CONNECT 2023 - How to Properly Dose Insulin | Jody Stanislaw, ND

Dosing insulin is a complex process, not to mention one that many doctors and patients resist. Dr. Stanislaw will cover when and how to start a patient on insulin, how to overcome common barriers, the differences between the many brand options available, the difference between rapid and long-acting, pros and cons of pump therapy, how to set an insulin to carb ratio but why carb counting at meal times to determine an accurate dose is not enough, how to use a correction factor, ways to make insulin peak faster, how to avoid insulin stacking, how to keep blood sugar steady during exercise, doctor versus patient responsibilities when on insulin, and more.

Insulin is a potentially lethal drug if not dosed properly. However, the strategy given to most patients who inject insulin is to either take a set daily dose - without instruction on when/why/how to adjust it - or use a dosing formula based solely on how many carbohydrates are about to be consumed. Neither is a solid strategy for achieving healthy blood sugar control given the many variables that patients experience in day-to-day life which affect how injected insulin functions in the body. This discussion will highlight the countless and often ignored variables that doctors and patients should consider before dosing insulin.