Levemir dosage ?

[petes307]

Just a quick query - what is the "normal" Levemir dosage ?
Reason I ask is that I started injecting in December after 10 yrs on tablets, and feeling **** all the time. Since starting injecting ( and stopping Avandia and Metformin ) I feel a whole lot better.
I was advised by my DN to start at 10 units and increase by 2 until my morning count (FBG?) was 7.
Guess what ? 3 months on and my FFing BBing Gee is now up around 12 and I'm injecting 22 units every evening.
Is 22 units normal ? common to be more perhaps ?
Weight is 14st 3lbs and has risen by a stone over the last year or two.

Pete

 

[Stuboy]

i dont know much about Type 2 reallly... but do you need to start taking your metformin again maybe?

The dose that's right for you is the "normal dose" as you put it... there's no "normal" dose for everyone as a whole. We're all different.

Im a type 1 and i take 24u levemir a day on a split dose... 12u in the morning and 12 in the evening...

Maybe you are finding that your levemir isn't lasting the 24hrs that the manufacturers say it does... so if you find that your BG's are rising towards the time that you would normally inject again... say 6 hours before. then that sounds like you might need to split your dose up into two injections so that you get a nice flat background instead of it running out before your next jab.

 

[petes307]

Not keen at all on going back to Metformin - it was IMHO making me feel **** all the time.

I inject last thing at night and test FBG first thing in the morning - maybe 8hrs difference - shouldn't that produce a lower FBG ?

Thanks for you reply BTW..... B-)

 

[fergus]

Hi Pete,

Stuboy is right in that a normal dose is one which works for you. Yours sounds as if it needs a bit of a hike if it's going to keep your blood sugars in line.
Some people, typically type 1's without insulin resistance and who don't eat excessive carbohydrates will use much smaller doses, perhaps single figures per day. Some type 2's who are insulin resistant, perhaps carrying some extra weight and eating carbs will need very much more.
You can reduce the amount of insulin it takes to keep your blood sugars in check in a number of ways. Weight loss, exercise and carb reduction are the main ones.

All the best,

fergus

 

[squirrel]

Hi, i was taking 90 units of levimir, doctor did not want to put me on tablets as well cos my hbc1 was going down, i have now started low-carbing and have got my levimir down to 40 units. I used to eat alot of **** thou.

 

[fergus]

Nice one, squirrel!

I used to use around 80 units in total per day, but now it's down around 20.

All the best,

fergus

 

[martinbuchan]

Keep increasing the dose gradually until your BG profile is acceptable.
If you are type 2 then stay on metformin if you have no bad effects on your gut.

I am on 100 units once a day of levemir and 40-80 units per day of novorapid. Its a lot. I am about to add in exenatide next week as well. That might be a better option for you if you are overweight.

The low carb issue is good to think about as well.

NB Metfomin lowers your HBA1c by 1.5%. It will reduce weight gain potential and lower your dose of insulin that you would otherwise require.

Good luck. Just increase your levemir dose gradually.

 

[petes307]

Many thanks to you all for your advice, which I will be acting upon immediately by upping my dosage for this week to 24 units and gradually increasing every week.

I just needed the reassurance that I am on the right track.

Pete

 

[petes307]

An update to my previous condition..... started the low carb diet last week and IMMEDIATELY my FBG dropped to the 4-7 range !!!
I'm absolutely delighted .
My weight is also dropping, and lost 5 maybe 6lbs in a week (2 sets of scales thus different reading although both calibrated correctly). Medical checks due this week and I will take advice on dosage considering the success of the dietary control method.
HOPE that i will be decreasing the dosage going forward.

 

[fergus]

Well done Pete. You know it makes sense!

fergus

 

[Trinkwasser]

An update to my previous condition..... started the low carb diet last week and IMMEDIATELY my FBG dropped to the 4-7 range !!!
I'm absolutely delighted .
My weight is also dropping, and lost 5 maybe 6lbs in a week (2 sets of scales thus different reading although both calibrated correctly). Medical checks due this week and I will take advice on dosage considering the success of the dietary control method.
HOPE that i will be decreasing the dosage going forward.

There you go! Covering excess carbs with excess insulin has to be the worst plan going. Among other things it works as a growth hormone, and is responsible for fat storage.

You might ask about splitting the dose, most Levemir users I know have to shoot twice a day, it lasts a lot less than Lantus

 

[petes307]

Anotehr update - I attended the 3 month checkup the other day & showed the latest results in graphical form highlighting the FBG stabilising only after starting the low carb diet.

I then queried the insulin dosage & was advised I could start dropping it until the FBG came around 7 - my current 4s are too low...... B-) Also, was advised that I should inject at the same time every night (10pm for me) and possibility of dropping two of the tablets which I currently take.

So for me the objective has been achieved....... control by diet.....

 

[totsy]

hya pete,
thats great, glad you are getting sorted