40 Comments
How often do you typically change your basal insulin rates outside of appointments with your T1D health care provider?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
© 2023 T1D Exchange. All Rights Reserved.
Several months I adjusted my basal, than tweaked them. Haven’t needed to since but I don’t think I need a doctor to tell me how.
I answered “other” for two reasons. A) “Rates” instead of “doses” implies this question is meant only for pump users, but I use MDI and there isn’t an “N/A I use MDI” option. B) It varies. If I notice an obvious pattern and think that changing my basal doses will help, I’ll change them and tell my doctor at my next appointment. Some years I’ve made lots of changes on my own. Some years I’ve only made changes when my doctor suggested them.
Tiny adjustments in my long-acting basal dose makes a huge difference in my ability to stay in my goal range. If I notice I’m suddenly struggling with stubborn highs, I know I probably need a tiny boost in my basal dose. Just going from 9 units to 10 units of Lantus can have a huge impact on how easy it is to stay in my goal range.
My pump handles most everything, but in the week following chemo, I use a different profile in the pump with higher basal rates – my sugars tend to rise during that week. Then I return to my main profile and all is well!
My endo doesn’t touch my settings. After 38 years, I do it all myself.
Whenever it needs adjusted, we adjust it.
of course!
I use control-IQ in the evening and at night. Often during the day if I am at all active, I must turn off CIQ and set my own basal rates or I will become hypoglycemic. CIQ works fine provided I am not very active.
I change my carb to insulin ratios daily to adjust to what happened on that day.
I change basal rates when I see that my blood sugar is rising or falling at times when they shouldn’t be. It is entirely based on my blood sugar; not on the calendar.
Don’t use a pump
I could have selected two answers. I selected “once every couple of months.” However, I could have said that I have a pump that automatically adjusts the basal rates (Tandem Control IQ). As my blood glucose levels rates change, I adjust basal rates, bolus rates (carb ratios), or correction factors, depending upon the circumstances of the BG changes.
On my own if it seems necessary, but I’ve been at this for a long time and am pretty stable, so it rarely is.
I will change the rates on my own, but usually only when I have trouble consistently for a couple weeks. I have found that issues tend to be temporary for me. I can use an adjustment dose if needed.
I adjust my basal rates for menstruation when I remember. I used to predictably run high a week before my period. At 45 y/o, the timing of insulin resistance varies and I sometimes get very low when I start. I guess that’s perimenopause talking. I also sometimes make basal adjustments if I spot consistent patterns of highs or lows in my CGM. For the most part, I leave it to my b Tandem pump/Control-IQ.
LOL…..I agree with another comment…no one touches my pump settings but me….my NP just “observes.” I’m the one who lives with what is happening.
I use control IQ with my tandem pump, but if i see a consistent pattern of highs or lows, i will adjust my set basal rates as needed.
I use Control IQ, which automatically adjusts basal rates, but I do set up new profiles with different basal rates as needed for different circumstances. Until I switched doctors to accommodate Medicare requirements for frequent appts, my endo never even asked about pump parameters when I saw him once per year. He saw my data and respected my ability to manage things.
I use a temp basal when I’m exercising and at night, if I did a lot of cardio. Minor tweaks matter.
I use a pump that automatically adjusts my basal rates but I use different profiles for different circumstances. If I keep seeing too high or low of results, I will do a small adjustment but usually I just give a correction dose or eat something small to adjust blood sugars.
I see my endocrinologist every 4 months and we review my data on my phone app as I have a CGM (sensor). He either keeps it the same or adjusts the pre meal insukin (ADMELOG) also is Tresiba and administer it at breakfast which last me 24 hours. It’s usually the same a slight change of 1-2 units at breakfast or dinner as now I’m not taking any pre lunch l.
I very rarely adjust my basal insulin (Lantus) rates, but more frequently adjust the correction factor for boluses (Novolog).
Multiple times per month if we aren’t counting temp basal for exercise or long car rides
Whenever necessary, zero use for white coats “sanctioning” whatever I do… EVER.
I use injected insulin, so I change my “rate” on the fly, so to speak.
I do activate a profile with 50% of my normal basal rate for longer bike rides and walks.
I have 6 pre-programmed basal rate profiles (each of which has different rates for multiple different times of day). I will switch among them depending on my activities, but I don’t reprogram them unless my endocrinologist sees a pattern of high or low blood sugars and suggests I adjust a rate for a particular time of day for one or more of the profiles.
Sometimes a couple times a year, sometimes once a year…it all depends what my body needs
On MDI, I use changes in my basal insulin (Levemir) not just for basal needs, but also to adjust for the longer-lasting effects on blood sugar of food that my fast-acting insulin (Fiasp) would not completely cover. Hence I may change several times a week, depending on diet and time of consumption.
For the last several years I have injected 7 units of Tresiba in the morning and 13 units at bed time. I cover my low carb meals with Novilin-R and a couple of units of Humalog. A1C is 4.7 and standard deviation about 12.
If the question includes temp basal rates – then often. I hae 9 different time zones for my pump settings (all of them: basal, ISF for corrections and carb:insulin for when I eat). I have BIQ (te CIQ target is too high for me) and will avail myself of temp basal when needed. I also have different profiles based on where I place my infusion set.
Each site absorbs differently on my body, and so by rotating I also change my basal absorption (arms vs belly vs lower back, vs thigh). My semaglutide 1X/week injection has a curve of strength, with days 3-5 the strongest. Then my menstrual cycle is thrown in, with week one needing the least, and so on. I am way sensitive…
Oh, and for activity/exercise! Different temp rates for different activities.
When my bgs show a constant low at a given time I adjust the basal to avoid the lows.
Not sure exactly what this question is asking. I do temp basals on an ad needed basis, stubborn highs or lows. I also adjust my basal profile when needed.
Whenever I need to…unless pretty new to diabetes and insulin, everyone should feel comfortable with changing their basal as necessary as it is your life, your body, and no physician is available 24/7
I change the basal rate when needed. There is no time frame how often this happens.
I take a basal injections twice a day. The morning dose stays mostly the same unless I have to be fasting or Im sick. The night time dose runs according to what my bedtime sugar is. I will decrease it if its running on the low side.
So fine tuned with CIQ but my Endo still follows my G6 and advises me of any change needed.
I change it when necessary. If I see a pattern forming (eg. going lower than normal, or higher) over a certain period of the day, I’ll make the adjustment accordingly to correct the changed pattern.
Basal, never, but not for reason given as I’d interpret it; I don’t change it at my quarterly appointments either without detailed discussion and agreement with my endo — and as often as not, I’ve not gone along with his initial suggestion; I know better than him how things turn out in my body. He generally accepts my decisions after I state my reasons, albeit sometimes begrudgingly. Lately, somewhat to my surprise, he has seemed more willing to accept things as they are and just tell me to keep doing what I’m doing, and he hopes to keep ‘taking care’ of me for another decade (I’m 76 now with 47 years T1)!