Levemir...any good?

[Bogusman]

Could anyone please tell me if Levemir is any good? I currently use Insulatard before bed, a couple of months ago I was advised by my Doctor to change to Lantus...which I did. I came off this after a month because it was making me knackered all the time, I went back to Insulatard. The Doctor now thinks I should try Levemir...any suggestions? I also use Novorapid, 5 injections a day. Thanks.

 

[smidge]

Hi bogusman!

I used to use Insuman basal which is very similar to insulatard. I changed to Levemir about 15 months ago. It is different to the insuman and insulatard type of basal. It has a flatter profile and doesn't have the pronounced peak that they have. I liked Insuman better than Levemir in many ways as I found it very predictable and could coincide the peak with eating to reduce the need for my bolus (I use Apidra). However, the Insuman and Apidra sometines clashed their peak actions causing hypos, hence the switch to Levemir. I haven't had any adverse reactions to Levemir, but i do find that I now need more Apidra than I did when using Insuman. The Levemir lasts longer for me - maybe 16 -18 hours while the Insuman probably only lasted 12 - 14 hours but I still need to inject two shots of Levemir (one morning and one evening) to get the full day coverage.

Why does your doctor think you should change from insulatard?

Smidge

 

[mrman]

Originally when I was dx, I was on lantus basal but also felt totally knackered and dsn did swap me to levemir. Did work.sure me,but, that was after having full bloods to check for other causes.

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[Bogusman]

Thank you for the replies,
Smidge, my Doctor seems to think that Insulatard is out of date/old fashioned stuff, it was also causing me (very occasionally) to hypo during the night and that Lantus was the insulin to use, but as I said it was making me exhausted. I have not made my mind up yet about the Levemir.
I don't know how many hours these things last, that must be with constant checking you know that, which I rarely do.

 

[noblehead]

Thank you for the replies,
Smidge, my Doctor seems to think that Insulatard is out of date/old fashioned stuff, it was also causing me (very occasionally) to hypo during the night and that Lantus was the insulin to use, but as I said it was making me exhausted. I have not made my mind up yet about the Levemir.
I don't know how many hours these things last, that must be with constant checking you know that, which I rarely do.

There's a new basal insulin that came out last year called Tresiba, it apparently lasts up to 2 days and from the few who use it on the forum the feedback is positive, you might want to make enquiries about it.

 

[Daibell]

I've been on Levemir from the start with no problems other than the fact it only lasts 18 hours max (Google the web for graphs of it's behaviour). Many users inject it twice a day to manage that problem. My DN added Novorapid so I manage the tail-off, because if inject at night, by injecting enough rapid for the evening meal

 

[jaade88]

Levemir is great I'm on 6 injections a day 2 levemir and 4 novorapid but it does make you less tired x


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[grandmasunflower]

I had allergy/intolerence problems on levimere, lantus & insulatard, now on Insuman - only started last night but had incredible awful night sweats & am hoping that will settle down. I think we are all very individual & it all appears very hit & miss what works & what doesn't or what side effects we can put up with! Not ideal & spoils life!


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