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Lantus hurting anyone changed to tresiba

Dragon queen

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Had Lantus since May 2024 always stung but due to damaged nerves after stroke it’s now unbarable. I’ve split dose to 14 x 2 at same time. As thought it was volume going it. But still bad. Could a change to a non acid based long acting help. Thinking tresiba as works in novo pen as disposable pens are longer and I’ve limited strength in hands…….. levemir has good reports but I’ve read it’s being discontinued. I have novo rapid but low units of this 2+4+4 in the day lowered if lower carb meal.
 
Sorry to hear that @Dragon queen The isophane insulins have a neutral ph and aren’t acidic. You could try one of those. They’re generally injected twice a day, but I don’t mind that as it gives more flexibility. There is Humulin i and Hypurin Isophane. The Hypurin goes in a re-useable pen called an Autopen. It differs from other insulin pens in that it has a side mechanism to inject. You just touch the button with your thumb, rather than having to press the top of the pen.
 
Sorry to hear that @Dragon queen The isophane insulins have a neutral ph and aren’t acidic. You could try one of those. They’re generally injected twice a day, but I don’t mind that as it gives more flexibility. There is Humulin i and Hypurin Isophane. The Hypurin goes in a re-useable pen called an Autopen. It differs from other insulin pens in that it has a side mechanism to inject. You just touch the button with your thumb, rather than having to press the top of the pen.
Aww thank you yes I have auto pen 24 for my Lantus as I find the side button easier. So I have the pen would just need cartridges sorting. I hadn’t heard of those I’m in UK are these a common one to use??? I’m not under DSN team since they got my levels down so only have my GP and practice nurse for assistance. Been on Lantus since May and novo rapid since June and levels been stable. I appreciate your reply
 
I use the Hypurin Isophane as my basal when I have a pump break @Dragon queen I find it very good. It’s made in the U.K. by Wockhardt (no other insulin brands are made in the U.K. to my knowledge).
 
I use the Hypurin Isophane as my basal when I have a pump break @Dragon queen I find it very good. It’s made in the U.K. by Wockhardt (no other insulin brands are made in the U.K. to my knowledge).
That’s wonderful thank you so much for your reply your a star….
 
Had Lantus since May 2024 always stung but due to damaged nerves after stroke it’s now unbarable. I’ve split dose to 14 x 2 at same time. As thought it was volume going it. But still bad. Could a change to a non acid based long acting help. Thinking tresiba as works in novo pen as disposable pens are longer and I’ve limited strength in hands…….. levemir has good reports but I’ve read it’s being discontinued. I have novo rapid but low units of this 2+4+4 in the day lowered if lower carb meal.
Hi,

I switched from lantus to tresiba, dosage was exactly the same. Takes a few days for it to reach full efficacy (needs topping up with short acting). Not looked back. Tresiba has been very reliable. Not adjustable for those with varying levels of activity e.g playing football one day followed by a few inactive days. Sports can make one more sensitive to insulin. Once dose is established, Tresiba is not designed to be changed from one day to another and so forth.
 
Hi,

I switched from lantus to tresiba, dosage was exactly the same. Takes a few days for it to reach full efficacy (needs topping up with short acting). Not looked back. Tresiba has been very reliable. Not adjustable for those with varying levels of activity e.g playing football one day followed by a few inactive days. Sports can make one more sensitive to insulin. Once dose is established, Tresiba is not designed to be changed from one day to another and so forth.
Aww thank you yes after my stroke one day is much like the others……. My nerve damage hurts more in colder weather so really struggling more than normal……..
 
Hi @Dragon queen, I chose to switch to Tresiba, at that time solely to get to a single daily basal dose. For me it turned out to be a brilliant decision.

The daily timing is extremely forgiving; if I'm on an early start I might take it at 6am and if a lie-in day it could be midday. Because the profile for Tresiba is that it takes c. 2hrs to get going then releases very steadily for the next 36-48 hrs, any unevenness in taking your daily dose is evened out. Indeed today's dose is topping up yesterday.

I found my former Levermir 2x daily total doses have been more than halved by my Tresiba. I put that down to the even release; previously I simply had not got a decent working relationship with my Levermir. It might help you @Dragon queen to note I am wholly insulin dependent, having no panc'y at all AND I seem to have little insulin resistance; so all my injected insulin doesn't seem to be impeded particularly in its performance. Although there are, apparently, different variants of T2, your T2 might well be the more common variant caused by high insulin resistance; so you and I could be very different in how extraneous insulin affects us.

A few things to note:
Firstly insulin, any insulin is just that, from our body's perspective. Our body doesn't know that each drop of insulin is intended to be rapid or slow, or has certain "manufacturer's design" sensitivities or characteristics - once in our blood it's a hormone that helps glucose move from blood to cells.

Secondly, that even release over about 36-48 hrs makes Tresiba both dependable, but inflexible. A change in dose will take at least 48 hrs to show a consequence, so unlike Lantus, Tresiba can't be used to counter any requirement today or even tomorrow; at least 2, preferably 3, days are needed to see and feel the benefit.

Consequently the way Tresiba behaves is VERY different to Lantus and this needs a different mindset for its successful use. In practice nobody's basal (=background) requirement is regular in frequency or even over any one 24 hr period. In the absence of food introducing glucose into our blood stream, our hormones trigger glucose releases from the liver's glucose store many times (irregularly) in a 24 hour period. So I aim to get my Tresiba providing me with stable BG during the long fasting period from late evening to breakfast. Then whatever extra benefit my Tresiba is providing to my daytime parties, is "what it is" and can not be accommodated by basal changes, without disrupting the stability I'm getting from my overnight fasting basal dose.

In practice this simply means my "basal testing" process needs me to look at my overnight CGM graphs: if my BG is level then my basal is as right as it can be. If I start high and end high - then I need to take measures to reduce that high, from my rapid insulin, exercise or activity, and/or food choice. But not my Tresiba. I ignore days when the overnight fasting is disrupted by "events" - whether those events are a late evening snack, needing a bolus, or a peak/drop during the night from explainable origins. There is an academic interest in having protracted fasting during daytime - to see what else is going on in relation to my Tresiba dose, but not to adjust my daily Tresiba. I am generally too busy (too much niff-naff and trivia) to make time for that academic exercise!

My tweaks of my Tresiba are infrequent, at least twice yearly from summer to winter and back, usually in 1/2 unit steps every 3+ days. Occasionally with a longer period of illness or with antibiotics, thus 2 changes: small increase and back again afterwards. My summer dose was 7.5 units; last year's winter dose was 9 units and I'm currently at 8 units (I've not been out in the cold much this winter) expecting to take another 1/2 unit soon.

I hope some of this helps you decide what could be better for you.
 
I found Lantus stung more on some injections than others, but it could be quite eye-watering at times.

Hope you find an alternative that suits you well @Dragon queen
 
My kid swapped from Lantus to Tresiba because he said Lantus stung. Everyone has different reactions so it’s worth trying a switch and seeing if it’s more comfortable. Some people find keeping the insulin in the fridge between injections helps too. It’s not ideal for the pens but needs must. (Other people find cold insulin stings more.)
 
My kid swapped from Lantus to Tresiba because he said Lantus stung. Everyone has different reactions so it’s worth trying a switch and seeing if it’s more comfortable. Some people find keeping the insulin in the fridge between injections helps too. It’s not ideal for the pens but needs must. (Other people find cold insulin stings more.)
Thanks for your reply, I’ve tried the cold spoon before injecting etc. I’m hoping a change will help. Did your children find it helped and did they have to change dose ??
 
Thanks for your reply, I’ve tried the cold spoon before injecting etc. I’m hoping a change will help. Did your children find it helped and did they have to change dose ??
The dose what different with tresiba (slightly lower) but I can’t remember the conversion as it was a few years ago. He was very happy on tresiba but has now been on a pump for a while which just uses novorapid.
 
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