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Anyone on Lyumjev with site issues?

P

Popglobe2022

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi everyone. I am T1 and have been for 40 years. Have used all types of insulin. Had been on Fiasp, but found issues with it when I went high - just did jab after jab to try and bring it down - sometimes it worked, sometimesd it didnt. Eventually went back to novorapid. However, that has been a pain, as everyone knows, its just not that rapid.
My consultant has just put me on Lyumjev. It seems to be much better, much quicker and just everything is great, except for one thing, which is becoming an issue.
I was warned about site burn, but it really does - every time I inject, it hurts, has a red patch around it and itches. It does go away after a while (and I am talking the next day, not half an hour). I didnt notice it much the first week, but this week it is every time. I have never had anything like this in 40 years (obviously, you get the odd one now and again, but not every time). Its getting to a point where the benefits are not outweighed by the negatives as I am starting to dread the injections. Its like a sting from a bee (probably over exaggerating a bit). Has anyone else had this and if so, does it stop after a while as the body gets used to it? I dont want to stop using it, but cant carry on like this. Novo(notso)rapid is just poor, but reluctant to go back to Fiasp aswell. Getting a bit fed up. I don't have much fat on my legs where I inject, so that proabably doesnt help. When I use my stomach it isnt quite as bad, but I have injected so many times there over the years that I shouldnt really be using it now as it can be very hit and miss.

Any help or comments would be much appreciated before I go back to my consultant.

Thanks
 
Why don’t you try Apidra or Humalog? I wouldn’t it up with site issues and pain like that. As you say, that outweighs any positives.
 
How quick acting are the two you have mentioned? I am just trying to find out if the body will get used to the insuling and the "burn" will stop over the next month or so. I will persevere for a bit if it will, but otherwise, I need to try something else.
Thanks.
 
@Lucyr uses or has used Apidra. I haven’t but I used Humalog for many years and found it faster than Novorapid and a bit ‘fiercer’ too. The same dose of Novorapid works more softly than Humalog for me. Certainly, trying other insulins rather than Novorapid would be worth it if you decide not to continue with the Lyumjev @Popglobe2022
 
Thanks for that. I will go that route if I have to.

Has anyone else out there had the problem I have with Lyumjev?
 
I use Fiasp and have noticed the issues when I go high.
My approach has not been to swap insulins but to minimise the highs.
They still happen - I am far from perfect - but with basal testing and revisiting my bolus counting, I have greatly reduced the number of high so the issues with Fiasp are seldom an issue.

Regarding the sting from Lyumev, have you tried taking anti-histamines. As hay fever season has started there are plenty of tablets available.
 
When I used the Fiasp, on the whole it was ok most of the time. The issues where when I did have high's. I just couldnt get it down. Well, I say that, but actually it was like the first 3 jabs did nothing and then the fourth would set them all off at once. My control over the years has been pretty good, but when you do have blips, it would be nice to know the drug you took actually would help you. 🙂 I just got fed up with it.
I do already take anti-histamines, but ad hoc. That could be a good call to be fair. I will up them.
I just still cant believe there is an insulin out there which causes this problem and makes our lives worse - even if it does work. I am just trying to find out if it is just me with the issue.
Thanks Helli.
 
Popglobe2022 said:
When I used the Fiasp, on the whole it was ok most of the time. The issues where when I did have high's. I just couldnt get it down. Well, I say that, but actually it was like the first 3 jabs did nothing and then the fourth would set them all off at once.
Click to expand...
I find the speed at which Fiasp works depends upon my BG. It can take 90 minutes to start working when I am in double figures. I struggle to avoid rage bolusing when it is not working at first.
 
I'm another one who found ways to make Fiasp work and like you I stack small corrections and I find that better than hitting it with one or two bigger ones, but I am quite preemptive about correcting before I get to 10. My high alarm is set at 8.2 and when the alarm goes off I jab 2 units and if it continues to rise 45 mins later I jab another 1-2 units. It took me a long time to get confident with using Fiasp because you do have to be quite aggressive with it sometimes, but I wouldn't go back to NR now.
I have heard some people on the forum say that they get "skanky sites" with Fiasp but not heard anyone else complain about a reaction with Lyumjev although we don't seem to have many active members using it yet.
 
Hello @Popglobe2022

I’ve been using Lyumjev about 9 months now. I have had issues with very red raised sore sites but I like how Lyumjev works. I change my cannula every 2 days if not sooner as they’re steel and this helps to limit how irritated the sites get but they do still get sore.

I use Cavillon spray & Skin so soft on the area before & after I change cannulas. Over the months it has improved but I am still aware of insulin being injected & I still get some bad sites. If it didn’t work so well for me I would change.
 
Thank you for that Flower. I really like the way it works, but the pain is a bit like a bee sting and I dont want that every time inject. Over time has it got any better as your body got used to it, or has it remained the same?

Rebrascora - I applaud you for the way you handle Fiasp, but being realistic, I just couldnt bring myself to do that all the time. How many jabs a day are you doing? I have felt a bit like a pin cushion all my life as it is, so really try and stil to the Tresiba once a day and 3 times on the Lyumjev - unless I eat out or am correcting. My high is set at 15 on my G7, mainly because when it says 15, its usually only about 12-13 and during the day I pick up on it quicker anyway. Its really there for an alarm in the night. My HB1ac are around 6 overall, but like everyone, highs and lows are just part of life unfortunately.
 
@Flower - sorry, I see you actually answered my question before I asked it. 🙂 I am just hoping it gets better as it does hurt after injecting and is itchy and a little red. Its only just going into my third week so fingers crossed.
 
Extra injections don't bother me at all. I use Levemir as my basal and I love the flexibility of it's split dose, so that is 2 for my basal and so far today I have had 5 injections of Fiasp and might need another in a couple of hours. I follow a low carb way of eating so I usually have to inject for protein release 2-3 hours after a meal as well as some prebolused for whatever carbs there are.
I am a bit naughty and don't use a new needle every time so it is very quick and easy to just jab a bit more insulin as and when I need it. Takes seconds. I find the frustration of high BG levels that resist coming down, much worse than a few extra jabs every day to try to keep it below 10.

We all have to find what works best for us as individuals. Must confess, I would be a bit concerned if I was getting a reaction to the insulin though, so I hope you find a solution.
 
@rebrascora I am the same with the needles - a lot easier that way although my diabetic nurse shouted at me when she saw it the other year! I find that my long acting insulin means most of the time I dont have to do a lunchtime jab as I have few carbs myself during the day. My issues have always been if I get the munchies later on of an evening.........
I have found the Lyumjev has really helped my night times. I sleep with my Decom G7 monitor and when on novorapid it would go off most nights and any nightime corrections could take hours to work. The new insulin it has only happened once so its a massive plus for me and when I did a correction it was super fast. That is why I am perservering although I am not sure how long for. The more I read about it, the more it seems to be the norm with this insulin. I think others feel the same way, it appears to be very good, but the side effects are not nice at present. I will probably give it a few more days and then get in touch with my clinic to perhaps go back, albeit reluctantly, to Fiasp.
Thanks for your help though.
 
My practice nurse asks me every year when I have my diabetic review, if I use a new needle each time and I say "No, as I told you last year, I change my needles twice a week on Sunday and Wednesday".... and that is a concession to them harping on about it, because I used to change them once a week! She is really lovely though and just says "Well I have to tell you that you should use a new needle every time" and we leave it at that until next year!
I have an appointment with a new DN in 2 weeks for my review and I hope she doesn't shout at me!! I will miss the other nurse as we had a really good working relationship and my reviews were always a pleasure with her. Hope the new one isn't an ogre or a jobs worth! 😱

Of course, they are welcome to check my sites, although that is the one thing no one ever does, but so far I am not seeing any issues and considering each bolus needle gets reused about 20 times I would expect to see some signs of an issue by now if there was one. I do make a point of rotating my injection sites though.
 
Wow. I thought I was bad changing it once a day. 🙂
I do have to say, I have had type 1 for 40 years and have always been bad with needles, even when I used to use the proper ones originally (with syringes etc - not the little ones we have today that screw on). My advice to you (for what its worth) is ... she is correct (I dont like saying that anymore than you like it, believe me). I have lumps all over my tummy and insulin deosnt work well there. It took probably about 20 years before I started to develop them. I think most of that is probably from the insulin being injected in the same area, but pretty sure using the same needles several times hasnt helped.
At the end of the day, it hasnt stopped me still using the same one more than once, but a whole week - surely they are blunt by then? 😳
We all do what works for us all and makes our lives a little better, so no judging on my behalf, but still wow!
 
@rebrascora Hope it goes well with the nurse in a few weeks. My nurse changed a few years ago (who I had had for 30 odd years). I refuse to go back and see my current one. Treats me like a child. I stick with my consultant who is lovely and helpful, although she is harder to get hold of and see.
 
Inka said:
@Lucyr uses or has used Apidra. I haven’t but I used Humalog for many years and found it faster than Novorapid and a bit ‘fiercer’ too. The same dose of Novorapid works more softly than Humalog for me. Certainly, trying other insulins rather than Novorapid would be worth it if you decide not to continue with the Lyumjev @Popglobe2022
Click to expand...
I’ve only ever used apidra, other than a short period on humalog (rubbish hated it) when the apidra factory had a major problem years ago.

I don’t know why apidra isn’t more popular, it’s faster than novorapid and humalog. Probably not as fast as the newer fiasp etc but doesn’t have the main complains that fiasp does
 
I just got a new consultant and he is absolutely amazing. I really liked the previous one but it took me a while to develop a rapport with him and 10 mins once a year makes it a slow process. I was really anxious about getting a new one (especially as there have been some horror stories on the forum recently) but he was on the same wavelength as me right from the start and we really hit it off. I came out so relieved it was like walking on air!
Really sorry to hear that your new nurse is condescending and you don't feel that you want to attend appointments with her but can totally understand your decision.

@Lucyr You really do paint a glowing picture of Apidra and if I didn't love my NovoPen Echoes quite so much I might be tempted to try it. It might be something to discuss with my consultant next time.
 
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