amount that you should take, if you were to not eat all day long and only take the long-acting (Lantus is its name), that your blood sugar should stay constant all day. Unfortunately, that means there are no peaks anywhere in the insulin, and I have to get the amount of short-acting insulin perfect every time. I have a shady little outline of how I'm supposed to take a unit of insulin for every 15 grams of carbs I eat. I don't know about you, but when I sit down to dinner, I don't imagine my plate of food and think, "This is going to be 120 grams of carbs." And yes, I know that some of you out there probably do that.
So if any of you are looking for a good way to start a hard crash diet, try switching to these insulins. I got to work, and the ladies out in the next office were like, "Karl, we brought donuts in." "Score!" I think to myself. Then I realize that that's probably like ... 20 grams of carbs. Every time I decide that I want to stuff a donut in my mouth, I have to take a shot ... although I would probably decide to stuff more like 4 in my mouth if I'm going to take a shot for it. I get the feeling I am probably going to snack less now and eat larger meals if anything. And drink lots of water. (Sounded better than diet drinks *slurp*.) And then let's imagine that I fill my plate and I take a shot, and then I get done and realize that I'm still hungry. What does that mean? Either a) get over it or b) take another shot. And if I take more insulin thinking that I'm way hungry, and then I'm not? Wuh oh.
I think I forgot something this morning.
I've started using a new type of insulin. The old type I was using got discontinued (makes you start to wonder why you were using it in the first place), and the rules are out the door now. Instead of taking two overlapping long-acting shots per day, I've replaced it by taking only one overlapping much longer-acting shot per day. I took the first one last night. It's always a scary thing. How do I know that the amount of insulin the doctor told me to take is going to be right and I'm not going to die in the middle of the night?
If I'm going to eat something (carbs specifically), I take a small dose of the quick-acting (hoo boy is it quick ... starts working in 15 minutes) based on my current blood sugar and the amount of food I'm eating. So, if my blood sugar is where it's supposed to be, and I'm not eating anything .... I don't take a shot. But, this still just doesn't register. I'm sitting here at work thinking that I've forgotten something very important today.
Basically, the long-acting is much more condusive to how the healthy body works. It sets down a base amount of insulin, and it acts about the same all day long. The idea is that when you find the perfect amount that you should take, if you were to not eat all day long and only take the long-acting (Lantus is its name), that your blood sugar should stay constant all day. Unfortunately, that means there are no peaks anywhere in the insulin, and I have to get the amount of short-acting insulin perfect every time. I have a shady little outline of how I'm supposed to take a unit of insulin for every 15 grams of carbs I eat. I don't know about you, but when I sit down to dinner, I don't imagine my plate of food and think, "This is going to be 120 grams of carbs." And yes, I know that some of you out there probably do that.
So if any of you are looking for a good way to start a hard crash diet, try switching to these insulins. I got to work, and the ladies out in the next office were like, "Karl, we brought donuts in." "Score!" I think to myself. Then I realize that that's probably like ... 20 grams of carbs. Every time I decide that I want to stuff a donut in my mouth, I have to take a shot ... although I would probably decide to stuff more like 4 in my mouth if I'm going to take a shot for it. I get the feeling I am probably going to snack less now and eat larger meals if anything. And drink lots of water. (Sounded better than diet drinks *slurp*.) And then let's imagine that I fill my plate and I take a shot, and then I get done and realize that I'm still hungry. What does that mean? Either a) get over it or b) take another shot. And if I take more insulin thinking that I'm way hungry, and then I'm not? Wuh oh.
I think I forgot something this morning.
posted by Karl at 7:45 AM
2 Comments:
Did.. you... remember to put your pants on?
That's a totally different problem.
And by problem, I mean luxury.
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