Long Acting Insulin – 2 by 2 Method Calculator

header-wave
Insulin Dose Calculator

Insulin Dose Calculator




2 by 2 Method Instructions

Starting Dose

  • Please start taking long-acting insulin as instructed by your provider.  
  • It is important that you take your insulin at about the same time every day.
  • Check your blood sugar every morning before eating or drinking anything, this is your fasting blood sugar.  

Adjusting Insulin - every 2 days until you reach goal blood sugar:

  • If your fasting blood sugar is greater than 130 for 2 days in a row then increase your long-acting insulin by 2 units.
  • Every 2 days increase your insulin by 2 units as long as your fasting blood sugar remains greater than 130.
  • After you have reached the dose that gets your fasting blood sugar less than 130, so within your goal of 90 to 130, continue taking that dose of insulin EVERY DAY.
  • Call the office for further help fine-tuning the insulin dose.

Forgot to take your insulin:

If you forget to take your insulin, do not panic.

  • If it is less than 8 hours since you were supposed to take it, take the prescribed dose.
  • If it is more than 8 hours, you can take half the prescribed dose, and resume the usual dose at the usual time. If you are concerned or are not sure how much insulin to take, call the office in the morning for instructions.

Low Blood Sugar:

1. If you feel symptoms of low blood sugar such as sweating, shaking or weakness, test your blood sugar right away

  • If your blood sugar is below 80 mg/dl and you have having low blood sugar symptoms, treat with one of the following options:
  • ½ cup (4 ounces) of fruit juice or
  • 1 cup (8 ounces) skim or 1% milk or
  • 3 packets regular sugar or
  •  3 – 4 commercially available glucose tablets

2. Wait 15 minutes and check your blood sugar again

3. If it is still low (below 80 mg/dl), treat again with one of the options above.

4. Stop increasing your insulin dose and call the office on that same day for

instructions

5. If unable to reach your provider that day, decrease your next insulin dose by

4 units until you receive further instructions

Checking your blood sugar:

- You should check your blood sugar on different days of the week and at different times of the day.

Your blood sugar targets are the following:

- Fasting (prior to first food/drink of the day): 90 to 150

- 2 hours after start of meal: less than 180

- Bed time: 130 to 180

Times to check meals include the following - please write down the time you are checking in your log:

- Fasting (prior to first food/drink of the day) - this is normally the most important time of day

- Immediately before breakfast, lunch or dinner

- Before Bed

- 2 hours after breakfast, lunch or dinner