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What’s everyone planning now that Levemir is going?

J

Jamie S

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I wanted to start a thread for anyone using Levemir and wondering what happens next.
It looks like it’s being phased out completely, so most of us will need to change our basal insulin soon. (Before end 2026)

A few things worth asking each other:

  • Who here has already spoken to their diabetes team about switching?
  • Which replacement were you offered — Tresiba, Toujeo, or something else? If any?
  • If you’ve already changed, how has your control or hypo pattern been? Answers for Forced change from levemir going only.
  • Did your clinic reduce your dose when you switched, or keep it the same?
  • Anyone still using twice-daily Levemir — did you move to a single daily dose with the new one?
  • Any differences in pen devices or injection feel compared to Levemir?
  • For people combining with NovoRapid, did you have to change your ratios after the swap?
  • Changes will be lifestyle based so try add small amounts of information on lifestyle, could be 9-5 active 5 nights per week, or 9-5 not active.
This could help everyone preparing for the switch. It’s leaving me with many unanswered questions.
If you’re unsure which insulin to ask for, what questions would you take to your next clinic appointment?
Let’s share what’s working and what’s not so none of us are guessing when the change comes.
To confirm it due to be unavailable from end of 2026, we have 12 months to take control rather than be controlled.
 
I used levemir for many years, then there was some shortage of it and I was transferred to toujeo for about 2 years, but I didn't notice any special differences, then I was transferred to tresiba. At first, I was told to reduce the dose by 20%, and then slowly increase it, but it returned to about the same value as it was on tujeo and levemir.

Of the advantages with Tresiba, it doesn't matter what time to give the injection, you can forget to give the injection and remember at the end of the day without consequences, or duplicate the dose and not suffer hypo all day.
On the downside, it takes about 3 days to change the dosage because there is no effect every other day, and you can't increase the dose for one day when you know your activity will be fundamentally different.

in principle, I was happy with both toujeo and tresiba. I didn't change the bolus on any of them.
 
Last edited:
I have only e er used Trujeo and Trurapi both Sanofi company
I started with very low dose of Trujeo and worked up to 42 units a day than added the Trurapi
Never had a problem with the Trujeo at all a one off injection per day
Trurapi did cause one or two false hypos ( I am sure Trurapi is the new Novorapid)
 
Hi
Good post for me as i am a levemir twice daily and novorapid user.
However i do things a bit differently so cannot answer a few of @Jamie S point.

Type 1 of 50 years i don't see a specialist or attend a diabetic clinic and rely on experience and my wits.

I don't mean that to sound smug its just what i do.
I'm 57 5ft 7 inches 10 stone 10 and a hba1c of 39 or 5.7.
I have a fabulous GPs practice who take my bloods and equally fabulous chemist who is an independent.

I have already started stocking up on Levemir to give myself plenty of time and as it stands i plan to go onto Lantus.
Its been around along time and i know several people using it.

I often dip in and out of low carbing and sometimes go a full 24 hours without food and find it straight forward and my current dose of levemir is 10 units at 6 am and 14 units at 6 pm.

I will start the Lantus at a reduced dose of 16 units and fast until i know whats happening.

The Libre gets alot of bad press which i find bizarre at best as its worked wonders for me in achieving such good control.
I will use it to analyse my levels and act accordingly.

Having had diabetes a while not much fazes me and thanks to the libre i will make the necessary changes myself.

I might change my mind as there is plenty of time and i do hope people put their experiences on here......it will be useful to all of us.

Just to re iterate this is my plan and mine alone and am comfortable in my own decision making process.
I do see the need for clinics and specialists.

I wish you well

Tony
 
I was happy with Levemir for many years, but decided to jump before I was pushed, and asked to be moved to Tresiba a few months back, based on good things I'd heard about it from others including on here.

Going back to a Glargine was off the table - I spent many years on Lantus before Levemir, and it would feel like a step back - after having Levemir to compare it to, I saw how inconsistent Glargine had been for me in terms of rate of absorption.

I'm lucky in that I'd generally kept my Levemir in 2 equal doses 12h apart, which simplified the transition to Tresiba. I think started with around 95% my previous total basal dose then slowly worked my way down to around 90% which kept me nice and flat. Since then I've had to bring it back up to 105%, but I think that's just my normal seasonal variation (I've always needed much less insulin in summer).

So far I am loving it. My overnight graph is flatter than ever before, and control the best it's ever been. I also like having one less injection, and it not mattering if the time changes a few hours.
The only real downside I've found is that dose adjustments take a few days and while getting it dialled in I had a few lows that were really stubborn to treat - took more time and sugar to bring back up then I'm used to. I think maybe because they came after long periods of coasting in the mid 4s.

My activity level and food intake does vary quite a bit from day to day, but I'm okay managing that just through bolus (Humalog), and my needs there haven't changed much. I rarely go more than one day in a row without a workout, but if I do I notice I struggle more to avoid highs.
 
I'm on a pump now but many moons ago when I was on MDI I started on Lantus and due to issues with night time hypo's I was swapped to Levemir. Neither of them worked brilliantly for me, although if I have a pump failure, Levemir is still on my prescription list... I keep forgetting to bring it up with my Doctor. When I inevitably do have to change I'd likely ask if I can have Tresiba. I'm not fond of going back to Lantus even if it is just a back up and I've heard many good things about Tresiba. From what I remember, my dosage stayed the same and I could only inject once a day (night time low issues with twice a day). My carb ratios only changed once I was on a pump so during my swap with basal insulin they stayed the same.

I must admit @Jamie S I am curious what your thoughts or plans are on swapping, since you also appear to be on Levemir, so you will ultimately need to swap over at some point.
 
 
Hi @Jamie S ,

Welcome to the forum.

I have to ask.
What are your diabetic team’s (or consultant’s.) views regarding a basal replacement with the levemir phase out?
Has this been in discussion?
 
I'm another person who's recently been changed to Ablasagar from Levemir, however I likely won't be using it by the time I start my insulin pump on 25th November, so I suspect I won't have much experience to share to compare. I have been on Lantus in the past (now I think about it, it may have been the Glargine one but I honestly cannot remember properly, it was so long ago now) and had a tough time on that. Hopefully if or when I do have to use Ablasagar, it won't be as bad of an experience despite it's links to being like Lantus types and my past bad experience.
 
You pose some interesting questions.

I’m sure other members would be interested to see your own answers to the questions you pose, particularly

when you are thinking of switching?
which insulins are you considering?
what questions for your team do you already have?
What would you consider most important when switching?
Have you switched basal in the past and did it cause any issues?
 
I have already posted that not much fazes me but the thought of a pump does @EllieM !
The very thought of it makes me shudder but i'm not sure why and i'm smiling as i type.

However i'm wise enough to know i might get the change from levemir wrong and i might need help and/or even a pump!!

My favourite time lord once said....

"never be certain of anything its a sign of limited intelligence"

Tony
 
Hi @Jamie S,

I'm a type 1 diabetic currently on a Levemir split dose and I'll be switching to a new basal insulin once I've seen my diabetes consultant in July next year. My last appointment with my diabetes consultant was in July this year and I mentioned the Levemir discontinuation at the time. Interestingly, my consultant did not bring it up. I had to bring it up with them!

At that time, my diabetes consultant was unable to switch me over to a new basal insulin due to restrictions that were in place regarding switching. These restrictions are no longer in place but I won't be seeing my diabetes consultant again until next year so I won't be able to switch over to a new basal insulin until then.

When I asked my diabetes consultant about the possible options regarding the switch, I was advised to look into Tresiba and Toujeo. I wasn't offered any other choices.

I've been using Levemir for over 16 years and my split dose is very uneven (a large amount in the morning and just a unit or two before bed). I have good blood glucose control with it so I'm apprehensive about the switch.

Prior to going on Levemir, I was on Lantus (a glargine insulin) and based on that experience, I wouldn't want to use a glargine insulin again. On Lantus, I experienced quite sudden and dramatic lows as well as redness, stinging, burning and swelling around my injection sites (I think due to the acidity of the glargine insulin). I note that Toujeo is also a glargine insulin. Therefore, it seems my only real option is Tresiba.

I'm currently using NovoRapid as my bolus and this insulin has worked well for me for many years. I believe I'll be staying on NovoRapid and just changing the basal insulin only.
 
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