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Tresiba Reviews
- Thread starter Charl
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Amity Island
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi,
I moved from lantus to tresiba a few years ago. It's been fantastic (and no fatigue, no weight gain). No need to worry about taking it at exactly the same time everyday. Its also been good at keeping background levels steady. I use it with Humalog rapid acting for meals. It takes 2 full days before it gets to full efficacy. So will likely need close monitoring of blood sugars (I had to top up with Humalog until I got dose of tresiba right, which in hindsight was actually identical to lantus). I'm on exactly same dose as I was for the lantus 19u.
Last edited:
Proud to be erratic
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 3c
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Hello @Charl,
I moved to Tresiba from Levermir about 18 months ago and have no regrets. No weight gain or fatigue. Great improvement in steadying my BG.
Because its a long lasting basal, profile suggests 40 hrs, it is not a basal you can arbitrarily keep altering. Changes take up to 3 days to become effective; each daily dose is topping up the previous day. So I took a few days finding my optimum basal level for getting steady nights and use my bolus to regulate my day. It's very different to 2x daily basal from Levermir. I do adjust my Tresiba a bit, eg summer and winter; plus when I was in hospital for 3 weeks then recovering slowly. So it's not a flexible basal but it isn't set in concrete! Needs a different mindset, but now that is my 'normal'.
I moved to Tresiba from Levermir about 18 months ago and have no regrets. No weight gain or fatigue. Great improvement in steadying my BG.
Because its a long lasting basal, profile suggests 40 hrs, it is not a basal you can arbitrarily keep altering. Changes take up to 3 days to become effective; each daily dose is topping up the previous day. So I took a few days finding my optimum basal level for getting steady nights and use my bolus to regulate my day. It's very different to 2x daily basal from Levermir. I do adjust my Tresiba a bit, eg summer and winter; plus when I was in hospital for 3 weeks then recovering slowly. So it's not a flexible basal but it isn't set in concrete! Needs a different mindset, but now that is my 'normal'.
I expect to find reviews about every type of insulin mentioning weight gain. I believe this is due to insulin resistance and excess insulin of any type leading to weight gain. It is not something specific to Tresiba.
Fatigue has never been an insulin issue for me. I am fatigued if my levels are too high or too low but that means I need to change my insulin dose. It is not the fault of the type of insulin I take
I have never used Tresiba and wouldn't want to. There seems to be a belief that less injections and a flatter basal profile is best. However, this comes with an inflexibility. I am now on a pump but even before transitioning, my insulin could change daily. If I exercised more, I would reduce my basal and, every month I would increase it. Having to wait 3 days for a change in dose to take affect would drive me crazy. I would rather inject more often than deal with the inflexibility.
We are all different. Not everyone sees variations in their insulin resistance on a monthly cycle (or even have a monthly cycle) and few need to reduce their basal for 24 hours after intensive exercise ... or exercise intensely often enough to notice a difference.
Fatigue has never been an insulin issue for me. I am fatigued if my levels are too high or too low but that means I need to change my insulin dose. It is not the fault of the type of insulin I take
I have never used Tresiba and wouldn't want to. There seems to be a belief that less injections and a flatter basal profile is best. However, this comes with an inflexibility. I am now on a pump but even before transitioning, my insulin could change daily. If I exercised more, I would reduce my basal and, every month I would increase it. Having to wait 3 days for a change in dose to take affect would drive me crazy. I would rather inject more often than deal with the inflexibility.
We are all different. Not everyone sees variations in their insulin resistance on a monthly cycle (or even have a monthly cycle) and few need to reduce their basal for 24 hours after intensive exercise ... or exercise intensely often enough to notice a difference.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
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Hope the switch goes well @Charl
Was there something specific that you were having difficulty with when on Lantus? What was the motivation for the switch?
It’s always a bit of an upheaval switching insulins. In my xlerience it rarely seems ever to be a straight swap dose-for-dose. Usually there’s a period of some readjustment to work through.
Let us know how you get on 🙂
Was there something specific that you were having difficulty with when on Lantus? What was the motivation for the switch?
It’s always a bit of an upheaval switching insulins. In my xlerience it rarely seems ever to be a straight swap dose-for-dose. Usually there’s a period of some readjustment to work through.
Let us know how you get on 🙂
Lanny
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
If you’re on a high dose of basal insulin like I was Tresiba is better than Levemir as it can come in double strength pens so, less fluid is injected! I was on 96 units of Levemir twice a day & my injection sites became a big problem. Was switched to double strength Tresiba, 200 units/ml, once a day! It took me a while to find the right dose for me starting off gently on 76 units but, eventually found that 84 units once a day holds me steady whether I eat or not over 24 ish hours as basal is supposed to do! With the longer 49 hours it’s also much more flexible to taking it late than Levemir which had to be taken on time! BUT, it’s nowhere as flexible as Levemir when it comes to making changes so, I’ve learnt to keep to the same dose every day & compensate with more or less bolus Novorapid when I need to as it takes 3 days for any changes for Tresiba to take full effect. It was a big learning curve for me to start with when I switched over from Levemir to Tresiba but, I’m used to it now & I no longer have problems with my injection sites.
Well gladly no side effects but my first readings on a morning haven't improved, been on tresiba for just over two weeks is it to early to increase the dose , how much would I increase it by and for how long to see if morning readings are any better or should I contact my diabetic team , at this moment in time I'm on 16 units + novarapid breakfast, lunch and tea. Thanks
Lanny
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
The advice I was given when put on Tresiba is when I wake on a decent in range figure & going low or high after eating during the day it was the bolus Novorapid that needed changing: based on the fact that I’ve always chosen to take my basal at lunchtime; contact your team in case you taking it at a different time, waking in the morning, makes a difference?
I was told that I need a minimum of 3 days for any changes in dose to take full effect! In my case because of the high doses I change it by +4 or -4 as 2 units changes isn’t so easily seen with me but, since you’re on so much less than me +2 or -2 would be a bigger effect on you but, double check things with your team: maybe even +1 or -1 will still effect you; 16 units compared to my 84 is a MASSIVE difference!
I’ve also, learnt to be more patient to see effects as they come through much more slowly than when on Levemir: why with quick changes needed when a surprise menopausal cycle hits I don’t change Tresiba as the changes take effect too slowly; better & safer to change bolus doses to compensate instead as my cycle could be over in 3 days! It was almost impossible to change my Tresiba dose as my basal needs dropped a lot the 1st day, less with the 2nd day & after day 3 my basal needs go back up towards normal: couldn’t go down fast enough with Tresiba & then, having to go back up! Oops! 😳 You’re a guy & that’s probably too much information!😳
Also, when ill with a wee cold or ear infection etc. that doesn’t last long, less than a week, I don’t change Tresiba either as I ALWAYS get caught out after increasing it when I get better & I can’t the higher dose already in out of my system faster when I need to go back down! Much easier to change Novorapid doses instead!
It’s a different way of doing things that’s needs a rethink & I still forget sometimes even though I’ve been on Tresiba for over a year now but, it’s becoming more 2nd nature to me now!
I was told that I need a minimum of 3 days for any changes in dose to take full effect! In my case because of the high doses I change it by +4 or -4 as 2 units changes isn’t so easily seen with me but, since you’re on so much less than me +2 or -2 would be a bigger effect on you but, double check things with your team: maybe even +1 or -1 will still effect you; 16 units compared to my 84 is a MASSIVE difference!
I’ve also, learnt to be more patient to see effects as they come through much more slowly than when on Levemir: why with quick changes needed when a surprise menopausal cycle hits I don’t change Tresiba as the changes take effect too slowly; better & safer to change bolus doses to compensate instead as my cycle could be over in 3 days! It was almost impossible to change my Tresiba dose as my basal needs dropped a lot the 1st day, less with the 2nd day & after day 3 my basal needs go back up towards normal: couldn’t go down fast enough with Tresiba & then, having to go back up! Oops! 😳 You’re a guy & that’s probably too much information!😳
Also, when ill with a wee cold or ear infection etc. that doesn’t last long, less than a week, I don’t change Tresiba either as I ALWAYS get caught out after increasing it when I get better & I can’t the higher dose already in out of my system faster when I need to go back down! Much easier to change Novorapid doses instead!
It’s a different way of doing things that’s needs a rethink & I still forget sometimes even though I’ve been on Tresiba for over a year now but, it’s becoming more 2nd nature to me now!
Proud to be erratic
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 3c
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- He/Him
In principle, @Charl, yes a fortnight is sufficient duration to make a preliminary adjustment.
But keep in mind, now that you are on Tresiba, it does need a different mindset. I don't expect to achieve 'ideal' basal cover for every 24 hour day. I have focused on getting hypo free nights, with my target to stay close to 6 and I accept that days are more irregular so I don't expect my basal cover to be sufficient during the daytime. I lean heavily on my bolus for food and corrections to help me stay close to my optimum of 6 - with varied success.
Provided my nights are safe, I am happy. This means that if I need to take a corrective bolus as I go to bed, I have to be confident in my correction ratio. If I am in range (ie nominally below 10) I use my normal correction ratio; if greater than 10 I, personally, find I need to use a more aggressive ratio. But I am very aware that this can be a risk and my Libre low alarm is set at the maximum of 5.6 to give me due warning that my BG could be changing more than I'd anticipated. Once I've tripped the 5.6, I sometimes reset that to a lower level, eg 4.8, to give me a 2nd alert. Doing this in the small hours of the night is a pain, but fortunately such events are very rare.
If you make a change, I would be very cautious at this early stage. If your diabetic team are responsive then I'd consult them first. Would be interested to read how you get on.
But keep in mind, now that you are on Tresiba, it does need a different mindset. I don't expect to achieve 'ideal' basal cover for every 24 hour day. I have focused on getting hypo free nights, with my target to stay close to 6 and I accept that days are more irregular so I don't expect my basal cover to be sufficient during the daytime. I lean heavily on my bolus for food and corrections to help me stay close to my optimum of 6 - with varied success.
Provided my nights are safe, I am happy. This means that if I need to take a corrective bolus as I go to bed, I have to be confident in my correction ratio. If I am in range (ie nominally below 10) I use my normal correction ratio; if greater than 10 I, personally, find I need to use a more aggressive ratio. But I am very aware that this can be a risk and my Libre low alarm is set at the maximum of 5.6 to give me due warning that my BG could be changing more than I'd anticipated. Once I've tripped the 5.6, I sometimes reset that to a lower level, eg 4.8, to give me a 2nd alert. Doing this in the small hours of the night is a pain, but fortunately such events are very rare.
If you make a change, I would be very cautious at this early stage. If your diabetic team are responsive then I'd consult them first. Would be interested to read how you get on.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Yes that’s really a question and discussion to have with your clinic really. Other members may have very different experiences and needs to you.
Some members have been told that adjustments of approx 10% up or down of your existing dose might be cautious, but effective. But as @Lanny says - best to chat things through with your Dr/nurse
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