Insulin change

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Tattoogirl

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Type 2
Has anyone got any advice for type 1.5 and now gastroparesis? I keep being given medication with no explanation to what it does etc. Have been taking 24units levamir am and 12units pm and hulalog for fast acting, and 4 creon before meals. Now a prescription for domperidone has appeared on my online requests and now changing from levamir to Tresiba. Noone seems to talk to me about anything and don't know what it all is and will it help the crippling symptoms I get?
 
Can't help with your final question but I would suggest that you pester whoever is doing the prescribing until you get the answers you need and an explanation of their thinking.
 
Like @Docb says, I'd get on the phone and push for the answers you are looking for, I hope you get the answers you need soon xx
 
Thankfully, the only unrequested changes I have ever seen on my prescription have been removal of items I have not ordered for more than a year.
Changing of medication without consultation seems to be wrong to me, especially when it is something like Levemir to Tresiba which is to be taken differently.
I second/third the comments to query why the changes have been made.

That said, some people love the predictability of Tresiba and would be very happy to have this. That said, I think most people who like it are male and do not have to deal with "monthly variations".
 
helli said:
That said, some people love the predictability of Tresiba and would be very happy to have this. That said, I think most people who like it are male and do not have to deal with "monthly variations".
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I used to love Tresiba however at the moment I'm struggling, I don't put it down to just the Tresiba but having issues some days with dropping 7mmol so having to wake up with higher BG and still take Lifts on board, I don't have "monthly variations" as the injection stopped it lol xx
 
Tattoogirl said:
Has anyone got any advice for type 1.5 and now gastroparesis? I keep being given medication with no explanation to what it does etc. Have been taking 24units levamir am and 12units pm and hulalog for fast acting, and 4 creon before meals. Now a prescription for domperidone has appeared on my online requests and now changing from levamir to Tresiba. Noone seems to talk to me about anything and don't know what it all is and will it help the crippling symptoms I get?
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To be honest, it wouldn’t matter what the medication was - you should be told why it’s being prescribed. You should also be involved as much as appropriate in decisions about your medication. Things shouldn’t just appear on your prescription. You’re entitled to know why they’ve been prescribed. I’d phone the surgery and ask to speak to someone.

You can use the Search function here to look for old threads that might be relevant. I did a search for domperidone:

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/search/67326/?q=Domperidone&o=date

Your insulin shouldn’t have been changed without discussion with you. There are pros and cons of all insulins, and people should have these explained and be involved in discussions about possible changes. As an example, I chose my insulin basically, discussed with my consultant and she then approved it and it went on my prescription. Previous changes have also been at my instigation and discussed, not just dumped on my prescription.
 
Sounds very frustrating for you @Tattoogirl

I think domperidone is one of the drugs that can help with relieving gastroparesis symptoms (if memory serves I think metacloprimide might be another). I seem to recall that the evidence for drugs to help gastroparesis was a bit thin on the ground, and there were no very strong and reliable contenders - but some things had been shown to have some positive effect.

@AJLang has been living with gastroparesis for some years, so may know more.

I also agree with others that a change if insulin should only have come about after a discussion about the relative merits and drawbacks of each, and what the change was intended to achieve.

It’s not unheard of for forum members to have experienced this over the years, but it really isn’t the best way for changes in meds to happen :(

Can you try to book a phone appointment to raise your concerns?
 
Domperidone can be used to help the sickness aspect of gastroparesis But I think the current recommendation is only for short term use (but I may be wrong about the length of use. However you need to be aware of the risks of it, including to the heart and because of that you should have an ECG a few weeks after starting using it and then at other times afterwards but I’m not sure of the frequency.
i
 
Domperidone can be use for all sorts of this and it may not be connected to what you are imagining. The only person that can give you answers to the individual and yourself is the prescriber. With GDPR you may have to have consent to be told if you have not got guarantor over the person. I would make an appointment and both go and say you are the carer and need to know. It can be helpful to write a note on the things you want to have answered. It usually also helps to tell the receptionist what its about and if possible and you are okay to chat too they might give you a phone or face to face. If it were me I would want to know and to make sure I was given the right meds. When I recently looked after my cousins daughter they were more than helpful to get her meds and dosage correct.
 
Hi. The surgery must involve you in any med changes. Tresiba is different from Levemir and they should have explained the change and why. Levemir only lasts around 12 hours whereas Tresiba can last more than a day so if you split your dose that changes.
 
Thankyou for your replies. Have managed to get my first ever face to face with the consultant first week of November so will discuss everything then. Took some fighting to get the appointment though!
 
Good luck! Take a list of questions and pen and paper!
 
No insulin should be changed without discussion and consent.That said my personal experience of tresiba is that it is an improvement over levemir
 
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