Levemir Caused High Bg

[Goodgolly]

I was diagnosed with T2 in 2004. I had been on the highest diabetic medication allowed (Victoza, Gliclazide and Metformin) and my Hb1ac was too high at 8.0 when I visited my GP on 14 May. He discontinued the Gliclazide and one of the Metformin tablets and prescribed Levemir instead, starting with a dose of 10 units each morning before breakfast. My bg rose and remained consistently high throughout the day. Every 3 days I increased the dose of Levemir. When I reached 24 units with still rising bg and a weight gain of 1kg, feeling very fatigued, headachey and extremely constipated I abandoned the Levemir. I still had some Gliclazide tablets left and I reverted to my previous regime. When I started taking Levemir and my bg was so high (over 200mg/dl on occasion) I was pretty shaken by this and embarked on a low carb diet straight away. But I put on weight and bg seemed unaffected. Since I stopped taking the Levemir and reverted to my previous regime I have lost 2kgs and my bg results are absolutely wonderful. My aim is to try to reverse my diabetes. I know I will have a fight on my hands with my GP when I see him on 25 June when I try to persuade him that I'm doing the right thing. He has told me in the past that I must eat potatoes, past, rice, bread ..... And also that every T2 diabetic ends up on insulin. I just hope he will re-prescribe the Gliclazide and help me to perhaps lower the dosages of tablets and Victoza injections. Wish me luck!
Have any members had this kind of problem with Levemir, and with their GP?

 

[kitedoc]

Hi @Goodgolly ,
To my knowledge Levemir only lasts about 12 to 16 hours, and sometimes less.
I was prescribed Levemir in combination with Novorapid ( peaks about 2 hours, lasts about 6 or less hours). levemir about roughly 50% of total insulin ( Novorapid before each meal being the other 50%) and the Levemir divided roughly 1/3 (of that 50%) at night 10 pmish and 2/3 (of that 50%) near breakfast., say 9 amish. The doses of short acting (punchy, helps tackle the blood sugar from the meal) depended on the meal sizes etc. Things were adjusted from there.
I may be incorrect but I fail to see how your doctor prescribing Levemir once per day would help.
Plus levemir gives a fairly steady low action amount of insulin over that 12 hours or so.
It was never designed to deal with the rise of blood sugar after meals.
I guess it also depends on how much insulin your own pancreas gland as a type 2 diabetic may be producing.
My understanding is that when all the tablets and other injections are not enough and insulin is needed then your own pancreas is pretty well exhausted.
So your GP might like to see if what I have said is correct and suggest some modification, if agreed, to better deal with your 24 hour by 24 hour situation. There maybe other insulins and combinations which may suit even better, but I have heard a number of people given mixed insulins,( suffixes like -mix, and 30/70, 50:50) have tended to put on weight.
Best Wishes for a much more comfortable existence !!

 

[Goodgolly]

Thanks for your reply. What I'm hoping is that I need no insulin, since I'm able to be in control with the other meds now that I'm sticking to a low carb diet. It's really working for me! Walking my dog every day and gardening is also helping. I feel like I've found the Holy Grail!

 

[slip]

Thats an oddity as far as I'm aware Gliclazide increases the production of insulin from the beta cells, so stopping that and adding insulin externally in affect is doing the same job, but obviously levemir doesn't cut the mustard with you....or.....although 24u of levemir isn't a huge amount for someone who may be T2 insulin resistant. You GP may go down this route of thinking if they are really switched on with regards Diabetes - but as they're spouting on about eating potatoes, rice etc I probably think not.

At the end of the day it's what works for you, and you seem to have found your vessel!