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I'm trying animal insulin

R

Rach79

Well-Known Member
Hi there, some of you may or may not know about my past stress and depression with regards to my recent foot problem and erratic sugar levels. Just to let you know I finally managed to obtain animal insulin (get it tomorrow from Boots) and I'm going to see how it goes. I'll keep you all posted to see if there has been any major changes for the good etc.

Rach :-)
 
Am waiting keenly for the results. Do you have any decent links/articles on the subject? I wouldn't know the difference between animal insulin and anything else.

Go on... educate me :wink:
 
I wish i could but... admittedly I'm afraid of the change. The thing is I've been fighting for animal for a long time. It is more expensive to produce animal insulin and the majority of pharmaceuticals want eventually to discontinue animal insulin in place of GM modified insulin.

For many years I have suffered from lethargy, erratic blood sugar control, anthralgic problems, irregular periods and severe mood swings... now I thought that was part of diabetes until I read the information from studies done by IDDT. Also animal insulin could have C-peptide in it which is what is in natural insulin to prevent nerve damage.. however with the newly purified animal insulins this might not be true now. Some people have found that switching from GM modified insulins to animal insulins can regulate their blood sugars. Others have found that the animal insulin over a long period of time has helped them immensely however their doctors / DSN's are advising them to switch to GM modified insulin... I personally feel this is wrong. The vunverable and elderly should not be forced into feeling they have to change their insulin and I've started a petition with the Prime Minister for this reason. However at present I'm afraid of change, which sounds ridiculous considering I asked and fought for this insulin three times. I think I'm afraid if I try it and it doesn't work I've gone to all this trouble for nothing. I welcome any comments positive or negative :?
 
BTW the link to info on animal insulin and the possible changes for the better is below:-

http://www.iddtinternational.org/gmvsan ... h_diabetes

I also suffer from memory loss and automatic pilot but currently I'm putting the fact that I can't concentrate at work and I forget what I have for breakfast down to severe stress. I am currently 30 years old and have never taken mind altering drugs etc. so there should be little reason for the lack of being able to remember.
 
Thanks. I'm actually going to try it tonight... I am nervous but positive about it. Put it this way it can't get any worse and can only get better! :)
 
Hi,
You won't regret changing :D , I changed a year ago, and felt like a different person the day I stopped taking Lantus-I think that was the cause of my illness. Been on synthetic insulins for 15 years before being switched to it. Didnt realise at the time, but my health plummited within months of starting it. I was at my worst about a 1 1/2 years on it, thought I was dying, and the tiredness was indescribable-didnt feel normal. As for control, I had always been brittle, and was told it would always be that way, on Lantus I had no control one day to the next-thought I must be seriously ill.
PLEASE can I sign your petition! I'm so impressed, I've been thinking of taking some action about this myself, but really don't know where to start. Was thinking of a "Campaign for Real Insulin" website! Became a comittee member of local Diabetes UK group, and am putting something on the website, and converting wherever and whenever I can. There are so many other people in same situation as us, and I've had a few people private message me on this forum.
Good for you Rachel, please let us know how u get on, and let us know about the petition. Thanks.
Jus
 
Hi again, if it's any help to you, I was taking 28 units of Lantus daily; my dose of Hypurin Porcine Isophane(long acting) is 22 units in morn and 12 at night. Was told that because it's not as long-acting it's a good idea to split dose-used to do that with insulatard as well.
Have you had any advice about dosage?-my consultant didn't have a clue! I had to eat virtually no carbs and guess it myself until I got it right.
Do know what you mean about being nervous bout taking it- worried was going to have a reaction-didnt happen, although my husband says I snort in my sleep :D
Go girl!
Jus
 
janabelle said:
Hi again, if it's any help to you, I was taking 28 units of Lantus daily; my dose of Hypurin Porcine Isophane(long acting) is 22 units in morn and 12 at night. Was told that because it's not as long-acting it's a good idea to split dose-used to do that with insulatard as well.
Have you had any advice about dosage?-my consultant didn't have a clue! I had to eat virtually no carbs and guess it myself until I got it right.
Do know what you mean about being nervous bout taking it- worried was going to have a reaction-didnt happen, although my husband says I snort in my sleep :D
Go girl!
Jus
Click to expand...

LOL. No my consultant didn't know about my insulin either and basically it's a guessing game for me too. I've tried 12 units today (I used to be on 18 units Lantus) but 12 units is still too high I think. My BS at the moemnt is above 18mmol so I don't feel too good. I might try 14 units tomorrow morning and leave it at that for a few days.

I am wondering if there is a faster animal insulin on the market other than Hypurin Porcine Neutral? I sometimes have my meal times at different times and I find the Porcine Neutral is too slow as I have to take it about 40 minutes before I eat my lunch? :?
 
Hi,
Yeah that's the downside, but it does mean less hypos, that's my experience anyway.
I stayed on humalog till I got adjusted to the long-acting, then I bit the bullet and tried the neutral.
I have far fewer hypos on the neutral so that's the upside!
You could try low carbing till u get the long-acting dose of isophane right,
Hope u get your bloods normal soon, it does make u feel lousy.
All the best
Jus
 
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