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Has my insulin gone bad?

J

jj.sam

Member
Messages
20
Hi,

The last couple of weeks i have been exeriencing difficulty in maintaining a bs levels. I spent all last week with stomach cramps and diahorrear. I would be fine one minute and then after injecting 8 Units of Lantus before bed i would be up all night 'colon blowing' into the can! Logic would then suggest that my insulin was to blame. After changing to a new vile the stomach cramps cleared up. How can you tell if your insulin has gone bad? Since then i am sitting here writing this experiencing the same symptoms as last week.

My sugar levels are increasingly uncontrollable and i am rapidly losing confidence in all my insulin! My bs before bed last night was 7.5, i woke and tested this morning and it was still 7.5. Lantus releases slowly and i would of thought it would have been lower. This is very strange as i'm usually 5.8 - 6.4 most mornings for the last 5 months. Can you go to the doctors and just get a whole load of new insulin? Are these tell tale signs of dodgy insulin? Am i worrying about nothing?

Before my colon blowing escapade my average meter reading over 30 days was 6.5.

My first HBa1c test was 6.5%.

Cheers
 
jj

Firstly, Your Lantus (background insulin) is designed to tackle the glucose that the liver dribbles into your bloodstream, If yu've got your dose right (and it's lasting the required time) you would find on a fasting test that your BG from start to finish would remain within-/+ 2mmol/l or perhaps 3 mmol/l on the very out side...

Your stomach cramps/diahorrear is of concern though, as this could be a signal that the bdoy is going into DKA, what were your bg's like leading up and durning this period? So need to treat with caution, you should really have ketone test strips prescribed, so if you experience this you can detect whether you have any ketones in your urine... If you are suffering this and find ketones in your urine, it's time to quickly seek emergency medical aid as the body is DKA..

As it seems you've got through the main bout of this already, it may have been a stomch bug of some sorts, but as it's still rearing it ulgly head, you really need to see your GP to sort this out and find the cause of it..

As it could still be effects of a simi enternace into DKA which they need to pin down and sort for you, or it may well be a signal that you have an interllorance to Gluten (coeilec disease) which can show similar symptons and needs checking out..

Has the insulin gone bad... Have you checked the expirey date, is it near to expiring? Have you had any problems with storage, too hot or too cold? Is it off colour in anyway these are the usual sign that the insulin itsef gone bad.. And also if injected it tends not to work so well, or not at all..

However, Lantus is getting a bit of a repertation surrounding it, with different side effects, from basic stinging at the site of injection, through to some more unpleasent side effects which some seem to kick in after a period of time of using it... CarbRok and Janabell can tell you more concerning this..

It may well be, that a move to another brand of insulin, either to Levirmer (I've used without problems) another background insulin... or perhaps moving to animal insulin might be helpful..

But you do really need to speak to your GP, as yes your problems do need looking into and resolving..
 
Hi jj,

Excellent post by jopar, very well put together! :D

I have in the past been doubtful of a insulin cartridge, so as I always keep ample supplies in the fridge, if I suspect a insulin cartridge is faulty, I change it immediately without delay, always better to be safe than sorry!

Nigel
 
jj'sam,
Your not the only person to have suffered digestive probs on lantus- Trust me it's just dodgy insulin, not just a dodgy vial. I had awful digestion and stomach pain on Lantus and was under a gastro doc at my local hospital. I suffered other side-effects with Lantus, but never blamed my dreadful bowels on it till I'd been off it for a while and read other peoples' posts on this forum. Aside from a dire-rear I had pain in my upper abdomen, and was told I had IBS and prob an ulcer or hernia and was put on Omeprazole. Also referred for a tube down the throat test, which I was too frightened to go through. Nearly 2 yrs off lantus, and my bowels are regular as clockwork- no unexplained diorrhea! :D Get of it, and you'll get off the loo as well! (I mean get off it and on to another insulin-don't just stop without a replacent- porcine insulin is the closest to natural human insulin, and the best!!)
Jus
Agree Nigel; gr8 post Jopar :)

ps- uncontrollable BGs- classic Lantus prob- contact the IDDT for futher info
 
Thanks for all your posts, the information is most helpful.

My insulin tubes are all in date as i only had them issued a few weeks ago. (I did double check). Anyhow went to see local GP yesterday and he done some prodding and poking and reckons i've just picked up the stomach bug that has been going around - Norrovirus i think?? Lucky me! So i've been issued with a bell and got the missus on the end of it 24/7 for the next few days. "Man flu he cries"

Get this out of my system and hopefully that will sort everything out and i can get my bs back under control. I've been on Lantus since october last year and had no dramas with it but i'll keep your comments in mind. By bs is never usually over 8 as i'm a 'Nazi' when it comes to routine and eating.

Thanks again!
 
Hi jj,

Pleased you have got to the bottom of why you have been feeling poorly, onwards and upwards now mate! :D

Nigel
 
Hi ..

If you have concerns that your insulin has gone off .. if you take it back to the chemist you got it from they will be happy to exchange it for you .. :D

However... I'm afraid I'm another one that has a massive issue with Lantus ... and have just successfully had my 15 year old son transfered to animal insulin after suffering horrendously at the hands of Lantus ... 3 weeks after the transition to animal insulin the change in my son has been remarkable ... I have posted on the changing insulin thread about this.

My son also suffered with terrible stomach cramps .. to name a few ... Initially when changed to Latnus form Levemir the results were fantastic ... 6 mths in however problems began and they escalated ... after 18mts on it ... I demanded him to come off it ... after spending hours researching Lantus.

Please have a look at the IDDT Website ... www.iddinternational. org ....

Heidi
xx :D
 
Hello Heidi,

Thank you for your post. Its good news that things are better now with your son. I'm feeling alot better now and will keep a close eye on Lantus. I will also go and have a snoop on the website link.

Cheers.

Nigel - Loving the pun in your reply!
 
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