Accidentally took 40 units of Novolog instead of my Lantus!!
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I hope that you were able to counteract it without too much trouble.
About 20 years ago I made that same kind of blunder. I recognized it right away from the plummeting BG, and was able to solve it quickly with lots of glucose tablets and water. I had glucagon close at hand in case the glucose wasn’t kicking in soon enough, and my wife was watching my frequent BG measurements with instructions to call 911 for IV glucose if I was unable to reverse the BG drop right away. It was a 5 hour nuisance, but no harm came of it.
After that experience, I adopted a ritual where, before drawing a syringe of Lantus, I would look at the vial in my hand and say “Lantus is long” out loud, and look at the vial to verify that I was holding a long skinny vial, not a short stubby one.
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I had opposite.
When I was in 6th or 7th grade, I realized one day that I didn’t take my injection before breakfast (lente only, early 70s). So went to school nurse. She was surprised that she never knew I had diabetes!! But called my Mom, and she had to get babysitter for younger siblings so she could bring in insulin injection for me. And we got a stern lecture from the nurse!!!
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My thought is, “There’s those that have and those that will…” Seems we all have our version of this event, usually in the initial stage of getting used to treatments. A few OD long acting, most (I think) OD quick acting. Usually at night getting ready for night that should be spent dreaming, vice fighting a dropping BG. What’s interesting to me are the various ways of dealing with the situation…one drinks soda, one eats candy, one eats everything in the refrigerator, one uses glucose tabs…all different, but similar!
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Good opportunity to eat all those things that had to be avoided!
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Ummmm are you ok?
I can’t remember where I heard this tip but it helped me out—- I put a rubber band around my Lantus so it would feel different from the Humalog. That way if I grabbed the wrong pen something in my head might stop me. It actually worked.
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Great idea!!
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Yes, I went to the hospital and was there for 5 hours. They wanted me to stay more than the 4 hours to make sure I was alright. Thank God. They connected me to an IV of sugar water and one of sodium. They even gave me a ham and cheese sandwich with potato chips, some pie and grape juice ( that was great.) Thank you for replying.
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So happy to hear your ok!! It was amazing that you were able to get to the hospital in time. I can’t imagine how quickly 40 units must hit!
I think this is a mistake almost EVERYONE on insulin has either done or almost done before.
On the bright side that meal sounds pretty darn good to me.
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Thank you.