does lantus make you gain weight?

I've noticed i retain a lot of water, and i've seen a lot of discussions about lantus vs. levemir, which i've never even heard of. does anyone know the difference btwn. the two? why one would be prescribed over the other?

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Permalink Reply by Nyxks on May 30, 2011 at 7:29pm

I've been on Lantus since May 2008 and I can't say that its had an effect on me, granted its been hard to get the weight off but I also have PCOS so that effects weight loss to start with as does being in menopause. I'm down 6 pounds from the start of this year or 10 pounds since May of 08, but hay it might be a slow loss at least its going down in the right direction.

I was told when I was put on Lantus that I might gain weight till the right dosage was found for me, but I started on 10 unit and now am on 50 units and its not had an effect on my weight that I know of (might be part of the reason for it being harder to get it off or it might not, I don't really know).

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Permalink Reply by jlpo on May 30, 2011 at 7:37pm

hmmm... i feel like i retain water easier. especially in my legs. i take 12 units a day now. i was never told anything about weight gain, but it seems like there are quite a few postings regarding lantus and weight gain. thank you for your response :D

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Permalink Reply by Mandy, sanofi-aventisUSsupport on May 31, 2011 at 9:33am

Hi Nyxks, I'm sorry you're having a problem, please call sanofi-aventis at 800-633-1610 to report any problems you may have
experienced while take LANTUS. Regards, Mandy.

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Permalink Reply by sallygreen99 on May 30, 2011 at 7:44pm

Hmmm I find this very interesting, I have gained enormous amount of weight, fluid, am on Furosemide for fluid retention, have been on Lantus twice daily for two years now since heart surgery, leg breaks etc I am also menopausal, but unable to exercise due to my right leg not healing properly and now is twisted out!!!!
Weight is a major factor for me, and has also increased my depression! What a sad sack I am !!!!

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Permalink Reply by latvianchick on May 30, 2011 at 10:09pm

Big hugs! I do understand.

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Permalink Reply by Mandy, sanofi-aventisUSsupport on May 31, 2011 at 9:32am

Hi sallygreen99, I'm sorry you're having a problem, please call sanofi-aventis at 800-633-1610 to report any problems you may have experienced while take LANTUS. Regards, Mandy.

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Permalink Reply by caprifoglio on May 30, 2011 at 8:41pm

It's hard for me to tell as I noticed I retain some water weight now after the birth of my child 5 years ago (also in my legs, it seems), and I am now 43... so it could be a perimenopausal thing. However, the one thing I have noticed since my diagnosis as T1 almost a year ago (anniversary June 7th) is that I've gained 15 lbs! Granted I was a pretty thin when I was diagnosed, but my diet is not high carb at all and it helped me bring my A1C down quickly. So... I'm not sure what is going on but I do hate both the water retention and whatever weight I've gained. Hoping to get a handle on this because I DON'T want to get any larger.

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Permalink Reply by Mandy, sanofi-aventisUSsupport on May 31, 2011 at 9:42am

Hi caprifoglio, I'm sorry you're having a problem, please call sanofi-aventis at 800-633-1610 to report any problems you may have experienced while take LANTUS. Regards, Mandy.

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Permalink Reply by latvianchick on May 30, 2011 at 10:08pm

All insulins can cause weight gain. I am given to understand by reading that excess insulin is stored as fat - a problem I had before I became diabetic. I have a large cyst on my pancreas and that used to cause hyperinsulinism (I was producing way too much insulin when eating - causing hypos after and it was years before this was diagnosed - I had to go to Latvia to find this out because doctors would not test here in the UK) The answer was to eat more slow release carbs and follow a diabetic diet (namely no sweets, eat healthy and more of it!) and I got a lot better and lost weight. They did warn me that I would become diabetic, which stupidly I ignored and then about 8 or 9 years later I began to lose weight so fast that I went down to 6 stones! I looked emaciated. Doctors again missed it for 10 years and I was diagnosed by accident while in hospital for another cyst on my spleen!

I was put on lantus and then levemir and being over sensitive to the human insulins (and therefore forever hypo) and put on some weight, but not a lot.

As for why they prescribe? Who knows. I suspect it is for financial gain.

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Permalink Reply by Terrie on May 30, 2011 at 10:27pm

No! I've been on Lantus since the Fall of 2006 and haven't gained any weight from using it. I was on a month supply of Levemir recently that my Endo gave me to try out. It worked Well for me also. I switched back to my Lantus to use the rest of it up. Lantus treated me pretty Good and I prefer not to waste. I filled my prescription for Levemir, so I'll be going back on it soon.

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Permalink Reply by Mandy, sanofi-aventisUSsupport on May 31, 2011 at 9:40am

Hi latvianchick, I'm sorry you're having a problem, please call sanofi-aventis at 800-633-1610 to report any problems you may have experienced while take LANTUS. Regards, Mandy.

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Permalink Reply by bsc on May 31, 2011 at 11:30am

It would have been enough to just post this once, repetitive messages just don't look very good. And believe me, my fashion sense is seriously wanting, if I can tell it doesn't look good, then it doesn't look good.