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How Long Does Insulin Take To Show Effect After Stopping The Drip?
Question: taking me off insulin drip for DKA... should I be restarting my home dose insulin right away? in the past they have given me my long acting and then shut off the insulin drip a couple hours later, but this time they are going to put me on a sliding scale? Im 20, take 45 units lantus twice a day plus novolog with meals based on carbs.
Brief Answer:
the long acting insulin starts a few hours before stopping the drip
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
the insulin drip works for as long as it is administered. The doctors usually administer the long acting insulin a few hours before stopping the drip, to allow it to act on the blood sugar at least partially, so that the required dosage for the fast insulin would be lower and your body won't be left without insulin between the meals.
If they've stopped the drip you may need more novolog in the meals and you'll have to check your blood sugar between the meals. Obviously I can't provide a specific dosage plan. This is a special situation and you'll have to measure your blood sugar and act accordingly. I suppose you must be calculating the carbohydrates and the glucose levels before the meal, right? If you've not taken the long acting insulin then your pre-meal levels would be higher than usual and you'll be 'forced' to increase the dosage.
So in conclusion the long acting insulin should be started as soon as possible and until then the fast acting insulin should partially compensate for the long acting one. Measuring the blood sugar between the meals might help to decide on further action (like adding another fast acting injection).
I hope you find my comments helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
the long acting insulin starts a few hours before stopping the drip
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
the insulin drip works for as long as it is administered. The doctors usually administer the long acting insulin a few hours before stopping the drip, to allow it to act on the blood sugar at least partially, so that the required dosage for the fast insulin would be lower and your body won't be left without insulin between the meals.
If they've stopped the drip you may need more novolog in the meals and you'll have to check your blood sugar between the meals. Obviously I can't provide a specific dosage plan. This is a special situation and you'll have to measure your blood sugar and act accordingly. I suppose you must be calculating the carbohydrates and the glucose levels before the meal, right? If you've not taken the long acting insulin then your pre-meal levels would be higher than usual and you'll be 'forced' to increase the dosage.
So in conclusion the long acting insulin should be started as soon as possible and until then the fast acting insulin should partially compensate for the long acting one. Measuring the blood sugar between the meals might help to decide on further action (like adding another fast acting injection).
I hope you find my comments helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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