when to take levemir (slow acting)

[claire_786]

so im currently on nights at the moment, and i take my levemir at 8pm and when i finish at 07.30 in the morning i go to sleep and i wake to about 01:30pm and that is when i have my breakfast but most of the time my levels can be 15 when i wake up, but throughout my night shift my levels are fine, is there any tips i can keep my blood sugar under control during the time i sleep

 

[mattmo86]

I work nights as well, I take my long acting insulin at around 7am when I get home, I'm on Lantus. Unfortunately my bloods are up and down all the time, I seem to have no control over it at all. thou I am generally fine when I sleep, I sometimes wake up high, sometimes low.

 

[claire_786]

I work nights as well, I take my long acting insulin at around 7am when I get home, I'm on Lantus. Unfortunately my bloods are up and down all the time, I seem to have no control over it at all. thou I am generally fine when I sleep, I sometimes wake up high, sometimes low.

I did speak a diabetes nurse about changing my levemir to day and she said I don't need to cause it working for 24 hours. Which I think it's not true

 

[mattmo86]

Yeah they don't, mine wears off before 24 hours. I've asked to change as been on same insulin for over ten years now and just not sure it's working or maybe it's just my control, not sure which?!

 

[CapnGrumpy]

Levemir doesn't last anywhere near 24 hours in me. The solution that works for me it to split the dose; half 7am, half 7pm ever day.

That way there is always some active.

Profile of levemir (detemir): https://www.lantus.com/hcp/about-lantus/vs-detemir

 

[C-Mack]

I take my levemir at 10:30 pm or so and while it doesn't last 24 hours, it is only off by about 3-4 hours.

I wake at 630. If I do my blood before getting out of bed I am normally between 6-7 mmol but if I shower and get ready and then test (about 45 mins from wake to testing) I will be between 8-9 mmol.

Not so much the levemir but my body helping... Could yours be something like that?

 

[tim2000s]

Levemir depends on the dose per kg of bodyweight as to how long it lasts. For many people, this means that it gets nowhere near 24 hours. The current NICE guidelines are to use it in two shots a day rather than one.

If I was in your position I'd be asking to switch to a two shot approach, in fact, I'd be making the decision and doing it myself.

 

[claire_786]

Thanks for the reply everyone. I actually took it 12 last night. So what was 4 hours later and when I got up my levels was 6.7. Which is very impressive for me

 

[Robinredbreast]

Hi, I take Levemir, only at night. I did speak to my DSN about possibly splitting the dose and she said I don't need to.