Testing then Injecting - how long?

August 07, 2012 10:45

mum2westiesGill 502 posts

Hi All,

When doing a test before a meal how long should you go before injecting?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

August 07, 2012 11:50

Phil Maskell DAFNE Graduate
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 194 posts

Hi,

For me it depends on the meal, if its sarnies or something of known carbs I will inject before or during meal.

If its a buffet or the possiblity (very high with me Very Happy ) of going back for seconds I will inject after for the whole amount.

Phil

August 07, 2012 12:50

mum2westiesGill 502 posts

Hi Phil,

Many thanks for your reply but what i was asking really is how long after you've tested would you leave it to inject ie the amount of time between testing then injecting. Not how long before a meal would you inject Sad

Gill

August 07, 2012 12:58

JayBee DAFNE Graduate
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 587 posts

You're best to inject according to the timing of your food... perhaps if you do your blood test shortly before, then within the next 10-15 minutes should be fine. I aim to do that so I can keep better tabs on when my insulin runs out so I can see what my BGs are. My DAFNE nurse also advised me that it's okay to keep any other jabs within 30 minutes, but she might have only said that to me because I was being too specific on my BG diary. XD

Edit: Just thought, if you're confident that your BI is correct, then the blood testing timing won't matter as much if there is only BI working at the time of the test. Your BI should keep you fairly stable. Does that make sense? Hope so. ^__^;;

August 07, 2012 15:04

Phil Maskell DAFNE Graduate
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 194 posts

Hi,

I tend to blood test as I am about to eat, as it arrives in a restaurant or as we sit down at home, then like I said I will inject straight away if I know the carbs and am not likely to alter the amounts or at the end of the meal if I am likely to binge Very Happy

Phil

NOTE: I may inject my correction at the beginning if I am running very high even if I don't know the carbs yet, gets the lowering action going even before the carbs kick in.

August 07, 2012 20:56

novorapidboi26 DAFNE Graduate
NHS Lanarkshire 1,819 posts

Through testing ad recording I have found that I need at least 20 minutes to keep my mid meal speak down in single figures.........., this can go up to more if I am having meals that have items that might take a little longer to digest......

I now realize that you are asking how long between finger prick and injection, for me it would be immediately after...........

do you find yourself waiting a while? and if so, why?

August 08, 2012 02:50

Adrienne DAFNE Graduate
Waitemata DHB, Auckland 14 posts

Sometimes I have tested in anticipation of eating a meal, but then the meal has been delayed for some reason. Normally I would not re-test if I eat within about 2 hrs, and there aren't other factors involved like exercise. I'm not sure what DAFNE officially says about this. I think it's a toss up between unnecessary testing (using more test strips, more finger pricks) and whether you are injecting based on an accurate BG reading. I agree with JWo - if you think your BI is correct/stable the timing won't matter so much.

August 10, 2012 09:50

mum2westiesGill 502 posts

novorapidboi26 said:
I now realize that you are asking how long between finger prick and injection, for me it would be immediately after...........

do you find yourself waiting a while? and if so, why?

No i never find myself waiting a while I was just purely wanting to know what's the longest you can go after doing a test then if a meal was delayed how long before you would have to do another test? Hope that makes sense.

August 10, 2012 11:01

novorapidboi26 DAFNE Graduate
NHS Lanarkshire 1,819 posts

It does make sense, yes..............

If its before a meal and your previous dose has expired, and your BI is correct of course, then in theory you could test, wait an hour, and your BG wouldn't be far off what it was an hour before.........

But its likely you would test again as its been so long... Smile

August 07, 2012 10:45 mum2westiesGill 502 posts	Hi All, When doing a test before a meal how long should you go before injecting? Thanks in advance for any replies.
August 07, 2012 11:50 Phil Maskell DAFNE Graduate Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 194 posts	Hi, For me it depends on the meal, if its sarnies or something of known carbs I will inject before or during meal. If its a buffet or the possiblity (very high with me ) of going back for seconds I will inject after for the whole amount. Phil
August 07, 2012 12:50 mum2westiesGill 502 posts	Hi Phil, Many thanks for your reply but what i was asking really is how long after you've tested would you leave it to inject ie the amount of time between testing then injecting. Not how long before a meal would you inject Gill
August 07, 2012 12:58 JayBee DAFNE Graduate James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 587 posts	You're best to inject according to the timing of your food... perhaps if you do your blood test shortly before, then within the next 10-15 minutes should be fine. I aim to do that so I can keep better tabs on when my insulin runs out so I can see what my BGs are. My DAFNE nurse also advised me that it's okay to keep any other jabs within 30 minutes, but she might have only said that to me because I was being too specific on my BG diary. XD Edit: Just thought, if you're confident that your BI is correct, then the blood testing timing won't matter as much if there is only BI working at the time of the test. Your BI should keep you fairly stable. Does that make sense? Hope so. ^__^;;
August 07, 2012 15:04 Phil Maskell DAFNE Graduate Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 194 posts	Hi, I tend to blood test as I am about to eat, as it arrives in a restaurant or as we sit down at home, then like I said I will inject straight away if I know the carbs and am not likely to alter the amounts or at the end of the meal if I am likely to binge Phil NOTE: I may inject my correction at the beginning if I am running very high even if I don't know the carbs yet, gets the lowering action going even before the carbs kick in.
August 07, 2012 20:56 novorapidboi26 DAFNE Graduate NHS Lanarkshire 1,819 posts	Through testing ad recording I have found that I need at least 20 minutes to keep my mid meal speak down in single figures.........., this can go up to more if I am having meals that have items that might take a little longer to digest...... I now realize that you are asking how long between finger prick and injection, for me it would be immediately after........... do you find yourself waiting a while? and if so, why?
August 08, 2012 02:50 Adrienne DAFNE Graduate Waitemata DHB, Auckland 14 posts	Sometimes I have tested in anticipation of eating a meal, but then the meal has been delayed for some reason. Normally I would not re-test if I eat within about 2 hrs, and there aren't other factors involved like exercise. I'm not sure what DAFNE officially says about this. I think it's a toss up between unnecessary testing (using more test strips, more finger pricks) and whether you are injecting based on an accurate BG reading. I agree with JWo - if you think your BI is correct/stable the timing won't matter so much.
August 10, 2012 09:50 mum2westiesGill 502 posts	novorapidboi26 said: I now realize that you are asking how long between finger prick and injection, for me it would be immediately after........... do you find yourself waiting a while? and if so, why? No i never find myself waiting a while I was just purely wanting to know what's the longest you can go after doing a test then if a meal was delayed how long before you would have to do another test? Hope that makes sense.
August 10, 2012 11:01 novorapidboi26 DAFNE Graduate NHS Lanarkshire 1,819 posts	It does make sense, yes.............. If its before a meal and your previous dose has expired, and your BI is correct of course, then in theory you could test, wait an hour, and your BG wouldn't be far off what it was an hour before......... But its likely you would test again as its been so long...