Levemir and getting pregnant

[Agnieszka]

Hi Everyone

I have Type 1 for 19yrs already and I'm planning getting pregnant. I take Humalog and Levemir and my diabetologist doesn't want to change Levemir for other shorter acting insulin. Has anyone been taking Levemir being pregnant (as it is not clinically tested on pregnant women and studies on animals show embryo malformations)?? What are your views on this?

Agnieszka

 

[janabelle]

Hi, this is a very good question. I was taken off novorapid and put on to humalog when I got pregnant 9 years ago. Still worry about it, as I no longer trust any synthetic insulin. I'm quite sure it's also not recommended to take Lantus in pregnancy.
Purified animal insulins has been tried and tested for years and years, synthetic 'human' insulins only came about in the 80s, and the analogues in last 10 years or so. I know what I would trust, and in retrospect I would much rather have been educated about what I was taking for my diabetes. I just trusted the doctors. I was on synthetic insulins for 19 years until, due to ill health and poor blood sugar control, I changed to hypurin porcine insulin a year ago. Life has improved for me beyond belief!
You should do some internet research on synthetic and purified animal insulins. Not just for the sake of a safe pregnancy but for your own health.
The truth is because these 'analogue' insulins suchas Novorapid, Humalog, Lantus, and Levemir have only been available for a limited time, no-one really knows the long-term effects on us, let alone our children. You are obviously concerned and wise to be so, and not to take your doctor's word.
Can u tell me where you got info bout the embryo malformation?
Best of luck.
Jus

 

[cugila]

Hi.

Here is a link to the information regarding Levemir and Pregnancy.

http://diabetes.emedtv.com/levemir/leve ... nancy.html

Ken.

 

[Agnieszka]

Thanks Ken

This is exactly where I got my info from.
Agnieszka

 

[Blackadder]

Just a thought but as I am about to swap to levemir I have to ask it.

Is the effect of Levemir only in the woman whilst using when pregnant or can it affect the sperm used to conceive..

What I mean, is there a risk of birth defects if the man is using levemir when the baby is conceived?

I am from reading the articles pretty sure it only effects the woman using it whilst pregnant but it's a question that I needed to ask to see if anyone knew the answer.

 

[tasha]

I AM pregnant and on Levemir.

I was swapped from apidra to novorapid (but i was told that they didn't think there would be a problem-but it was my choice) but nothing was mentioned about levemir. It may not be 'licensed in pregnancy but there are lots and lots of women that have successfully had healthy pregnancies with it. I think sometimes we get caught up with scare stories and loose sight of the most important thing for pregnancy. Your control!

If changing your insulin will affect your control in a negative way-the impact I'm sure will be more detrimental than taking levemir or lantus (but i didn't like lantus-that's another story). Getting your hba1c below 7 is the most important thing. Mine has been 6.7 for 3 months before I conceived and now at 14 weeks it is 6.6 and I'm sure will drop again (with such in depth medical attention).

If you search other sites for what other pregnant women are using-most are either on lantus or levemir without any issues. Some women (in US mainly) have been advised to swap to other insulins and have had negative affects on their BS readings and control and many actually either swap back or condemn the move.

Good luck with getting pregnant, it's a scary but wonderful experience.

 

[willogs]

I am pregnant and been put on levemir by my doc. nothing mentioned about complications, surely he would not have put me on it if he thought there were any risks???

 

[janabelle]

When I was pregnant 8 years ago I was taken off Novorapid by my consultant as it was not tested as safe in pregnancy. Of course glucose control is important, but so is the future health of our children. Personally that's what I'm concerned about, especially as my eldest son was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 9,when I was pregnant with my 3rd child. I'll never know what caused it, but in retrosepect I wish I had known more about the medication that I was taking-patients are kept in the dark these days, and some seem happy that way.
As I've said before, these insulins have not been around long enough to be proven safe for us or our unborn children. The fact is that more people are having problems with control on the new insulins, than they did on animal insulins. You don't need to look far on this forum, or anywhere on the internet to find that out. It's not scaremongering to state the obvious.
Purified Animal Insulin is at the very least natural, and have been tested as safe over many many years. No one, not even doctors, know the future effects of analogue insulin on us or our children, and that's the long and the short of it.
Jus

 

[sugar2]

I am pregnant and been put on levemir by my doc. nothing mentioned about complications, surely he would not have put me on it if he thought there were any risks???

Me to, as the Dr thought that the benefits to my control outweighed any possiblenegative effects. He was right...and I haev had another perfect baby since.
I haven't read the review, I have to admit. I was told that they just hadn't done teh research on teh synthetic insulins, as they were newer. I am not sure whether they were just patting me on the head, and trying to stop me worrying.

All I can tell you is that for myself, and lots of the other diabetics who endured teh joys of teh diabetic pregnacy clinic visits, it worked well for us.
Good luck

 

[tasha]

The link that is posted above even states itself that the evidence is inconclusive. There are no more malformations when taking levemir compared to taking other insulin (note. "natural" insulin).
The article was very unclear whether these animals were just injected with insulin or whether they were diabetic animals. Obviously being diabetic would naturally give rise to some malformations (possibly). It is not even clear whether the malformations in the study were at a higher rate than would naturally occur in the population.

Please please do not read this article and then make a decision on whether to alter your insulin! People obviously have strong opinions on the subject but to imply that by taking levemir or other synthetic insulin would mean you are less concerned about the long term health of your unborn child is out right preposterous! I may be a little sensitive at the moment given my circumstances but I take offense at such comments. Your other comment about patients being happy to be kept in the dark about their medication is also out of order. Is that directed at me and the other mothers who took synthetic insulin? You don't know anything about me! I have read many scientific papers and research on the subject and given my science background know the difference between actual concrete evidence and the rubbish in the article listed above! I agree with you that synthetic insulin can lead to problems with some peoples control-I had issues with lantus. It is however a personal problem with individuals. Many people use lantus with no problems and I find levemir brilliant. There is no evidence to suggest that this gives rise to problems in pregnant women. There is more evidence to suggest otherwise-search other sites directly looking at pregnancy and diabetes and you will find many many many success stories.

I honestly hope your child is over the cancer-I can't imagine how that must have been. You did say yourself though that you did not know what caused it.

It is your doctor and your choice as to what changes you should make preconception but I still stick by the fact (from my own intensive research at the time) that getting as good control as possible will lead to a higher change of a successful pregnancy.

All the best of luck in planning your pregnancy,

Tasha

 

[janabelle]

Hi, Tasha, I'm really really sorry that I offended you, it was not my intention. I did go on a bit of a rant,and I apologise for being insensitive- I'll tone it down in future.
I do stick by what I said about patients being kept in the dark though. Many are. I know of patients who were not aware they were on synthetic insulin, and of doctors who tell patients that animal insulin is not available-2 people in my local diabetes group have confirmed this in recent weeks.
As individuals, we react differently to medications. this being the case it concerns me that type-1s are only offered 2 similar long-acting analogues. The choice of insulins is decreasing as pharmaceutical companies have discontinued many' 'human' and animal insulins.
The best blood sugar control I had on synthetic insulin was during my pregnancies, it was much more stable- went to pot when I gave birth though Have any other preganant ladies on this forum had a similar experience?
Jus

 

[susieq987]

Hi just to let you know but I have been pregnant twice while using novorapid/levemir and humalog/levemir I had no problems at all at two perfectly healthy beautiful little girls.

 

[tasha]

Thanks, Janabelle. I probably over reacted-I guess I can blame the hormones!
We are all different when it comes to this disease (I feel weird calling it that-it's part of my life for as long as I can remember). I take it you have had issues with synthetic insulins. I have read the threads on the subject and I think I even may have responded to some. I did have issues for many years with lantus and had to twist my Dr arm to swap to levemir (the Dnurse was even harder to convince!). I have had much much more stable control on it for a couple of years now. I know people on here will say the opposite with these 2 insulins and a few like yourself that don't get on with either.
As for your question about control after pregnancy was it not just down to hormones? and possibly just having less time to concentrate on your own health? Did you not ever get your control back on levemir? I know it seems that different periods in our life can lead our bodies to change. When I was first placed on lantus I'm sure my control wasn't as erratic as it became.
Susie-so pleased you had a positive experience with levemir and novorapid. I still think it depends on how your body responds to the regime your on. If it works before you get pregnant and you work hard to keep it stable you're doing the best for your child. If you need to change for whatever reason-you need to take maybe 12 months out before you try for a baby.

 

[janabelle]

Hi Tasha, you said something that struck a chord with me. When I first went on Lantus, I, too thought it was working ok. Looking back the side-effects, anxiety, aches and pains, etc started within months, but the erratic control was so inconsistent, and I had no reason to think it was the Lantus-expecially as my diabetes nurse kept saying it was the best thing since sliced bread! She's emigrated since, but I'd love to contact her to let her know I finally found out what was wrong with me.
I've never been on Levermir, was on insulatard before Lantus. I have better control on pork than I've ever had in 20 years, it's never perfect, but the closest I'll get I think.
Best of luck with your pregnancy, it really is the best time in your life. When u think how it was years ago for diabetic mothers, we are very lucky now. I had 2 normal, induced, births and 1 elective cesaerian with my 3rd, only because it had to be planned aroung my eldest's chemo and surgery. All these celebs that choose c-section, they're nuts cos it's definately not an easy option. I had the most fabulous obs consultant, she looked after me so well, got me a private room and even took my stitches out herself, it made such a difference and I've never forgotten her kindness.
Jus