Back on Levimer

[Annette Arundell]

Well I'm back on Levemir from Tresiba but I'm back to old problem, I take 10 units in morning 8.30am, then it runs out before next dose 9.00pm,and I start going high I took 8 units second dose which ran out before morning, and with the 8 units I have hypo at around 3.00am then high in morning and keeps rising. I tried 6 units at night when on it before no hypos but still going higher and higher in morning. I once tried splitting 3 times but don't think its a good idea is it? but that did work better when I tried it once, so now don't know what to do, I'm getting problem after problem, thats why I moved to Tresiba but that made me feel very unwell, so any ideas, I also tried 2nd dose at 11.00pm 6 units, as that would be ideal time, and last, but I cant make day time dose last until then. the only way I could ever do that is splitting x 3.My blood sugar is now 14.8 that was with 1 bowl of porridge , sugar free actimel drink and coffee, 6 units of NovoRapid as I allowed extra 2 extra units

 

[Spozkins]

Funny, I found levemir was the insulin which made me feel unwell and tresiba has kept my bg in range much more easily.

I would possibly speak to the person who prescribed you the levemir and ask their advice about how to best manage those hyers and hypos. Have you always been on a shorter acting insulin like levermir before.

 

[Annette Arundell]

Yes I've always been on Levemir, since becoming Type 1 Diabetic 16 years ago, like I said I did try Tresiba as told it was flatter profile, but made me very unwell, and advised by consultant to go back to Levemir., I knew it wouldn't be great.

 

[rebrascora]

When is your daytime Levemir starting to struggle to cope with your needs?
Could you increase your bolus ratio in the evening to cover it in the same way as I inject a couple of extra units of bolus insulin in the morning for Foot on the Floor Syndrome along with my breakfast bolus.
Then take the evening Levemir last thing at night when you go bed to try to prevent that 3am hypo.

 

[Annette Arundell]

My Levemir seems to wear off late afternoon, then I take extra correction units after last meal as high, if I take to much bolus I go hypo, then have to eat and go on roller coaster ride with it, very depressing. 2nd dose then wears off in morning and starts to rise around 7.30am. My levels were fine until approx 6 months ago, then it went mad! carb counting ratio seems all over the place. I used to be able to eat what I want , by that I mean the odd Chinese, or meal out, now i just don't know where I am with it all, have spoken to consultant and DN, as also have ketones most of the day, rising between meals, sometimes just after, but they said not to test them, as blood sugars are in normal range when I get them, and not to test until sugar over 13, but then funny thing is I don't get ketones when higher sugars, so I'm a strange one, but when I do get them I know before testing as my hands feel freezing, and in general cold feeling, and don't feel great, I have lost nearly a stone since December with this, its like I go in and out of keto diet, which I don't follow, as I know the coldness can be side affects of that, I'm a puzzle 🙄 But their not concerned about anything. so I've many problems, its like nothing works anymore, thats why I tried Tresiba to see if I could get something correct but not to be. I've managed to get face to face with NHS consultant Wednesday, haven't seem him for 18 months, but I have no faith they just think I'm being anxious, which I am, as its my health and I'm not in great shape, he sent message through DN to go back on Levemir, but that dident work great before. So any plan to get this better would be appreciated,. thats why I thought of 3 split thing, but that seems drastic. Thanks for replying.

 

[rebrascora]

I'm a firm believer in experimenting with diabetes because it is so individual and doesn't always play by the rules so I think injecting Levemir 3x a day is worth trying again if it showed promise. You have a lot of experience with your diabetes and you have Libre 2 to enable you to monitor things closely and hopefully keep you safe, so I would say, give it a go for a few days and see what happens. Maybe choose days when you have plenty of time to monitor things (weekend perhaps)

You should not be afraid of what the consultant or nurse thinks about it. You are the person who manages your diabetes on a day by day, meal by meal basis and as long as you can show that you are keeping yourself safe with regular BG checks and explain why you are trying this strategy and hopefully show how it is working then it should not be for them to criticize but to applaud you for your initiative. Managing BG levels is part maths but also part intuition, so I would say, have the confidence to follow yours with this. Obviously doses may need dialing down a bit if you are going with 3x a day.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.