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How long does Levemir Redness last?

S

staffsmatt

Well-Known Member
Messages
320
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi all, just wondering how long people had redness at injection sites when they started using levemir.

I've been on it for just over 2 weeks now and whilst it's better than it was I'm still getting fairly nasty red marks around the injection sites (I have tried different injection sites but get the same thing). It's almost like a burn or bruise....

I don't really want to go back to Lantus as I feel a lot better in myself after the switch, the red marks are quite painful if they rub against clothing / get bumped though.

Many thanks

Matt
 
Hi Matt,
I had a few of these to begin with , lasted about a month then they DID settle down and I never got them again.
Yep they can be sore and very tender , seems they get worse before they diasappear...
It is an levemir thing and is listed on the manufacturers leaflet of side effects.
Try wearing loose clothing and keep rotateing the injection sites, I did persevere with it as it DID settle down and never have them now.
[oh I did put some arnica cream on the big ones! - nelsons arnica cream for bruises, from chemist ]
That eased the itchyness and soreness plus speeded up healing too.
Hope this helps?
Anna.x :D
 
Hello - I'm afraid I can't help much as when I switched to levermir I had no reaction at all (although I did have with lantus some 8 years and it's never healed properly). Let's hope it will calm down very quickly for you.
 
Hi Matt.
Forgot to mention in my post to you... :wink:
Always make sure you 'use a new sterile needle' each time you inject to prevent any infection in your injection sites.
Even if you go in with tip of the needle , change mind on that site and want to go to another site, change your needle again!
My DSN drummed this into me... Am glad she did too!
Anna.x :D
 
Hi Anna, thanks for that. I was just starting to get slightly concerned as the leaflet says a "few weeks" and I'm coming up to week 3. If yours improved later on than that I'll stick with it, it has actually been worse the last couple of days (especially on the abdomen) so maybe I'm nearly through it :D oh id yours end up in a bruise most of the time?

I do use a different needle every time (although I am going to go to the nurse today and ask for some 4mm ones to see if that helps - I'm using 6mm at the moment and according to this: http://www.bd.com/resource.aspx?IDX=18065 that might be a bit too long... (or BD could be trying to drum up business for their new 4mm needle.....)

Thanks for the idea about the arnica as well, I have been using savlon advance healing which is helping a bit but I'll definitely give that a go.

Thanks again.
 
Hi Matt,
There are 5mm needles too. These are a nice size to use, not too small and not too big either! I use these along with the 4mm that you mentioned.
Yes it starts off with a bit pinky red inflamed area then spreads and goes into a nasty large wide spread bruise.
Worse for me was around the fleshy area's outside of the tummy button or lower on the higher groin areas.
Was black blue then green n yellow as the bruises faded! 'nice' :)
The arnica isnt cheap but did actually do the trick with me...
Anna.x :D
 
Brilliant, I'll ask about them as well then!

Yep that's the ones! Still it'll be better knowing it's going to go away! (cheers!)

I've got some arnica for muscle pain (I must be getting old!) I'll give it a go.

Cheers
 
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