June 21, 2002
Daily Care
Question from Toronto, Canada:
I am a 44 year old who has diabetes and has been on insulin three times daily (breakfast supper and bedtime) for 25 years, and I have been decreasing my morning Regular rapidly. Most times that doesn’t work. Yet, if I increase it I go low. I seem to be damned if I do and damned if I don’t. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Answer:
A change in insulin therapy may improve some of the difficulties that you are seeing with lows. You may wish to research and discuss with your diabetes team the possibility of Humalog or Novolog in place of Regular insulin, and/or Lantus (insulin glargine) in place of your bedtime NPH.
DMW
[Editor’s comment: You also might consider using an insulin pump. Set up an appointment with your diabetes team to explore all the options.
SS]