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On average, how many units of insulin do you typically use in a day?
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0.3 u/kg
Sometimes as high as 30/day, sometimes as low as 12/day, but average TDD of 23.49 units/day according to pump history.
This question is weighted towards those pts on liquid meal time insulin. TI or Inhaled insulin requires more units vs. the “Logs” still yields phenomenal results.
Regular Diet: 150U/day
Low Carb Diet: 75-85U/day
Insulin resistance sucks!
I marked other because of having an insulin pump. I have a 300 unit reservoir. I go through the 300u every 36 hours.
this is an odd question because insulin is directly proportional to one’s weight, with the coefficient to adjust to insulin resistance (or glucose resistance for those rare individuals).
See this paper:
Long-term changes in insulin action and insulin secretion associated with gain, loss, regain and maintenance of body weight
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10663214/
If the question had people input their daily insulin AND their weight, we’d get a sense of how much insulin resistance there is among the community.
insulin resistance was not the issue here.
Since you asked, my weight is 120 lbs (BMI 21.3) and I usually average 18 units per day. I have a high insulin sensitivity factor between 95 and 100. I follow a reduced carb diet (now 110 total carb grams per day) and exercise regularly. I’m in my early 70’s and was dx’d Type 1 in 1976. I’ve been successful in keeping my A1c in the low to mid 6’s. I have no doubt that were I to increase my carb intake and reduce my exercise (which would likely result in weight gain) that I would require more insulin.
Mine TDD varies – a lot. I need to lose about 15-18 lbs and so if I am in range, and steady I don’t eat. If my bg is higher than desired (120+) I correct and don’t eat. On those days when I am hungry about 30 units a day.
15 units a day. Weight 130 -135. How does that correlate? I eat almost zero carbs, but still need insulin.
All type 1’s need insulin, even if you eat nothing at all.
Thirty is my average.
I average 20 units a day with OmniPod pump.
ON MDI, I averaged about 50. On Omnipod, about 40.
I weigh 133lbs at 5’2”. I use 18-19 units of Tresciba in the morning and 12-13 units of Humologue at breakfast and dinner. I don’t eat lunch. I aim for carefully balanced meals.
Very variable depending on activity and sometimes inexplicably. Pod failure doesn’t help.
This question would have been a bit more informative if you had distinguished between short and long-lasting insulins for those of us who are not on a pump. I combined both and was surprised to find myself so far above the mean at 75 total units. On the other hand, I do indulge in things like fruit every breakfast while nevertheless keeping my blood sugar where I am supposed to be at my age. I assume others also combined both kinds of insulin. If not, the data won’t be very meaningful.
When I switched to a pump from multiple daily injections, my units didn’t change just because I started using only novolog instead of lantus and novolog. I just spread my 7 units of daily lantus over a 24 hour time period so the daily units stayed the same. Overall I usually use less insulin now because I can us a quarter of a unit for a correction compared to using am estimated 1/2 unit on injections. Also, there is less chance of stacking insulin.
20-25
I don’t see anywhere in this question where the weight is asked for. I’m aware of the relationship between the insulin dose and the weight though, but it wasn’t asked for.
I used and average of 19 units daily. I’ve gained about 5-6 pounds since the beginning of the pandemic because of a lower level of activity.
I’ve decided to lose the extra pound so I’m back to exercising more and eating more protein than carbs. My aim is to use between 16 and 17 units daily. It’s just only about 2 units less but I’m still getting an average of 85% TIR In 90 days doing this. Less lows and less highs.
If nothing else, this question made me look at a number that, for me, let’s me know I’m using far more insulin than I prefer. Pointing to my recent over eating/no exercise. I have an ideal weight in mind, ideal carb intake, and I’ve slid down the slippery slope. Not without reason… bicycle crash on vacay with bruised ribs, at home simultaneously fracturing rt foot, lt foot sprain landing in special boots for each foot 5 weeks. Also had first Reclast infusion during that time with flulike symptoms and pain they predicted. So back to mindful low carbs and clawing my way back on treadmill we purchased at beginning of Covid!! Oh, ideal daily insulin would be 20-25u.
15-24IU a day over the last month.
160lbs, T1D ~45yrs, ~120-180g carbs/day
I wish Omnipod would hold at least 300 units so that it work for three days as advertised.
I have no idea.
I am very overweight but not insulin resistant at all, unless you count when first waking up. I use between 28-30 units on a typical day in my pump.
I use 4 units per hour 6:00 am to midnight and 5 per hour midnight to 6:00 am. Then there are boluses for what I eat. Typically another 50-60 units.
I have been on insulin 51 years, and whether I used one injection per day or multiple long-acting and short-acting injections per day or a pump, I have stayed at an average of 24 units per day. I only remember accurately because when I was on one injection per day and became pregnant, I was told that it was normal to 2 – 3 times as much insulin at the end of the pregnancy as before before becoming pregnant. And I went from 24 to 72, so that is easy to remember. Same happened in my second pregnancy, except I needed to change to 2 injections per day. The injections were supposed to last 24 hours and weren’t. So I took half in the morning and half later in the day. I was worried about the health of my baby the third time, because my dose only doubled, to 48 units a day.
The exceptions to all this were right after giving birth, when I needed 10 units per day. The day after my first child was born I was given 15 units, and nearly died. Scary, but they gave me something for the low sugar and called my endocrinologist.
40-60
According to my pump summaries, my average daily count of insulin is 32-33 units.
I use around 15 units/day with my Tandem pump.
I eat an avg of 120 carbs/day.
My insulin sensitivity is high. I am underweight.
I just checked. I’m using 72 U/day, the average for the last week. This is down from over 80 U/day before going on modifed closed loop. With it I am not taking unneeded insulin particularly over night.
T1d for 30 years. On the pump for 20 years.
I appreciate this question actually. The few insulin dependent diabetics I know use a lot more insulin than I (they do MDI). A TYPE 1 brother is about 100 units a day BUT while is active and very healthy enjoys an ice cream for dessert and makes great pizza weekly (not heavy at all). A co-workers husband is TYPE 2, moderately poor health and eats poorly. Uses about of 150 units a day.
So my “30” is about average.