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Comment by patti lang on April 1, 2012 at 6:40am

Thanks everyone for the comments!!I truly appreciate them..so far so good with the Levimir @ Lunchtime.I am taking 20 units of levimir 1 x a day.,and novalog at mealtimes...my b.s. was 79 this morning...

Comment by Emmy on March 28, 2012 at 7:02pm

And as MapleSugar said, you can always use a bit more mealtime insulin if needed.

Comment by Emmy on March 28, 2012 at 7:01pm

Hi Patti,
Taking Lantus in the day will move any lows you might have to a time when you'll be awake and notice them sooner, and probably be easier to treat. I'd try switching to taking it at noon or even in the morning, as suggested by your doc. You might even have to reduce the dose a bit.

I ended up taking my Lantus in a split dose because of lows, and if using a daytime shot doesn't work, and reducing the dose a bit doesn't work, that would be the next thing to try.

Comment by MapleSugar on March 28, 2012 at 12:58am

Hi, Patti!

I am taking a very large dose of Lantus with 2 or more doses of NovoRapid during the day. After some very frightening hypos, my dietician suggested lowering the Lantus and increasing the individual doses of NovoRapid to cover it.

I've been doing that for a month or two. Absolutely no hypos since then - so far -, my more-or-less-average plasma glucose by home gadget is as good as it was, and the HbA1c I did a few days ago was 6.1, which for me is probably as close to perfect as one can get.

You might want to think about lowering the Lantus and covering the difference by increasing your Levemir.

Good luck.
M.

Comment by JaninaWalker on March 27, 2012 at 9:05pm

Further to what Trudy said, I use three overlapping doses of Levemir to extend the action of the Levemir, but they are not equal sized doses, but 8u +5u +2u at morning lunch and midnight or bed time. The amount of the bedtime dose varies with the blood test level. I don't take insulin without checking first and I adjust the level taken based on the result.

Since they say people on the pump tend to use 75% of what they used with MDI. Did you find you now have to take more than you did on the pump on a TDD (Total Daily Dose) basis?

If they tell you that is just because ....whatever they say, I know it is because the body tends to destroy large doses and that is why large doses are so variable as some days more or less is destroyed. (see DrB's chap 7)

When people talking about cancer treatment mention that the body "walls off" something it doesn't like...that is the same thing with large injected doses and it explains why people develop lumps under the skin from injections, as the body does use cholesterol to plaster over things it doesn't like. That is how tumours develop. Not all tumours grow from the center outwards, but develop because the body is trying to inactivate what it doesn't like.

So even though people do not like to do injections, they WILL if they see an advantage. One woman taking huge injections was getting lumps under the skin with 20u (dinner short acting) and 30u (bedtime Levemir) injections of long acting and 10u for breakfast and 10u lunch of short acting. She is about 220 lbs. I explained that if she did more injections of a tiny size she would solve the problem, but I advised, since I am certain part of your injections are being destroyed, you can NOT do 3x10u instead of 30u as it would then be effectively taking too much...so she first tried 2x12u and it worked just as well, then 3x7u=21 and she is pleased as punch that she no longer gets lumps and her morning blood sugars are just as good.

People believe the body is non thinking, but it is highly programmed. That's why acupuncture works. If you prick the body with needles, it's attention is drawn to that location and it does what it can to heal the area. So if you give large injections, then the body will certainly notice. And analogue insulins are not truly human, they are slightly different. So the reason the pump can be used with less insulin is that a small tiny drip is not destroyed as much.

Comment by Trudy on March 27, 2012 at 4:31pm

Hi Patti. Many people take Lantus in split doses, usually one in the morning and one at night. When the peak occurs, you don't go as low with a half a daily dose as the full dose. I have taken Lantus, now I take Levemir. Levemir has a smaller peak, but it is necessary to take it in two shots as it does not last 24 hours -- again usually morning and night. Hope that helps.

Comment by patti lang on March 27, 2012 at 4:23pm

Hello ,my name is Patti and I have had diabetes since I was 25.I am now 47.For the last 2 years I was using the omnipod system[Tubeless pump}at any rate this did not work out for me and I just recently went back to taking shots.My question is Lantus or Levimir..right now I am taking 20 U.of Lantus @ night and I am having some bad night time lows..My Doctor wants me to start taking the lantus at lunchtime,and if this does not work ,he suggested Levimir.I hope maybe someone has had experience with this...thanks Patti L.

Comment by Chaplain ET on September 22, 2011 at 8:20pm

Thanks, Gomer and Maple Sugar. I like the film can idea. Should have thought of that, seeing as how I have several of the empty ones at home!
Chaplain ET.

Comment by JDavid on September 22, 2011 at 8:51am

Hi Chaplin & MapleSugar.......

I use vials/syringes for my Lantus and pens for my humalog (that way I don't take the WRONG one, been there done that). I ALWAYS have both insulins on me.
When changing pen needles, I take the larger cover and using the smaller end push & and flatten down the inside needle (the one that goes into the pen). The longer in-to-me needles gets its usual cap. That fairly well eliminates the very slim chance of someone doing any "aerobics" and getting stuck handling it afterward

You could use a plastic coin tube (US dime/penny or nickle size) to store new or used pen needles. I use a APS (or 35mm) film canister to carry new pen needles on my person every day. I like the oval APS can shape best. I sue a small belt-type camera case to hold my in-use Lantus vial & a syringe, several humalog pens and yep even a camera.

For one thing, I re-use my needles (& syringes) a couple times before tossing. Now its a well ingrained habit started in the days, decades ago when I had no job or insurance.

Diabetic out of work in '82
Vial of insulin $6.06
10 pack of syringes $2
Diabetes control priceless.

Gomer :)

Comment by MapleSugar on September 21, 2011 at 11:18pm

Hi, Chaplain!

The Insupen needles I use come have two needles, a longer one that goes into me during use and a shorter one that goes through the rubber stopper of the pen during use ( http://www.domrexpharma.com/uploads/pics/ago-penna-tech.jpg ).

The longer into-me needle after use presents no problem. I put the plastic cap back on as per their instructions,and continue as below. About the only danger I can think of is if a child were to remove the cap, and this shouldn't be a problem if you keep the used needle in your pocket until you get home.

Even the shorter needle is less of a problem than it looks. It is well recessed below the end of the cap, and cannot be easily touched without acrobatics. To minimize this almost-nonexistent danger, I put one plastic sandwich bag inside of another, and then put the capped used needle inside of them, knot them closed, and put them in my pocket.

If you want something thicker and less flexible, you could use a fake-leather change purse. If ou want something totally rigid, the hinged case left over from a bracelet or other piece of jewelry would probably work.

Good luck.
M.

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