Lantus was the problem!!

janabelle

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816
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Lack of choice of insulin for newly diagnosed patients.
Dog owners who let their dogs poop in the street-a hazard for most, but worse if you're visually impaired!
Having RP
Hi, regular forum readers may remember that I'd posted a message (or several!) about the problems I have had with Lantus. In the years I had been on it, I had no consistency with my BS control and put it down to my female hormones. I had constantly reported my unexplained ups and downs and severe "hypo and hyper days", and had it shrugged off by the many medics I reported it to. I have now been off Lantus for almost 4 weeks now (almost a full menstrual cycle), and the difference is like night and day.
Since I have changed to Porcine Isophane, I have normal predictable control and no "hypo or hyper days",and along with humalog, my blood sugars are controlled and I know longer have unexpected hypos. Another significant difference is that I am no longer constantly hungry and therefore feel confident I will be able to lose weight. On Lantus it was a battle everyday, not too mention the other side effects I was suffering; constant exhaustion, muscle tremors, and generally feeling like death. Time will tell whether they were caused by the lantus. The daily unpredictability was definately caused by Lantus- I have no doubts.
Life is better, and I feel in control.
Jus
 

fergus

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,439
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Re: Lantus was the problem

This is really interesting, Jus.
I know a lot of people have expressed some concerns about Lantus, and about the difference between animal and analogue insulins. I'm not aware of particular Lantus problems personally, but the difference in peoples experiences is a constant surprise to me.
I've never been completely happy with the analogue insulins though. I lost my hypo awareness as soon as I went onto them and feel it might be time to try the 'smoky bacon' flavour again.

All the best,

fergus
 

janabelle

Well-Known Member
Messages
816
Dislikes
Lack of choice of insulin for newly diagnosed patients.
Dog owners who let their dogs poop in the street-a hazard for most, but worse if you're visually impaired!
Having RP
Re: Lantus was the problem

Hi Fergus, where you on animal insulin before?
I was dead against animal insulins when I was diagnosed, think I remember being given the option and I was aware of them at any rate. Felt a bit funny bout having animal stuff injected into me! I doubt there's many newly diagnosed people nowadays that even know of their exsistance.
My son has had part of the protective cover of his brain replaced by tissue from a cow due to surgery for cancer. Guess that made me a little less squeemish!
What concerns me is that the quick reference NICE guidelines for Health Professionals for Type-1 diabetes do not mention purified animal insulin as an option. It does, however, mention and recommend insulin glargine. Are there any other insulin glargines except for Lantus?
Jus .
 

fergus

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,439
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi Jus,
I think glargine is the generic label for Lantus, which is the only such insulin currently available, made by Aventis. Novo Nordisk make an alternative, called Levemir, the generic name for which is Lispro.
I was diagnosed back in the 80's, when only animal derived insulins were available. I had issues at the time because I was a committed vegetarian!The porcine insulin I used then is very similar to human, with only one difference in its molecular chain. It is being phased out of production, slowly, but is still available through the NHS on request. It's only available in vials, with disposable syringes, so doesn't have the convenience of the pen devices used these days.
The UK Cochrane Collaboration in 2002 couldn't establish any superiority of analogue human insulin over animal derived insulins, so the jury's still out in some ways.

All the best,

fergus
 

fergus

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,439
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Thanks, Sarah.

Do you use the porcine insulin? I still have half a mind to give it another go.

All the best,

fergus
 

fergus

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,439
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Sarah, if that happens I will erect a large temple here in your honour, keep it staffed with my low-carb ninja druids, and personally sacrifice the piggies!

All the best,

fergus
 

janabelle

Well-Known Member
Messages
816
Dislikes
Lack of choice of insulin for newly diagnosed patients.
Dog owners who let their dogs poop in the street-a hazard for most, but worse if you're visually impaired!
Having RP
Sarah, you are right about Wockhardt-they are the only pharmaceutical company now producing animal insulins in this country.. What worries me is that as demand becomes less, it will threaten supplies to patients like us.
I am also really concerned that Glargine is mentioned by name as a first line treatment in the NICE document that GPs will use a guide to treat new type-1s. This cannot be right when there are other options. I know the full guideline mentions other insulins, but it is biased towards glargine being the best option.
It may be years, as it was with me, before patients experience problems or realise that they have problems due to taking these new analogue insulins., By that time it may not be an option to change to "human" or animal insulins, as pharmeceutical companies will stop producing other insulins due to lack of demand. Then we really will have no choice!
Jus
 

LittleSue

Well-Known Member
Messages
647
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Glad you seem to have things sorted out.
The original plan was to discontinue porcine insulin after the original 'human' types came in, in the 80s. Mainstream manufacturers were dropping porcine faster than hot coals as we were hyped into converting to 'human'. Due to the outcry from people having big problems with the new types, Wochardt stepped in with a promise to continue producing porcine insulin indefinitely. They came into it knowing full well the market is small and laible to shrink further, acknowledging that commercial interests are irrelevant when the other drugs are ruining your life.
Hopefully, therefore, your fears are unfounded.
Sue