Hi, I have a question. Is it okay taking insulin without eating? Does insulin have an effect if I haven't eaten anything? I'm not sure how this works. Can some explain this to me. I have on occasion taken my insulin and then forgot to eat. I didn't feel very well after that. I was very tired. I had to lay down and take a nap. One of my friends suggested that I should have at least had some juice but that was after the fact. Has anyone taken their insulin and not eaten? What happened to you? I'd like to hear your story if you're willing to share. Thanks.
Taking insulin is all about balancing you blood sugar levels. Eating food helps to raise you blood glucose levels while taking insulin helps to lower blood glucose levels. Insulin allows the cells in your body to take glucose in. So you take insulin before you eat. If you're not going to eat anything don't take insulin because this could bring about blood glucose levels that are way to low. It's not unlike not injecting enough insulin for the food you've eaten. You glucose levels will be too low. If you haven't eaten and took insulin you may feel very sleepy, jittery and experience brain fog. Your brain won't have enough energy to function properly. Nor will other organs in your body. It's possible that you pass out or even go into coma. These are very serious side effects of too much insulin. Try not to let this happen. If you have taken insulin and don't eat make sure you get some juice or some food in you to prevent nasty repercussions. You need to pay attention to your insulin intake at all times just as you need to monitor you diet and do your exercises. I hope this was helpful in some way. I can't stress enough that you should be very careful with your insulin and eating. Your life depends on it.
Are you a DIABETIC??? First of all insulin is not a drug or medication - what it is is a hormone controlling glucose in your body - Tupe 1 Diabetics (T1D) do not make this hormone so the glucose in their body will soar causing major problems - Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is different, it is when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin so injections of insulin or sometimes pills are needed but understand T2D doesn’t happen from just being fat or eating too much sugar, you have to have the genes fit it!!!
If you take insulin and then do not eat, you will have a low blood sugar aka insulin reaction/ too much insulin and not enough glucose - YOU NEED TO HAVE juice or regular soda and z carbohydrate, i.e. bread, crackers or granola bar don’t ever lay down and sleep, it’s surprising you survived - which makes me think you are not a T1D or T2D and if that is indeed the case and you are taking insulin to build muscle
I am reading these posts, Insulin without eating, because I am doing this very thing to try and get my blood sugar down. But before you think of me as stupid I think we need to be more specific. Doesn't it matter where our glucose levels are when we take Insulin without food? Whether it is dangerous or not?
Is it too dangerous, period? Or is it dangerous only if your diabetes, and glucose levels, at the time of taking the Insulin is under control or not? If you have regular numbers most of the time. And if this is the norm for you. That is if your numbers are steady and controlled.
I don't think it would be dangerous for a person whose glucose or diabetes isn't controlled and is running really high chronically for quite some time. Why would we need to eat in this particular situation? Unless there is more to it than that. And that is a serious question for me and why I came here.
If that is the only reason we need to eat food with our Insulin then I think I am fine. Because it can't get too low with the numbers I have. But so far no one in this forum or the one I just left mentions this.
So I believe that in my situation it's a bit different because my levels are doing just that, running way too high for too long.
Is there another reason besides that one why it can be dangerous?
I realize how dangerous it is if you took your insulin without eating while you have your diabetes under control. I would never do that. My average daily glucose level for the past year and a half has been 393. I get that number from my 14 day monitor I have on my arm. This sounds right because before I got it my levels were showing on my other meters and Dr. office meters that I run from about 250 clear up into the 700s. This glucose monitor I have on my arm allows me to constantly take my blood sugar and it only takes a second. Which is awesome. It is literally saving my life.
So, I know where my glucose is at before I take my insulin whether it's with food or not, and after I take insulin. Here for the last 6 months, it has been a little better because it's running more at around 300 to 500 daily. When I take my insulin with food it reacts the exact same way as if I didn't eat anything. According to my monitor. Insulin is only taking it down about 50 points. I am calling it points because I can't think what the word is right now. And only lasts about an hour or so. Then it goes right back up.
I even increased my insulin and it doesn't faze my blood sugar levels still. I am taking between 25 and 30ml of 70/30. I also tried the regular Insulin when it gets over 500 without food to try and get it down. But it reacts the same way as the other one.
So, in this situation am I safe? If I keep a constant eye on it? Is that the only reason it is dangerous because your blood sugar will drop too low? Or is there another reason I need to know about? I am trying to get my blood sugar down. Especially, when it's so high my tracker will no longer read it which is over 500 for the meter I have. Which is upsetting. I want to be able to track it at these high levels.
I know you are wondering why I havent talked to my dr. about this yet? I have but right now I am in the middle of getting a new doctor. My primary knew nothing about diabetes and the diabetes Dr. was a real jerk. So, I will be again once I can get into seeing my new doctor.
I had gone to the emergency room a couple of times in the beginning when my blood sugar levels started spiking. But they just gave me a little bit of insulin and let me go. And the amount I was given never even brought down my number by a single digit. So, I'll just do it myself.
Eating food would just make it worse. I am not saying that I do this all the time. Just sometimes. No amount that I take of Insulin could ever get my blood sugar levels too low. So, I think there is an exception to the rule here.
That is if that is the only reason we take Insulin with food. So, it doesn't get too low. If there is another reason please let me know.