• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Which insulin is best..old or new?

Well I got the diabetic appointment mixed up with my physio appointment and am really kicking myself. Although I didn't embrace the idea of a glucose monitor stuck to me I need to get my BG at least near normal. I had written to them though to ask for animal insulin and told them I'd see them on the 20th December which is when I thought the appointment was but infact it was the 8th Although the letter reached them before the 8th so although it was completely my fault they could have maybe given me a courtesy call to let me know I'd gotten the date wrong. Anyway they never responded to my request for animal insulin and a few months back they sent a letter saying my next appointment for Annual Review was in July 2009 which is ages away so I'm guessing I'm stuck until then. I tried ringing them and explaining I got confused, but as usual it is just an answering machine and they are there two days a week and they never call back so I have a feeling I'm fighting a losing battle anyway. I actually meant to mention DAFNE or carb counting in my letter but forgot as they have never bothered introducing that to me but as per most of my requests it will probably be ignored anyway and they just change my medicine I think to suit them. I am more frustrated with myself now though for getting confused with my appointment but come July I might get some response. Although I'm off this week so may pop down - in fact Monday and Friday they are open although I've got physio today but I could go down after that and hope they are open and maybe have a face to face chat or something :| My BG's were terrible over Christmas although I didn't overeat it's something I suppose I should just accept and getting confused and forgetful is part of my diabetes so I should just accept it - I'm fed up today and unsure what to do but maybe I shouldn't lose all hope just yet?
 
Never lose hope Rach. You are just having a **** day. The whole out patients dept grinds to a halt at this time of year. Wait till the middle of next week when the silly season is over and see what you can sort out.
 
Katharine said:
Never lose hope Rach. You are just having a **** day. The whole out patients dept grinds to a halt at this time of year. Wait till the middle of next week when the silly season is over and see what you can sort out.
Click to expand...

Thanks but I have nearly lost hope. I can't sleep due to constant hypos at the moment and I called yesterday to tell the diabetic clinic I was desperate and begged them to call me back but with no avail. I'm fed up and very down today but I'm hoping for a better future once I leave the area I live in.

Rach x
 
Hello Katharine

Sorry to say "Bin there Got the T shirt" I was on Bovine for years the Hospital put me on
Novorapid and Levemir so called Analogue insulins 6 Jabs a day.
Which has TRIED TO KILL ME! Very slowly over Two and a Half years
All my family, friends Doctors, Nurses have seen how very very Ill I have been?
This June I was ill in front of a Consultant who is very nice.
I SAID NO MORE NOVORAPID "OR" I will STOP injecting
My Wife said what will you do?
Wait for the Ambulance! Go into Hospital! and TELL them "SORT IT"

He took me off Novorapid straight away put me on ACTRAPID same Stuff but "NOT" GM messed
with!!!!! When I started to feel Better I said "NO" more Levemir
went back to Bovine!
NOW I'm on a pump with ACTRAPID since Dec 08 feel a lot better?

Now sorry to say quite a few Doctors, Consultants, Diabetic Nurses do not understand we
Inject Very nasty Stuff called Insulin which makes many of "Us Very Ill" if its the wrong one
So first ask, Then tell them, then REQUEST a Second or now a THIRD OPINION

Lots of luck "AND" don't let let them wear you down (we pay there wages) and for the NHS
 
Hi Insulinman, your story sounds so familiar. I'm glad you've sorted things out. I used to be on actrapid, but I didn't know it still existed! Give it time it'll be phased out I'm sure, in favour of analogues.
Katherine, you've only been on insulin for 11 years I doubt very much you've got probs with your injection sites, sure your hospital would have noticed if you had. The trouble with these analogues is we're told how fantastic they are, so when things go wrong with our control, we blame ourselves, our bodies, our self-management, hormones, etc; This compounded with lack of help from the "experts", who continue to tell us how wonderful these new insulins are, leads to despair and hopelessness.
Please be assured Katherine there is light at the end of the tunnel,and the care you are receiving is inadequate. My advice is to summon up all your energy, make a big noise and get it sorted. The diabetic clinic is there to serve you, not the other way round! Good luck, and keep your spirits up.
Jus
 
Thanks Janabelle

You are right a lot of Insulin is not available? Untill you tell them it is!
as far as I know if a Consultant says (You must have It) they have to get it for you?
ACTRAPID has slowly been removed only the 10ml Vial remains or so I'm told?
NO Pen's, or 3ml cartridges are available?

I think the 10mls are around "only" for the Pump's some say Actrapid Blocks the Infusion set
Hope Not
Back in the 80s they said Bovine is Finished
BUT thank God its still here! ( by demand as they say!! )
And for those that don't know talk to the Pharmacist they know more than many Hospitals
My one says "You do not change from Animal to Analogue without Trouble" Boy is he Right!

Regards to all and a LOT better 2009
 
As far as I'm aware they are discontinuing Antrapid!! Another choice removed from us wihout clear information! :evil:

It makes it all the more frustrating having diabetes with the fact we don't have the freedom to choose what insulin is best for us and enough information.

Even if a particular insulin might be worse for some of us, it would be nice to have the choice so we can decide that for ourselves.

Also I don't need to threaten that I could end up with an ambulance as this has occurred and the clinic didn't care. So any threats would probably be totally pointless I'm afraid.
 
Hi Rach79

hear what you say, But you must not give up or let them walk all over you!
I have been, on EVERY Insulin made?
I have had up to 6 Hypos, in one day many many times?

Back In the 70s I had Diabetic Coma's in the Night and the Day
I've Injected 4 to 6 jabs a day all my Diabetic life!

Back in the 80s I was in a shop very near to my Chemist at that time, One of the staff came over and said (there is no more Bovine) It is Finished?
What are you going do? there is only the NEW HUMAN Insulin?

I was never so scared in my life.

A few years later after being very ill with Human Insulin 198? I went back to BOVINE.
Some years later after being VERY VERY ill on NEW Human ANALOGUE 2008 Back to BOVINE.

I have been in Hospital a couple of times for Operations
each time I was put on ACTRAPID in a BIG Pump
which worked.
So now I'm back on a PUMP this time its "mine" with Actrapid in it? back to B****e ???????
this is after 33 years of HELL

and back to where we started************** BOVINE *************** STILL HERE????????
some TWENTY ++ years later????

Best regards Insulinman
 
That's great that you're back on the insulin that suits you best Insulinman. I guess sometimes you gotta shout to be heard though which can be very frustrating. I know us diabetics have it a lot easier these days in some respects but in others, such as the choice of insulin, it is hard and probably a lot harder than the past when the pharmaceutical companies weren't all out so much to make as much money as possible :!: I would just like us all to have the choice, I mean I've found some diabetics can't handle animal insulins and others can't handle human insulin but we shouldn't be forced into a corner to have that decision made for us and made to take it. Both choices should be readily available and I wouldn't like to think that due to lack of demand or information animal insulin would just disappear. One day I might try it if my diabetes doesn't improve AND if it is available to me. I have requested it but yet nothing has been said so I'll see AND NO I won't give in... I'm not that easy to get rid of probably due to my past where the doctor never diagnosed me for many months and I ended up in nearly a coma but having blackouts and people making fun of my weight many years before. However as if diagnosis isn't difficult enough sometimes, we don't need the hassle of having to shout out loud to get what we want. It should just be readily available with honest information about each type of insulin and not lies and what is best for 'their budget'!!
 
Rach79 said:
As far as I'm aware they are discontinuing Antrapid!! Another choice removed from us wihout clear information! :evil:
Click to expand...

Where did you hear that? i highly doubt it as we use so much of it in hospital
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…