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| | From:  valkyra_1957 (Original Message) | Sent: 3/31/2006 1:19 PM |
Can anyone tell me of any experiences with levemir? I wanted to change insulins to lantus but was informed of levemir. My doctor is doing a study and asked if I would like to be a part of the group. |
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I haven't tried it . I am on Lantus and humalog but i have a few friends who are on it. Here is some into about it Levemir® (insulin detemir) is a synthetic long-lasting insulin product.
It is now on the market in some countries; it was approved by the FDA for use in the United States in June, 2005. Levemir® (insulin detemir) Class: insulin analog. For: treatment of people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. What time of day? The recommended time for administration is in the evening when starting; twice-daily dosing is advised ("If the desired pre-dinner target level cannot be reached, consider adding a second dose in the morning according to individual needs.") Route of Administration: subcutaneous. Action: long-acting insulin. Appearance: clear and colorless. Mixing: "If Levemir is mixed with other insulin preparations the profile of action of one or both individual components will change. Mixing Levemir with a rapid acting insulin analogue like insulin aspart, results in an action profile with a lower and delayed maximum effect compared to separate injections. Therefore, mixing of rapid acting insulin with Levemir should be avoided." 1 Manufacturer: Novo Nordisk. Status: Available. Other drugs with approximately the same duration of action: Ultralente, insulin glargine (Lantus). About Levemir Levemir is indicated for once- or twice-daily subcutaneous injection, depending on blood glucose control and insulin requirements throughout the day. Levemir provides a relatively flat action profile. Levemir can be used in monotherapy, added to oral anti-diabetic agents, or used in combination with a rapid-acting insulin. Levemir has already been approved for use in 37 countries worldwide, including countries throughout Europe. As of January 2005, approximately 88,075 patients have been treated with Levemir. Hypoglycemia is the most common adverse effect of insulin therapy, including Levemir. Adverse events commonly associated with human insulin therapy include allergic reactions, injection site reaction, lipodystrophy, pruritus, and rash. Levemir is contraindicated in patients hypersensitive to insulin detemir or its excipients�? Martha |
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I just started Levemier a week ago today. I love it! My numbers were in the 200-300's and with in 48 hours they started going down. I have had no nasty lows like with Lantus, I don't have the want to eat's like I did with Lantus. It doesn't sting/burn like lantus. you use it unit for unit like lantus. My fastings have been between 96-110 since I started on the 20 units/day last week. I had a 97 for my fasting past 2 mornings. I LOVE IT! Lynne |
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I decided to do the study and have been taking the levemir for almost 2 weeks now. I had been having lows with the premix I was on but not low one in 2 weeks I am so happy about that. My numbers have been a bit higher but probably because I was started on 10 units. They are starting to go down now that I have increased my units per day. |
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I just became aware of Levemir recently. I have been on Lantus for a few years and started using the Lantus OptiClik pen about a year ago. The OptiClik pen is a big improvement over syringes and vials, but it always seemed to be much more bulky, cumbersome and complicated than it needed to be compared to other pens on the market. Don't misunderstand -- the OptiClik is a really good pen, but why not offer a prefilled pen that doesn't depend on a digital readout and doesn't have a non-replacable battery?? I just think Lantus OptiClik pen is over-engineered and could have been made much more simple. I visited my Doc today and he gave me a sample of the Levemir Flexpen to try. The Levemir prefilled pen looks like it is the same as the Novolog FlexPen which is a very simple, easy to use pen. (My only concern here is that the Novolog and Levemir pens could potentially be interchanged accidentally.) He also gave me a sample of a refill cartridge that fits my refillable Novopen -- I may prefer to use the cartridge and Novopen to make sure I don't accidentally confuse with the NovoLog pen. If I do end up using the Levemir FlexPen, I may need to come up with some kind of warning like a piece of red plastic tape to put on the Levemir pen, so I can't confuse it with the Novolog FlexPen. My Doc said the dosage should be exactly the same as Lantus, but suggested I back-off about 10% of my Lantus dose and gradually increase until I have the proper dose dialed in for the Levemir. I would really like to hear if anyone has switched from Lantus to Levemir and what their experiences were. I am excited that the Levemir FlexPen seems so simple compared to the bulky and cumbersome OptiClik. Has anyone come up with a better idea for making sure the pens don't get mixed up? Take care, Type1Mike |
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I took a closer look at the prefilled Levemir FlexPen sample I got and noticed that it has a different color button on the end of the plunger -- the Levemir is a turquise/blue color while the Novolog pen is orange colored. That should hopefully be enough to keep them from getting mixed up. Is anyone out there using Levemir and Novolog who can talk about their experiences? Thanks, Type1Mike |
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| | | From: sarahQ | Sent: 4/19/2006 7:30 PM |
99% of the the people who have changed from Lantus to Levemir in the UK have said it is better than Lantus. IE better control and no sting. As in all cases 1 drug does not suit all but the reports seem very positive regarding Levemir. I hope it works for the people trying it. Levemir has been available for quite a while in the UK. |
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Sarah, Thanks for the info on Levemir in the UK. You Brits seem so much more advanced on accepting new medical treatments and drug therapies than us here in the US. It sometimes takes forever for things to get into general circulation here. I'm going to give Levemir a try with the sample Flexpen I got and I'll report back on how it goes. When I switched a couple years back from Humalog to Novolog, the transition went very easy, so I'm hoping for the same kind of results. Take care, Type1Mike |
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Well, I have tried Levemir for about a week now and I have decided to switch from Lantus -- mainly because the prefilled FlexPens are SOOO much more convenient than the Lantus OptiClik pen and cartridges. The Levemir seems to work every bit as well as the Lantus does, although I do have to take a few more units of Levemir -- not a big deal. Type1Mike |
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I love my levemir insulin! It does keep me in better control than the lantus Fausta |
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Although I am a pumper, I do have levemir for back up (also have a back up Disetronic Htron+ with the full 2 years of use left on it), and for pump breaks. Works much better than lantus ever did. eg. Lantus dose: 18 was not enough, would run a consistant 180-400 with no eating. 19u was to much. I was constantly having to eat to prevent lows. With this dose, I was saying, this is not no peakless insulin, as I had to eat every 4 hours while on 19u qd of lantus. Levemir dose: 18 units was the perfect dose for me. So yes, when you factor in a vial has 1000 units and a Flex Pen has 300, and each has to be tossed at 30 days after opening, realistically I get the flex pens. I personally rarely need to use the Levemir for back up or pump breaks, but I do like to have it as a back up plan. Why would I go off the pump for a break, some must be asking themselves. Well, I go off the pump for several reasons. I keloid (excessive scar tissue formation), and every year or so, I have to go in for laprascopic surgery to remove the keloids from the abdominal area, for the keloidation can cause a ruptured bowl, where the keloid forms (perineum to the acending and sometimes transverse colon, and if they rupture, sepsis can/does occure, which is often fatal). Even though Levemir is not used as much as Lantus here in the states, I feel as if it is a superior medicaion over lantus. Kitty Loves Type 1 x 29 years 9 months 2 days Physician by choice, diabetic by genetics |
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I am on the levemir and novolog pens. One time I took the wrong insulin. Now it's ingrained in me to look at the color of the button before I take the shot, so I haven't had a problem since. I have now been on levemir since Jan. 06. I was on N before that. I started passing out in my sleep so I had to switch to levemir. My doc wouldn't put me on lantus but I did try it once and didn't care for it. Sun |
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Mike, I'm on the same combination as you. We did two things to help me from taking the wrong insulin. The pens are different colours (silver for "slow"--Levemir; blue for "bam!"--Novorapid). Just once, I grabbed the wrong pen after supper and almost injected 27 units of Novorapid, but seeing the orange tip was a caution, and I stopped in time. Apart from that, I've had no problems. I like being able to carry the two pens in one case along with the needle tips. That way, if I'm out for supper, I can give myself both injections without having to carry a lot of extra paraphernalia. (I take Levemir at 6:30 every evening.) Jim |
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