Optimizing how your insulin works for YOU

Many of you know that there are various different types of insulin available around the world. Some countries have more variety available than others. In St Vincent and the Grenadines, the main insulin used by patients is 70/30 insulin. Regular insulin is also available, but I have learned is not commonly used separately.{{more}}

Like any other type of insulin, 70/30 works to bring your blood sugars down, by making your body use glucose instead of it hanging out in your blood or leaving your body in urine. That glucose gets turned into energy and fat when insulin is around, doing its job. Different insulins work in different ways, however, and with 70/30 there are some very important things to keep in mind.

First: you MUST eat on time everyday. 70/30 insulin is a combination of two different types of insulin mixed into one vial. The proportion of those two insulins does not change. But if you change when you eat, you can have a mismatch between when your food gets absorbed and when the insulin is working at its peak. When that happens, you can have some terribly low blood sugars and all the serious consequences that go along with that (shakes, sweats, fainting, seizures etc). Anytime I have patients taking 70/30, I tell them every time I see them: REMEMBER TO EAT ON TIME EVERY DAY, AND ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT EACH TIME.

Second: once you start on 70/30 insulin, most likely you will need two injections per day. Not always, but most often. Why? 70/30 insulin only lasts about 8-10 hours in total for the vast majority of adults. That means you would be without medication the entire rest of the day if you only took one injection. I bring this up because during our recent visit, several people told us they only took one shot a day and no other medication at all. Some folks can get away with that, but I am certain that most people taking only one shot would then have high blood sugars the rest of the day. That is not a good pattern obviously.

Third: keep in mind that changes in your dose of 70/30 insulin means a change in TWO different types of insulin. This is important to know, because if you decide to change the dose on your own without talking to your medical team/nurse, you could end up with a spattern you did not expect, given this insulin having two kinds of action, not only one. If possible, especially if you are thinking you need MORE insulin, please talk to your doctor or nurse before trying to change your dose on your own. It is safest to have them involved with the decision.

Until next week, stay safe and healthy Vincies!

Anita Ramsetty, MD<.br>Roper Endocrinology, RSFH
anita.ramsetty@rsfh.com
843-720-8438