Levemir replacement?

[gillrogers]

Sorry just catching up on things as been busy with an extreamly poorly husband for the kast. 3 months.Just discovered that Levemir is being discontinued here. Nothing was said to me by my consultant last week and i definitely need something like it. A flat one wont work for me and tresiba definately wont. I need to split mine too as i can vary between 25% and 50% less at night than the day. Im so sensitive to weather changes and stress. So i need the ability to change daily. Im only just getting to grips with being type 1 finding my new me and now its about to be blown out of the window.

 

[Inka]

You could use a twice daily isophane insulin @gillrogers That’s what I use when I take a pump break because I need less insulin at night. There are two to choose from: Hypurin Isophane or Humulin i. Be prepared for your team to try to encourage to take Tresiba. They’re often obsessed by the ‘only once a day’ thing and almost always push newer insulins. The isophanes have been around for many years.

I hope your husband is a little better now.

 

[helli]

Bear in mind, Levemir is being discontinued in the US before the UK.
In the UK, they intend to continue supplying it until the end of 2026 so you have plenty of time to work out a replacement.

 

[gillrogers]

Thanks @Inka , hes is though hes now struggling with the change of weather himself from this chronic asthma hes developed.

My nurse has actually already said the tresiba is no good for me. Isophane or Humulin I . Okey dokey. Just seen actually that weve got until the end of next year so may be why my consultant didnt mention it.

 

[gillrogers]

Bear in mind, Levemir is being discontinued in the US before the UK.
In the UK, they intend to continue supplying it until the end of 2026 so you have plenty of time to work out a replacement.

Thanks @helli, yes i knew they where doing it in the US but forgot and then spotted it happening here in the Uk while having a catch up. At least weve got time for alternatives or perhaps by some miracle ill be on a pump by then. Lol

 

[Inka]

Thanks @Inka , hes is though hes now struggling with the change of weather himself from this chronic asthma hes developed.

My nurse has actually already said the tresiba is no good for me. Isophane or Humulin I . Okey dokey. Just seen actually that weve got until the end of next year so may be why my consultant didnt mention it.

Just to be clear, Humulin i is isophane - that’s what the little i after Humulin stands for. Both Hypurin Isophane and Humulin i (i=isophane) are types of isophane insulin 🙂

 

[gillrogers]

Just to be clear, Humulin i is isophane - that’s what the little i after Humulin stands for. Both Hypurin Isophane and Humulin i (i=isophane) are types of isophane insulin 🙂

Thanks @Inka

 

[rebrascora]

I am also affected by this and there is also the slight possibility that another company may bring out a generic Determir insulin like Levemir to plug the gap as the 20 year patent on Levemir is expiring. I am not holding my breath as that is a very unlikely result and I have already discussed Humulin i or Hypurin with my consultant and he is in agreement with me that those are my likely my best options, as I too need day to night flexibility and night to night adjustment. In the mean time I am requesting Levemir nearly every month to build up a slight surplus (within use by dates), to tide me over as long as it is available. I normally only request it 4x a year)
I absolutely love my Levemir and my half unit NovoPen Echos, so I am really gutted about their decision to discontinue it and I will have to do more homework on reusable pens for those replacement options nearer the time.

 

[gillrogers]

I am also affected by this and there is also the slight possibility that another company may bring out a generic Determir insulin like Levemir to plug the gap as the 20 year patent on Levemir is expiring. I am not holding my breath as that is a very unlikely result and I have already discussed Humulin i or Hypurin with my consultant and he is in agreement with me that those are my likely my best options, as I too need day to night flexibility and night to night adjustment. In the mean time I am requesting Levemir nearly every month to build up a slight surplus (within use by dates), to tide me over as long as it is available. I normally only request it 4x a year)
I absolutely love my Levemir and my half unit NovoPen Echos, so I am really gutted about their decision to discontinue it and I will have to do more homework on reusable pens for those replacement options nearer the time.

thats a good idea,

 

[Proud to be erratic]

Apologies, this is a bit vague; I'll explain why at the end. But I was somewhat mindlessly watching BBC One News a little after midnight last night and not paying enough attention. A presenter was chairing a panel of "experts" discussing where global financial events were going, as a consequence of Trump's recent activities. One expert was a senior (CEO?) executive in a major international Corporation and was specifically talking about the Pharmaceutical Industry. He remarked that the Industry was moving into unknown territory where for the first time, a significant number of medications were coming out of patent at the same time and he was very upbeat about the opportunities this should present for world trade - despite the current upheaval.

My personal view: one thing that does bode well for a Levermir substitute is the ability of market forces to find ways around political interference with the market - when there is a clear opportunity to fulfil existing demand. If a pharmaceutical company is considering filling the Levermir potential gap, they would most likely already have their production plan in place, preceding the current trade tariffs and the instability that has now been created.

I've just tried to get back to that 15+ minute News slot, but frustratingly BBC Iplayer only shows the scheduling of "Joins BBC News" , which is their rolling news channel from 0015 until 0600 this morning. But, frustratingly, I can't seem to get to a rewatch of that rolling News slot. So I can't listen again, more carefully, to that viewpoint. I do seem to recall that the general view of the Panel talked about the likelihood of the US going into recession and a somewhat foreboding forecast. But I was tired, and ironically had thought to myself I need to hear that again in the morning - thinking it would be findable on iplayer.