Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Cherise on February 14, 2009 at 12:45pm

Never had a problem with weight gain and Lantus. Though I don't know much about Levemir only that it is expensive.

Permalink Reply by Jessica on February 14, 2009 at 3:00pm

Hi Melissa! First of all, great job on losing your 116+ lbs!!!! That is truly amazing. What I have heard and experienced is taking (any) insulin makes it difficult to lose weight. My endo has told me that.. there was also another discussion on this site about people experiencing weight gain when taking lantus, and as soon I heard that it was definitely with lantus I was SO wanting to change my 24 hr lantus. That discussion also talked about Levemir being the alternative which didn't cause weight gain but I haven't asked my endo or had any personal experience. When I first was diagnosed with type 1 about 4 years ago, I (of course) had to start taking insulin (both lantus, and at the time novolog) but I stuck to no more than 45 g carb per meal which was less than what I'd been used to having been a teen. I was pretty thin before I was diagnosed but immediately gained like 30+ lbs like instantly!! It was horrible. So I agree, totally talk to your doctor about levemir, and good luck with your next 12 lbs of weight loss - I know you can do it!

Also I'm wondering if you exercise? That could definitely help with weight loss, since you seem to be on a great meal plan already..

best,
jessica

Permalink Reply by melissa on February 14, 2009 at 8:02pm

Cherise, Lantus costs me $40 (insurance copay) - I will have to check with the pharmacist to see if there is a price difference between it and Levemir. If they are both the same price, I'm going to seriously talk with my doc about changing me to Levemir.

Jessica, thanks so much for the complement! Like you, I've heard that I will have a difficult time losing weight while taking insulin. I had hoped to possibly change to oral medication, but after a failed experiment with 70/30 insulin, my doctor and I both realize that I will have to stay on insulin and not be able to take orals. Thus came my question regarding Lantus vs. Levemir...

I do follow a pretty strict diet, which has been approved by my PCP and my endo. As stated above, I eat no more than 1400 calories/35g carbs/25g sugar each day - but usually one day each month will either count as a "free day" or have a "free meal" where I eat higher carbs (last night's cheeseburger, fries and banana pudding rofl), and I adjust my insulin dosage to cover the higher carbs, allowing me to get cravings out of the way and allowing for flexibility during holiday gatherings/parties/reunions, etc.

Prior to being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and IBS by my PCP (I'm undergoing lots of tests now to ensure the accuracy of his diagnosis per his referral to another doctor for diagnoses confirmation and/or secondary opinion), I exercised plenty each day. I wasn't losing weight nor was I gaining weight. However, since I haven't been able to exercise as much as I was when I was first diagnosed, it seems the weight is slowly creeping up on me - I'm having a much harder time maintaining it now. (GRRRRR!! lol)

Pending the price for the Lantus vs. the Levemir (and taking into consideration that I will have to buy new clothes if I gain the lost weight back too), I will definitely talk with my PCP regarding changing to Levemir. I just hate to do anything that will cause me to gain weight if there is another option, ya know? (I could get on my soapbox about high carbs/higher insulin requirements vs. low carbs/lower insulin requirements here...I just got off the phone with my mom, who worries that I'm "starving" my brain and my body by following a low carb diet... ugh! lol However, I shall refrain from my oft repeated speech, even though I have gotten a lot of practice on it lately.)

Thank you so much for your encouraging words - and I will come back and let you know what my PCP says after my next appointment with him. Wish me luck!

*hugs*
Melissa

Permalink Reply by Cheery Love on March 17, 2009 at 1:33am

WELL I DID IT. I PICKED UP THE LEVEMIR TODAY. MY DOC SAID NO PROBLEM = HERE YOU GO. HE DID AGREE THE LANTUS USUALLY MADE WEIGHT LOSS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT. I WILL START TONITE. HE ALSO CHANGED ME FROM 100 UNITS AT NITE TO A 50 AM 50 PM. I WILL LET YOU ALL KNOW. AFTER 40 YRS OF DIABETES, IT AMAZES ME THAT IT TOOK THIS SITE FOR ME TO LEARN SOMETHING I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A DR. THANKS TO MANNY FOR ALL OF THIS!

Permalink Reply by Yvonne C. on April 16, 2009 at 7:37pm

How is it going for your Cheery and the switch to Levemir?

Permalink Reply by Cheery Love on April 16, 2009 at 11:21pm

i like the levimer better. lost couple pounds & my pooofie belly = midriff - seems to have lessened. i still have night highs but thats my fault for my going to bed at 2am & sleeping till noon. & eating chocolate easter eggs. wish i could have the self control like melissa - 35 carbs per day?????? i would be happy if that were per meal. so i would suggest the switch if possible. i just want spring to come - weve had snow for a week or more in salt lake. this weather depresses me, makes me eat more cuz im in the house so much.

Permalink Reply by Ron on May 19, 2009 at 11:59am

I was at my Endocrinologist last week and he suggested that my Levemir may not covering me as well as he would like and told me to finish my current pen and move to Lantus with the same dosage. I currently use Novolog pre-meal 2 units pre breafast 5 units pre-lunch and 5 units pre-dinner with a sliding scale. In addition I use 20 units of Levemir before bed. His thought is that Lantus will cover me longer/better than the Levemir. Has anyone else been told this?? Or had this experience??? This goes back to me asking him the differences on how the 2 compare Lantus vs Levemir.

Permalink Reply by Lee on May 26, 2010 at 10:53am

Hi! About Lantus and Levemir: They both are good insulin but it depends on the individual as to how they will work because for some diabetics they are NOT a 24 hour coverage insulin!!. For many years I took Lantus with quite a variance in daily blood glucose levels (BGL). My Primary suggested, and my Endo agreed, that I switch to Levemir. That was just a couple of years ago and it is working very well for me.

Lantus has a sharp increase and decline; Levemir has a more gradual increase and a longer tail giving more support for a longer time say my doctors.

I also learned that for some of us, one injection of either of the long acting insulin does NOT work well. I split my dose of Levemir (7 U A.M. and 6.5 to 7 U P.M.) It works well except for late afternoon. About 4 PM I need to take 1/2 U of Humalog to stop the continued rise of my BGL until dinner time at 7 PM. Normally one would NOT take Humalog without eating but with a BGL of 180 by 4 P.M. I usually need it. If I boosted my Levemir A.M. injection I crashed by Noon. Isn't this frustrating how we must fine tune ourselves but that is the answer.

Also, a sliding scale is sort of old routine these days. Do you know about the newer approach to control using a Ratio of insulin ot carbs? My Ratio is 1 Unit of Humalog for every 18 to 20 grams of carbohydrates. The usual ratio to start with for most of us is 1 to 10. Carbs have different effects on all of us and as the saying goes "Milage May Vary!" :-))

In the end it depends on the type and amount of food choices we make. Some of us can have and some of us can not have just any food choices. I have a large B'fast and less carbs for lunch and dinner; for others it may be sligihtly different.

I have been a Type 1 Since Nov 1957

Permalink Reply by Heather on July 11, 2009 at 6:12am

I have just started taking Levemir myself about a week ago. I take 20 units of Levemir at night before bed, 30 units of Novolog with my meals, and I don't eat anything after 6:30 PM unless my blood sugar bottoms out. My blood sugars have been awesome at lunch, dinner, and bedtime. However I have had some really high morning blood sugar levels. When I say high I mean nothing under 200 and I even had one on Tuesday morning that was 555.
Has anyone else had similar experience?

Permalink Reply by Lisapirulo on September 28, 2010 at 11:21am

My daughter was on Lantus when we first got her home from the hospital and due to insurance issues we had to change her to Levemir. Ever since she's been on Levemir she's been high in the mornings, it just doesn't seem to be working as well as the Lantus. As far as the weight is concerned, my daughter lost so much weight that it was nice to see her gain some back.

Lisa

Permalink Reply by Rich1960 on February 21, 2011 at 3:26am

Do you take 30u of Novolog with each meal or total between 3 meals? 30u of Novolog before eating would get the paramedics out to my house for a glucose IV!

Permalink Reply by Brigitte on July 26, 2009 at 12:34am

I used Lantus and I switched to Levemir 3 weeks ago and I must tell you that Lantus made me gain weight. I have type 1 since 1967 and I am a thin woman. I started Lantus in January 2004 and I started to gain weight and fat. And I had hypos (lows) in the afternoon and in the middle of the night. No more hypos with Levemir and it works 24 hours for me. I really think that Lantus is not a very good insulin and I'm glad that I switched to Levemir.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next ›
• Page