Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Gerri on March 30, 2009 at 11:00pm

Sorry you're feeling yucky. How long have you been experiencing this?

Sure you've thought of this, but do you think there's a possibility your meter is off & you're lower than revealed? Have you tried eating something when you feel like this to see if raising BG a bit gets rid of the symptoms? That is, something like a glucose tab:) That's what I'd try to see if it is low BG from your bolus insulin.

I never experienced anything like this on Lantus. Sorry, afraid no help there.

Sure you've thought of this as well, but could it be unusual stress from work? Could this be something like a panic attack? When you're home in the evening, you feel better away from the stress.

Since you're taking Lantus before bed & such a small dose, it's not going to last long in your body. Claims by the pharm company to the contrary, Lantus doesn't last 18-24 hours for most people. I've spoken with two endos about this (one has a Ph.D. in biochemistry) & Dr. Bernstein about basal insulin. Their explanation was over my head, but they said that basal (Lantus & Levemir) taken at bed time only lasts about 8 hours. Why many need to take two doses of basal. Your Lantus should be gone by morning or soon thereafter & shouldn't be effecting you this way. Of course, there's the possibility that you're quite insulin sensitive, or sensitive to something in Lantus.

My lows occur in late afternoon when I'm most active. I really should eat larger lunches, but can't seem to do this with my schedule.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by josephine on March 30, 2009 at 11:11pm

I cannot say that I have noticed any problems on Lantus, hopefully you will get a decent doctor next time. Sometimes the D. nurses know just as much,

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Anthony Holko on March 31, 2009 at 9:50am

Dear dov.

Sorry to hear that you are not feeling well you were doing so well with your diabetes before. Just a thought in my case I found lantus to last more than 24 hours. Mind you this was with a massive dose of 40 units injected in one spot which you would think for mass transfer reasons could last longer than very small doses. I wonder if in your case for some strange reason it could be overlapping from dose to dose. This could be why you feel better at the end of 18 hours. You could try a 30 hours period betwen injections to see if that does anything. Personally With your very small dosage I would be surprised but you never know so it may be worth a try.

Otherwise you wonder if we can develop an allergy to the lantus that makes the body unhappy when it is present. You could try levemir a different insulin chemically from lantus to see if your body is happier with that. I have been trying it instead of lantus for 1 1/2 months in the hope that it helps weight loss so far no dice but it works as a long term insulin as well as lantus.

PS: With your small dosages if you are using a 1000 unit vial do you discard it after 28 days after opening since alledgedly the stuff goes bad. In this case Levemir would be more economical since it comes in a pack of 5 individual 300 unit cartriges that would last you for 5 months.

Best of luck

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Christina on March 31, 2009 at 10:53am

Lantus was the first basal insulin that my doctor started me on in November '08. I was on it for two months and had the worst reaction to it. It made all of my muscles tighten and contract. I was in pain all the time. And I felt nauseous as well. I had to split my dose taking 10 units in the morning and ten at night. I couldnt sleep while on it either. I felt like the walking dead. I would feel just a bit better when the Lantus would be wearing off after 10 or 12 hours. Within and hour or two of taking a dose I would get the symptoms you mention. Research on the web revealed that other people were complaining of the same problems.

When I mentioned how awful I felt, the doctor I was seeing at the time just told me to keep increasing my dose. (I cried because I was so upset by that point. I was given a script for antidepressants. Pu-lease!! He also made no mention of adding bolus insulin to my treatment yet wondered why I wasn't gaining any weight. Sugars would go over 250 after eating. I've since changed doc's and am on Levimir and Novolog. And am doing much better though still sorting it all out)

Google "reactions to Lantus". You will find some interesting things.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Yvonne C. on April 12, 2009 at 11:15pm

So... there were no side effects or uneasy feelings with your new treatment? I am taking Lantus and other medications and I am still trying to figure out which ones are causing the side effects. I am not sure if need to switch to another regimen.

Take Care!
Yvonne C.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kevin on April 12, 2009 at 12:34pm

I do 60 units twice a day and I've had these same problems. But from what I read and heard it's not the Lantus.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gordon Paul Jones on April 12, 2009 at 1:33pm

I was taking 18 units of Lantus every evening for about five years before I went to a pump. I never had any symptoms that I could blame on it. As for a "fear of doctors," you should never lump them. If you fear one, find another. They get the big bucks so you should be able to bug them to death.

• ▶ Reply