Subscribe Now

* You will receive the latest news and updates on your favorite celebrities!

Trending News

T1D Exchange T1D Exchange T1D Exchange
  • Activity
    • 20 minutes ago
      LizB likes your comment at
      If you have ever had extra supplies from a device you no longer use, what did you do with those extra supplies? Please select all that apply.
      A familiar story. I've been holding onto my old Medtronic supplies for ten to twenty years. They're still sitting in the closet.
    • 22 minutes ago
      LizB likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      Diagnosed in September, right after Labor Day, in 1946. I'm 88 and still active, driving, and in general living a 'normal' life for someone my age.
    • 3 hours, 44 minutes ago
      Barb Robertson likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      Diagnosed in September, right after Labor Day, in 1946. I'm 88 and still active, driving, and in general living a 'normal' life for someone my age.
    • 4 hours, 11 minutes ago
      Mick Martin likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      It was almost 50 yrs ago. I was 4 when diagnosed - my family doesn’t celebrate or even discuss the dx as it was a very sad day for the entire family. They told my parents I would never have children and that I would never live past age 40. In my teens whilst full of surly attitude, I decided to prove them wrong. So I had a baby at 40 and am living a great life (with some restrictions) at 50-something. Celebrating another birthday in a few days. Glad they were wrong!
    • 4 hours, 16 minutes ago
      Mick Martin likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      May 8th at 4:30pm - I was at work when I got the call from my doctor. I was fired from my job at 5:00 pm. A day that will live in infamy.
    • 4 hours, 24 minutes ago
      sweetcharlie likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      It was right before my 5th birthday. I returned from sleep away camp and was looking forward to my birthday party with a Baskin Robbin's ice cream cake and my mother's Hershey's best ever brownies, but instead. My mother took one look at me and took be to the hospital where I was diagnosed with T1D. Oh well. As the saying goes, shit happens. At least we have so many new treatments options available to use now. The doctors told my mom that I probably wouldn't make it to the age of 30 or 40 (I forget), and I am now 62.
    • 4 hours, 25 minutes ago
      sweetcharlie likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      It was almost 50 yrs ago. I was 4 when diagnosed - my family doesn’t celebrate or even discuss the dx as it was a very sad day for the entire family. They told my parents I would never have children and that I would never live past age 40. In my teens whilst full of surly attitude, I decided to prove them wrong. So I had a baby at 40 and am living a great life (with some restrictions) at 50-something. Celebrating another birthday in a few days. Glad they were wrong!
    • 4 hours, 26 minutes ago
      sweetcharlie likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      I had been telling my medical professional parent for a month about my symptoms. My mom commented that it could be diabetes since her great-grandparents had it, but no. I was working at my dad's clinic, he was a doctor, and he had me go get a blood draw in the afternoon. After his birthday dinner, we stopped by to get the results. He said my BG was about 450. I started on oral medications right then. About nine months later I needed insulin injections. I was 18 and vowed it wouldn't change my life. It has changed every aspect of it. Every year on my dad's birthday I remember how it started and what's happened over the last 38 years.
    • 4 hours, 29 minutes ago
      sweetcharlie likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      May 8th at 4:30pm - I was at work when I got the call from my doctor. I was fired from my job at 5:00 pm. A day that will live in infamy.
    • 4 hours, 31 minutes ago
      sweetcharlie likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      I do not understand why this data is important.
    • 7 hours, 58 minutes ago
      KarenM6 likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      It was right before my 5th birthday. I returned from sleep away camp and was looking forward to my birthday party with a Baskin Robbin's ice cream cake and my mother's Hershey's best ever brownies, but instead. My mother took one look at me and took be to the hospital where I was diagnosed with T1D. Oh well. As the saying goes, shit happens. At least we have so many new treatments options available to use now. The doctors told my mom that I probably wouldn't make it to the age of 30 or 40 (I forget), and I am now 62.
    • 7 hours, 59 minutes ago
      KarenM6 likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      It was almost 50 yrs ago. I was 4 when diagnosed - my family doesn’t celebrate or even discuss the dx as it was a very sad day for the entire family. They told my parents I would never have children and that I would never live past age 40. In my teens whilst full of surly attitude, I decided to prove them wrong. So I had a baby at 40 and am living a great life (with some restrictions) at 50-something. Celebrating another birthday in a few days. Glad they were wrong!
    • 8 hours, 36 minutes ago
      Jeff Marvel likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      I had been telling my medical professional parent for a month about my symptoms. My mom commented that it could be diabetes since her great-grandparents had it, but no. I was working at my dad's clinic, he was a doctor, and he had me go get a blood draw in the afternoon. After his birthday dinner, we stopped by to get the results. He said my BG was about 450. I started on oral medications right then. About nine months later I needed insulin injections. I was 18 and vowed it wouldn't change my life. It has changed every aspect of it. Every year on my dad's birthday I remember how it started and what's happened over the last 38 years.
    • 8 hours, 37 minutes ago
      Jeff Marvel likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      December 1983. Not sure the exact date, but it was about 6 weeks after becoming symptomatic. Didn't know what it was, but felt awful, plus the peeing/thirst thing, which I didn't even know was related to the other symptoms. I was in grad school at the time and it was nearing end of term. I thought student stress might be making me feel so sick. Doc said "Probably your wife wouldn't have been able to wake you up tomorrow if you hadn't come in."
    • 8 hours, 37 minutes ago
      Jeff Marvel likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      April 1. Happy April Fool's Day!
    • 10 hours, 19 minutes ago
      Gary Rind likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      It was almost 50 yrs ago. I was 4 when diagnosed - my family doesn’t celebrate or even discuss the dx as it was a very sad day for the entire family. They told my parents I would never have children and that I would never live past age 40. In my teens whilst full of surly attitude, I decided to prove them wrong. So I had a baby at 40 and am living a great life (with some restrictions) at 50-something. Celebrating another birthday in a few days. Glad they were wrong!
    • 11 hours, 13 minutes ago
      jo likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      70 years. I hope you are doing well. This gives the rest of us hope.
    • 11 hours, 16 minutes ago
      jo likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      The 13th of December 1973, lucky number 13 🍀 and I was thirteen at that time.
    • 11 hours, 41 minutes ago
      Janis Senungetuk likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      Himmm.. About 70 years ago... I am even not sure of the year exactly...
    • 11 hours, 42 minutes ago
      Janis Senungetuk likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      It was almost 50 yrs ago. I was 4 when diagnosed - my family doesn’t celebrate or even discuss the dx as it was a very sad day for the entire family. They told my parents I would never have children and that I would never live past age 40. In my teens whilst full of surly attitude, I decided to prove them wrong. So I had a baby at 40 and am living a great life (with some restrictions) at 50-something. Celebrating another birthday in a few days. Glad they were wrong!
    • 12 hours, 28 minutes ago
      miss.stake likes your comment at
      If you have ever had extra supplies from a device you no longer use, what did you do with those extra supplies? Please select all that apply.
      InsulinPumpers.com does a great job of distributing supplies to those in need.
    • 12 hours, 40 minutes ago
      KCR likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      Himmm.. About 70 years ago... I am even not sure of the year exactly...
    • 12 hours, 40 minutes ago
      KCR likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      70 years. I hope you are doing well. This gives the rest of us hope.
    • 12 hours, 44 minutes ago
      Sue Martin likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      Himmm.. About 70 years ago... I am even not sure of the year exactly...
    • 12 hours, 49 minutes ago
      Bruce Schnitzler likes your comment at
      During which month were you (or your loved one) diagnosed with T1D?
      It was almost 50 yrs ago. I was 4 when diagnosed - my family doesn’t celebrate or even discuss the dx as it was a very sad day for the entire family. They told my parents I would never have children and that I would never live past age 40. In my teens whilst full of surly attitude, I decided to prove them wrong. So I had a baby at 40 and am living a great life (with some restrictions) at 50-something. Celebrating another birthday in a few days. Glad they were wrong!
    Clear All
Pages
    • T1D Exchange T1D Exchange T1D Exchange
    • Articles
    • Community
      • About
      • Insights
      • Submit a Question
      • Donate
      • Join the Community
    • Quality Improvement
      • About
      • Collaborative
      • Leadership
      • Committees
      • Clinics
      • Portal
      • Health Equity
        • Heal Advisors
      • Join Us
    • Registry
      • About
      • Recruit for the Registry
    • Research
      • About
      • Publications
      • COVID-19 Research
      • Work with us
    • Partners
      • About
      • Previous Work
      • Academic Partnerships
      • Industry Partnerships
    • About
      • Team
      • Board of Directors
      • Culture & Careers
      • Annual Report
    • Join / Login
    • Donate

    Have you ever accidentally given yourself an injection of rapid-acting insulin instead of a long-acting insulin (or vice versa)? Share in the comments how you handled this situation.

    Home > LC Polls > Have you ever accidentally given yourself an injection of rapid-acting insulin instead of a long-acting insulin (or vice versa)? Share in the comments how you handled this situation.
    Previous

    If you use both an insulin pump and CGM, do you currently use any of the following automated insulin delivery (also known as “predictive low glucose suspend” or “hybrid closed loop”) algorithms to help keep your glucose in-range?

    Next

    If you use a CGM, have you ever been asked to remove it for a medical procedure? Share more about your experiences in the comments!

    Sarah Howard

    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 Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange. Sarah and her husband live in NYC with their cat Gracie. In her spare time, she enjoys doing comedy, taking dance classes, visiting art museums, and exploring different neighborhoods in NYC.

    Related Stories

    Meet the Expert

    Advocate, Leader & Mother of Two Children with Type 1 Diabetes 

    Jewels Doskicz, 14 hours ago 6 min read  
    Lifestyle

    Managing Type 1 Diabetes with the Flu, Stomach Virus, or Severe Cold 

    Ginger Vieira, 1 day ago 5 min read  
    Meet the Expert

    Meet the Expert: Working to Remove the Word “Control” From Diabetes Care 

    Jewels Doskicz, 1 week ago 5 min read  
    Research

    Type 1 Diabetes Stem Cell Therapy Gets Greenlight for Human Trials 

    Ginger Vieira, 1 week ago 3 min read  
    Meet the Expert

    Meet the Expert: Founder of the First-Ever Online Diabetes Community 

    Jewels Doskicz, 2 weeks ago 7 min read  
    Insulin & Meds

    I Saved $1,100 on 5 Vials of Generic Insulin from Amazon Pharmacy 

    Cristina Jorge Schwarz, 2 weeks ago 4 min read  

    58 Comments

    1. Bob Jackson

      I watched my blood sugar closely and responded accordingly.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    2. Janice Bohn

      Luckily I always split my long acting 1/2 in am and 1/2 in pm so I only injected 5 units. Lots of glucose tabs did the trick. Scared me though

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    3. PamK

      I answered “No” because I don’t remember ever doing so accidentally, but having T1D for over 50 years, it does seem possible! I do know I did so on purpose a couple of times. I decided to stay over at a friend’s house and did not have my long-acting insulin with me. So, I took a small dose (2 or 3 units) of regular every few hours throughout the night. Doing so accidentally though, has never occurred to the best of my recollection!

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    4. Donna Condi

      I remember injecting 10 units of Humalog instead of Lantus one time and never made that mistake again. As best as I can remember I drank juice and ate cookies and sat still until things were stable again.

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    5. Kim Davis

      Yes, only once in 44 years!

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    6. AnitaS

      I’ve probably injected myself with short-acting instead of long-acting insulin maybe twice in my life as a diabetic for the last 50 years. I believe I just guzzled juice to bring up the sugar level before my level dropped as I had realized my mistake as soon as I had given myself the insulin.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    7. AimmcG

      Once and it was 22 years ago. My insulin pen jamm ed so I thought I didn’t get much if any. So I gave myself another near full dose. This was before CGMs and the low happened during the night. Had to call an ambulance because it happened to be my husband 30th birthday and he couldn’t figure out the Glucagon kit. All is well and he is now a pro. He only has need it once since then though.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    8. Sasha Wooldridge

      Way back when I was first getting a handle on this whole thing I accidentally gave myself short-acting instead of long-acting. I’ve always had hypoglycemia unawareness and this was no exception. I didn’t realize anything was wrong until letters and words stopped looking like letters and words (I don’t know how else to describe it). Confusion started setting in and I realized something was off. I tested my BG and was around 30. I completely panicked and just started devouring half of an ice cream cake I happened to have in the freezer. I was terrified.
      This was before I had a CGM and boy was it a wake-up call.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    9. Cristina Jorge Schwarz

      Early in my diagnosis, still MDI, one morning I used the Novolog pen instead of the Levemir pen. 7 units! I eat low carb, so that was an enormous, accidental bolus for me. So I figured out how many carbs that would cover and ate that many, in the form of typical frozen waffles and a tad of real maple syrup. It was such a roller coaster for hours, though. I just don’t tolerate that many carbs in one meal.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    10. Mark Schweim

      Once in my MDI days, but I haven’t used long-acting Insulin since June 2003.
      I used to take 14 units Lantus in the evening and another 12 units Lantus in the morning and one night I grabbed the wrong vial and didn’t notice until after I had already injected 14 units of Humalog into myself. That was during a short time when I was working day shift and that night I ended up staying awake and eating frequently but still made it to work on time the following morning.

      And I lived alone from 1997 until 2018 so if I wouldn’t have been able to stay awake to self-treat, maybe I’d have gotten my T1D permanently cured. After all, how many corpses do you know of that still suffer with any form of Diabetes???

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    11. Amy Jo

      It was shortly after I started insulin, and luckily I was so sensitive that I only needed 4 units of glargine. When I realized I had taken 4 units of novolog instead, I just had a big bowl of cereal – yummy!

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    12. Lawrence S.

      It has been many years since I have taken NPH, a long lasting insulin. I sure I might have mixed them up over the years but don’t remember. However, I have, on several occasions, thought I put in the decimal point on my bolus, but did not. Instead of taking .5 units, I took 5. It required lots of extra eating carbs and drinking juices.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    13. TEH

      I clicked on unsure. I have been pumping for 20 years and Don’t remember if I had switched Regualr and NPH.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    14. Yaffa Steubinger

      I think if you do this, you’ll never do it again. I give myself 10 units of basal insulin in the morning. One morning, half asleep, I gave myself 10 units of fast-acting insulin (I rarely give myself more that 2-3 units/meal). As soon as I injected it, I realized what I had done. I started drinking juices, glucose shots, candy as fast as I could. I’m a fitness instructor and had a class to teach. When I arrived, I chugged down two cans of soda. I managed to get my blood sugar to 70 with the arrow going up so I was able to teach my class. The sad part was that I didn’t get to enjoy eating all the sugar as I was scarfing it down as quickly as possible 😉

      4
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    15. james zellerhoff

      Took glucose tablets to remedy the
      Low blood sugar
      Jim Zellerhoff

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    16. Louise Robinson

      Back when I was on MDI and still working (pre-1994), I was on a business trip to Washington DC and had arrived in my hotel after a grueling travel day. This was before I began using either an insulin pump or CGM. At that time I was taking 2 shots of Lantus, a larger one in the morning and a smaller one at bedtime while using NovoLog for bolus insulin. Instead of taking my usual night-time Lantus dose, I’d used my NovoLog instead and realized it as soon as I’d injected it. I phoned my endo’s emergency number and they advised me to set an alarm each hour during the night to test my glucose levels and take a fast-acting glucose source as indicated. I survived and went to my meetings the next day.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
      1. Louise Robinson

        update…maybe it was NPH instead of Lantus….I don’t think Lantus was out when I had my only episode like this.

        4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    17. Ginger Vieira

      Yes. I accidentally gave myself 10 units of Novolog when I was supposed to take my bedtime dose of 10 units Lantus! Doh! I usually store them in different places to prevent this — but I was just in autopilot and not paying attention. Fortunately, I had Gvoke pre-filled syringe glucagon and gave myself a dose. This was super helpful — I still had to eat some cereal to soak up the 10 units of Novolog but the glucagon helped a lot!

      2
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    18. Maureen Helinski

      No, On a pump.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    19. Marty

      I never had a chance to make that mistake because I only had NPH in the house during the single year I used injections rather than a pump. I did end up with way too much insulin once-maybe double bolused? All I remember is eating jelly beans by the fistful until I saw the arrow start to point up.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    20. Sandy Palmer

      I woke up already low and grabbed the wrong pen and gave myself 17 units of Fiasp. As soon as I was done I knew what I did and thought, you just killed yourself. I started drinking Mexican coke and probably drank about 4 bottles just to keep me around 70. Finally around 2 in the afternoon did it start to be normal.

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    21. Jana Venditte

      Many years ago, a young new nurse in the hospital did. She remained at my bedside for hours.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    22. TomH

      I’d been dx’d T1 for about two months, had been thinking that day I was “mastering” the dosing thing pretty well. That night, took 11 units of Novolog (blue pen) vice Lantus (grey pen). Just I finished the “plunger”, realized what I’d done, uttered a few expletives, then “Well, honey, I’ll be up for a while eating everything in the refrigerator!” After that, the Novolog wasn’t allowed in the bedroom!”

      2
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    23. Patricia Kilwein

      Not sure how you can “accidentally” give yourself an overdose of insulin……..

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
      1. Ahh Life

        Partricia Kilwein–I don’t know which quote is better, but I will start with G.K. Chesterton, to wit:

        “It is human to err; and the only final and deadly error, among all our errors, is denying that we have ever erred.”

        And conclude with Theodore Roosevelt, to wit:

        “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred with dust and sweat; who strives valiantly; who errs and may fall again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming. “

        2
        4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
      2. KarenM6

        Hi Patricia –
        Oh, it’s quite possible!! Happened to me because I was probably trying to do 100 things at once and/or had something BIG on my mind!
        Especially back in the days when insulins were mixed by pulling insulin from the NPH and then the regular vials, it can just happen in a split second of distraction.

        4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    24. john36m

      Not exactly mixing up long and short term. But, I was on a DIY Loop program and accidentally gave myself 8 units, instead of 0.8. Glucagon to the rescue!

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    25. Trisha Oldenkamp

      I did this twice because I grabbed the wrong insulin vial by mistake. This was preCGM days so I woke up in a sweat, very confused by the low blood sugar. Though I had trouble thinking I knew I was to eat. The first time it happened my husband found me in the middle of the night staring into the refrigerator. He gave me juice. The second time I was away taking care of my mom post surgery. I somehow knew to eat and I found an apple in my tote bag. I did have glucotabs with me on the nightstand but I couldn’t think of that. I am very lucky and praise God for modern technology!

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    26. ELYSSE HELLER

      Many years ago before I started pumping I was hospitalized for hyperglycemia and a nurse accidentally gave me too much fast acting insulin and I wound up in a coma for about 2 weeks. Thankfully I survived. After that, any time I was hospitalized I wouldn’t let anybody inject me with insulin I demanded that I filled up the syringe on my own. Since I’ve been pumping I have not be hospitalized because of diabetes.

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
      1. Marsha Miller

        That is awful!🙁

        1
        3 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    27. Mary Halverson

      Once. Now I wrap a small rubberband around the handle portion of the fast acting. When I see it/feel it I pause to check.

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    28. George Lovelace

      I’s been over 25 years since I left MDI and went to Pump only and I’ve don’t even remember ever mistaking them up

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    29. Lisa Moir

      It was over 20 years ago when I was still on MDI. Took regular insulin at bedtime instead of NPH. Ate enough carbs to cover it, but still rode out a low for several hours drinking sugar water and testing glucose often.
      Pumping took away this issue.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    30. Joan Benedetto

      No, but full disclosure, my son was diagnosed at 18 months, and started pumping at 20 months. We had a half u pen for fast acting and vial/syringe for Lantus. It would have been pretty difficult to mix up as I kept the pen by the food scale and vial and syringe/Lantus in a different spot.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    31. Twinniepoo74

      I just kept a eye on my blood sugar and called my endocrinologist right away to let her know and how to handle the situation. It usually was just keeping a eye on my blood sugar

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    32. Steve Rumble

      I have accidentally injected rapid-action insulin instead of long-acting. I ate a bit more and closely watched my glucose levels. I also took the intended long-acting insulin.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    33. Rob Smith

      Yes and closest to death I’ve ever come with a low.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    34. Carol Meares

      I gave myself 12 units of regular I think it was, instead of the long acting available in ‘93 before Lantus (NPH?). I was new to diabetes. Luckily I was at a hotel and about to eat breakfast, so I could cover it. I was in a honeymoon at the time and may have needed only 3 units of regular. I also had 2 cousins with T1D at the hotel who could be of help to me. Their eyes got big when they understood what had happened. Their advice was to go for the buffet and enjoy:)

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    35. Kathy Morison

      I have done this to myself 3-4 times all at bedtime. Having experienced very low sugars the first time, I learned to start eating high sugar carbs to boost up my sugar level so more prepared to handle the low sugar ride on the express elevator downward. First couple of times it was pretty scary but made it thru. Now its just an irritation to have to deal with it.

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    36. kim bullock

      I have a diabetic dog and twice I have accidentally taken her 70/30 insulin.

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
      1. KarenM6

        Oh, goodness!
        The opposite happened for me… my pump died an ignominious death on a holiday weekend and I needed a long-term insulin right away. I took my cat’s Lantus to tide me over until I could get a new pump!

        I’m glad you made it through the 70/30 mix-up!!! 🙂

        4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    37. Brian Vodehnal

      I only noticed it because the clicks sound different on the delivery between my Novalog and Toujeo pens. Good job pen manufacturers. Immediately started eating ice cream, candy, orange juice, glucose tabs, etc. I then sat down for about an hour to avoid any activity that would burn sugars all the while checking my CGM and Fingersticks. I had to go to work, 15 minute commute, so I notified my supervisor of my error and he said do what you need to do. Small spike but didn’t do anything strenuous until I felt the inpending storm was behind me.

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    38. Bob Durstenfeld

      Yes, but not since went on A pump 30 years ago.

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    39. Claude Laforest

      140g+ to stabilize, real hard, I get sick of eating the same thing on and on.

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    40. JeremyW

      Always been my biggest fear so the bathroom is the only room where long acting is kept and taken. Short acting never goes in that room. Also the pens are different enough and go in different body parts that when I’m on traveling it would be really hard to not notice

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    41. Jillmarie61

      No, but when I was pregnant I accidently too two evening injections. I ended up spending the night in the ED with an IV and glucose drip.

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    42. George Hamilton

      I did this twice about 2002 to 2007. My program then was to inject Lantus once a day for 24 hour coverage and then fast acting insulin for each meal. On two different occasions a grabbed the bottle for the fast acting insulin and injected enough units to cover the next 24 hour period, about 20 units with no food. When my BG dropped quickly, I discovered the error I started drinking fruit juice and testing with my meter about every 20 minutes over the next 3 hours until it all leveled out.

      2
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    43. sweetcharlie

      NO !! Not in 70 years of T1D !!! And back in the early years I mixed long and short insulins a lot !!! Am now 90 plus years OLD and been on 70/30’s for long time but have AMD and hard to read Syringe or Pen.

      3
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    44. KarenM6

      Decades ago…
      I was a teenager and distracted by who-knows-what. It was dinnertime and I gave myself my morning dose number, but used only my meal dose type of insulin.
      So, 3 or 4 or 5 units of regular became 50+-ish units of regular. (50+-ish morning included NPH and reg. I was also on twice as much insulin as my body needed, so ’twas not a good situation all around.)
      My Mom took me to the ER and they dripped glucose into me for awhile.

      I’m pretty sure I _almost_ did this again later on in life… again, distracted by life. But, this second time I caught it before injecting.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    45. James Hoare

      The first good thing was that I realized I had done this. It was at bedtime which was stressful. I stayed up most of the night, eating and juicing, testing, testing. when I did go to bed I was riding comfortably very high. I set my alarm for 2 hour intervals. Quite exhausting business. This predated the CGM and pump with Control IQ.

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    46. Jen Farley

      After being a diabetic for 40 years, you learn not to make that mistake.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    47. mrthnmn

      I take the long-acting insulin and eat to cover the rapid-acting insulin.

      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    48. jlofstrom

      It was many years ago – before the pump – that I did this. I called my doctor on a Saturday night, and he advised me on how to handle it.

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
      1. Marsha Miller

        And how was that?

        3 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    49. Dave Akers

      Scared the crud out of me! But problem solved with having inhaled insulin for bolus and pen for basal.
      Man, this new insulin technology really is amazing! I do not miss wearing my pump.

      1
      4 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    50. Annie Simon

      I have done it maybe 3 times since becoming a T1D in 2018 yet have been very vigilant and make sure I am aware of which pen I’m injecting. When I gave myself too much fast acting insukin I had to make sure to check glucose constantly throughout the day while consuming carbs to keep blood glucose levels up. It’s like having a low throughout the day for several hours. With years you become more experienced.

      3 weeks ago Log in to Reply
    51. Britni

      I’ve done it twice. I’ve historically taken my long-acting dose in the evening. Both times it happened, I stayed up, checking my blood sugar every 30 minutes and snacking as necessary. Once my blood sugar started to rise I let myself go to bed. Both times my blood sugar was high when I woke up, so I spent the next day addressing that.

      At my next CDE appointment, after the 2nd one, she told me that I could have used half of my injectable glucagon instead of staying up all night.

      3 weeks ago Log in to Reply
      1. Britni

        Oh, I also started putting a rubber band around my lantus bottle so it would feel different from my humalog bottle, to help signal to my brain that I may or may not be holding the wrong one.

        3 weeks ago Log in to Reply

    Have you ever accidentally given yourself an injection of rapid-acting insulin instead of a long-acting insulin (or vice versa)? Share in the comments how you handled this situation. Cancel reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.




    11 Avenue de Lafayette
    Boston, MA 02111
    Phone: 617-892-6100
    Email: admin@t1dexchange.org

    Privacy Policy

    Terms of Use

    Follow Us

    • facebook
    • twitter
    • linkedin
    • instagram

    © 2023 T1D Exchange.
    All Rights Reserved.

    © 2022 T1D Exchange. All Rights Reserved.
    • Login
    • Register

    Forgot Password

    Registration confirmation will be emailed to you.

    Skip Next Finish

    Account successfully created.

    Please check your inbox and verify your email in the next 24 hours.

    Your Account Type

    Please select all that apply.

    I have type 1 diabetes

    I'm a parent/guardian of a person with type 1 diabetes

    I'm interested in the diabetes community or industry

    Select Topics

    We will customize your stories feed based on what you select here.

    2019 Publications

    0 Stories Related

    2020 ADA

    9 Stories Related

    2020 ADCES

    0 Stories Related

    2020 ATTD

    0 Stories Related

    2020 EASD

    0 Stories Related

    2020 ISPAD

    7 Stories Related

    2020 Publications

    0 Stories Related

    2021 ADA

    11 Stories Related

    2021 ADCES

    0 Stories Related

    2021 ATTD

    4 Stories Related

    2021 ISPAD

    8 Stories Related

    2021 Publications

    22 Stories Related

    2022 ADA

    11 Stories Related

    2022 ADCES

    4 Stories Related

    2022 ATTD

    10 Stories Related

    2022 ISPAD

    0 Stories Related

    2023 ATTD

    6 Stories Related

    ADA

    5 Stories Related

    ADCES

    0 Stories Related

    Advocacy

    21 Stories Related

    ATTD

    16 Stories Related

    Blood Sugar

    0 Stories Related

    Conditions

    7 Stories Related

    COVID-19

    14 Stories Related

    EASD

    0 Stories Related

    General Publications

    73 Stories Related

    Get Involved

    11 Stories Related

    Insulin & Meds

    13 Stories Related

    ISPAD

    1 Stories Related

    Journal of Diabetes

    21 Stories Related

    Lifestyle

    11 Stories Related

    Lifestyles

    0 Stories Related

    Meet the Expert

    12 Stories Related

    Mental Health

    11 Stories Related

    News

    35 Stories Related

    Our team

    25 Stories Related

    Partner Content

    7 Stories Related

    Press Release

    6 Stories Related

    Question of the Day

    22 Stories Related

    Research

    61 Stories Related

    Stories

    17 Stories Related

    Technology

    22 Stories Related

    Uncategorized

    0 Stories Related

    We're preparing your personalized page.

    This will only take a second...

    Search and filter

    • Clear All
    • Sort By

    • Select Category