# Insulin Sensitivity Factor



## rubymurry (Jan 8, 2009)

Hi!

I feel very sheepish about asking this question. I should know the answer but I am a little confused. Well here goes- I understand my insulin to carb ratio is as follows: 10pm to 4am:1 .28, 4am to 10am: 1.22, 10am to 4pm: 1.18, and 4pm to 10pm: 1.15  I have just looked on the internet for how to gauge your insulin sensitivity factor, and it seems that you have to add your daily amount of insulin dosage and then divide by 1800 (This is because I am on Novo rapid, quick acting insulin) This was an American site, therefore I suspect that perhaps the figures are different when in UK. Also, my insulin varies each day, so do I take perhaps an average day re insulin intake? I am getting in a bit of a tizz. I feel very ignorant that I am not quite sure how to arrive at my ISF number. Another thing is that my insulin to carb ratio was put into my pump by a doctor, and at the time I was not really aware of all the technicalities that were involved with my pump. I donn't even know how these were worked out! Since joining all you lovely people, I want to be very informed as most of you are. I know it is a little foolish, but I would rather ask this question here, than make myself feel very silly and ask my diabetic team, who probably think I know everything!!! I have picked up alot of valuable information from this site, and I would greatly appreciate it if anyone out there can help me.


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## diagonall (Jan 9, 2009)

*Try rhis site*

Hiya,
Have a look at this site it should explain things for you a bit better

http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_food_diet/500rule.php

Alot of it is trial and error though. Mine has altered a lot since I started pumping.
Read pumping insulin too it is explained in there too I think.

Hope the website helps.
Do remember though to change one thing at a time and wait for a few days to see the result.
Are you alos using the combination bolus and extended bolus as well to counter act the different effects of food on your body?


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## rubymurry (Jan 9, 2009)

Thank you for your help. I know it does seem a little unusual that i did not really know about this. The pump I am using is the Animus 1200 which I am very happy with. However, I know that I have been just letting the pump work out dosage re carbohydrate intake. I do rely on it, and possibly has made me a little lazy!! It is so easy to enter carbs I am going to or have eaten, press the button to get insulin dosage, and hey presto the pump delivers the correct dosage. I do use combo bolus and the corrective bolus if my blood sugars are not within target. I have been coping fairly well in my ignorance, because my pump has the ability to do most things! However, I do need to know how to get to my ISF and my insulin to carb ratio. Than you again!!


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## sofaraway (Jan 9, 2009)

ruby you said that you do use the corrective bolus if you are high, is that a guestimate or is something already programmed into your pump?

I'm not really sure of my correction factor/ISF If i use the formula it comes out as something like 1 unit will drop me 9 points, but in reality I use about 1:5. so the forumula gives a starting point and then you can work from there.


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## rubymurry (Jan 9, 2009)

Hi there again!

The corrective bolus programme is already in my pump, So of course I use it whenever my blood suigar goes off target. It's very handy!!


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## rubymurry (Jan 9, 2009)

Sorry, but could you tell me the formula for Insulin Sensitivity Factor? I am useless.


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## sofaraway (Jan 9, 2009)

ok have John Walsh 'using insulin' in front of me, 

it says that if you work in mmol/l which we do then use the 100 rule

so thats 100/ TDD= how far 1 unit of insulin will drop you blood sugar.

So I'd say take an average of a week to work out your TDD

it gives a table of example (i just put a few here)
TDD 15 units  1 unit will drop 6.7
TDD 20 units 1 unit will drop 5.0
TDD 30 units 1 unit will drop 3.3
TDD 50 units 1 unit will drop 2.0 


hope that helped a little


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## rubymurry (Jan 9, 2009)

Thanks a million. I now feel a little more confident. I knew that if I posted my request, it would be answered. Cheers!


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## diagonall (Jan 10, 2009)

*Ruby *

Have a look on page 153 of pumping insulin.
There is a lovely chart with the correction factor which even tells you how to work it out it also tells you the different factors depending on your basal percentage. All UK numbers are included in the chart too


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