Scott,
Sounds like Brigitte already has her solostar pen for Apidra since she’s in Europe. Any idea what the holdup on approval for it is in the U.S.?
I have used Humalog and Novolog. Novolog seems to be a bit quicker and also stronger. I read somewhere that Humalog peaks at 75 minutes, while Novolog peaks at 52 minutes. I would think that Novolog would be better in a pump. Apparently Apidra is even faster. It is possibly too quick for my MDI bolusing requirements, but it should be ideal for a pump.
I have used Humalog in the past but use Novolog now, and really haven’t seen a difference in my blood sugars with them. I would like to try out Apidra, though. Let us know how it works out for you!
I was on humalog for the first 2 years. Right after my 2nd year I started on apidra. After trying it I really wanted to kick myself for not trying it sooner. It seem I do not get the after meal spike like I used to. I seem to have better control and I use way less insulin in my pump. My basal rates have gone down about 6 units a day.
I know alot of people react differently to different things so I think what you are doing is great. I should have done it. Keep us posted on results!
I just started on the 2nd trial with Apidra, so far it seems to work a lot faster for me than either Humalog or Novolog. The Novolog didn’t seem to work out for me very well at all, the whole time I was on it I had highs that lasted for hours followed by lows hours after I’d had a bolus - might have been a bad bottle of insulin. As soon as I went back on Humalog things leveled out a bit.
Now that I’m back on Apidra I’m hardly seeing any highs or any lows. Maybe it’s luck, but it does seem to drop me a lot faster than the other two. I’ll be doing more trials with Novolog/Humalog just to make sure, and will be updating on my blog. Thank you guys for all your input!!
My doctor (who happens to be a Type I pumper) recommends Aprida for pumps. He said that both Humalog and Novalog have a tendency to crystallize, where Aprida doesn’t.
Hi Sara,
Sorry i am so slow to pick up your last post from April 30th You are doing so well on Apidra, if you don’t have to go back to the Novolog or Humalog, why do it? Most of us would just love to see “faster action and hardly any highs or any lows.” It sounds like you have ideal action with your Apidra.
I’m so glad to see this discussion. I’ll be starting on my Animas 2020 on Friday. My original CDE suggested Apidra and that is what my Endo ordered for me. My current Dietician raised a question regarding more frequent infusion set changes using Apidra. Has anyone noticed this if using Apidra in a pump?
That’s really interesting about the Apidra not crystallizing. It may also explain something that I’ve noticed.
I’ve been using the same Apidra pen cartridge since April 7 and it has not lost any of its potency. I have never had any insulin last this long without some fade.
I have used Novolg and I currently use Apidra. I personally like the Apidra better because it is very predictable in the amount of time it stays in my body and when it begins to work and peak out. I think they both work well I prefer Apidra but would use Novolog if I had to with out concern.
I have use Humalog on a sliding scale and Lantus once a day in th evening. I have had a good experience with both.
Try checking the novolog site - I found information about the Novopen Junior that way. The Junior allows for half unit dosages, and is called a variety of different things in other countries. Like in Austrialia it is marketed as the Novopen Demi. Etc etc. 
I’m sure they sell it in France, it might just be hard to find or have a different name.
I found it! http://www.novonordisk.fr/documents/article_page/document/Dispositifs_mediacaux.asp
It should be called the Novopen Demi where you are. 
I had to call up a pharmacy and order it here in the States. They take the Novolog 3ml catridges. Hope that helps!
I wouldn’t worry about changing your set more often. I wear my set 72 hours and I have had zero issues when compared to Novolog. Apidra works great, you will be happy with your choice.
I’m on 24u of Lantus a day and a sliding scale (I do a calorie counting method) of Novolog. I haven’t had any trouble with Novolog and have found it to be the cheapest of the choices through my insurance. I had been interested in trying one of the new Eli Lilly pens (with half units!) but the Humalog was $20 a month more then Novolog.
I hope that helps. Unfortunately I don’t have a lot to compare my Novolog to.
I have been on Humalog since my diagnosis but am trying Apidra currently. I don’t like it at all so far… seems less strong and I seem to have constant high blood sugars. Has anyone had to increase their basals due to Apidra and it’s shorter time of action?
Now I’m, curious to try novolog… might as well try them all!
Hi Allen,
I just tried Apidra this week myself. I have been on Novolog and Humalog most recently. My Endo sent me home with Apridra to try. I was hoping it would work better for me, but what I’ve found this week is that the short duration is just too short for me. In fairness, I have been having allergy issues this week and have had a very hard time keeping things in line. I am going to try it again when things stabilize again, but what I found for the first go round was not great success.
I had strong reactions to Novolog, my sites would burn and it did not remain stable for me. I tried it for 9 months with sky rocketing A1C’s and what my endo called “reaction moles” all over my midsection. Very odd! I switched to Humalog, which is stable but takes a very long time to peak for me. I was hoping Apidra would be a small miracle.
Leslie
Hey Leslie,
yeah I was hoping for more with Apidra too! Kinda disappointed. I’ll probably give Novo a shot… what if it turns out to be a miracle for me and I dont even try it.
Years ago when I was on MDI, I used regular and NPH, then regular and Novolog, then Lantus and Humalog. I finally I went to the pump using Humalog, and now Apidra. I have frankly forgotten the benefits of the insuilns I used earlier… I did well on the Humalog when I first went on the pump six years ago… My doctor suggested that I go to Apidra so I could get better flow through the tubing… I see minimal differences with Apidra versus Humalog,… They both work well in the pump fo me. The Apidra does work faster, however, and puts corrections in effect a bit quicker than with Humalog,:I am down, from a 300 blood sugar ( yes sometimes that happens!!) to an acceptable target range in about one and a half to two hours as opposed to 2 1//2 or so with Humalog. Both are Much quicker with smaller corrections Other than that ,Apidra and Humalog work about the same for me in the pump.
Depending on what type of group insurance plan I get after my retirement in 2 years,I may have to switch back to Humalog, as co-pays may be quite high: Apidra is VERY high in cost , I think about $85 a bottle.
GOD BLESS
Brunetta
My niece has used Novolog and it has a four and a half hour duration for her. This is problematic. Our endo recently gave us a bottle of Apidra to sample (warning us that the expiration date was in one month). So I am not sure if being so close to the expiration date was the problem. Apidra did sometimes take care of postprandials and left the system within three hours. But she was high and her highs did not come down. We only used it for her vacation from school, which was one week. She was using a much higher basal. I think our problems with Apidra had more to do with our not having time enough to test all basals and fine-tune it. I just got sick of the highs and shelved it; we may try again over summer vacation. She used a lot more basal on it, at least 20 percent more. And when high, we were using a lot more insulin. Clearly, with Apidra, we would have to start from scratch.