Sarah Howard (nee Tackett) has dedicated her career to supporting the T1D community ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Manager of Marketing at T1D Exchange.
I answered “unsure” because I probably wouldn’t know, unless I had a severe low blood glucose.
But, this makes me think of one of my Tandem pump pet peeves. Occasionally, and more often than I care for, my pump is on, and telling me that I’ve started a bolus. As far as I know, I have done nothing to initiate a bolus. So, I have to push the buttons to get out of the bolus screen. This probably happens a few times a week. It is very annoying and scary.
When that happens to me I think it is because I pressed the bolus button accidently while placing the pump on my waistband. Human error (that’s assuming I am human)
No, but I was in a hurry the morning to get to work and I almost used my fast acting pen instead of my Lantus and almost gave myself a high dose. I stopped the needle from going into my thigh when a I saw the bright orange on my pen. My Lantus is a light grey.
Early on after my diagnosis, one night I accidentally gave 6 units of humalog instead of Lantus and freaked out a bit. Since then, I wrap several small rubber bands around the grip of the humalog pen as an additional reminder of what insulin I’m about to take, & it hasn’t happened since.
Not in my sleep but I did accidentally gave myself my bolus insulin instead on my basal insulin when I woke up. My basal number of units is much higher than my bolus. As soon as I did it, I realized what I’d done. Never ate so much sugar at one time.
Since I use MDI with 2 different insulins, I wrap masking tape on needle guard of glargine syringe and neck of glargine vial. I try to remember carpenters’ rule: Measure twice, cut (inject) once. Danger of runaway pumps overdosing while asleep or awake, is not the problem today that it was once. That’s what I’m told. I would have taken that risk long ago if I could have afforded a pump.
Anything could happen I guess. But worked as a mechanic for a long time rolling around on the ground and laying on my pump.. never managed to push the right sequence of buttons to bolus myself. I have damaged a couple pump displays
I answered no. I used a Baxter pump, a Baxter Travenol Pump, several Medtronic pumps and now a Tandem X2 pump (40 years of pumping) all required(s) two finger or two step operation to bolus.
The Tandem X2 pump requires four step bolusing. i.e., select one, two then three, along with selecting bolus to start. Of course, then you have to select the carb value. Very difficult to do in your sleep.
I’ve never given an accidental bolus in my sleep… to my knowledge.
But, when I was much younger and new to 2 shots a day, I accidentally gave my morning insulin at dinner. That was something along the lines of 30 or 40 (possibly upwards of 50) units instead of 3 or 4.
I realized I’d done it right after and told my Mom who took me to the ER. I spent the night in the ER, but I don’t think I was admitted. (I was hospitalized a few times in my youth, but I don’t think this incident was one of them.)
Closest I’ve come is when I was on MDI and after giving myself what I thought was my usual 50u Lantus dose for the day looked down and realized I’d just used my Novolog pen. Oops. Stuff you do before you have your coffee.
To answer the question, no I do not believe I have.
BUT….
Not to branch this off in another direction, but, what I have done, (repeatedly in fact since being on the TSlim X2, is I have deleted profiles as well as altered other settings by inadvertently leaving the pump active and then placing in my pocket!!
I’ve never done it while I was asleep but I have accidentally given too much insulin (twice) by putting “carb count” on the “units” line. I’ve adjusted my max bolts so I can’t do it again!
Not yet, but it’s my fear that someday I will and miss a decimal point etc.
When I did pump the answer is a hard NO
If I was sleeping at the time how would I have been awake enough to know if I had given myself a Bolus of Insulin???
I have been groggy from waking in the night but never asleep
I’ve never given myself an accidental bolus in my sleep; but my Medtronic pump used to.
Yes and no. I have turned of my insulin delivery but not given a bolus
I answered “unsure” because I probably wouldn’t know, unless I had a severe low blood glucose.
But, this makes me think of one of my Tandem pump pet peeves. Occasionally, and more often than I care for, my pump is on, and telling me that I’ve started a bolus. As far as I know, I have done nothing to initiate a bolus. So, I have to push the buttons to get out of the bolus screen. This probably happens a few times a week. It is very annoying and scary.
When that happens to me I think it is because I pressed the bolus button accidently while placing the pump on my waistband. Human error (that’s assuming I am human)
Thank you Kristina.
I was sleeping and my pump kept giving alerts. I thought it was a high alert so I added 25 carbs. My sugar was 40 not 400!
No, but I was in a hurry the morning to get to work and I almost used my fast acting pen instead of my Lantus and almost gave myself a high dose. I stopped the needle from going into my thigh when a I saw the bright orange on my pen. My Lantus is a light grey.
Early on after my diagnosis, one night I accidentally gave 6 units of humalog instead of Lantus and freaked out a bit. Since then, I wrap several small rubber bands around the grip of the humalog pen as an additional reminder of what insulin I’m about to take, & it hasn’t happened since.
won’t happen with mdi
Sorry can’t even imagine doing that
Hard to do that on MDI!
Had a cat tackle and eat through the tubing once…. That count?
I have not, but every once in a while I will pull my pump only to find that it is on a screen I did not expect it to be on…….
I only use pens so giving an injection while asleep would be difficult.
No but I have when hypoglycemia impaired judgement decades ago.
Not in my sleep but I did accidentally gave myself my bolus insulin instead on my basal insulin when I woke up. My basal number of units is much higher than my bolus. As soon as I did it, I realized what I’d done. Never ate so much sugar at one time.
Since I use MDI with 2 different insulins, I wrap masking tape on needle guard of glargine syringe and neck of glargine vial. I try to remember carpenters’ rule: Measure twice, cut (inject) once. Danger of runaway pumps overdosing while asleep or awake, is not the problem today that it was once. That’s what I’m told. I would have taken that risk long ago if I could have afforded a pump.
Anything could happen I guess. But worked as a mechanic for a long time rolling around on the ground and laying on my pump.. never managed to push the right sequence of buttons to bolus myself. I have damaged a couple pump displays
I answered no. I used a Baxter pump, a Baxter Travenol Pump, several Medtronic pumps and now a Tandem X2 pump (40 years of pumping) all required(s) two finger or two step operation to bolus.
The Tandem X2 pump requires four step bolusing. i.e., select one, two then three, along with selecting bolus to start. Of course, then you have to select the carb value. Very difficult to do in your sleep.
I’ve never given an accidental bolus in my sleep… to my knowledge.
But, when I was much younger and new to 2 shots a day, I accidentally gave my morning insulin at dinner. That was something along the lines of 30 or 40 (possibly upwards of 50) units instead of 3 or 4.
I realized I’d done it right after and told my Mom who took me to the ER. I spent the night in the ER, but I don’t think I was admitted. (I was hospitalized a few times in my youth, but I don’t think this incident was one of them.)
Closest I’ve come is when I was on MDI and after giving myself what I thought was my usual 50u Lantus dose for the day looked down and realized I’d just used my Novolog pen. Oops. Stuff you do before you have your coffee.
To answer the question, no I do not believe I have.
BUT….
Not to branch this off in another direction, but, what I have done, (repeatedly in fact since being on the TSlim X2, is I have deleted profiles as well as altered other settings by inadvertently leaving the pump active and then placing in my pocket!!
I’ve never done it while I was asleep but I have accidentally given too much insulin (twice) by putting “carb count” on the “units” line. I’ve adjusted my max bolts so I can’t do it again!
Max Bolus* darn auto correct!