changing lantus

[maryrachel]

Steve, thanks for your reply and to everyone else. I have now been on Levimir for a weeka nd my dose keeps increasing. For my size I should only need 43 units of insulin but I am now on 60 and things are still not right. I am not feeling so low now but I am getting really fed up of not being in control. I used to be good at this and I dont know what has gone wrong. Diet hasnt changed, activity slightly lower but not significant and insulin dose gradually increasing all the time with highs still of 11+.

 

[Beav]

I swapped from Lantus to the solo star pens. I had to do this because my Lantus pen only went upto 44 and I need 46 now. I don't really notice a difference apart from the solo star mixure burns alittle towards the end of the jab :cry:

 

[janabelle]

Hi Maryrachel,
If your diet hasn't changed and your blood sugars are still not controlled, despite taken more and more Levemir, maybe you should see your doctor again and see what he suggests. Glad you're feeling a bit better than on previous insulin; that's a common experience for many! Maybe things will settle when you've been on Levemir a bit longer.
If not there's plenty of alternatives -Kewgirl posted a comprehensive guide to insulins on page 1 of this thread. She really knows her stuff!!!
Best of luck, and keep us posted
Jus

 

[nats12]

I rarely post and lurk a bit but feel that I have to ay something. I am a long time type 1 (about 34 years - with no complications so far)

Hi,I am a long term insulin user of lantus and am very happy with it. Prior to lantus I was on various other insulins (Since I was diagnosed as a young child), prior to lantus I suffered terribly from hypos and have been in a coma as a result . I have had no serious hypos since starting lantus and have been on it for about 8 years (started in South Africa). Lantus is a god saver to me after having so many night hypos and it agrees with me. I am sorry to hear some have problems with Lantus but I am one of the happy ones. We are all different and we do need different insulins/regimes.

I agree with the stance the moderaor took as some of the posts were so anti-lantus I found it worrisome. I might be dead today from a hypo if it wasn' for Lantus and I hope people realise that what is not good for one might be a life-saver for another. A type one friend of mine died from a hypo in her sleep aged 17 and it was a big worry for me as it came close a number of times. I now never get night hypos to that extent.

Please remember we are different and being too anti something because it didn't work for you might make someone change a regime that's perfect for them.

 

[janabelle]

Nats12
Hi, and welcome to the forum.
I completely appreciate what you're saying, and of course many people have great control with Lantus and other analogues like yourself. I arrived at this this forum in May '08 when I was having problems with Lantus, and had been ill and had poor control for 4 years. There are plenty of postings on this forum from people having similar experiences. It is unfortunate that the majority of these people are told by their healthcare team, that insulin does not cause any of the problems they are experiencing.
We are not posting fictitous horror stories,unfortunately these are our experiences.
Many people come to this forum,as I did, when they're at a complete loss to understand what has gone wrong with their diabetes control and general health. Some, like myself, having been type-1 and on insulin for many years. Sometimes, and I appreciate not all, thair probs may be due to the insulin they're taking. If someone posts saying they have great control and feel great on a particular insulin,or regime that's working for them- why would they consider changing? and I certainly would not try to persuade them to.
Glad your control is good and no more comas. Only had one in my sleep in mid 90s, an absolutely terrifying experience, and I thank god my husband woke up to go to the loo when he did, and discovered me unconscious. Like you, I'm no longer suffering night hypos,big relief, it was a huge worry for years.
Jus

 

[Gjimmy]

Many people on this forum are having problems with Lantus. In my experience daily doses above 40 seem to be causing this problem.
Many newly diagnosed people starting on Lantus immediately don't' experience the same side effects as many other diabetics because the daily dose is not as great.
The culprit in all this is the IGF-1 receptor vis a vis the Insulin receptor.
This is what wikipedia has to say about it. (skip this if it is too boring)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin-li ... 1_receptor

The Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) Receptor is a transmembrane receptor that is activated by IGF-1 and by the related growth factor IGF-2. It belongs to the large class of tyrosine kinase receptors

Role in cancer
The IGF-1R is implicated in several cancers, including breast, prostate, and lung cancers. In some instances its anti-apoptotic properties allow cancerous cells to resist the cytotoxic properties of chemotheraputic drugs or radiotherapy. In breast cancer, where EGFR inhibitors such as erlotinib are being used to inhibit the EGFR signaling pathway, IGF-1R confers resistance by forming one half of a heterodimer (see the description of EGFR signal transduction in the erlotinib page), allowing EGFR signaling to resume in the presence of a suitable inhibitor. This process is referred to as crosstalk between EGFR and IGF-1R. It is further implicated in breast cancer by increasing the metastatic potential of the original tumour by inferring the ability to promote vascularisation.

Increased levels of the IGF-IR are expressed in the majority of primary and metastatic prostate cancer patient tumors. Evidence suggests that IGF-IR signaling is required for survival and growth when prostate cancer cells progress to androgen independence.[7] In addition, when immortalized prostate cancer cells mimicking advanced disease are treated with the IGF-1R ligand, IGF-1, the cells become more motile.Members of the IGF receptor family and their ligands also seem to be involved in the carcinogenesis of mammary tumors of dogs.

The Lantus doom mungers have carried out experiments on rats which have been designed to test the viability of Lantus. The rats have their insulin receptors genetically removed. Lantus will then of course have no choice but to bind to the IGF-1 receptor causing horrendous damage.
This of course is not a fair shake of the dice for Lantus.
Lantus in moderate doses will not bind to the IGF-1 receptor but to the insulin receptor, which will cause no damage. However if Lantus is taken in doses of above say 50 units daily then problems may occur.
Lantus has a 600% affinity to the IGF-1 receptor. Although this figure has not been officially verified, most experts agree that any level above 100% should not be allowed onto the market.

A simple analogy is this: Standing in a kitchen with your hands full of sticky mud (this represents the Lantus) Throw the mud at the wall ( this represents the insulin receptor) MOST will stick however some will fall onto the sink ( this represents the IGF-1 receptor). Of course the more mud you throw the more will fall onto the sink. This is a very simple model of what is going on with Lantus.