is lantus causing my myalgia

[honey bee]

Hoping someone can help me. Have had diabetes now for over twenty years. All o.k. at first. Well controlled on insulatard. (or should that be turd). No it was very good. Became a nurse, and so needed more flexibility, so was put on humalog and lanctus. Since then, have been diagnosed with dairy and wheat intolerance, chronic IBS and have got progressively worse. For the past two years have been shattered and ache all over (muscular). Fibromyalgia has been mentioned, but I am not convinced as I have strange episodes of feeling dizzy etc. (blood sugar is ok at that point). Am feeling fed up as energy levels are really low and the pain is now getting to me.
Anyone out there had similar problems?


HELP!!!
:crazy:

 

[CarbsRok]

Hoping someone can help me. Have had diabetes now for over twenty years. All o.k. at first. Well controlled on insulatard. (or should that be turd). No it was very good. Became a nurse, and so needed more flexibility, so was put on humalog and lanctus. Since then, have been diagnosed with dairy and wheat intolerance, chronic IBS and have got progressively worse. For the past two years have been shattered and ache all over (muscular). Fibromyalgia has been mentioned, but I am not convinced as I have strange episodes of feeling dizzy etc. (blood sugar is ok at that point). Am feeling fed up as energy levels are really low and the pain is now getting to me.
Anyone out there had similar problems?


HELP!!!
:crazy:

Hiya,
the only way to find out is to come off of Lantus and try something else.

 

[honey bee]

Thanks for answering my question. Straight and to the point. I wish you were my doc. LOL

 

[noblehead]

the only way to find out is to come off of Lantus and try something else.

I agree, switch back to Insulatard and give it 3-6 months to see if your symptoms improve, if it doesn't then you can always go back to lantus.

 

[Pneu]

I had real problems with both Lantus and Levemir... so moved back on to Insulatard... Now I inject my Insulatard four times a day but that's more because of my desire for 'normal' blood glucose than necessity.. if you switch back to Insulatard and do a split dose then you should find a 'similar' profile to that of the Lantus.

It's always worth changing an insulin if it's not working for you.. we are all different and insulins don't always work the same for everybody.

 

[alaska]

honey bee, can I ask whether you take statins?

I ask as statins do have myalgia as a relatively common side effect.

Ed

 

[alaska]

I notice Lantus (insulin glargine) does have muscle pain listed as one of its rarer side effects.
http://www.nhs.uk/medicine-guides/p...abetes&medicine=insulin glargine&preparation=

Good luck with getting it sorted honey bee

 

[honey bee]

Further to yesterdays saga, went to docs and explained. He said people on statins had probs. with myalgia. I told him I was not on statins, so he agreed to change insulin. After major discussion with some colleague on phone, he came up with insulatard twice daily 6/6. So tomorrow I am back on insulatard to see what happens if anything apart from me spending all day searching for honey and glucose. (vast stores of which can be found round the house, in cars and many handbags.) I have to monitor, adjust if neccessary and then see doc. on wednesday. I hate changing to new insulins - it is scarey, especially if you dont quite know the dosage. Has to be done though. Have contacted diabetic nurse specialist at local hospital. She was brilliant as ever. Thanks for your help guys . Will let you know how I get on. roblem:

 

[noblehead]

Good luck honey bee and hope it resolves your problems

 

[Pneu]

Good luck honey bee... just remember to increase your testing for a few days and perhaps set your alarm during the night to test and make sure everything is as it should be.

 

[honey bee]

Thanks Pneu - Never thought of setting alarm. Brilliant advice.

 

[Pneu]

Thanks Pneu - Never thought of setting alarm. Brilliant advice.

I have the best alarm of all.... a 14 month old been taking advantage and regularly testing during the night!

 

[honey bee]

Hi folks - Just to let you know switch over went o.k. Ran high for two days then adjusted here and there. Woke up at 3 p.m. half an hour before I had set my alarm. B.M. 2.7. so after eating through the night woke up high yesterday morning. Today is a different story. b.m. 5 when woke this morning. Seems quite odd when changing injection times, but have found that control seems tighter having extra injection. Needs more adjustment (am sailing close to the wind ). Low rather than high. The insulatard twice a day seems much better than once a day - for me personally. Still aching - though I must say not as much and have noticed that skin is not itchy as it was before. Will persevere and see what happens.

 

[noblehead]

Hi folks - Just to let you know switch over went o.k. Ran high for two days then adjusted here and there. Woke up at 3 p.m. half an hour before I had set my alarm. B.M. 2.7. so after eating through the night woke up high yesterday morning. Today is a different story. b.m. 5 when woke this morning. Seems quite odd when changing injection times, but have found that control seems tighter having extra injection. Needs more adjustment (am sailing close to the wind ). Low rather than high. The insulatard twice a day seems much better than once a day - for me personally. Still aching - though I must say not as much and have noticed that skin is not itchy as it was before. Will persevere and see what happens.

Looking better HB if you can get on top of the low's, I would certainly persevere for now and at least give it a few months to see if the change has made a difference to your health.

Best wishes!

 

[oldeboy]

Strange question honey bee but do you have any deafness in the family on your mother's side? Also which side of the family does your diabetes come from - male or female?

Rich

 

[Gjimmy]

My Diabetes History is very similar to yours . I was taking Insuluatard and actrapid for about 18 years before I was switched to Lantus and novorapid. My symptoms were very similar to yours, IBS, muscle pain and also arthritis.
I have been using animal insulin for a year now and these symptoms are a thing of the past.
I have researched these symptoms in connection with Lantus and they are actually quite common. Usually the sufferers have been long term diabetics on a human insulin and have been suddenly switched to the analogues.
Newly diagnosed diabetics taking Lantus do not seem to suffer from these side effects as much. So it seems the change of insulin is the key to the health problems rather than the insulin itself. The bodies cells just can't readjust to the change.
Don't forget the cancer scare surrounding Lantus although Sanofi Aventis deny this. Of course they would it makes 3 billion dollars a year for them !

 

[honey bee]

Hi there oldeboy - In answer to your strange question. I believe auntie who had diabetes (type 1) was deaf in one ear. Why I don't know. Mothers brother also had type 1. This is interesting. Mmmmm!!! Please let me know why?? :think:

 

[honey bee]

Thanks for this info. Gjimmy. I was on human insulin from the word go. Switch over was about ten years into treatment, so it makes sense. Do feel a little better on insulatard, but it is early days yet. If things don't improve - it will be back to the docs. Thanks again and I am pleased your ' nasties' have gone. You know - gut instinct told me to go onto animal insulin years ago, but you tend to go with what the doctors tell you. How available is animal insulin now? Would I have difficulty getting hold of it, and how 'natural' is it. Do they add weird and wonderful or is it just animal insulin with preservative? Know nothing. Please tell. Thanks.

 

[oldeboy]

Honey Bee I have mitochondria diabetes or maternally inherited diabetes and deafness (MIDD). It accounts for 1% of diabetics and is often mis-diagnosed as type 2 or even type 1.

The exhaustion, fatigue, low energy, IBS and dizziness you mention are all classic symptoms. You won't necessarily be deaf but you may notice some loss of hearing or none at all.

As the name suggests it is inherited through the maternal line. It is generally progressive.

I just looked at your profile and see you are marked down as type 1 - is this definitely the case i.e. were anti-bodies found in your pancreas? If so then you have type 1 but if not you may wish to investigate whether you have MIDD.

Co-enzyme Q-10 and b vitamins may help with dealing with the symptoms you mention especially fatigue if you have MIDD.

 

[oldeboy]

Sorry, one other thing.

If you decide to investigate whether you have MIDD feel free to contact me directly as it can be very tricky otherwise because it is such an unknown condition and most healthcare professionals including diabetes doctors and nurses won't have heard of it.

There are now several specialist centres which I can put you in touch with which will facilitate a diagnosis and any further care should you wish it.

Best of luck.

Rich