we havenbeen on novolog, but i am hearing moremabout apidra having faster action? package insert claims… our endo says they do notmseemsignificant clinical benefit or faster action…
anyone use both and have preference?
I think it has a slightly faster onset of action, but maybe it's in my head :-)
I DO wholeheartedly believe that it has a shorter tail than either humalog or novalog. I had previously used both of the other kinds but most recently, Novolog.
Now I know when I check 2.5-3 hours after I eat and it says that I'm "120" that I'm really 120 and not 120 on my way to 80. This has helped me a lot w/ planning workouts (cycling/running) closer to meal times (has helped my schedule a lot!).
No doubt about it as far as I’m concerned. Faster onset and shorter tail. Not an overwhelming difference but enough to make it quite worth it.
How does the shorter tail effect your extended bolusing?
In some people, Apidra is noticably faster in onset of action and a little bit shorter duration (not much of a tail)..
Know of a few pumpers who love Apidra... Its one of those things you have to try and find out..
If you know your "action curve for Novalog: (when it peaks, or when you can safely do a full correction after a full bolus, you can compare it to apidra) take a bolus of apidra, a few hours after set change (mebby a correction only, or a low carb meal + correction) and test every 15 or 30 min for 4 1/2 hours..
Another YDMV..
But be aware some people seem to have a site reaction to Apidra *different* than the other insulins.. Just something to be aware of.. Usually not a dangerous one, but something to be aware of
Hi Natalie,
Speaking from a purely technical point of view (as you know, I don't have diabetes), if needed, the shorter tail could probably be compensated with a small extended bolus portion. But first, please check with the endo/CDE (if you use one for your daughter) and fellow pumpers here about that.
Cheers,
Gil
Until you asked about it I had not really considered that question. But, I will often extend my bolus for 2 or 3 hours after a really fatty or complex carb laden meal rather than just 1 or 2 hours b/c I know the tail of that extended bolus is going to be a little shorter than when I was using novolog. I guess I've used it enough that I've kind of overlooked my progression to extend that tail a little longer to cover those types of meals.
Hello! We started my seven year old son on Apidra two weeks ago and I am shocked and amazed at how easy the transition has been. His breakfast spikes were 275-350 and now he barely spikes above 175-200. He is completely flat and stable at night. We seem to have less Pod Chg highs than on Nololog, but there have only been a few so that could be to soon to call. One Pod Chg he was running high a few hours later, I corrected and he came down very easily. Any highs that he has had due to holiday eats and treats have been very quickly corrected. On Novolog it often took 2 or 3 corrections to bring him down. The effective time is much shorter too. I have not yet looked at Dex reports to see how short yet. In a nutshell, I will I would have switched him a long time ago:) Thanks Lo for the counseling and support getting me there:) XOXO
Apidra appears to have a shorter tail for my 9yr old. In her case shorter tail is not good as she is a slow eater; sometines taking 45-60 mins to fiinsh her meal,especailly in socal settings.
Apidra has been really good regarding canula insertion marks. While on Humalog, her insertion marks would persist for 3+ months. There was a 2-3mm circle of skin reaction around the insertion mark. With Apridra there is just the canula puncture mark and no 2-3m reaction.
Extend OUT your bolus to help mitigate the tail ...
Instead of a normal bolus, do an extended (or whatever its called) which splits the bolus out over a set period of time.. Might try 15 or 30 min, or even longer (roughly how long it will take her to eat might work but I find you want it a little shorter (a little more insulin up front then divided through the ENTIRE meal)...
Say you think shes going to take 45 min to eat,,
Extend out the bolus for 15 min and see how that goes, then try 30 min at another meal,
Found that i still need more insulin given early/before meal for it to level out later... problem with extending it out over the entire meal is it doesnt do much for the spike, at least for me