Bovine insulin is the oldest type of insulin available to type one diabetic’s. I am still using it. Are there any other Type 1 s using it.
My last HbA1C was .059 on 25 to 30 units in total a day.
I haven’t used bovine insulin since 1984-1985. I was diagnosed in 1984. In the beginning I mostly used porcine insulin before switching to Humulin and eventually the modern analogs in 1996. I was surprised a few years ago to find that I could not donate blood due to using bovine insulin. The risk involved transmitting “mad cow” disease.
I’m curious why you stuck with this insulin for so long. I do imagine that it’s less expensive than the modern analogs. Your A1c suggests very good control on a relatively low total daily dose. What works, works!
Hi @Nancy48–welcome to TUD! Hope you’ll stick around, it’s a great place for answers, expertise and, when you need it, venting.
@Terry4’s story roughly mirrors mine. In my case dx’d in '83, on porcine (mostly) but also bovine the first few years, then humulin, and after a long time analogs, starting Lantus/Novolog in 2003 and now a pump for about five years. I’m really curious to hear more about your regimen and how long you’ve been on it. Some of us seem to just not ever change from what we were first treated with decades ago even if standard treatments now have moved on. Like Terry says, what works works, but I’m curious how long you’ve been on your same regimen, is this R or N that you’re taking, whether you’ve considered anything else etc.
Glad you’ve joined us!
Where do you get the bovine insulin from ? I don’t think it is available in US.
I used it for many years when it was the only kind available, as lente, regular and nph.
I’m surprised that bovine insulins are still a thing. My brother used it in the 70s and the 80s, but I was diagnosed eight years ago, so I never even considered it (not that anyone suggested it).
The FDA maintains information about the importation and use of animal insulins. Here’s the first question and answer posted on this topic:
Q-1. Why can’t I obtain beef or pork insulin manufactured in the U.S.?
A. The manufacturing of beef insulin for human use in the U.S. was discontinued in 1998. In 2006, the manufacturing of pork insulin (Iletin II) for human use was discontinued. The discontinuation of animal-sourced insulins was a voluntary withdrawal of these products made by the manufacturers and not based on any FDA regulatory action. Although there are no FDA-approved animal-sourced insulins available in the U.S., recombinant human insulins and their analogs are safe and effective FDA-approved products available for the treatment of type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus.
On this site the FDA details a way for people in the US to import animal-derived insulin. It also includes some information about “bovine spongiform encephalopathy,” aka mad cow disease.
Hi Terry:
I’ve stick with bovine as I have an immunological response to human
insulin. Only insulins now available are either an rDNA form of human or
are based on the human insulin molecule - all analogs. My blood sugars are
dangerously erratic on these forms of insulin.
I know a lot of people could switch without issue but not me.
Why I write now is that they just announced discontinuation of beef so am
not sure what I am going to do.
Nancy
Hi Dr. B:
I was diagnosed at the age of 10 and now am 68 - diabetic for a long time.
I use bovine Lente and bovine neutral. Tried a plethora of human and analog
insulins which are all based on the amino acid sequence of human. Developed
dangerously erratic blood sugar control and a set of disease like symptoms.
Had my IgG antibodies to human insulin tested along with allergy test to
human and it was found that my IgG antibodies to human were very high. So I
have an auto immune response to human and so can’t use these insulins.
Pork is also based on the amino acid sequence of human. That is why it was
introduced in the 19670s.
Some individuals develop immune reposes to beef while others like myself
develop an immune responses to human.
My problem now is that they have just announced the discontinuation of
bovine (Wockhardt) and am not sure what to do.
Nancy
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Got it from Wockhardt Pharma in England. They have just announced its
discontinuation however.
Nancy
Yow, that is a tough situation to be in all around. Now I understand your original question: there must be other people with the same condition who are also being “orphaned” by this move and getting in contact with them is a good place to start. I assume you’re trying elsewhere as well. There are a LOT of T1 groups on Facebook. Worth exploring if you haven’t already.
Yes, I recall that now that you mention it. I assume you’ve actually tried porcine and found you reacted to it the same as human?
Scary situation you’re in–I wish you the best in finding an answer!
I’m so sorry to read about your predicament. Like @DrBB mentions, it’s smart to try to get in contact with other people who share your situation. Have you made a similar inquiry at Diabetes UK? It will also be a good idea to contact Diabetes UK staff about your situation. They may know of some opportunity for you. You might also do some reading on Orphanet. Good luck and please keep us posted.
Hello Nancy,
Until last week I had used bovine insulin for 53 years due to the same problems you have.
Even using it in a pump successfully. Under medical supervision though I tried FIASP due to the withdrawal of bovine insulin.
I felt very unwell to start with but now I’m fine and adjusting my pump gradually.
Could you try a pump and see if a trickle feed of insulin would help you?
I have no idea how to go about it but do have 4 bottles of bovine neutral in the fridge which you are more than welcome to have if it’s allowed.
Hi Sue:
Thanks very much for your generous offer. But I’ve just placed another
order to Wockhardt so in the short term I should be OK. I have already
tried switching to human when beef was discontinued back in approximately
2000 and at that time also tried using it on a pump. But none of it worked.
I don’t know what FIASP is. Could you please advise.
Thanks again for your response and kind offer.
Nancy
General Background Information
“Mad Cow Disease” has been in the news for years now, but most people just know the name and not what it is or does. The human form is called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and you can indeed get it from ingesting contaminated beef products.
It is extremely nasty and 100% fatal. No exceptions. Without going into detail (you can research it easily if interested), it causes the brain to progressively destroy itself. The external symptoms are very similar to Alzheimer’s, but it runs its course in weeks, not years. I suppose one could argue that the only good thing about it is that it’s fast.
Can type 1s generally donate blood in the States? Canadian Blood Services for whatever reason won’t take donations from anyone using insulin!
Yes. T1Ds are generally eligible to donate blood in the US. This Beyond Type 1 article summarizes T1D blood donor eligibility in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada. The article says that according to the Canadian Diabetes Association, blood donations by T1Ds in Canada are OK.
The one time I tried to donate in Canada I was refused because I had T1 Diabetes, but that was probably 25 years ago.
This is what is says on the Canadian Blood Services website as of today…
"If you have type 2 diabetes and are treated with diet or pills to lower your blood sugar, you can donate.
If you have type 2 diabetes and are treated with insulin, you may be able to donate. This depends on when you started insulin, and if your sugars are stable with no large changes in insulin dose.
Type 1 diabetics are currently deferred."
I am unsure what the difference is between a type 2 taking insulin and a type 1 is 
Yep, I’ve tried and was told I can’t donate because I’m a type 1 on insulin. Maybe they are afraid of liability if a hypo happens during the process or something.
Strange, I’ve tried and was told no. Maybe the CDA is saying there is no danger for t1s to donate, but it doesn’t matter because Canadian Blood Services (we only have 1 agency that has a monopoly on blood donations) won’t allow it.
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I was told I couldn’t donate blood when I was dx’d back in '83 and it wasn’t the kind of thing I had any reason to question. Was it because we all used animal insulins back then? I don’t even know. At some point I stumbled onto the fact that it was no longer an issue, but I probably spent a decade declining to donate when I could have because I assumed it was still verboten.