[Finn]

I've never used Lantus so the only experience I have with it is everyone who posts here. I know this is a very small sample but I don't see anyone really saying anything good about Lantus. Eventually, people get it to work for them but it seems like there are way too many issues- highs vs. lows, huge drops in blood sugar, doctors insisting that doses should not be split & that it does last 24 hours. I know that Mr. Finn (EMT) takes lots of people to the ER for issues with their insulin doses and he says a HUGE majority of the people are on Lantus. So does anyone LIKE Lantus? Is it too much of a pain? Is there a better alternative? Should we rise up and throw away all the Lantus? What do you think?

[Funnygrl]

The vast majority of people are on lantus because that's what the vast majority of people with type 1 who aren't on pumps take, cause N is what sucks. And people with type 1 make up the vast majority of people who have diabetes-related emergencies.

I was on Lantus for a little while and did wonderfully on it. My blood sugar was great the majority of time, though I did go low most mornings and high most evenings, but that is just because people need different amounts of insulin and different times of day, and that's natural.

I've never heard of doctors discouraging split doses.

[jillsp]

I was on Lantus before I got on the pump and did great on it. It was the first time I was able to get my A1c below 7 in ten years. I think people are more apt to speak up and complain on here b/c they are looking for support and answers, you don't just come on here and post and say I love my insulin. NPH was terrible for me, and I had an incredibly postive experience with Lantus and an even more positive experience being on the pump. I thought it was the greatest transition. I wouldn't say Lantus sucks, but it might for some people. I would say diabetes sucks and leave it at that.

[JediSkipdogg]

Remember firstly that people come here to complain and vent sometimes. Rarely do you see someone come on here and post how great something is. I can probably namea handful of threads that were started because people recommended something.

As for Lantus...there really aren't many alternatives in the United States. There is NPH...however, one that can make great control on NPH should be crowned King. Very very few people can. NPH has a peak in the middle of it that if you don't eat directly on that peak, you are guaranteed to go low and many times in the hospital. As Mr. Finn if he remembers back to 1995 and how many people went to the hospital for insulin problems and how many go now. Also remember, the numbers may be the same, but diabetes has grown greatly since then.

Lantus is great because it's a peakless insulin. You can inject and technically not have to eat at all and your BG should never rise or lower. Can there really truely be a 24 hour insulin? Is tylenol the same for everyone that takes it? Both should be no answers. Our bodies react to drugs different. For some their lantus runs out at 22 hours, some it may last for 25 hours. But 24 is the average. The problem is if they make it any longer, then people will have overlaps all the time and they will go low in that overlap, so they try to make 24 hours the max expected time meaning more people will get 22 hours than say 25 hours. That's why many split it, so they cover that time and always have insulin in the body.

I would say the majority of people on lantus like it. The only other alternate is Levemir, which can you even get that in the US? You could use NPH, however, that is a required 2 shots a day with a mandatory lunch 4-6 hours after taking it or you get a mandatory ambulance ride.

There are a few problems with Lantus, but it's the problem with any long acting insulin. You base your Lantus shot off what you do in a standard day with no meals. Long acting insulins cover the meals. Now, what do you do if you decide to job on a day but you don't do that other days and you decide not to eat? You will go low. Same if you are having a stressful day at work and don't have time to grab something to eat, your BG will go down. Once you give the Lantus inject, you have to cover any exercise with carbs or any extra activities by eating. Or you can adjust your Lantus shot for less but remember, it lasts 24 hours, so cutting it by 2 units affects you for 24 hours, not just the 2 hours after you give it. So you might go high the rest of the day.

The other problem is you can't control how much works when. I'm on a pump now for a few reasons but one being I have such strange basal rates. I give .9 units of insulin per hour in the AM roughly and then double that to 1.5-2.0 units in the PM hours. Can Lantus do that? No. When I was on NPH back in the day, my one NPH dose was double my other to compensate for that. You can't really do that with Lantus 100% effectively. So some people have bodies like mine where they have drastic insulin changes throughout the day. Lantus won't compensate for that, and if one doesn't eat to compensate they go low.

Is Lantus the magical drug? No, the magical insulin would be the one that you give 50 units of in the morning, it only works when needed, and then if not all used in 24 hours it dies. However, that isn't seen anytime soon. So currently Lantus is the best solution for most people that don't want to go to a pump.

[vrocco1]

The only thing that sucks about it for me is that I've been suffering for the last two and one half years with an A1C of 6.4. On top of that, I can only eat whenever I feel like it, and not worry about going hypo. (Sarcasm intended)

BTW... I forgot to qualify my post by indicating that I am a moron first. Lucky the edit post button was still still active.

[notme]

I used Lantus when it first came out years ago. My A1c dropped, but I had issues with it not lasting the 24 hours. The other issue I had was the minute amount it took to make vast changes. I would take 26u and it would not bring my morning numbers down enough. I would take 27 and I would go down too low. Very hard to make that small .5 unit change to come out just right.

[grace girl]

I've been on Lantus for almost 3 months now....and a lot of the questioning/rant posts you've seen here have probably been mine! I've been going through an ajustment period that has been complicated by a past horrible experience with mixed insulin. And I must state that most of my rants have been about my DOCTOR, not the lantus itself!

I am very happy with Lantus. It takes some time to find out what it's doing for you as an individual, but as you begin to get a grasp on that...it's really a great insulin. I have the freedom to eat when I want, to do what I want without fear of going low....and the horrible highs that I had before are a thing of the past.
With the exception of the pump, this is the closest I'm going to get to a functioning pancreas.
If someone were to ask me, I would reccomend it wholeheartedly...with the simple advice of being patient while you get you personal basal rate set, and learn how it works for you.

[Tokyo Cate]

After years of pumping, I went onto Lantus last fall and within a few months, my A1C dropped from 7.4 to 6.4. I don't have problems with Lantus not lasting for the full 24 hours, but I somewhat miss the multiple basal rates that allowed some protection from the dawn phenomenon. I also miss the memory function of the pump that stores how much insulin you have given and when (I once gave myself a double dose of Lantus when I was distracted at work).

Lantus is great. And, there are no problems with bad infusion sets or set changes at inconvenient times.

[valc3]

I'm on Lantus and very happy. Most of my dose adjustments were done when I first went on it. It lasts 24 hours for me. I don't have have problems with lows, due to the Lantus. I've been really happy with it. It works for me.

[Keezheekoni]

Lantus works well for me too, but it took about 2 months of adjusting the dosage to "just right" for me to see a positive, consistent bg reading. I'm also taking Humalog with every morsel of food while doing the whole carb to insulin ratio, but the Lantus keeps me on a pretty even keel.

Rikki

[lgvincent]

I hope it doesn't. I've gotten a few vials but am waiting until I use the NPH before I try it.

[grace girl]

Originally Posted by JediSkipdogg

Lantus is great because it's a peakless insulin. You can inject and technically not have to eat at all and your BG should never rise or lower. Can there really truely be a 24 hour insulin? Is tylenol the same for everyone that takes it? Both should be no answers. Our bodies react to drugs different. For some their lantus runs out at 22 hours, some it may last for 25 hours. But 24 is the average. The problem is if they make it any longer, then people will have overlaps all the time and they will go low in that overlap, so they try to make 24 hours the max expected time meaning more people will get 22 hours than say 25 hours. That's why many split it, so they cover that time and always have insulin in the body.


There are a few problems with Lantus, but it's the problem with any long acting insulin. You base your Lantus shot off what you do in a standard day with no meals. Long acting insulins cover the meals. Now, what do you do if you decide to job on a day but you don't do that other days and you decide not to eat? You will go low. Same if you are having a stressful day at work and don't have time to grab something to eat, your BG will go down. Once you give the Lantus inject, you have to cover any exercise with carbs or any extra activities by eating. Or you can adjust your Lantus shot for less but remember, it lasts 24 hours, so cutting it by 2 units affects you for 24 hours, not just the 2 hours after you give it. So you might go high the rest of the day.

I have to add that I wish that someone had told me all of what you said here when I first went on Lantus. It would have helped me to understand more of what was going on during all the adjustment period. I spent too many weeks frustrated because I wasn't getting the "typical" results. Just who is typical, anyway?

I really don't think there is a problem with Lantus. I think the problem lies with people not being really educated about what to expect from it.

[KickStart101]

Originally Posted by Finn

I've never used Lantus so the only experience I have with it is everyone who posts here. I know this is a very small sample but I don't see anyone really saying anything good about Lantus. Eventually, people get it to work for them but it seems like there are way too many issues- highs vs. lows, huge drops in blood sugar, doctors insisting that doses should not be split & that it does last 24 hours. I know that Mr. Finn (EMT) takes lots of people to the ER for issues with their insulin doses and he says a HUGE majority of the people are on Lantus. So does anyone LIKE Lantus? Is it too much of a pain? Is there a better alternative? Should we rise up and throw away all the Lantus? What do you think?

Thanks For Mentioing About Lantus, Amy. Looks like we got the same impression.

My Insulin(which I'm pretty well regulated by)was discontinued last year so
I need a new long acting Insulin. I was planning on Lantus originally since
most in the beginning here were Happy with it. But through time there have
been many Folks with different complaints including possibly causing depression
and bad mood swings and I sure don't want to go there. I mean, it's time that
tells isn't it? So I was more leaning now to Levemir. Doesn't seem to be as many
problems. But I suppose we have to try what's out there(which isn't much
anymore)and what works for us individually. Good Luck with your adventure.

[Finn]

Before I went on the pump I used NPH- that's why I have no basis to judge Lantus- I'm just going off what I've seen here. I'm not trying to question anyone's ability to take care of themselves or create an insulin revolution (lol). I also understand that as many pople are diabetic there are that many ways the meds will effect people. It's not a fun, predictable disease! And yes, bad news (and frustration) does get more press, as you know if you watch the evening news. I'm not trying to knock anyone for venting or asking for help!!! This forum is an awsome place for both!! I'm just trying to get all sides of dealing with Lantus.

[KickStart101]

I agree, me also.