Using Levemir

[nono87]

hi there,

i just got back from my doctor this monday and it was one of them visits where you just think to yourself am i ready for this?! basically i am no longer on Novomix 30 i am now on Levemir and NovoRapid. PLUS he thinks i suffer from high blood pressure meaning more medication to be had :( :eek:

anyway my question is...for those of you who are using Levemir how good is it as in are your sugars more controlled is it true that it reduces weight gain etc... because i was also offered Lantus but it meant getting new pens and all so i decided against it. any thoughts?

[ant hill]

anyway my question is...for those of you who are using Levemir how good is it as in are your sugars more controlled is it true that it reduces weight gain etc... because i was also offered Lantus but it meant getting new pens and all so i decided against it. any thoughts?

I am on Lantus for the night dose and I like it. I would like to see how Levemir would work on me as I also on novomix30 as Lantus would get a boost if they get a pen that the diabetics like. :)

[liz32]

I use both levemir and novorapid and like both. I was on lantus and switched due to the pen being availible...lantus stung like a devil and I was always hungry....levemir doesn't sting and I'm not hungry all the time. I prefer levemir to lantus but find as far as control goes...they are both the same. Anyways, that's my 2$...
Liz:)

[Gangrel]

I use Levemir and found it gave me far greater results then NPH which I switched from.

The "weight gain" has nothing to do with the actual insulin, just with the fact that on NPH (and I assume the mix) hypos are more frequent, and you end up "feeding the insulin" more, thus your *** gets bigger. :D

It can take a while to figure out how much Levemir you need (and THEN you need to figure out your carb ratios!) but once you get something close, I think Levemir is pretty darn good.

I've never used Lantus though.

The only advice I'd give off the start is that while they promote Levemir as lasting 24 hours, it only lasts around 20 in most people, so you may have to split your dose in two shots.

Get ready to use a lot of test strips!

[nono87]

i'm not good with the needles!!! my worst nightmare..i get bruised from using them so its going to be interesting being on Levemir and NovoRapid!!! but thanks for that. how often to do you do yuor blood tests?

[Gangrel]

If i'm trying to figure things out normally (no basal tests) then around 7 times a day or so.

Once I have things squared away, usually just 4ish.

Basal Testing can use a lot of strips though.....

[orsaugen]

I switched from Lantus to Levemir some months ago, primarily because the "pen" sold by Lantus back then (the Opticlik disaster) was not only clumsy and awkward, it was dangerous because it failed so often.
Levemir doesn't work for 24 hours for most people -- I therefore take one injection at bedtime and one in the a.m. It works perfectly for me.

[nono87]

wow thats a lot of testing happening there!! i guess my main focus at the moment says my diabetes nurse is to mianly test before bed and first thing in the morning once i get that rite then tinker about with the NovoRapid. its like a whole new life style change..finger pricking needle pricking........but hey it could be worse!

[Gangrel]

Well, you should also be concerned with all of your other numbers too, but I suppose the overnight fast period would be the simplest place to start. There is a ton of info on here on basal testing, etc. so just so a search and you'll find oodles of links, etc....

[Geoff]

Hi nono87, I was on Lantus for just over 18 months after diagnosis, I was always hungry with it and I put on 5kg of weight. Also I was taking one shot per day, and was finding it hard to adjust the right dosage, without going hypo 2-3 times per week on average. I have now been using Levimir for the last 10 months, and for me it has been a god send! 4 of the 5kgs of weight have gone, I feel I need less food for the same activity level, and i have had only 5 mild hypo's in the 10 month period.

One thing I found was as others had said, it only lasts 18-20 hrs, to archive really good control with it, I split the dosage. I only need 4 units at night, then twelve hrs later I take 13 units. 95% of the time my pre-breakfast readings are in the normal range 5.5-6.0mmol/lt.

[nono87]

right i have been on this new combination for a week now.....

1. my sugar levels a freaking high in the morning, i put it down to it being a new insulin and my body adjusting...to make it worse i have runo ut of strips. arggggggggggggggg!!!! and the bloody pharmacy telling me i gota wait another two days before i get my next batch not good news at all.

2. i am constantly hungry..is it just me or is it the insulin?especially after my lunch time meal its like i haven't eaten a thing...............has anyone ever gone through that?

3. i am running out of places to inject - with naturally sensitive skin most of my injection sites are looking bruised but i guess on the upside i'm off to see the nurse tomorrow and i'm hoping to get more 'skin friendly' needles but ihave been told that these are quite expensive!!

i just hope that by xmas time my sugars will be under control a bit more and i can TRY to enjoy it...considering i will be cooking ALL that delicious food!!

[ant hill]

right i have been on this new combination for a week now.....

1. my sugar levels a freaking high in the morning, i put it down to it being a new insulin and my body adjusting...to make it worse i have runo ut of strips. arggggggggggggggg!!!! and the bloody pharmacy telling me i gota wait another two days before i get my next batch not good news at all.

Aww!!, That's no good. :( :mad: That would send me mad as so to be a good boy for two days. :(

2. i am constantly hungry..is it just me or is it the insulin?especially after my lunch time meal its like i haven't eaten a thing...............has anyone ever gone through that?
I am to begin to think that your Basel's can be a factor here and the Levermir may have to be tweaked alittle or your nightly dose so I would up the night dose say a Unit a night but get those test strips first.
How are your BG numbers? Are they up and down like wall street? :confused:

3. i am running out of places to inject - with naturally sensitive skin most of my injection sites are looking bruised but i guess on the upside i'm off to see the nurse tomorrow and i'm hoping to get more 'skin friendly' needles but ihave been told that these are quite expensive!!
Are you getting those long needles as you don't have to dig too far in the skin to inject. I use the 8MM long 31G needles and they seem comfortable. :)

i just hope that by xmas time my sugars will be under control a bit more and i can TRY to enjoy it...considering i will be cooking ALL that delicious food!!

Hehe, Yeah me too. I am looking forward to the leg of ham that I will have in my salad roll. There is something about getting a sharp knife and getting a slice of succulent smoked ham on my favorite roll.....and a beer *slurp* LOL :D

[Olidus]

Hey,
I am using Levemir and have been since DX with NovaRapid. Works great for me - at the 1st I was using all all over the place with how many usnits I was taking at bed - but ultimatly came back down to the nice even 10 units and sit between 5 and 6 mmol in the AM.
More and more people are using Levemir from what I can gather. I think you will do just fine :)
Cheers~

[Geoff]

Hi Nano87, It is not that normal to be constantly bruised from injecting with a Novapen, I take it this is what you are using? What size needles are you using?

If you are living in the U.K. needles cost you nothing, Ask for Unifine Pentips 0.25x6mm, you will not feel a thing with theses.

[nono87]

I am to begin to think that your Basel's can be a factor here and the Levermir may have to be tweaked alittle or your nightly dose so I would up the night dose say a Unit a night but get those test strips first.
How are your BG numbers? Are they up and down like wall street? :confused:


Are you getting those long needles as you don't have to dig too far in the skin to inject. I use the 8MM long 31G needles and they seem comfortable. :)



Well my BG numbers are up and down like wall street during the afternoon they are fine - almost perfect, before dinner they go up abit after dinner they come down but the next morning i am UP AGAIN!! so i have decided i am going to adjust my afternoon dose because i am also going into hypos after lunch which is not good. am giving it another week with rigorous testing (FINALLY GOT MY TEST STRIPS!!!! :D)

i use the 8mm i was prescribed novofine autocover 31G needles so i hope these will make life much easier its just getting used to using them...i have 24Hrs to get accustomed to them as i have run out of the normal needles....

[ant hill]

FINALLY GOT MY TEST STRIPS!!!! :D
Good on ya mate!! Now, How is your reckoning with your bolus meaning you look at your meal and say how many units to match that? Also say that you have tested and see like 8 MMOL/L then I would inject and wait 10-20 minuets If you're low then eat anyway!!

i use the 8mm i was prescribed novofine autocover 31G needles so i hope these will make life much easier its just getting used to using them...i have 24Hrs to get accustomed to them as i have run out of the normal needles....

Yes I find these quite good as you can get the smaller ones again if you want to. Do you have software for looking at your BG's with? As this would help you in getting good control and the printout to your endo will empress them. Good luck. :D

[nono87]

hey,

no i don't have any software to look at my BG's with!! that would be quite helpful actually. do you know where i can get it from?

[shabbie]

hey,

no i don't have any software to look at my BG's with!! that would be quite helpful actually. do you know where i can get it from?

hi non87,
welcome to DF. :)

firstly get a copy of 'using insulin' by john walsh...its a life saver and you will get to grips with all of your doses very quickly with it.

next, if you use excel shread sheets its a great way to monitor your BG's on a large scale ;)

ask your diabetes nurse for a larger Bg's log book for insulin users. i got one that allowed me to view my carb intake, insulin intake and BG's all on one page which was really useful.it helped me to see patterns easily.

i used levemir for 12 months, i felt it didnt cover me for the 24 hours as advertised, but splitting the dose didnt help me either, although many levemir users will tell you they have found some level of success splitting the doses and taking it twice a day.

if you still bruise easily when you change to different needles try pushing for an insulin pump. you only have to change the cannula once every 2-3 days.
they are available, you just have to fight for it here in the uk.

[nono87]

hi Sharon,

thanks for the great idea!! i hadn't thought of using an excel spreadsheet that sure is cool....

are you still using levemir or have u changed? they have advised me against the pump :( says it might make me go into more hypos than i need to be in so thats a no no and the nearest hospital to me that gives the pump is miles away in central london!!

[Tiger Lily]

hey,

no i don't have any software to look at my BG's with!! that would be quite helpful actually. do you know where i can get it from?


a fellow from the newsgroup alt.support.diabetes offers his software for excel for free to diabetics

it can be found here Health Diabetes Software (http://healthdiabeticsoftware.com/)

[shabbie]

i insisted on having a pump, my hospital is 27 miles away.

i dont have hypos at all, its all about your own control. once the basal rates are right its smooth sailing from there.

be warned, a lot of the clinics will refuse first off because of the cost, but they cant refuse on the grounds of cost. they will try and find a clinical reason why not. actually the main reason they will have for prescribing a pump is to reduce the hypos incidences (sp?)

[shabbie]

forgot to mention i no longer use levemir as im pumping novorapid ;)

[xMenace]

hi Sharon,

thanks for the great idea!! i hadn't thought of using an excel spreadsheet that sure is cool....

are you still using levemir or have u changed? they have advised me against the pump :( says it might make me go into more hypos than i need to be in so thats a no no and the nearest hospital to me that gives the pump is miles away in central london!!

I hereby give you pemission to whack THEM in the shins with a hockey stick! Pumps offer the most flexibility and are the easiest way to match insulins to your needs. If used correctly, hypos can be greatly diminished in frequency and intensity.