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Permalink Reply by jrtpup on April 14, 2012 at 5:20pm

I've never done it, so don't really know, but one thing I would be sure to do is test really often over the next 24 hours. You have around 30% more basal insulin in your system than you're used to, so you may have to snack regularly to keep your bg up.

I don't know how long lantus takes to kick in, but it surely will. If it were me I wouldn't take any apidra. Someone more knowledgeable may say differently?

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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on April 14, 2012 at 5:22pm

In the scope of things, this is a minor error. Think about taking apidra in your normal dose of 26 units of lantus. That would be truly epic. In this case, you took an extra 10 units of lantus on top of your normal 26. It will cause your blood sugar to slowly drop over the next 24 hours, but not sharply. I would take a very modest correction bolus and then make sure you go to bed a bit high. Then set your alarm to wake you up every three hours and correct with some glucose tabs if needed.

Bottom line, you may drift low over the next 24 hours, but probably no sharply.

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Permalink Reply by Spock on April 14, 2012 at 5:24pm

You truly understand the science... Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Gerri on April 14, 2012 at 5:27pm

Yes, correct that high, but do it conservatively using less Apidra than you normally would. You probably won't be able to avoid a low from twice the Lantus, so test & keep glucose at hand.

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Permalink Reply by christy on April 14, 2012 at 5:46pm

I agree you need to get your BG down if you are at 300, and yes the lantus will probably bring you down having and additional 10 units than you normally take, however it will do it slowly. I'd advise a modest correction of apidra. And then test very frequently and correct as needed. Much better the additional lantus, than messing up and taking too much apidra. Also I'd mark the pens in some way so at a quick glance you know you have the right pen. Years ago before pens were around back in the good old days of Regular and NPH...and having to mix your own insulins. I'd mark the Regular vial with a piece of black electrical tape. It made it at a very quick glance noticable it was the Regular insulin. I think it helped avoid mistakes such as this.

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Permalink Reply by Jocelynn Carey on April 14, 2012 at 6:21pm

Thanks everyone for the advice. I went ahead and did a modest correction and am armed with skittles fun packs by the bedside I case of some overnight lows. I am glad i didn't mess up the other way though, I'd be waaaay more concerned about that. I just switched back from using insulin pens to vials :/ though I can't complain since I get my meds deeply discounted through a free clinic here in chi town. The vials look EXACTLY the same, I'm definately going to start wrapping a rubber band around my lantus from now on to make sure this doesn't happen again! IN, USA

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Permalink Reply by still_young_at_heart on April 14, 2012 at 7:59pm

When I was using pens, I kept the Lantus and Humalog in different rooms. The Lantus in the bedroom and the Humalog in the dining room.

Maurie

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Permalink Reply by marty1492 on April 15, 2012 at 5:02am

Thanks, Maurie!

Great tip!

Best wishes,

marty1492

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