Are Lantus and Levemir the same???

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Lee - 13 Sep 2007 21:37 GMT

I also posted this on ASD, so if you subscribe to both, please excuse
the duplicate.

This has probably been asked before, but a quick search of messages
didn't reveal an answer, so please bear with me if it has been
previously addressed.

I've been type 1 for 59 years and my Dr. has suggested I could get
better glucose control by switching to Lantus. I've used a 2x/day
combination of R & N for years, but lately my control has become
somewhat erratic. My insurance copay for Lantus is much, much higher
than for Novo insulin's so I'd prefer the later. The routine will be
the same as my current, with the exception of eliminating the evening
N; testing 3x/day and taking R as needed (on a sliding scale)
according to test results.

So, is there any difference between Lantus and Levemir?

Is there anything special I should know when making this switch?

Thanks for your advice.
Lee

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Tiger Lily - 14 Sep 2007 16:20 GMT

Lee, i've used both insulin's and didn't get the 24 hour coverage out of
either one of them

i take levemir twice a day (12 hours apart) and have the over lap during the
late afternoon and early morning parts of my days......... this takes care
of the dawn phenomenon for me, and gives me good coverage leading up to
dinner in the evening

if insurance pays for levemir rather than lantus, tell your Dr you want
levemir and why

good luck!

kate

>I also posted this on ASD, so if you subscribe to both, please excuse
> the duplicate.
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> Thanks for your advice.
> Lee

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William C Biggs MD - 30 Sep 2007 19:59 GMT

Lee,

My observation about Levemir is that almost always does best given twice a
day, vs. about 3/4 of Lantus users can go once a day.

One odd feature of Levemir is that it sometimes requires a higher dose. In
one of our patients, their basal insulin dose went from 30 to 70 units a day
when they switched from Lantus.

So the dosing is not equivalent to Lantus.

We have many happy Levemir users, but it is definitely not the same as
Lantus.

William C Biggs MD FACE

>I also posted this on ASD, so if you subscribe to both, please excuse
> the duplicate.
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> Thanks for your advice.
> Lee

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