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[Lilly 1953]

Hi I’ve been type 1 diabetic for 47 Years, luckily no problems until I’ve gone onto Toujeo insulin, with regards to very high blood sugars

 

[rebrascora]

Hi Lilly and welcome

Was there a reason you were changed onto Toujeo and what was your previous basal insulin. I know of at least one member who was changed onto this insulin and is struggling with it.
Are you in the UK? The reason I ask is that it doesn't seem to be commonly prescribed here.

 

[Inka]

Hi @Lilly 1953 🙂

Welcome - and well done on 47 years of Type 1! I’ve never used Toujeo but I hope you’re getting swapped to something different if it’s not working out for you.

 

[trophywench]

Hiya @Lilly 1953 !

I can't work out categorically from what you said whether you're having probs on the Toujeo now, or the Toujeo was prescribed to try and solve probs with your previous basal.

Whichever, you have the means immediately to hand to undertake a Basal Insulin Test, so I'd start on that pretty soon if I were you. From doing that test on numerous occasions over the last 20-ish years I know 100% that Toujeo would never have been suitable for my body.

Basal insulins « Diabetes Support Information Exchange

www.diabetes-support.org.uk

 

[Ditto]

Hello and welcome to the forum. 🙂

 

[Lilly 1953]

Hiya @Lilly 1953 !

I can't work out categorically from what you said whether you're having probs on the Toujeo now, or the Toujeo was prescribed to try and solve probs with your previous basal.

Whichever, you have the means immediately to hand to undertake a Basal Insulin Test, so I'd start on that pretty soon if I were you. From doing that test on numerous occasions over the last 20-ish years I know 100% that Toujeo would never have been suitable for my body.

Basal insulins « Diabetes Support Information Exchange

www.diabetes-support.org.uk

Hi thanks for your reply
I test all day long, requested from the diabetic nurse, I feel the TOUJEO doesn’t work for me, last night I went to bed with 7.1 woke up with a fasting 19.5

 

[trophywench]

OMG at that ! - No - it doesn't appear to!

At what time does it start to increase?
- and at what time had you last eaten?
- and why did you change, did you have probs with what you were on before?

 

[SB2015]

Hi thanks for your reply
I test all day long, requested from the diabetic nurse, I feel the TOUJEO doesn’t work for me, last night I went to bed with 7.1 woke up with a fasting 19.5

With those levels it is clear the the Toujeo isn’t working for you.
Something needs to change. Did you have problems on your previous basal insulin?

 

[Hannah Diabetes UK]

Hi I’ve been type 1 diabetic for 47 Years, luckily no problems until I’ve gone onto Toujeo insulin, with regards to very high blood sugars

Hi Lilly,

Welcome to our forum! We are a very friendly bunch so please feel free to share and ask questions. One of the great advantages of the forum is people's shared experiences, as we are all here to help and support one another.

How have your bloods been recently?

 

[Lilly 1953]

With those levels it is clear the the Toujeo isn’t working for you.
Something needs to change. Did you have problems on your previous basal insulin?

Hi
yeah I had complete opposite with Lantus as in hypo through the early morning, that’s why the doctor changed to Toujeo, problem being the doctor doesn’t want to increase the dosage.... I’m now increasing it myself I’m afraid after 47 years type 1 I’m not prepared to have such high blood sugar, thanks for your message

 

[trophywench]

@Lilly 1953
Yeah - Lantus always has a peak in its activity around 4-5 hours after you jab it in along with the fact that we all have our lowest natural bodily blood glucose level in the early hours - 2.30 to 3.30am ish - so the combination of both together can be dire.

Just wondering - have you ever tried using Levemir as basal? It does mean have 2 jabs of that rather than one of Lantus - but Lev is much more biddable than Lantus since you can see whether small alterations to either dose or timing are working out for you usually within 12 hours of doing them. None of this waiting 3 days business.

 

[Lilly 1953]

Hi Lilly,

Welcome to our forum! We are a very friendly bunch so please feel free to share and ask questions. One of the great advantages of the forum is people's shared experiences, as we are all here to help and support one another.

How have your bloods been recently?

Hi Hannah
thanks for your message, they’re not too bad ( Touch wood ) I’m seeing a doctor tomorrow with regards to the high BS, since being on the sensor & the alarm going off through the morning I’ve realised how bad it was

 

[rebrascora]

I'm also a big fan of split dose Levemir if you can't get on with Toujeo and need to go back to your doc to try something else.
The other thing I would ask is when were you taking the Lantus and did you try changing the timing rather than changing the insulin. If you were to take it in the morning instead of at night there is much less likelihood of night time hypos and you can more easily deal with any that happen through the day, particularly if you see a pattern of them happening 4-5hrs after injecting and can plan for it.

Something else which occurs to me is that a training course like DAFNE or your local equivalent or BERTIE online might be helpful if you haven't done one. These can be really helpful for people who have been diagnosed a long time as well as newbies. There was a lady on my course who had been diagnosed 50yrs and was having problems with bad hypos almost every night with Lantus. DAFNE really helped her and she is now on an insulin pump.

 

[Midnightcatpatrol]

@Lilly 1953
Yeah - Lantus always has a peak in its activity around 4-5 hours after you jab it in along with the fact that we all have our lowest natural bodily blood glucose level in the early hours - 2.30 to 3.30am ish - so the combination of both together can be dire.

Just wondering - have you ever tried using Levemir as basal? It does mean have 2 jabs of that rather than one of Lantus - but Lev is much more biddable than Lantus since you can see whether small alterations to either dose or timing are working out for you usually within 12 hours of doing them. None of this waiting 3 days business.

Ah, the would explain the 3am hypos...

 

[SB2015]

I am another fan of Levemir.
By using a split dose you can adjust the night time without impacting the day time one.
It does mean one extra injection but I found it was well worth it as it helped me to improve things over night.

 

[trophywench]

Exactly - one more is hardly a problem when you've already been having 4 to start with if there's a more than decent chance, once you're body rids itself of the stuff that isn't working well, that it solves the conundrum and lets you get on with being you. It did for both you and I. Not every insulin suits everybody - but I think it's no co-incidence that it's recommended as first choice of basal for newly diagnosed T1s. After some of the insulins I've had to clinically trial on myself over the years - this was a doddle comparatively. I think it's very kind to the human body.

Plus the wonderful graph that enables us to work out what it should be doing when, if our bodies aren't making that plain enough for us to grasp. And mine's never been that precisely informative when push came to shove!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Lilly 1953

Sorry to hear the Toujeo isn't working out and you’ve swapped one hiccup for another one.

Hope you can find a fix, or try switching to a different basal.

I ended up taking Lantus at breakfast time which (more or less) made it work for me.

 

[Hannah Diabetes UK]

Hi Hannah
thanks for your message, they’re not too bad ( Touch wood ) I’m seeing a doctor tomorrow with regards to the high BS, since being on the sensor & the alarm going off through the morning I’ve realised how bad it was

Hi Lilly,

I hope your appointment went well and they were able to offer you some guidance and support, we know that it can be overwhelming at times but it good to reach out for help when you need it. Your forum friends like myself are always here 🙂