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OMG !!! Not again !!!!

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xxxleonadxxx

Well-Known Member
Messages
71
Location
North Ayrshire, Scotland
Sorry folks but just a rant ...........

I am allergc to most insulins (esp fast acting) but have successfully managed to take Lantus (along with antihistamines (sp?) to help with minor reactions) but sadly as of yesterday I have now started to react to that ............

The lantus was hailed as almost the last hope and the dosage I take is obscene (currently at 500 units PER DAY and increasing by 10% per week).

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr .... I give up ..... how are you meant to stay positive and try and not let things affect you when things like this keep happening. I throw money at my ailments (for lack of a better term) but it just goes to show that no matter what you do it has a mind of its own !!!!

Sorry for the rant, just had to vent :-)
 
That's a terrible blow for you!

The good news is that you've made ME feel better. I'm on 240 units of insulin daily (& rising) and was getting quite worried; to see that I'm on less than half your dose has cheered me up (but made me feel guilty about being cheered up :lol: ). It goes to show that "there's always somebody else worse off".

Let's hope that you do find a workable solution to your problems soon. :)

8th November 2010 - NOTE: (see below) how much my daily insulin dose has risen!
 
Leonad
there's animal insulins, recombinant "human" insulins and a strict low carb diet left.
And some people must be using more than 500 units per day, because I know that some are using U500. It's not common, but they exist.
 
Leona,

Now before I begin, I am not sure if this type of insulin is available in the UK, so you would have to verify this with your diabetes team. In the UK, the standard strength of insulin is 100U/ml, but there are insulin's available abroad that are 500U/ml, so the insulin is more concentrated. This may help you if it were available here, as you appear to be insulin resistant and injecting a 500U/ml insulin would mean a vast reduction in the dose required, although I am unsure how this may effect you as you say you have minor reactions to insulin.

As injecting 500 units a day will be extremely uncomfortable, it may be worth asking your diabetes nurse if this is a possible route for you. As I said, not sure if this insulin is available here, or if it would be suitable for you, but looking at your predicament, its worth asking about. Good luck!

Nigel
 
U500 Is available in Britain under certain circumstances. It's very expensive and has to be imported specially
Hana
 
If you haven't tried Animal Insulin then this as CarbsRocks says it very much worth a try..

Another method which isn't very often used in this country, is something that is called Diaport (I think thats what it is called) I know of one persons who uses this method in this country due to being alergic to insulin.

It's a gadet that needs to be surigally implanted, but it provides the ability to inject insulin into it, and then it delivers the insulin near to the arenal glad (I think) to where is it the body asorbs it into the blood at a much near to natural so limits the effects of alergic reations..

As to the 500u insulin, yes there is such insulin, but it isn't manufactured in this country, only in America, it has to be imported under licence for a named patient so is quite expensive to obtain, but if one needs it then one needs it..
 
I know in cetain circumstances other drugs can be used instead of insulin, I am surprised this is not offered? It is not common for someone with type 1 under a specialist to use Victoza, this has to be used in exceptional cercumstances. Good luck and I hope a solution can be found for you :|
 
Hi all,

Thanks very much for your replies. I have tried all forms of insulin and in partnership with my docs and a health board outwith my area we even tried some not on the market treatments. Sadly it appears that my body just doesn't want to co-operate.

I am fortunate to have a very forward thinking endo who is not scared to try anything, sadly these usually come at a significant cost ... but at the end of the day if it helps, its worth it !!!!!

The pump had been discussed and I believe discussed with someone at St Barts (London) but was discounted. I have faith in my docs but just feel very deflated that this keeps happening.

It prob doesn't help that I have double diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2 - Calling it Type 1.5 lol) and various other endo abnormalities :-) .... my kidneys and liver are all starting to feel the effects too (all this an i've not long turned 30 lol ..... nothing like feeling old hee hee)

Just hoping that someday (soon hopefully) they may find a way to treat me .... or humanely dispose of me out the back door :D
 
Your situation sounds awful, 500 units of lantus is a huge amount! How long have you been taking it?
When you tried animal insulin, what ones were you on?
I guess you probably have to low carb, what's your daily intake?
You're so young, I hope someone somewhere in the world reads your post and can offer you some help. Being on such large doses of analogues is not a good thing.
Jus
 
Hi Leona

I saw in your profile that you are taking levothyroxine and in your previous messages that you are 4st overweight.

I was wondering, do you feel that your thyroid function is fully optimised? Apart from the weight gain, do you still have any of the symptoms/signs of hypothyroidism?

The reason I ask is that sometimes doctors treat to the numbers rather than to how well the person feels. If there was still scope to improve your thyroid functioning, then you might be able to improve your weight and as a consequence you might be less insulin-resistant. Also you might find that a product with T3 in it (rather than just T4) is helpful for your weight.

Also, have your doctors tested your other hormones to check for reasons for your insulin resistance, for example cortisol levels or androgen levels? High levels of cortisol and androgens can sometimes result in insulin resistance.

Endos claim to be experts on hormones but a lot of them only seem to know about diabetes.

Goji
 
goji said:
Hi Leona

I saw in your profile that you are taking levothyroxine and in your previous messages that you are 4st overweight.

Goji
Click to expand...

Thankfully not 4 stone overweight now (phew .. :D ) I have differing 'side effects' of diabetes and thyroid conditions, when my thyroid plays up I am usually aware of it and adjust my meds, I am current;y on 350mg levothyroxine daily and seem to be fairly stable at this level .... fatigue is the main side effect i feel with the thyroid, with the diabetes its slightly different.

As for the weight loss vs insulin resistency, my doc has told me that the resistancy is hereditory (sp?) so unsure what significance that has ..... my body is a somewhat minefield and sadly doesn't like to co-operate lol :roll: My insulin resistency has been no different to when I was 10st (ideal weight) to now. I started to gain weight after having been put on Byetta (most people lose weight on it) and have steadily gained/lost over the last few years ...

I remain (or at least try to) positive and upbeat and try to assure myself that i'm ot the only one with the issues that I have .... although it doesn't help when all my docs treat me with kid gloves and tell me that I am unique PMSL ... :lol: On a plus side I di have my endo again n April and we'll see what happens now .... we're forever trying new things .... I take some strange meds which have people scratching their heads ... but if they work its worth it lol
 
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