Lantus vs Levamir

[Sharolyn]

My Endo changed my insulin from 30 units of Lantus at bedtime to 30 units of Levamir. He did this because of the cancer reports connected to Lantus use. I got along very well with Lantus and am a little worried about the change. My morning readings on Levamir are not as good as with Lantus. My September A1C was 6.6. For me that is good.

I also take 1000 mg Metformin twice daily and 10 mg glyburide twice daily. I was thrown into diabetes on 9/22/98 by a gallstone which destroyed 2/3 of my pancreas and tried to kill me. Amazingly, the 1/3 pancreas I have left still works a bit!

Anyway, I wonder what others have experienced with Lavamir versus Lantus. My doc says he will put me back on Lantus if I insist. I don't like to rock the boat when I find something that works for me, so I just might take him up on it. I am really not worried about the small cancer instances for which Lantus may or may not be responsible. I'm 69. There is no cancer in either side of my family.

[Subby]

I found Levemir is much less potent in action than other insulins. For comparison, I take 50 units novorapid on my pump for basal, and I used to take about 50 units of Lantus. Now Lantus I found more variable than the pump, but recently trying Levemir I was pushing 80+ units and still not enough and still not getting the same effect each time.

For me, it seemed that Levemir was inconsistent. In your instance, I would suggest it is worth trying to find the right dose of Levemir you can find first, which may be more than what you are using, then assess if you get the same action out of each shot.

[inkvisitor]

I switched from Lantus to Levemir a couple months ago and it seems to swing more..

I take about the same amount as before, but it seems to drop off 14 hours after I take it. After that, though, I'm good for the rest of the day (I only take it once a day). I'm still ironing it out, but haven't split the dose yet like I thought I was going to have to do..

[plattb1]

I asked my endo about changing from Lantus to Levemir when the latest study about the association with cancer came out. She said she would agree to the change if I insisted (the reverse of your doc's position) but thought the evidence was not strong enough to change from something that is working. She also mentioned the shorter half-life of Levemir & increased possibility that I'd have to split doses. So, I have no experience with Levemir to compare, but think different doctors' perspective on the topic interesting.

[DCaplinger]

Indeed Levemir has an action profile of about 12 hours. When I was taking Levemir, I had to nearly double the dose of what I took with Lantus, but then again, I had developed antibodies to both, and neither were working very well. Since I've gone on the pump with Novolog as the only insulin, my insulin needs are dramatically better.

I did find that with Levemir, I didn't get the stinging sensation as I did with Lantus.

Regards,

D

[lorilei]

i have only used Levemir..but i do split my doses..always have. It holds me steady, however, if lantus works better for you..then I say i agree and push to return to what was working. ou have educated yourself, tried and can make the best decision ...good luck!

[DCaplinger]

Of course, it is your care. You know the risks associated with Lantus... are you willing to take the risk? If so, then insist on staying on it. It's your care, you are in charge of it. :)

Regards,

D

[sarahspins]

Levemir didn't really work for me.. I wanted to try it because I thought the 12 hour action might allow me to fine tune the insulin to my needs better, but it just didn't work out.

I had been taking 16-22u Lantus with 4-6u of NPH at bedtime, and by the time I gave up on the Levemir I was taking a combined 50u a day and correcting high BG's all day long that felt like I really did not have any basal insulin in my system (it was very similar to having a site failure on a pump). Fasting #'s of 300+ pretty much sustained that theory as well. I don't suspect that the Levemir I got was somehow "bad" based on many other accounts I've come across that are similar.

I switched back to Lantus for a few weeks before I started pumping again... and my doses were the same as before I used the Levemir. If I have to go back on MDI for any reason, I really have no problem relying on Lantus again for my basal insulin. If I had to be on MDI for any length of time I'd add in that NPH too.

My CDE told me after I went through all of my problems, that she was talking to another CDE at a conference who said they wouldn't even put T1 patients on Levemir anymore - it was just too risky since for some it just does NOT work.

[jtausch]

wierd I have no problems with levemir take 20 units and it keeps my bs down but who know when and if i start needing more it might need changing also. I quess everbody is different.