Insulin Allergy

What were the two before Insulatard?

Hiya!

Is a pump a possibility for you? They control levels without using a basal I think. Just use small doses of quick acting for basal rate dialled up to bolus for meals. Maybe worth asking some of those on the pump forum exactly how they work.

Smidge

grandmasunflower said:

Think it might have been lantus & levimere, just trying to remember off the top of my head, got it written down somewhere.

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There's a new basal insulin that just came out last year called Tresiba that you might want to ask about, alternatively animal insulins are still available and this may be the route to take if your allergic to human and synthetic insulins.

I had problems with lantus and levemir

Was put on Humulin I which I was ok with but had worse bg control

And now on tresiba and doing well


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grandmasunflower said:

I have allergic reactions to my basal, it has been seriously effected my health. Two weeks ago I stopped taking Insultard due to the health issues, this is the third type that has not agreed with me. I'm waiting to see consultant next week. Just on novorapid at the moment and struggling to keep night time levels under control. It has not made any difference to day time levels, so I don't think the effects of insulatard lasted long for me. I feel so much better in my self, not the 'wading through treacle' feeling that I had all the time. I think I will still need a nighttime/ background insulin but concerned I will feel 'rubbish' again while my body becomes intolerant /allergic to the next insulin. Not sure what the answer is?


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are you type 1 or type 2 ,,,my partners a type 2 the diabetic clinic has taken him off insulin, and gave him Victosa one injection of this per day plus pills.

grandmasunflower said:

My hospital not licensed for Tresiba, so I'm trying Insuman but back to feeling like 'wading through treacle', no energy, heavy head, lack of concentration etc. beginning to think it would be easier not to be on basal and just put up with testing during the night & having extra bolus if needed.

Hospital was not very understanding, made me feel like it's my fault being allergic to the basals & that I should just put up with feeling rubbish all the time !!!

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I would ask about animal insulin's, some people do get an allergic reaction to human and analogue insulins so your not alone. When these insulins first came on the market some people who made the change had to go back to using beef and pork insulins as they had adverse reactions to using the two,

Hello grandmasunflower (what a lovely user name)

Sorry to hear you are having allergic reactions to /difficulties with basal (background) insulin. You are not alone – it’s well documented that human synthetic insulin (i.e. Insulatard) caused users to feel poorly and there is a posse of us who did not get on with the analogue basal insulin’s – Lantus & Levemir. You’re not alone and don’t let the medical fraternity bully you into thinking “the reaction is all in your head!”

The availability of basal animal insulin in the UK presently is:

Hypurin Porcine (Pig) Isophane U100

Hypurin Bovine (Beef) Isophane U100

• Both are available in cartridge form for use in the pens (Humapen or Autopen) or vials for use with insulin syringes.
• Their action profile is similar to Insulatard hence you will be familiar with the peaking action.
• Bovine Isophane is considered to be a more gentle insulin and may have a slightly longer duration.
• Both need to be given twice a day.

Hypurin Bovine (Beef) Lente U100

• Available in vials for use with insulin syringes.
• The action profile of Lente is similar to Levemir but generally without the side effects!!! (I have been using Lente (inject twice a day so naturally biased as I am a fan!!), successfully since I came off the ghastly Lantus and the less ghastly Levemir.
• Bovine Lente (at U40 not U100 strength) is also used to successfully treat feline (cat) and canine (dog) diabetes!!

Hypurin Bovine (Beef) Protamine Zinc Insulin (PZI) U100

• Available in vials for use with insulin syringes.
• Long duration – given once or twice a day.

You may feel some resistance from health care professionals regarding animal insulin but that is in part due to their lack of knowledge about it

The peeps at the IDDT (Insulin Dependent Diabetes Trust) are also very helpful re animal insulin: http://iddt.org/

Hope the above is helpful.

best wishes

Tx

Hi grandmasunflower

Your describing such “classic symptoms” of insulin users that just cannot tolerate certain types of insulin.

I suspect the confusion over whether your Type 1, Type 1.5 or Type 2 is compounding the situation. Interesting your hospital said Isuman is the only insulin they can prescribe as you have tried all the rest! (i.e. Levemir, Lantus & insulatard).

More likely it’s:

• The “hospital policy” that is prohibiting prescribing any other basal insulin.
  
• NICE Guidelines for the treatment of certain types of diabetes rather than “guidelines for patients who require insulin”
  
• The consultants preferences.
  
• Research funding - when pharmaceutical companies provide funding to enable hospital Trusts to undertake research.
  
• Funding of the diabetic nurse specialists. The latter is when nurses are employed by the Trust (hospital) but their post is funded by a pharmaceutical company – in reality it is often the only way NHS Trusts can afford specialist nurses and its not just in diabetes care this happens. Unfortunately sometimes (and it does depend on the individual nurses knowledge and experience) the diabetes services will be “pro” a certain type of insulin rather than offering choice.

Yes diabetes care is very complex!!

Is your General Practitioner supportive in helping you find suitable basal insulin?

Consider discussing the issue with the hospital's PALS (Patient Advocacy & Liaison Service).

You might have to consider pursuing a special case with the hospital and/or clinical commissioning group to try animal insulin – in the issue of cost animal insulin is actually cheaper hence they cannot turn you down on that reason!

best wishes

Tx

Type 1 - Diagnosed June 6th 1970 aged 4 years - no complications.
Using Porcine (Pig) Short Acting Bolus and Bovine (Beef) Lente Basal Insulin.
PRO INSULIN CHOICE ADVOCATE.