How can I change my long acting insulin? Can a GP do it?

[pinewood]

I don't know for sure but it seems that every time I increase my Lantus dose I feel a bit ill. Nothing I can put my finger on just a bit flu-like, nauseous and zoned out. I'm convinced it's to do with Lantus because I've noticed that at the times I've been down to 7 to 9 daily units I am fine but now I am on 16 units it seems to be back again. Maybe it's all in my mind (and I can't complain about Lantus from a blood glucose control perspective) but it's really bugging me.

I'd like to try out a different long acting insulin (Levemir? Tresiba?) to see if it makes me feel better.

Do I need to wait for my next diabetes clinic appointment for this (which isn't until February!) or can I discuss this with my GP? Not to be harsh, but my GP knows next to nothing about type 1 diabetes.

 

[Juicyj]

Can you call up your diabetes team and get your nurse to call you back and then ask to change it then ? I have to go through my nurse for any prescription changes, she then faxes across the new prescription to my GP and I then put my order in, not sure a GP can offer this for you.

 

[tim2000s]

I don't know for sure but it seems that every time I increase my Lantus dose I feel a bit ill. Nothing I can put my finger on just a bit flu-like, nauseous and zoned out. I'm convinced it's to do with Lantus because I've noticed that at the times I've been down to 7 to 9 daily units I am fine but now I am on 16 units it seems to be back again. Maybe it's all in my mind (and I can't complain about Lantus from a blood glucose control perspective) but it's really bugging me.

I'd like to try out a different long acting insulin (Levemir? Tresiba?) to see if it makes me feel better.

Do I need to wait for my next diabetes clinic appointment for this (which isn't until February!) or can I discuss this with my GP? Not to be harsh, but my GP knows next to nothing about type 1 diabetes.

Arrange a call with your GP and see what they say. You don't necessarily need to go in to see them. If they are confident with basal insulin, they may change it. If not, then they'll ask you to speak to the clinic.

If they do the latter, do not wait until your next appointment. Speak to your DSN as soon as possible to get things underway.

 

[slip]

Juicyj beat me to it, defo call your diabetes clinic team for that, why waste you're GP time on something he/she knows nothing about!

 

[Banktramp]

Pinewood how are you finding lantus, I'm on 26 units a day split into two injections of 13, as I was dipping low sometimes in the night if I injected in one hit.

 

[pinewood]

I only take one injection of Lantus in the evening before bed. I was diagnosed nearly 2 years ago and my dose has steadily increased from 7 units up to the current 16, which I started on only a couple of days ago (before that I'd been on 12-14 for months).

I find Lantus very stable; when at the right level it keeps my fasting levels very consistent so from that perspective I am very happy with it. I exercise regularly and have (touch wood) never experienced the sudden hypo issues that some people report from using Lantus. It also doesn't seem to "sting" me although on occasion I feel an ache at the injection site. I'm just concerned it's having some other effect on me as I've noticed I feel a little off colour when my Lantus is at the higher doses. Maybe it's not the Lantus at all but I'd like to check.

 

[noblehead]

Do I need to wait for my next diabetes clinic appointment for this (which isn't until February!) or can I discuss this with my GP? Not to be harsh, but my GP knows next to nothing about type 1 diabetes.

Hi @pinewood

All the times I changed insulin's it was through my DSN after discussing the options available, once a action plan was agreed the DSN would write to my gp to change the prescription.

If you ring your diabetes clinic up I'm sure one of the DSN's will see you long before February.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. The GP can do it or even a surgery prescribing nurse, but probably won't if he/she isn't diabetes knowledgeable. I would contact the diabetes team. Levemir is now the NICE recommended T1 Basal and I believe has very slightly fewer problems than Lantus, not that Lantus is a problem for the many users.