Decisions!-Levimir/Detimir or Animal insulin

[Sarz]

Hi All,

Last year I was on the Basal/Bolus regime using Levimir and Novorapid. For some reason my diabetic nurse decided to change my long acting insulin to glargine. Straight away i noticed some changes; my eating become out of control and I had dramitic increase in weight. Resulting in uncontrolleable blood sugar levels as well as always feel lethargic. For the past year I have battled with my diabetes and weight and have got quite down; as I feel like I have no control of my life.

I was certain that this change in eating etc, was linked to the changed in insulin. After reasherching into animal insulin, I thought that maybe this might be a better option. However after recently going to see my Diabetic Nurse and making this suggestion, she discourage the idea and "put" down animal insulin.

So now I'm not really sure what to do. And wonder what the benifits and negatives of animal insulin are? and has anyone experienced anything simular?

Any infomation would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

 

[Northerner]

Hi Sarz, welcome to the forum 🙂 I would say that if levemir suited you then go back onto that. What justification did the nurse give for changing to glargine? It would have had to be pretty convincing to get me to change something if it wasn't broken (as it now seems to be! )

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Hi All,

Last year I was on the Basal/Bolus regime using Levimir and Novorapid. For some reason my diabetic nurse decided to change my long acting insulin to glargine. Straight away i noticed some changes; my eating become out of control and I had dramitic increase in weight. Resulting in uncontrolleable blood sugar levels as well as always feel lethargic. For the past year I have battled with my diabetes and weight and have got quite down; as I feel like I have no control of my life.

I was certain that this change in eating etc, was linked to the changed in insulin. After reasherching into animal insulin, I thought that maybe this might be a better option. However after recently going to see my Diabetic Nurse and making this suggestion, she discourage the idea and "put" down animal insulin.
The reason she put down the idea was and is because she knows nothing about it and has no intention of finding out about it 😡
So now I'm not really sure what to do. And wonder what the benifits and negatives of animal insulin are? and has anyone experienced anything simular?

Any infomation would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

I use animal insulin and have done so for 48 years with no complications from my diabetes at all 🙂
Only downside if you can call it that is you do tend using MDI to have to feed the insulin. You also need to keep to fairly regular meal times so your insulin doesn't stack due to it's longer duration compared to the analogues.
I use animal insulin in my insulin pump with very few problems.

 

[Sarz]

Thank-you 🙂 Just looked back Diabetic summery letter for when they changed me over to glargine. They didn't think that the Levimir was lasting the full 24 hours in my system; so changed me over to glargine to see if it would give me a bit more coverage. Levimir seems the preffered option atm.

 

[AlisonM]

From what you say, you have clear evidence the glargine doesn't work for you. I'd go back and insist on a change. Go over her head if you have to.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Thank-you 🙂 Just looked back Diabetic summery letter for when they changed me over to glargine. They didn't think that the Levimir was lasting the full 24 hours in my system; so changed me over to glargine to see if it would give me a bit more coverage. Levimir seems the preffered option atm.

With Levemir there's no problem of splitting the dose 🙂
If you have problems getting the Levemir back then demand a pump, bet they give it back then lol.

Ps welcome to the forum.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Levemir is particularly suited to being given in 2 doses, often but not necessarily approx 12 hours apart. The added benefit is that this gives you the opportunity of two 'rates' more in the day, less at night or vice versa.

Hope you get on the insulin that works for you.

 

[Sarz]

Thank you all! 🙂 i wish i had joined this site earlier. Its nice to know that there is good support out there i think i have come to a decision to go back onto levimir, cause glargine deffo isn't working. I'll contact my nurse asap and hope they won't be too difficult :-\

 

[trophywench]

Hear Hear from another fan of 2x Levimir.

I agree with Sue - these days hardly any of the medics would know how to titrate animal insulin doses. I don't think they teach it any more.

Once you get it prescribed again, we can help you with the split if you can't get it to behave properly solo, cos there are ways and means. Scientific ones ! (Which if your nurse doesn't realise Lev usually doesn't last 24 hrs anyway, unless you are the weight of a flea and are on a gallon a day of it - she most likely won't know either! LOL)

 

[Abi]

Trouble is most medics/ nurses know sweet **** *** about any insulin- it seems
If they feel that lantus gives better 24 hour cover why the heck not give that to start with, and then change to lev ( in a split dose) if the first option isn't working
The problem is they are obsessed with rationing injections. But if a patient decides to stop injecting and then end up in DKA because their regime isn;t allowing the control or life they would like, then they would be the one who is villified or labelled as having psychiatric problems
Another issue I have is that many of these"health care professionals"- will swap from levemir to lantus without bothering to try a split- hence wasting insulin, but will then critiscise the patient for using what they deem to be more than a reasonable quantity of test strips