Search titles only. Search Advanced search…. New posts. Search forums. Log in. Install the app. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Thread starter Jill Start date May 1, Jill D. Location Texas About Yourself Type 1. Ok, I wish I could draw this out for you, but I will try to explain with words. Lantus or Levemir are your basal or background insulins. Say you did not have diabetes, when you are fasting or not eating, your pancreas still produces just a bit of insulin to match the glucose that your liver produces to keep your sugar in perfect harmony.
Type 1 diabetics do not make any insulin, right? These are considered basal insulins. In theory, if you are on the correct dose, you could go all day without eating and have perfect blood sugar. Now the insulins work the same for Type 2 diabetics, who may or may not still have insulin production of their own. Ok, so back to being nondiabetic, when we eat, our pancreas senses extra sugar rising in the blood and it starts pumping out insulin to match what you have eaten.
Ok, as diabetics, again, we make no insulin or Type 2's are resistant to it so you inject your rapid acting insulin Novolog, Humalog, Apidra, Novorapid to cover your meal. This is what is considered a bolus. If you look at the profiles of insulin Lantus and Levemir are very flat The rapid acting has a very high peak, it starts working very quickly in your body and is removed very quickly.
So picture your straight line of Lantus or Levemir and then 3 humps of your rapid acting that would represent the 3 meals a day you eat. They best way to get good blood sugars is to carb count and have an insulin to carb ratio for your rapid acting insulins. We can cover that in another thread. As an addition, there is NPH, which used to be the only option for a "basal" insulin. It's technically an intermediate acting insulin. It lasts anywhere from 12 to 16 hours and has a very pronounced peak.
NPH is still a viable option for many diabetics, especially ones that suffer from the Dawn Phenomenon. Thanks to Lloyd and Buckyball for pointing out some areas I missed! Last edited by a moderator: Apr 27, I'm taking both Lantis and humilog injections. You explained it all very well. I'm ashamed to say that I'm a nurse and I take my blood sugar quite often during the day but I have no idea what my Ac1??? That does not show up on my moniter. I suppose it should??
Melinda, your meter will give you an average, but not your A1c. Humalog and Novolog are in the rapid-acting class of insulin. The American Diabetes Association estimates that both medications start working after 15 minutes. The exact time frame of the onset, peak, and duration may vary slightly for you. Also, you must eat within a short time after using either drug. Delaying eating after using a rapid-acting insulin could cause hypoglycemia low blood sugar.
Your doctor will decide your dosage. Both Humalog and Novolog help lower and stabilize your blood sugar when used as prescribed. But a few differences exist between the drugs. Novolog can be used by adults and children who are at least 2 years old and who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Adults with type 2 diabetes are sometimes prescribed Humalog, too. For the best results, you should use Humalog 15 minutes before eating. Novolog takes action in the body more quickly than Humalog, so you can take it closer to a meal.
The best results are achieved if you take Novolog 5 to 10 minutes before eating. Another difference is that only Novolog can be diluted. If you need a dose lower than the amount you have, you can dilute Novolog with Novolog diluting medium. Ask your doctor about the correct way to do this.
Both Humalog and Novolog are available as brand-name medications and in generic versions. They cost about the same, but the amount you pay depends on your health insurance coverage. Both medications are usually covered by health insurance companies and are available at most pharmacies. Low blood sugar is the most common side effect of Humalog or Novolog. Other medications may interact with Humalog and Novolog.
These interactions can cause side effects in your body. Other interactions may make Humalog or Novolog less effective.
Make sure you tell your doctor about all prescription and over-the-counter drugs, supplements, and herbs you take. This information can help them prevent drug interactions. Basaglar is a biosimilar of Lantus insulin glargine. Levemir and Basaglar both come as a solution liquid mixture in a vial. The needles used with these vials are sold separately. Levemir and Basaglar can both be injected under the skin subcutaneous injection in the thigh, abdomen, or upper arm.
Levemir and Basaglar can cause very similar side effects. This list contains examples of more common side effects that can occur with both Levemir or Basaglar when taken individually.
These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Basaglar or with both Levemir and Basaglar when taken individually :. Levemir is a brand name drug, while Basaglar is a biosimilar drug of the long-acting insulin Lantus. You can use Levemir with mealtime insulins if you need help lowering your blood sugar quickly after each meal.
Mealtime insulins currently available include Novolog insulin aspart , Fiasp faster acting insulin aspart , and Humalog insulin lispro. If you have type 2 diabetes , you can use Levemir along with metformin to help improve your blood sugar levels.
These include Victoza liraglutide , Ozempic semaglutide , Trulicity dulaglutide , or Bydureon exenatide. There is no known interaction between Levemir and alcohol. However, drinking too much alcohol while taking Levemir can increase your risk for hypoglycemia low blood sugar. This is because both alcohol and Levemir can lower your blood sugar levels on their own. Levemir can interact with several other medications.
Different interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works. Other interactions can increase side effects or make them more severe. Below is a list of medications that can interact with Levemir. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with Levemir. Before taking Levemir, talk with your doctor and pharmacist.
Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Taking Levemir with a thiazolidinedione a class of diabetes drugs may cause fluid retention and heart failure. If you already have heart failure, taking the two drugs together can make your condition worse.
Before you start using Levemir, tell your doctor if you take a thiazolidinedione. Examples of thiazolidinedione drugs include pioglitazone hydrochloride Actos and rosiglitazone maleate Avandia. If you take Levemir with a thiazolidinedione, your doctor will monitor you closely for symptoms of heart failure due to fluid retention. Taking Levemir with certain other diabetes medications may cause hypoglycemia low blood sugar.
To avoid this interaction, you and your doctor will need to carefully monitor your blood sugar when you take Levemir with these diabetes medications. Taking Levemir with certain heart or blood pressure drugs may increase the effects of Levemir. This could cause low blood sugar. Examples of these drugs include:.
Taking Levemir with other types of heart drugs may have an unpredictable effect on the effects of Levemir. These drugs may also mask or reduce the signs of low blood sugar. Examples of these heart medications include:. Taking Levemir with certain antibiotic drugs may increase the effects of Levemir. Taking certain drugs used for growth disorders may increase the effects of Levemir. Taking Levemir with certain drugs that help with blood flow or clotting may increase the effects of Levemir.
Taking Levemir with certain steroids may decrease the effects of Levemir. This could cause hyperglycemia high blood sugar. Examples of these steroids include:. Taking Levemir with certain diuretics water pills may decrease the effects of Levemir. This could cause high blood sugar. Examples of these diuretics include:. Taking Levemir with certain drugs used for allergy attacks or asthma attacks may decrease the effects of Levemir. Taking Levemir with certain hormone therapies may decrease the effects of Levemir.
Examples of these hormone therapies include:. Taking Levemir with certain psychiatric medications may decrease the effects of Levemir. However, you should still check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any of these products while taking Levemir.
Levemir is approved to lower blood sugar levels in adults and children ages 2 years and older with type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is a chronic long-term disease. Your body needs insulin to allow glucose sugar to enter your cells, which then convert the sugar into energy. Everyone with type 1 diabetes has to take insulin. Levemir is a type of insulin called basal insulin. It works over a longer period of time to maintain a steady level of insulin in your body. Talk to your doctor about how often you should check your blood sugar.
Your blood sugar measurements are averaged over a period of about 3 months to find your hemoglobin A1c HbA1c level. Levemir is approved to lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic ongoing disease. If you have this condition, sugar levels build up in your bloodstream. Your body might also produce less insulin than you need to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
Insulin is needed to allow sugar to enter your cells, which then convert the sugar into energy. But over time, as your body adapts and changes, you may need insulin to keep your blood sugar well managed. If you have type 2 diabetes, you may or may not take a mealtime insulin along with Levemir.
Talk with your doctor about how often you should check your blood sugar. Your blood sugar measurements are averaged over a period of about 3 months to find your HbA1c level. Levemir can be used to improve blood sugar in children with type 1 diabetes who are at least 2 years old.
In clinical trials , children and teenagers ages 6 to 17 years old with type 1 diabetes took Levemir. The results were as follows:.
In these clinical trials , children and teenagers ages 6 to 17 years old who took insulin NPH had the following results:. Your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist will show you how to inject Levemir using either the Levemir vial with an insulin needle or the FlexTouch pen.
Please refer to the instructions for use for detailed instructions on how to inject Levemir. You can inject Levemir under the skin subcutaneous injection in your thigh, abdomen belly , or upper arm.
Levemir can be taken with or without food. Levemir helps improve blood sugar levels in adults and children ages 2 years old and older with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic ongoing disease.
Over time, this can damage your nerves and certain organs, including your eyes, heart, and kidneys. It does this by moving glucose from your bloodstream into your cells. This helps keep your blood sugar levels from getting too high. Levemir begins to work almost immediately after you inject it, but it reaches its full effect about 6 to 8 hours after you inject it. Levemir is a long-acting insulin , which means it helps maintain steady levels of insulin in your body.
Levemir is considered safe to use during pregnancy. Levemir has been studied in women who were 8 to 12 weeks pregnant. In the study, Levemir did not increase the risk of harm to the fetus. However, having diabetes may raise your risk for birth defects, miscarriages, and other pregnancy-related side effects.
However, other types of insulin , like human insulin, have been found in breast milk. Yes, you can switch if your doctor thinks Lantus would work well for you.
Both Lantus and Levemir are long-acting insulins that work all day to lower your blood sugar levels. Your dosage when switching from Levemir to Lantus will depend on whether you took Levemir once or twice a day. If you have type 2 diabetes , you may or may not need to take mealtime insulin when using Levemir. Talk with your doctor if you have questions about whether you should be taking mealtime insulin. Yes, you can switch if your doctor thinks Levemir would work well for you.
Both Tresiba and Levemir are long-acting insulins that work all day to lower your blood sugar levels. Your dosage when switching from Tresiba to Levemir will depend on whether your doctor wants you to take Levemir once or twice a day. It depends on whether you take Levemir once or twice a day. If your doctor prescribes Levemir to be taken once a day, take it with your dinner or at bedtime. If your doctor prescribes Levemir to be taken twice a day, take the first dose in the morning.
Before taking Levemir, talk with your doctor about your health history. Levemir may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions. These include:. Using more than the recommended dosage of Levemir can lead to serious side effects, such as severe hypoglycemia low blood sugar. Call your doctor right away if you have severe hypoglycemia.
You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at or use their online tool. But if your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away.
One of the possible side effects is loss of consciousness not being able to respond to sound or touch. Therefore, your friends and family should know what symptoms to look for and how to help. A medication called glucagon comes as an injection that can be given in an emergency to raise your blood sugar very quickly.
Teach your friends and family how to give you a glucagon injection in case you experience severe hypoglycemia. If you take Levemir, you should also have a prescription for glucagon. Always carry glucagon with you in case your blood sugar levels get dangerously low.
This date is typically 1 year from the date they dispensed the medication. The expiration date helps guarantee the medication is effective during this time. If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, talk to your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it. How long a medication remains good can depend on many factors, including how and where you store the medication. Do not freeze.
If frozen, do not use the drug. Do not put your opened Levemir vial or FlexTouch pen back in the refrigerator after initial use. Do not store the Levemir FlexTouch pen with a needle attached. Always remove the needle before storing the pen. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident. It also helps keep the drug from harming the environment. The FDA website provides several useful tips on medication disposal.
You can also ask your pharmacist for information on how to dispose of your medication. Levemir is a long-acting human insulin analog indicated to improve glycemic control in adults and children ages 2 years and older with type 1 diabetes. It can also be used in adults with type 2 diabetes. Levemir regulates glucose metabolism by binding to insulin receptors on target cells. The receptor-bound insulin then exerts its biological effect and facilitates the uptake of glucose into the target cells.
It differs from human insulin at B30, as threonine has been omitted and a C14 fatty acid chain has been added to B29 to prolong the half-life of the molecule. Levemir is injected subcutaneously and has a relatively constant concentration over a time profile over 24 hours. It reaches maximum serum concentrations at 6 to 8 hours after the initial dose once at steady state. No clinically relevant differences in exposure were seen between males and females, or healthy subjects of Japanese, African American, Latino, and Caucasian descent.
Levemir should not be used in patients with a history or hypersensitivity to Levemir or any of its excipients. Levemir should not be stored in the freezer or directly adjacent to the refrigerator cooling element.
0コメント