Need help

[Brian23]

I may start a slow acting insulin.. Which should i try?, I work shift work - when should i take it, how does it work? Will I experience lows? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[xMenace]

I may start a slow acting insulin..

Why?


Which should i try?,


Lantus or Levemir.


I work shift work - when should i take it, how does it work?



They are long slow curves. Trial and error. Start small and work your way up.

Lantus (Insulin Glargine [rDNA origin] Inj) clinical pharmacology - prescription drugs and medications at RxList (http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/lantus_cp.htm)

Levemir (Insulin Detemir) clinical pharmacology - prescription drugs and medications at RxList (http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/levemir_cp.htm)




Will I experience lows?


I know my body doesn't follow such curves. I go up, down, up, and down. Hypos and hypers tend to follow. It takes lots of controlled basal testing to develop your pattern. Monitor the middle of YOUR nights and late afternoons. If you can wake in YOUR morning with good BGs and not go hypo while sleeping, it'll be a great choice.

Good luck.

[Brian23]

I need to start something. It is beginning to be more complicated to control with out medicine. My fasting BG are now 105 -130. Postprandial is 140-200 with occasional spikes of 325. It seems like my insulin production is decreasing. I am having GAD ab, Islet Cell ab, chem 8, C-peptide, insulin level and another A1c(did blood work on Thurs., should get results in a week) I am 27, good health and 138 lbs.

[xMenace]

A basal insulin is generally the next step. It does sound like you are on the express train to insulin dependancy though. Your not a classic type 2 where the DEWey (diet, exercise, & weight loss) regimine tends to reverse things.

[Brian23]

Dr. seems to think that I am a slow developing LADA. Dr. does not think that Avandia or Actose will help... To confirm his thoughts, the dr. ordered all these tests. I have not been on any medicine and I was "cheating a lot" and my last A1c was 6.4 and my FBG @ time was 107. It was like I would go high sometimes when I ate too many sweets or carbs, but not all the time. One time @ lunch I had a pint of Ice cream (64g of carbs and sugars) and post prandial was 127 mg/dl. Dr. said it did not make sense and i did not have Diabetes.. then he ordered a Blood glucose tollerance test 2 months ago (274 1hr later & 325 2hrs later). after test i had a steak and baked potato and was 108 post prandial.?? I dont know what gives. I do know that my shift work (changes from nights to days) is probably not helping matters. I guess the Levemir would suit me better based on what I read... If i could take it every day @ the same time around 9pm. Thanks for the replies.

[xMenace]

I don't know what the medical community says, but you aren't the first person on here with these stop and start symptoms. I'd go slowly. You don't want to shoot insulin then have your pancreas kick into gear suddenly.

[Funnygrl]

Basal insulin alone isn't likely to cause lows when you aren't in a true state of insulin dependence yet.

[iDream]

The release variability in NPH is horrible. Stay away.

[dbc]

I may start a slow acting insulin.. when should i take it, how does it work?

Levemir twice per day, lantus nominally once per day although some people find it better to split the dose and take it twice a day - test & experiment to find how YOUR body works with the insulin

Will I experience lows? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

you may, yes, BUT...... if they happen, they come on fairly slowly, so if you're testing often enough through the day, you'll see them hapening in 'slow motion' - at least that's been my experience. BTW, testing often is highly recommended when you're changing anything to do with diabetes management. Once you get the hang of the way the changes are affecting you, you can always reduce testing frequency.

good luck!