Levimer Question

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Colm

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Type 1
Hi, just looking for a bit of advice from Levimer users, what times you split the dose and by how much do you split it...60/40...70/30??.
I've been on Lantus (20 units recently) for 20 years, I find things reasonably steady at night, but I'm running low way to frequently during the day, have to keep stopping for the lucozade.
So I'm trying levimer to see can I find balance to keep me going loger during the morning and day, yet keep things under control at night.

Any advice on doses and split times welcome..
Thanks a mill.
C.
 
Colm said:
what times you split the dose and by how much do you split it...60/40...70/30?
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Mine's about 60/40 (with the 60 for the day), and the doses are about 12 hours apart, morning (9am) and evening (9pm).

(But none of that necessarily means anything for you: other people do quite dramatically different things so you need to find something that works for you.)
 
When I went on to a split Levemir I was told was the most important thing was to be consistent with timings. Then you can gradually adjust the doses to suit. I was also advised to keep them about 12 hours apart.
 
I am the opposite to you as I need lots during the day and often none at night. My usual dose is about 22 in the morning and 2 units at night but I have been as high as 24 during the day and 7 at night. I am currently 0 at night. I started off with an even split and then adjusted it to what I needed and gradually the evening dose dwindled and the morning dose increased.
As regards the timing, I usually inject as soon as I wake up, before I get out of bed to help tackle Foot on the Floor syndrome and usually at bedtime so about 7am and 11pm. Again this was adjusted along with the doses to suit my body. The general advice is 12 hour intervals but one of the advantages of Levemir is that the timing can also be adjusted to suit your body, so that you get overlap of doses when you need a bit more and tailing out where you need less. Sometimes I get periods where my levels start to drift upwards on an evening and I need to bring the evening dose forwards to the 12 hour spot but mostly waking and bedtime (if I need an evening dose) works very well for me.

I am not offering this as guidance to you but merely illustrating the great variation that can exist in people's basal needs, so whilst it is interesting to hear what other people do, you have to find what works for your body.

I absolutely love Levemir for the flexibility it provides. I hope you find it helpful.
 
Thanks very much everyone for your input, its very much appreciated.
I am only on Levimer a week so this is a learning curve for sure..
One thought I just had...am I doing it backwards?? I am taking 12 units at 8pm, and 8 units at 8am ..
should I take the larger dose in the morning, then top it up in the evening with the smaller dose to get through the night,
or am I right the way I am doing it.. larger dose at 8pm, to keep things low at night, topped up in the morning with a small dose for the daytime??
confused or what 🙂
 
You should do whatever gives you the best blood sugars - lots of basal testing and adjusting
 
Colm said:
One thought I just had...am I doing it backwards?? I am taking 12 units at 8pm, and 8 units at 8am ..
should I take the larger dose in the morning, then top it up in the evening with the smaller dose to get through the night,
or am I right the way I am doing it.. larger dose at 8pm, to keep things low at night, topped up in the morning with a small dose for the daytime?
Click to expand...
People are different. I find I need more during the day but you may be different.
 
When did you take your Lantus dose?
 
Colm said:
Hi, just looking for a bit of advice from Levimer users, what times you split the dose and by how much do you split it...60/40...70/30??.
I've been on Lantus (20 units recently) for 20 years, I find things reasonably steady at night, but I'm running low way to frequently during the day, have to keep stopping for the lucozade.
So I'm trying levimer to see can I find balance to keep me going loger during the morning and day, yet keep things under control at night.

Any advice on doses and split times welcome..
Thanks a mill.
C.
Click to expand...
Hi there. I take my morning Levemir as soon as I am up. I am an early riser so about 6am. I then take my evening dose before bed which can vary from 9pm to about 11pm. I was told take it on rise and then rest. I take way more in evening but unfortunately I suffer from dawn phenomenon which is a nightmare. I did try the 12 hour split but I found taking it at 6pm at night was way too early. We are all different. Good luck.
 
rebrascora said:
When did you take your Lantus dose?
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I used to take it at 10.30pm every night.
I took my levimer at 10pm last night, I upped the dose to 16 units from 14 the night before, by 1.30 am I stated to climb steadily from 5mmol to 10mmol by 7.00 this morning, I can up the dose to 18 tonight, but then I'm almost back where I started with the Lantus taking 20-22 at night.
Im sure there is a pump out there with my name on it in the not too distant future..
 
8am 20/8pm 10 (generally speaking, I too adjust according to activity etc)

Like you I'd been on Lantus once daily for like forever (about 20 yrs I think), but a couple of years ago it didn't seem to be cutting it anymore. Tried splitting the dose and changing timings to no avail. Switched to Levemir just over a year ago, and wow, what a difference! Took me a while to get the balance right but now my TiR is 85-90% whereas previously I was struggling to get 70%.

Good luck!
 
one thing I am seeing here is most people are taking the larger dose in the mornings, and a smaller dose at night.
I am beginning to think I may be doing it the wrong way round by taking the large dose at night and small top up in the morning.
 
Colm said:
I used to take it at 10.30pm every night.
I took my levimer at 10pm last night, I upped the dose to 16 units from 14 the night before, by 1.30 am I stated to climb steadily from 5mmol to 10mmol by 7.00 this morning, I can up the dose to 18 tonight, but then I'm almost back where I started with the Lantus taking 20-22 at night.
Im sure there is a pump out there with my name on it in the not too distant future..
Click to expand...
There is nothing that says you have to stick with the same dose as you had with Lantus. The important thing is that you get the active insulin when you need it in whatever dose combination works for you, so yes, I would increase the night time one again, but be aware that there will be a little overlap into the morning dose so depending upon how your daytime levels have been with the current daytime dose, you might need to reduce the morning dose by a similar amount...... or you may not 🙄 Diabetes is very individual and contrary. Just keep experimenting until you find the right split.
Do be aware that with Levemir you may find you need to dial it back a bit after more exertive days or exercise days. Not sure how responsive Lantus is in that respect but I need to adjust my Levemir several times a week according to what I have been up to, to keep things nice and even. It takes time to figure out how to get it just right for you, so stick at it and don't be frightened to experiment with it.
 
Colm said:
one thing I am seeing here is most people are taking the larger dose in the mornings, and a smaller dose at night.
I am beginning to think I may be doing it the wrong way round by taking the large dose at night and small top up in the morning.
Click to expand...
No, I don't think so. It is just that we are all different. @MichelleF78 need more at night, so it definitely isn't all of us. You have to do what is right for your body and it sounds like you are on the right track to me, so keep going with cautious increases until it levels out.
 
Colm said:
one thing I am seeing here is most people are taking the larger dose in the mornings, and a smaller dose at night.
I am beginning to think I may be doing it the wrong way round by taking the large dose at night and small top up in the morning.
Click to expand...
I need more at night @Colm but looks like it’s still just not enough. As @rebrascora said we are all different, I take way less during the day. I’m trying another unit tonight as I don’t get an even graph and I rise when I wake with foot on floor. Good luck let us know how it goes!
 
I'll try again tonight...thanks very much everyone, its really much appreciated, as my diabetes center are not much help to be honest, I get more help and support here.
 
Colm said:
I'll try again tonight...thanks very much everyone, its really much appreciated, as my diabetes center are not much help to be honest, I get more help and support here.
Click to expand...
I’ll second that @Colm . It’s amazing to have so much support without bothering the hospital who takes days to get back to you.
 
MichelleF78 said:
I need more at night @Colm but looks like it’s still just not enough. As @rebrascora said we are all different, I take way less during the day. I’m trying another unit tonight as I don’t get an even graph and I rise when I wake with foot on floor. Good luck let us know how it goes!
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Better night last night, went to bed at 11.30 pm, @ 6 mmol, woke up at 7.30am, 4.9 mmol.
I upped the dose from 16 to 18 last night at 9pm, and took 4 units this morning at 9am...
fine tuning now ;-) thanks again...
C.
 
Colm said:
Better night last night, went to bed at 11.30 pm, @ 6 mmol, woke up at 7.30am, 4.9 mmol.
I upped the dose from 16 to 18 last night at 9pm, and took 4 units this morning at 9am...
fine tuning now ;-) thanks again...
C.
Click to expand...
Glad that you have found a solution. I find things still change with the weather so tweaks are needed throughout.
 
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